The steamship Gonca, with origins tracing back to its service as a mine-laying vessel for the Ottoman Navy during World War I, has been meticulously restored by the Rahmi M. Koç Museum and recognized with top honors at the U.K.’s Classic Boat Awards.
Mine Sofuoğlu, the general manager of the Rahmi M. Koç Museum, attended the ceremony in the U.K. to accept the award, stating: “It is a great pride for us that Gonca participated in such a prestigious competition and received an award. We thank all the sea enthusiasts who participated in the voting.”
Türkiye’s first and only industrial museum, the Rahmi M. Koç Museum once again brought its contribution to Turkish maritime to the international stage. The Gonca, part of the museum’s collection, earned the award from the competition organized by the England-based Classic Boat magazine. Competing among motorized vessels over 30.5 meters (100 feet), Gonca, one of three ships in this category, was selected as the winner. The Classic Boat Awards, held since 2007, bring together sea vehicles freely traversing the blue waters, from century-old traditional ships to restored ones, from sailboats to motorized pleasure boats. The winners of the competition, held in six categories, are selected by public voting.
The award for Gonca was accepted by Sofuoğlu at the ceremony held in England on April 3. Sofuoğlu said in her statement regarding the award, “It is a great pride for us that Gonca participated in such a prestigious competition and received an award. Experiencing this pride for the second time is an extra joy.”
