Sailor's Newspaper: Can we get to know you briefly?
Eleven Sailing: I was born in 1978. I work in advertising. My last job was as a customer relations director. Now I am newly retired and we spend the summer and spring months on our boat. In 2008 my interest in sailing started with training. I am still an amateur sailor. There is no end to learning at sea. During the time I was living on the boat, I started a Youtube channel and started sharing my experiences over the years and before I knew it, I became a Youtuber.
S. N: How did you become interested in sailing and boating?
E. S: My father got his ADB license in 2007 and rented a sailing yacht. He was inexperienced and I was ignorant. I did everything he said without knowing. Of course, we made a lot of mistakes. In the winter of that year, he forced me to enrol in the ADB course and said: "We will rent a boat again next year, but this time I want to have skippers with back-up on the boat and I want you to know what you are doing and why". For 6 summers I worked as a mate on the boats my dad rented. Then I realised that I loved this world very much. Both my father and I improved a lot in different ways, but my father was the first to be instrumental.
S. N: Can you tell us about the features of your boat? Where does the name "Eleven Sailing" come from?
E. S: Our boat is a 2018 model Hanse 455. It is a sailing boat that we can live in all summer long and comfortably go on short or long cruises. It has no generator, dishwasher or air conditioning. Otherwise it has everything. For this reason, it is equipped in such a way that we can spend time without being connected to land, i.e. without being dependent on marinas. When I heard the name Eleven years ago from quantum physicists who were researching 'string theory', 'object theorem', I was very impressed when I heard the theory of the 'eleven dimensional universe'. They said that everything in the universe was connected and communicating with each other. Over time I began to understand more and more that every object that exists within me has a will, for example, the sea, the wind, the boat, the bay, the forest, the rock, etc. Being in the sea is a state of oneness and integrity. Everything is in balance and harmony. If one of us is out of harmony, things can go wrong. That's why Eleven reminds us of that oneness. We didn't want it to be "Eleven" in Turkish, we didn't want it to be perceived abroad as "On Beer".
S. N: How do you manage daily life and routines on the boat? What are your favourite aspects of life on the water?
E.S : Routines change a lot depending on the situation. Our marina routine is usually preparation, cleaning and restocking. It is quite intensive and tiring.
When we want to get the boat to safety, we put more energy into the sailing plans and the sailing process rather than food/cleaning. Our focus is on longer routes, enjoyable molars in between, exploring unfamiliar areas and visiting friends. We eat out a little more, preferring convenient meals on the boat.
When we reach our destination, our holiday begins. We start our trips bay by bay, always keeping an eye on the weather. We focus more on food, fun and rest. We visit family and friends. Sometimes 1-2 boats travel together regionally. During this time we of course have daily and weekly cleaning routines. We don't go to restaurants very often. This time we eat mostly on the boat. We are not the kind of people who stay in a bay for too long, as the nature of sailing and our nature is both cruising and exploring. We try to do justice to both the boat and our nature.
S. N:How did you decide to start a YouTube channel about your sailing experiences? What exactly is the content?
E. S: In the year 2020 my wife Olcay's father had a heart attack. As it was the time of the pandemic ban, the ban on visiting the hospital was very strict. While this process was uncertain, I stayed alone on the boat in Göcek for a while. It was then that I started a channel, thinking that if I set up a channel and shared my knowledge, it might help inexperienced captains, those who want to buy a boat and those who dream of sailing. The reason for creating my content has always been the mishaps or wrong situations I have witnessed at sea. When someone did something wrong, including us, I created content about it. The youtube.com/eleven11sailing channel is a channel of information and experience from start to finish. It has become a channel that grows in an endless stream of information about sailing that is constantly evolving.
Instagram: eleven11sailing
S. N: What are the most common questions or topics of interest to your audience? How has the sailing community influenced your journey or channel?
E. S: Boat ownership, docking and undocking, technical information are the most common topics of interest for me and my followers. I am a big believer in education and safety.
