In the run-up to the 2026 World Superyacht Awards, BOAT’s Hannah Rankine sits down with Begüm Doğulu, owner of the nominated 32.1-metre Lady Luna, to discover the story behind a superyacht that champions wooden construction, defies convention and distils 30 years of yachting expertise into one vessel.
When Begüm Doğulu says she gave her heart to Lady Luna, she means it literally. Shortly after delivering the 32.1-metre wooden superyacht charter-ready in 2025, the Turkish owner and director of Begüm Yachting was hospitalised, with surgeons inserting two stents in her heart. But for a woman who's spent 30 years in yachting, survived a regatta accident and fought numerous regulatory battles to realise her design vision, the sacrifice was worth it.
A wooden superyacht in a modern era
"My first niece is named Luna, which is why she's called Lady Luna," Doğulu explains. "I've since acquired a second yacht, Bella Luna, and a shadow vessel named Baby Luna.”
Doğulu has always had a deep connection to yachting. "I grew up sailing as a child and then met a gentleman in my twenties who owned Turkey's largest yacht agency, and I began working with him. That's how I entered the commercial side of yachting,” she says. “I competed in numerous regattas, though one race shattered my left arm and now I have 10 pins holding it together. So I come from the sea, and I understand both its beauty and its dangers."
Built by Martı Yat and delivered in 2025, Lady Luna features exterior design by Italstyle, interior design by IPYD- with interior works completed by Barka Shipyard – and naval architecture by Durkaya Avcı. But bringing this vision to life required navigating Turkey's complex maritime regulations.
"This is a Turkish-flagged vessel, and Turkey doesn't have a yacht code, which makes building a modern Turkish-flagged yacht extremely challenging," Doğulu explains. "Initially, they wouldn't permit me to have continuous windows across the hull. I had to obtain approximately 50 exemptions from the flag authority - 50 separate exceptions to modify the exterior design and make my vision possible. I had to fight for each one. Most of the battles were over the glass, the height of the steps and the portholes. According to Turkish flag regulations, you're supposed to use traditional portholes. But as you can see, there are no visible portholes on the exterior. It's a truly modern design."
Perhaps Lady Luna's most distinctive feature is her construction material. In an era dominated by GRP, steel and aluminium, Doğulu chose wood - an unusual decision for a contemporary superyacht.
"Every square metre of the yacht is handcrafted,” she notes. “I chose wood because it's connected to nature - and the ocean is nature. I wanted the vessel to feel like an organic extension of the environment around us, rather than something made of GRP or steel."
The wooden construction presented unique challenges, particularly when Doğulu insisted on features typically found on much larger vessels. With an internal volume of 285GT - roughly equivalent to a 40-metre yacht - Lady Luna punches well above her 32-metre length.
"I've never accepted 'no' as a final answer. Take the onboard Jacuzzi, for example,” she explains. “The team said it wouldn't be possible due to stability concerns. But I was determined to offer the same level of luxury that guests would expect on a larger yacht. So I insisted on both a Jacuzzi and a Turkish hammam. RINA has rigorous standards that don't permit everything. With steel yachts, adding steam rooms and saunas is relatively straightforward. But with wooden construction, it's exponentially more difficult. It required extensive behind-the-scenes technical work to convince them. Ultimately, we solved the stability challenges and secured approval for both the Jacuzzi and the Turkish hammam."
Redesigned by an owner with a vision
Doğulu wasn't a passive client during the build process. "I was deeply involved from day one. I reimagined approximately 80 per cent of the interior, working closely with IPYD to bring my vision to life,” she says. “I have no formal education in interior design, but I've always had a natural vision for it. I don't need to see something physically to imagine it. I can look at an empty space and visualise the entire design in my mind, from the furniture placement to the colour combinations.”
One area where Doğulu invested disproportionately is the galley - and for good reason. "The galley is truly exceptional. The materials and equipment are what you'd typically find on a 50-metre yacht,” she continues. “Charter guests aren't interested in buying the yacht - they're not evaluating the quality of the paint - but they absolutely care about the quality of the food. That's why I invested the most money in the galley. People never forget what they eat."
