Everyone has different leisure activities. Some do crossword puzzles, some do jigsaw puzzles. And some, like Pınar Özdemir from the Setur Marinas Kalamış & Fenerbahçe team, become obsessed with a travel lift model.

Setur Marinas Kalamış & Fenerbahçe, Pınar Özdemir, Front Office Senior Representative

Some may know, the expensive little toy used in marinas to lift boats out of the water and move them around for maintenance work and winterization is called a "travel lift". Travel lifts are truly fascinating to watch with their use and mechanisms.

14 years ago, I took up a different endeavor and set out to build a miniature of this machine for a school assignment. I did not think it would be that difficult at first. However, like many things, it turned out to be harder than it looked.

Since the goal was to exactly replicate the travel lift, I first had to study it thoroughly, from the mechanism to the details on it. Then I got to work and prioritized building the frame. I used wood for the frame to make it look more nostalgic.

Once I was done with it, it was time to install the electrical wiring to move the lift. The most difficult issue in making the miniature was to find the smallest sizes of the materials to be used. Certain parts were manufactured exclusively for this purpose (pulleys, chrome parts, etc.) by skilled hands on a lathe. My excitement was building as I assembled the materials on the lift, I could not wait to see it up and running.

At last, my wooden miniature travel lift that I had worked so hard to build was finished. All that was left to place the boat model waiting to go ashore and see if it worked. Yes, the lift was working! How? Those who want to see it in person are always welcome at the Kalamış Marina.

Photographs: Pınar Özdemir