I always say, get an education first and then build on that foundation at sea. My channel really benefits from this learning process. How to live? Sailing, boat etiquette. Safety rules, engine, electronics, etc. From A to Z, sample topics from our lives or experiences are always the favourite content of those interested. In return, in every bay we meet one of our followers and we do not move on without receiving their greetings. Receiving heartfelt thanks personally brings tears to my eyes. What more do you want than love?
S. N: Have you ever met other sailors or cruisers during your cruises? Can you share a memorable story or experience?
E. S: We have made many sailor friends. Popular or not. We all have our own unforgettable memories. Fearful moments, desperate search for solutions, etc. These stories always remind you that the sea is no joke. There is a story where we were sailing under a high voltage line and we were struck by an arc. It is just like a lightning strike. Everything on the boat broke down during the sailing. It was a big moral collapse, we were close to death and didn't realize it. The insurance process was very painful. The waiting process exhausted us a lot. However, after we recovered the boat from A to Z, the boat was completely renovated. Even the shell of 2018 all the devices and materials became 2023. Oh, how nice it was. I also said that we gained great experience. I thought that if I had known, I wouldn't have been so upset. For those who are curious about this process, there is a "Story like lightning" playlist on our YT channel. They can watch them in order.
S. N: What advice would you give to someone considering sailing as a lifestyle?
E. S: I would recommend that they get some training first and even take different courses with different instructors every year for a while.
They can look for opportunities to reinforce this training and be at sea a lot.
Before they buy a boat, I would advise them to rent a boat and start with a small boat. 33 ft-38 ft boats are very ideal sizes for reinforcement.
Buyers of second hand boats should always have their boats surveyed.
What equipment do you consider essential on your boat?
Radio, watermaker, autopilot, freezer, generator (we don't have one, but it's a must for those who live on the boat for a long time).
S. N: How do you interpret the current state of sailing in our country?
E. S: Whatever the spirit of man is, it is reflected on land and at sea. The smart asses, the ignorant, the disrespectful, the rude are the same everywhere. I think that has nothing to do with sailing. As far as prices are concerned, we are really at a deplorable point. The fact that our country's view of marinas has become no different from that of shopping malls makes us forget about marina etiquette. The skyrocketing prices, government taxes etc. are really, really sad. I hope we will soon reach the balanced point where we should be.
S. N: What are your thoughts on boat safety in marinas, whether domestic or international?
E. S: This issue is very variable and varies from business to business and even from region to region. In some of our regions, there are communities or children who do not know that the boat is a house like a caravan. There may be people who want to swim from the sea and use it as a jumping ramp or playground. While some marinas are very sensitive about security, others are not so sensitive. I have even heard of cases where a foreigner had an orgy on his boat in the marina. This already shows the institutionalization and value of the marina. Security and/or tracking devices installed on the boat may be important at this point. Which should not be necessary. Why are we even tied to the marina then?! Still, I think it is always useful to turn off the boat and leave the boat in a place we are unfamiliar with.
S. N: What are your future plans for Eleven Sailing? Are there any new destinations or projects on the horizon?
E. S: Oh, I wish... We would love to. Travel to Lebanon, Egypt, African coasts. Travelling around the Greek islands. Olcay's job ties us down at the moment. If one day we could be completely free from the working life and if we could organise our source of income... Why not... God willing
S. N: Finally, can we know your life motto?
E. S: We have many mottoes :) We are all one. We are all responsible for each other in this world, each of us is capable of influencing the life of another. Let's realise and remember that we are connected to each other with every decision and action. Secondly, slow down like nature. Stay calm at sea. Panicking or acting quickly or rashly can create bigger problems. Third, dream. Imagine what your soul wants and why it is happy. Have a goal. Even the wildest dreams can come true at the end of your diligence and effort. Finally, stay cheerful. May a smile never be absent from our faces. May love spread among us all.
We would like to thank Ömre Artemiz for taking the time out of her busy schedule.
Banu Demir / Sailor's Newspaper
Prepared for Publication: Doruk Agency / Founded by Sailor's Newspaper
