Istanbul : Profile

Location

Guarding the western entrance to the Bosphosus, Istanbul bridges the divide between Europe and Asia. Its thousands of years of history make it an unmissable stop if cruising this part of the Mediteranean. The Golden Horn is the name given to its harbour.

Clearance

It is advisable to clear in and out when visiting Istanbul. All the offices of the necessary officials are in the same building on the waterfront at Karakoy. Clearance can take a while, but is straightforward. An agent is not really necessary, but if employing one, agree the price beforehand.

Docking

There are now three marinas in Istanbul.

Setur Kalamis has an adjacent yacht harbour, Fenerbahce marina. This marina is on the southern shore, SE of the old city.

Atakoy, is on the northern shore, west of the city.

Marinturk Istanbul "City Port" is the newest marina, situated in Pendik, next to Tuzla.

There is not really a safe anchorage in the vicinity of Istanbul. The bay at Bebek, midway between the two suspension bridges over the Bosphorus, is the nearest.

Karakoy is not a safe place to berth.

On approach, beware of the ferry traffic crossing from one side to the other.

When proceeding up the Bosphorus, VTS must be monitored on the appropriate VHF channel. See Bosphorus for details.

Last updated April 2010.

Atakoy Marina
Sahil Yolu, 34710 Atakoy, Istanbul
Tel:+90 212-560-4270, Fax:+90 212-560-7270, VHF Channel 16 "Atakoy Marina", 73
marina@atakoymarina.com.tr
Water, electricity, fuel berth, tv & telephone connections, 75 ton travel hoist, 7 ton crane, shore storage, chandlery, good range of repair services, liferaft servicing, laundry, health clinic, pharmacy, restaurants, bars, yacht club, and pool. Helpful staff. Good shelter.

Marinturk Istanbul City Port
Sahil Yolu , Sahil Yolu , İstanbul TÜRKİYE
Tel:+90 (216) 524 15 70 , Fax:+90 (216) 491 75 26
cityport@marinturk.com.tr
Located at 40°52’04”N-29°14’23”E
752 berth full facility marina inc. Wi-Fi, Fuel & laundry. Boatyard with 200 ton travelift. Repair facilities.

Setur Kalamis & Fenerbahce Marinas
Munir Nurettin Selcuk Cadessi, Kalamis, Istanbul
Tel:+90 216-346-2346, Fax:+90 216-346-1656, VHF Channel 72 "Setur Marina", 16 (24hrs)
kalamis@seturmarinas.com
This marina is close to the city centre, on the Asian side. 70 ton travel lift. 24hr security. Water and electricity. Provisions, ATM, chandlery, laundry service, bar and restaurant. This marina has been recommended by cruisers who found the service, staff and management to be of a very high quality.

Yacht Clubs

Atakoy Marina [see above]

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