Hatay fisherman transforms discarded ship parts into luxury motor yachts

HATAY

What began as a hobby has turned into a livelihood for a fisherman from the southern province of Hatay, who now builds and sells motor yachts using discarded parts from old ships and boats.

The 36-year-old Tanju Gök first became familiar with the sea when he started fishing alongside his father at the age of 16.

Over time, his interest expanded to maintaining and repairing fishing vessels.

For years, he worked at an harbor, fixing both his own boats and those belonging to other fishermen purely as a hobby.

Eventually, he decided to make use of vessels that were no longer seaworthy.

He began purchasing their parts through auctions not only in his hometown but also from various ports across Türkiye.

His first motor yacht, built entirely from repurposed parts, received positive feedback and encouraged him to pursue the craft professionally.

For the past five years, Gök has been designing and producing motor yachts tailored to customer requests, relying on parts from decommissioned ships.

Working on an empty lot in a harbor, Gök explained that he often incorporates old lifeboats into his projects.

“We cut and reshape them; we don’t use them as they are. We only reuse the material, install new engines and design everything according to the customer’s wishes,” he said.

At present, he is constructing a 9-meter-long yacht with four cabins, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a toilet, which is expected to cost around 1 million Turkish Liras ($24,396).

Thanks to lower costs compared to brand-new vessels, demand for his motor yachts has grown rapidly, leaving him struggling to keep up with orders.

On average, he manages to complete seven to eight yachts per year.

Gök hopes to expand his business further in the coming years, bringing his hand-crafted motor yachts to even more customers.