The Fourth Classic Boats Meeting was held under the sponsorship of the Boat Mate Digital Maritime Cluster Platform, in partnership with the Hamit Naci Mavi Vatan Foundation, Setur Kalamış Marina, Istanbul Sailing Club, Tuzla Water Sports and Sailing Club, Tuzla Yacht Club. At the beginning of the event, a moment of silence was held for the late Cem Gür, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Classic Boats Platform, who passed away in 2021. Bosa Classic Boat Restoration firm and Navy Model House belonging to Patternmaker Yusuf Akmeşe were also present at the meeting. Chaika of Wah, Present, Nesime, Melmoth, Damla, Serram, Ülküm, Neptün, Şile Piyadesi, and Dinghy namely boats attended the Fourth Classic Boats Meeting, while Hamit Naci Mavi Vatan Founding President Admiral Cem Gürdeniz made the opening speech of the event.
Gurdeniz said:
85 boats have been registered
“Eight boats were able to participate in the Classic Boats Meeting, which we held for the first time in 2018. In 2019, this number increased to 16. Due to the pandemic, the meeting took place in 2020 while cruising at sea. The Classic Boats Platform (KTP) was established a year after the first activity in 2018. Afterward, two classic boat workshops were held. Most importantly, KTP registered 85 boats. This happened for the first time in our country. We received the greatest support from RMK Industry Museum and SETUR Kalamış Marina in all these activities. The fact that the RMK Museum has the world’s most valuable collection of styled ships and that KTP holds its workshops and meetings on the historical Fenerbahçe Vapuru (Fenerbahçe Ferry) gives KTP great strength.”
Law focused on nature and building
Stating that the most serious problem in Turkey is that the law on natural and cultural assets only protects natural assets and buildings, Gürdeniz said, “There is no protective clause for ships in this law. Therefore, this law needs regulation to protect ships and boats for maritime cultural heritage. As KTP, we started this process in 2019. Unfortunately, we were not successful. Because, as I always say, the genetic codes of the state on the highway do not change easily. The bill is still pending in the parliament.”
Stating that the biggest goal of the Classic Boats Platform is to see the Savarona, which can be considered the most valuable classical boat in Turkey’s possession, as a museum ship, Gürdeniz said, “This ship is among the maritime cultural heritage not only of Turkey but also of the world.” While the platform accepts wooden or metal boats built in 1977 and the past as classic boats, it also records boats built using classical boat lines and designs after 1977.
The lifeboats came to life
“The establishment and meeting of the Classic Boats Platform for the first time in our history have also led to the revival of lifeboats, the most important maritime tradition since the Ottoman period. First, the boat put into service by Koç University Maritime Forum was followed by the boat of Istanbul Sailing Club. The lifeboats of Tuzla Water Sports and Sailing Club and the lifeboats of the ITU Maritime Faculty were joined by the Naval Academy Lifeboats, up to four in number. Today, a fleet of 10 lifeboats has been formed in Istanbul. Rowing and sailing races of these boats will be planned at the Classic Boats Meeting to be held in the future.”
We invite marinas
“We invite marinas from here to preserve classic boats and register what is in their inventory. We think that marinas can provide cheaper accommodation for classical boats to pass on to future generations. We think that by keeping the classical boats in a separate part of the marinas, they can increase the attractiveness and cultural quality of the marinas. At this meeting, we wanted to commemorate the late Cem Gür, who played a leading role in the establishment of the Classic Boats Platform and passed away on April 17, 2021. Cem Gür was a highly productive person trained by Turkey on yacht design and the history of classical boats. In addition to the boats he built, his book titled “From Rowing to Sailing; The Forgotten Heritage”, which was published as a publication of the Koç University Maritime Forum, has also been an important added value. I am very happy to have this book published in 2020 by convincing him.”
Culture is the basis of seafaring
Stating that harmony at sea is extremely important in amateur maritime, Gürdeniz emphasized the lack of culture and manners, especially in the Turkish maritime field, is in the field of amateur maritime, and he invited all amateur sailors and marinas to warn all unlawful, uncouth, and irregular activities they encounter. He underlined that it is necessary to help the qualified development of our amateur maritime by educating and warning those who do not know and those who do not even know that they do not know.
Gürdeniz said, “Maritime culture is the basis of seafaring. Without maritime culture, amateur maritime can only develop by owning a boat, without maritime etiquette, is like gifting a book to an illiterate person. That’s why we need to develop this culture and these manners. As a platform, we will continue our activities to increase in the future. I would like to thank about 10 boats and those who contributed to this first meeting after the pandemic period.”
Sait Keresteci, one of the authors of the Yeni Deniz Mecmuası (New Marine Magazine), Classical Boat Specialist, gave a general description of the classical boats and emphasized the importance of carrying this cultural heritage to the future.
