Sunseeker Range and Evolution

If ever there was a pioneer of the pleasure boat, then Sunseeker must be that icon. With their characteristic sleek lines and roaring power, Sunseekers grace the yachting playgrounds of the world. With their very latest range, the Yacht, they are major players within the superyacht market.

Yet their fun, sporty and luxurious personality extends throughout both their current ranges and their previous models, making Sunseeker the ultimate choice for both those looking to enter the superyacht click as much as those in search of a head-turning weekend sports boat. 

Take a look at used Sunseeker boats on Rightboat.com

A New Dawn of Pleasure Boats

Sunseeker may today be one of yachting’s royalty, with over 2,000 highly skilled designers, engineers and master craftsmen working to craft hundreds of boats a year. Yet their story began with just one man and his vision of a new kind of boat. The date is 1969 and Robert Braithwaite had a dream not just to revolutionise the pleasure boat industry, but to launch it. The birth of the Sovereign 17 in 1971, which was followed soon after by the Sovereign 20, was forward-thinking, deliciously indulgent, and proudly British-built. Robert’s younger brother John joined the fledgling company, and today he maintains his position as Product Development Manager, anchoring the globally successful company in the family values in which it began.

Throughout the following three decades Sunseeker exploded onto the yachting scene with a flair not seen previously. Indeed, when they sailed their Renegade 60 into the Southampton Boat Show in 1990, it was met to rapturous applause by their counterparts. The boat itself was jaw-dropping, and Sunseeker has fused the style and speed for which they had become renowned, with twin jet drives, enhanced performance and unparalleled manoeuvrability. 

An Evolution

The current range of Sunseekers are the culmination of past iconic boats combined with ever-advancing technology and futuristic styling. From the classic and much-loved 15.74 metre weekender, the San Remo, which won Best Sportscruiser in the over 45ft (13m) category in the Motor Boat Awards 2014, to the ground-breaking 47.25 metre 155 Yacht, the largest in the Yacht series and the most advanced vessel every produced by Sunseeker. 

In the late 80s, the Portofino 31 saw another major shift in the way Sunseeker envisaged pleasure boating. The move towards larger cockpits which could host groups of people was twinned with that all-encompassing power and wind-in-the-hair fun. The much-loved Tomahawk 37 was also born in this era, and today both models are highly sought-after.

The Predator first turned heads in 1999 when the 19 metre Predator 60 speedster roared onto the scene and, almost two decades later remains one of the company’s flagship ranges. The Predator 80 joined the echelons of Sunseeker greats when it was subsequently launched with innovative triple Arneson surface drives. Current Predator models, which range from the 16metre Predator 50 to the 23metre Predator 74, are evolutions of these earlier successes, with ever more suave interiors, up to 44 knots of speed, and room for up to eight guests and three crew. The silhouettes are unmistakable. Blink though, and you’ll miss it. 

The Manhattan too is classic Sunseeker, with its aerodynamic lines and practical luxury. First launched in the early 90s, the range is the ideal weekend yacht. With the flybridge as its centrepiece the Manhattan is designed for leisure, with spacious sun decks, social areas filled with light, and elegant styling. The current models, the 52 and the 66, are set to be as popular as they’re predecessors.

The figures speak for themselves of Sunseeker’s success; in 2015 the Poole-based company celebrated the production of their 100th luxury performance motor yacht in the 100ft+ (30m+) superyacht category, and it is today the largest UK-based superyacht manufacturer. There is little doubt that Sunseeker is here to stay, their iconic boats not only mainstays in marinas, harbours and yachting playgrounds across the globe, but some enjoying starring roles in The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale and, most recently, Quantum Solace. So embrace your inner James Bond, and start searching for your next new or used on Sunseeker on Rightboat.com.