Gemini Sailing
A school founded by two brothers, based in Kalamış
Gemini Yelken, or Gemini Sailing in English, is a sailing school co-founded by Berk Gürpınar and Mert Gürpınar. The boats are berthed at Kalamış Marina; the address is given as Fenerbahçe, Kadıköy.
The school takes its name from the constellation Gemini, the Twins. By its own account the choice is mythological: Poseidon is said to have given the brothers Pollux and Castor, who gave the constellation its name, the power to command the wind, and for sailors of old the appearance of those stars in the sky marked the right time to put to sea.
Its work falls under three headings: individual sailing courses, corporate training and race team building for companies, and sailing courses for universities. On top of that it runs team building and corporate activity programmes on board. The school describes its instructors as having 24 years of racing and sailing experience.
It describes its mission as spreading a love of the sea, building awareness of it and raising sailors who respect nature.
Quick profile
- Co-founders
- Berk Gürpınar, Mert Gürpınar
- Also known as
- Gemini Sailing
- Base
- Kalamış Marina, Fenerbahçe — Kadıköy
- Field of work
- Individual and corporate sailing courses, race team building, university courses, team building
- Phone
- +90 554 941 61 06
- info@geminiyelken.com
- Website
- geminiyelken.com
- @geminiyelken
- geminiyelken2
- Gemini Sailing
Programmes
Basic Sailing Programme
The parts of the boat and its rig, using the winches, how a sail works and fluid dynamics, hoisting sail and taking bearings, right of way at sea, sail trim. The basic points of sail — upwind, reaching and downwind — the ideas of luffing up and bearing away, tacking and gybing. Using the telltales, sailor’s knots (rolling hitch, reef knot, bowline, clove hitch) and springing on and off a mooring.
Advanced Sailing Programme
The spinnaker and its types, the differences between asymmetric and symmetric sails, handling the spinnaker, the parts of the pole and rigging it. Hoisting, dropping and trimming the spinnaker, gybing with the spinnaker, using it on a reach, flying it without a pole, approaching and rounding a mark, and cause and effect in manoeuvres.
Race Training
The length is set person by person. The spinnaker without a pole, mark roundings, spinnaker trim in light and heavy air, hoisting and dropping on a reach. Setting the jobs on board and each position’s responsibilities, start practice, developing boat handling, advanced trim techniques and choosing sails for the conditions.
Company teams and events on board
The corporate side of the school runs two jobs together. The first is building a race team out of a company’s employees and getting that team ready for the season; the second is team building programmes where meetings and events are held on board. Both founders coach and helm corporate teams.
Sailing courses for universities also come under this heading; the references include Maltepe University and Bahçeşehir University.
Co-founders
Berk Gürpınar
He started sailing at the age of 8 and, after his results at provincial, regional and national level, earned his place in the national team in 2005. He turned professional as an instructor during his university years, teaching sailing to corporate companies and coaching them on building race teams.
Mert Gürpınar
A national sailor who started sailing at around the age of 8. According to the school he has 24 years of racing and 12 years of teaching experience. The corporate teams he has raced include SEK, Aygaz, Beko, Turkcell, Modanisa and Yapı Kredi.
The organisations it has worked with
The organisations whose logos appear on the school’s references page: Turkcell, Koç Holding Sports Club, Hitit, Samsung, DHL, Divan, SEK, Hyatt Regency, Four Points by Sheraton, Maltepe University and Bahçeşehir University.
The teams the founders say they have also raced include McDonald’s, Arçelik, Aygaz, Modanisa, Beko and Yapı Kredi.
The list is based on the references the school publishes itself; race results and season standings are not recorded separately on our site. This entry will be expanded as verified result lists come in.
Stories where he is mentioned on Rüzgar Üstü
Stories mentioning Gemini Yelken will be listed here as they are published.