Just aft of the galley, the main saloon features a formal dining table forward with doors opening onto the aft deck, where a U-shaped sofa provides al fresco dining options.
Lady Luna sleeps 10 guests across five en suite cabins but unusually features two master suites - one on the upper deck and one on the main deck forward.
"Sometimes two families charter together and split the cost, but both want the master suite, which obviously doesn't work,” Doğulu explains. “As a charter broker, I understand these dynamics well. The wives, in particular, can become quite upset when they arrive and discover the other couple has the master cabin, even though they've contributed equally and now have to settle for a smaller stateroom. My experience spans every facet of yachting - I'm a charter broker, yacht agent and provisioning supplier. I've been an integrated yachting business for 30 years, so I understand every aspect of what guests need on board. This comprehensive knowledge was invaluable when building this yacht.”
The upper deck master opens onto a private aft terrace with panoramic views, a fire pit, an open-air cinema and a surround-sound music system. The main deck master spans the full 7.8-metre beam across 20 square metres. Two double cabins and a twin complete the guest accommodation on the lower deck, while separate crew quarters accommodate eight, plus a captain's cabin adjacent to the bridge.
Below deck, accessed through the transom with direct access to the swim platform, Lady Luna's beach club houses a Turkish hammam, spa, massage room and gym equipped with Technogym equipment.
"When guests are on holiday, they want to be pampered. Typically, a massage therapist comes aboard with a portable bed, but I wanted something far more sophisticated - a dedicated spa room with a professional Dior massage bed,” Doğulu reveals. “The space features curated music, colour-changing ambient lighting and climate control. I've created a forest simulation around the spa area, so guests feel immersed in nature during their treatment. One of our stewardesses is also a trained masseuse."
The foredeck offers additional relaxation space with a Jacuzzi and seating for lounging in the sun. Entertainment systems throughout Lady Luna are controlled via iPad thanks to Crestron integration. "We have karaoke games to entertain the kids and all entertainment systems on board are controlled via iPad,” Doğulu says. “She's very nice to spend time on board, and I never recommend people something that I don't like."
The yacht also carries an extensive toy collection, including a rowing boat, Seabobs, boards, water skis, snorkelling equipment, fishing equipment, a Williams Sport Jet 460 and a Chase Boat Samba Power Boat 11.
Powered by twin MAN engines, Lady Luna cruises at 12 knots with a top speed of 14 knots and a range of 1,000 nautical miles. Her modest 1.8-metre draught means she can access most shallow anchorages. "I deliberately chose a smaller engine because speed was never the objective,” she notes. “I've never understood the rush at sea - the entire purpose of being on a yacht is to escape that. In our daily lives, we're constantly racing against the clock. On the water, you should be able to slow down and truly relax."
Built against the clock
The timeline for Lady Luna's completion was ambitious. Built and delivered in just 28 months, the final push was particularly intense. "When she was launched, the interior was more or less empty. But I brought the entire vision to life in just two months - it was a magical transformation."
And the pressure took its toll. "Everyone told me, 'Begum, you cannot make it happen this year. Forget about it. There's too much to be done on this boat’. But I refused to accept delay. I made the boat ready for charter on schedule - and then I went to hospital. They put two stents in my heart. I literally gave my heart to this boat,” she recalls. “Now, she's the only yacht with a Turkish owner, Turkish flag, Turkish build and Turkish designer to be nominated for the 2026 World Superyacht Awards, and I'm very proud of this.”
Despite the dramatic delivery, Lady Luna enjoyed a highly successful charter season in 2025, immediately following completion and RINA charter classification. "In Turkey, we're fortunate to have a long charter season. This year, Lady Luna will be booked through the end of September, and then in October, I have her for the entire month,” she says with a smile. “I particularly love cruising in Göcek.”
Lady Luna is available for charter and is listed for sale. To learn more about charter or purchase opportunities, contact Begüm Yachting.
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