Autumn begins with the Bodrum Cup Traditional Wooden Yacht Regatta held annually in the third a hundred stately wooden yachts under full canvas is a sight to behold and it is a good time to sail. Traditional yachts are built as motor/sailor yachts. The wooden material used in Gulet construction are mainly pine, mahagony, oak and white oak. The masts are made of white oak or steel. Mechanical parts are generally imported and well known brands are prefered.
The gulets are not are bulky, slow or unable to raise their sails without the assistance of a motor. In order to prove this, every year on the third Sunday of October a race of wooden Sailing yachts is held, with hundreds of boats taking part in the competition. The Bodrum Cup, as well as being an event that the showcases Turkish yachting tourism, also has an educational value, where charter boat captains and crews develop their talents and improve their knowledge.
Another aspect that has increased interest in the race is that, apart from extending the yacht charter season, it also allows passengers on the yachts to participate as well. The race regularly attracts some one hundred foreign and international yachts in separate categories and is conducted over fives legs.
The most beautiful coves of the Blue Cruise are used as stopping points for the night during the race. Another dimension added to the excitement of the racing is that every evening the boats anchor next to each other, the crews joining in song and lifting a glass at sunset in the name of friendship. The race creates an unforgettable image of Bodrum as the horizon is full of sails of the yachting fleet.