Ares Yachts Simena: A 62m Sailing Superyacht Inspired by the Golden Age

Graceful and fast, the clipper ships of the 1800s were a sight to behold. The Flying Cloud, built in 1851 by Donald McKay set an 89-day, 8-hour record sailing from New York, around

Cape Horn, to San Francisco. That record stood for over 135 years. The equally famous Cutty Sark, built in Scotland in 1869 to transport tea and wool, continues to pay homage to clipper heritage in the dry dock museum near Greenwich Pier.

Indeed, the clippers under full sail were magnificent. Some, boasting nearly 3,000 square meters of sail across the rigging, treated onlookers to beautiful figureheads and elaborate trail boards pointing the way as they sped toward their destinations, loaded with cargo from exotic ports. Turkish shipyard Ares Yachts designed sailing yacht Simena in the image of those incredible clipper ships, beautifully interpreting them in the 62-meter ketch, Simena. To see her under full sail, with her stunning profile and gleaming mahogany, is to be transported in time, while her amenities point with purpose toward the future.

Simena by the Numbers

This flagship Ares Yacht was built in their shipyard near Antalya, Türkiye. Simena measures 62 meters from bow to stern. Named for an old Lycian city close to Antalya, Simena references her place as sanctuary to seafarers. Her steel hull carries 498 GT aboard a GRP carbon-epoxy superstructure, delivering a quiet ride on a hull of exceptional strength. Her beam is 10.8 meters and draft is 4.72 meters. Following a two-year build, Simena was delivered in March 2026. She is one of just 12 60-meter+ sailing yachts with a volume under 500 GT.

Simena’s MAN engine drives a hybrid propulsion system that powers her to a cruise speed of 11 knots and a top speed of 15 knots, achieving a 4000 nautical mile range on engine power and 6000 nautical miles at 7 knots in shaft generation mode, with the e-motor and three generators at work. Simena’s 220 kW electric motors are paired with an 882kW diesel engine to deliver six operational modes creating a high level of redundancy for failsafe operation. Managing director of Ares Yachts Piraye Sahinkaya Orhun calls Simena’s system “very user-friendly, highly accurate, advanced, and flexible.”

The generators can run the e-motor for propulsion without using the engine at all, and can supply power to the e-motor while being used to power the yacht’s hotel load. The parallel hybrid propulsion system has six different running options, also able to regenerate electricity while sailing via the controllable pitch propeller.

Simena accommodates 12 guests in six cabins served by nine crew in four cabins. She was drawn by naval yacht designer and owner of Taka Yacht Design, Osman Tanju Kalaycioğlu, who reinforced the clipper ship influence, citing display of a fully rigged bowsprit and graceful trail board. Interiors by Mark Tucker’s British studio Design Unlimited. She has Myanmar teak decks, and gleaming mahogany wheels at the helms.

Simena’s all aluminum masts support a sail wardrobe embracing 1,815 square meters of Doyle Stratis sails, and is equipped with a full complement including 470-square-meter of mainsail, 597-square-meter genoa, and 356-square-meter staysail. Doyle flew in their team to tune the rigging and bend on the sails, ensuring correct installation. Simena’s sails also include the handiwork of Dokar, Bamar, and OMS.

Her main mast measures 59.5 meters, and her mizzen mast is 48.7 meters. She has an electronic load sensing pin that feeds back to the captain, apprising of conditions ahead of any issues. Her instrumentation is from B & G.

Simena, featured during the Monaco Yacht Show, is presented for sale by Northrop & Johnson.

The Lower Deck

Boarding from a lowered platform to starboard, a turn toward the stern leads to the four crew cabins, crew mess, galley outfitted with Miele appliances, and laundry, all accessible via a dedicated crew stair. A turn toward the bow leads to the central hallway and stair, and to the five guest cabins, all beautifully outfitted in lovely pale neutrals with lots of textures and luxurious materials, including walnut, brass and leather used in the staircase. Brass pillars and a tinted mirror add to the style statement.

Guests enter the central hall with a stair to the main deck. The hall leads to an en suite twin cabin opposite the stairs to port, a pair of en suite queen cabins to port and starboard just forward, and one queen plus one twin cabin further forward, both with en suite baths. Showers display patterned tiles complemented by marble selections of Calacatta Oro and Patagonia White. Furnishings have soft curves at the corners, and a casually elegant quiet style suggesting comfort and luxury.

Further forward following the hall, the full beam master suite features a walk around berth, private marble-framed soaking tub, a spacious en suite, and a dressing room. The amazingly spacious suite also features a desk area, seating area, oversized windows, and recessed lighting in the tray ceiling.

The Main Deck

Exterior joinery with exquisite varnished sipo mahogany combines with luxuriously appointed outdoor furnishings. The aft cockpit uses the 14-seat convertible dining table as a social focus, with U-shaped lounges and sofas, a full wet bar, and a jacuzzi. A drop-down screen and projector transform the space into an open-air cinema. Should cooler weather prevail, the cockpit can be fully enclosed for continued use, regardless of the forecast.

Aft of the cockpit, a richly appointed jacuzzi is outlined to port and starboard with abundant sunpads and trimmed with stunning wood and stainless steel. Just aft, another large bank of sunpads escape the cover of the Bimini for the full-sun experience. As day turns to night, subtle lighting traces the bases of the furnishings, creating a magical mood. A fully retractable gangway allows easy boarding directly to the main deck, welcoming guests to everything from afternoon gatherings or evening social events.

Forward on the main deck, a modern interpretation of the “golden age” of yachting is fashioned using high-quality walnut, textured leathers and fabrics, antiqued brass, and a pale palette that contrasts beautifully with the rich woods. Fully forward on the main deck, the bridge offers the captain an indoor option at command.

The Flybridge

Fully forward, two helm stations are located on the flybridge for optimum visibility with port and starboard wing stations. Just aft, two adjustable height tables offer the U-shaped sofa guests an opportunity to dine, chat, play games, and socialize. Covered by a Bimini, the center of the cover gathers up accordion-style to open the space to welcome the sun.

During sea trials, Simena delivered an outstanding performance, displaying an agile nature and good balance under sail, reaching 14 knots using power. Ares Yachts Project Director Piraye Sahinkaya Orhun proudly announced that “Simena exceeded our expectations during the trials, showing remarkable speed, maneuverability, and silence under hybrid and sail propulsion. She embodies everything we set out to achieve – performance, comfort, and timeless elegance.”

Meticulously detailed to echo a magnificent era of sailing, and outfitted with modern technologies that belie Simena’s timeless, traditional look, she is truly a remarkable yacht that offers a luxurious blend of traditional and contemporary, without comparison or compromise.