Built for a Turkish motorsport magnate who personally oversaw every detail, this floating explorer redefines what it means to travel in uncompromising luxury.
There are explorer yachts built to go anywhere, and then there is Victorious—an 85-meter (279-foot) , asking price €120,000,000, colossus with one of the yachting world’s most unusual origin stories. Delivered in 2021 by the Turkish shipyard AKYacht, she is not simply a vessel; she is the product of an obsessive, decade-long labor of love that passed through three owners and three countries before reaching her final form. With a six-deck layout, an ice-classed steel hull, and a genuinely transoceanic range, Victorious stands as Turkey’s most ambitious superyacht export and a benchmark for the global explorer segment.
Her name says it all. This is a yacht built not for passive cruising but for conquering oceans—a testament to the idea that true luxury lies in the boundless freedom to depart for anywhere.
The Man Behind the Machine: Vural Ak and the Intercity Legacy
To understand Victorious, one must understand her creator. The yacht was completed under the direction of Vural Ak, the Turkish motorsport enthusiast and founder of Intercity Rent a Car—one of Turkey’s largest vehicle rental and leasing companies—who also operates the Istanbul Park Formula 1 circuit. Unlike many superyacht owners who delegate their vision to third parties, Ak immersed himself in the build with an intensity rarely seen in the industry.
Her story didn’t start with him, though. The hull was originally laid down in Chile in 2006 as a 77-meter explorer project, later acquired by New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart and towed to Auckland for further work. When that project stalled again, Ak bought the unfinished hull in 2016, towed it to Turkey, and—unable to find a shipyard willing to take on such a bespoke, heavily modified project—founded his own: AKYacht, in Kocaeli, about an hour from Istanbul.
Once there, Ak worked with his team to extend the stern by six meters and add a two-meter bowsprit, bringing her to her final 85-meter length. For years he was a constant presence at the yard, with a simple philosophy: if a component didn’t meet his standard, his team would build a better one.
An Exterior Built for Purpose, Not Posturing
Victorious wears her purpose proudly. Her exterior was penned by the renowned British studio Michael Leach Design, the same firm behind her original 2006 hull lines. The vertical bow and high-tensile steel hull, built to Lloyd’s Register classification, support genuine long-range, expedition-grade seakeeping.
The design balances ruggedness with elegance: sweeping, overlapping decks create deep, shadowed balconies and sheltered outdoor spaces, while warm teak decking and clean modern lines soften the more military overtones.
At 85 meters with a beam of 14.2 meters and a draft of 4.4 meters, Victorious has a gross tonnage of 2,291 GT. Twin 1,475hp Caterpillar diesel engines give her a top speed of 17 knots and a cruising speed of around 13 knots, with a genuinely exceptional range of 14,000 nautical miles at 13 knots, stretching to roughly 24,000 nautical miles at a fuel-sipping 7 knots. Quantum zero-speed stabilizers—doubled up at Ak’s request—keep things steady even in exposed anchorages.
A Six-Deck Palace of Bespoke Craftsmanship
The interior, by the acclaimed British studio H2 Yacht Design, is a revelation of artistry. Spread across six decks connected by an elevator, the living spaces combine warmth with sophistication—hand-laid flooring, woven leathers, backlit onyx, and custom glass sculptures throughout.
Victorious accommodates 24 guests across 12 staterooms, with a working crew of around 22. The owner’s suite offers expansive observation views, a marble-clad en-suite, and direct terrace access with a private Jacuzzi.
Onboard highlights include:
- A full-beam spa and hammam clad in Anatolian marble, alongside a heated swimming pool
- A tiered cinema and a dedicated children’s playroom, doubling as a briefing space for expedition activities like heliskiing
- A sky lounge with a curved seating area and baby grand piano
- A wine cellar and cigar lounge tucked into the upper-deck social spaces
Toys, Tenders, and Long-Range Autonomy
No true explorer yacht is complete without the means to venture off-grid, and Victorious carries a genuine fleet: a 12.5-meter custom aluminum catamaran limousine/beach-lander, an 11.6-meter Fountain 38 sportfishing boat, a RIB, and a full complement of Jet Skis, Seabobs, and dive gear. Her foredeck touch-and-go helipad doubles as a sun deck or lounging area when not in use.
From Rescue Project to Charter Icon
Following her delivery, Victorious entered the charter market, managed by Burgess, with weekly rates reported around €800,000–€840,000 in summer and up to $1 million in winter. For charter guests, it’s a rare chance to step aboard a vessel with one of the most unusual build histories in yachting—one where no detail was spared and no compromise tolerated, from her first keel-laying in Chile to her final polish in Turkey.
Victorious is more than an explorer yacht. She is the realization of a rescue mission turned personal obsession—a handcrafted titan ready to sail to the ends of the Earth without ever leaving the comforts of home behind.
