April 24, 2008:Sunseeker Yachts: Sunseeker Yachts of the UK have recently acquired a hefty piece of equipment in the form of a travel lift. As Sunseeker builds larger vessels, they need the versatility to maneuver these larger yachts in and around the yard. For this they invested in a 260 tonne Travel Lift. It can handle vessels up to 47M long and 260 tonnes. With a larger compliment of vessels in development the new travel lift will see its purpose put into stride. The new 260 tonne capacity lift has been incorporated at the Poole shipyard facility. However, there are plans to integrate a similar model at their Dorset facility. Managing Director of Sunseeker, Robert Braithwaite said "This level of investment is very important to us if we are to maintain our position as one of the world's major boat builders. Lifting and moving these large yachts around can take time and space. We currently operate a 100 Tonne hoist but this larger version will provide far more flexibility in launching and lifting the larger models." *** http://www.*************/
Team Sunseeker off to Italy May 02, 2008: Sunseeker Yachts: "Team Sunseeker heads for the Italian Grand Prix": Britain's Team Sunseeker, the Powerboat P1 World Championship contender, completed its final preparation on the Solent yesterday (Friday 2nd) before travelling to Italy for next weekend's opening Grand Prix of the season. From Ocean Village, Southampton, pilots Pete Little and Andy Wilby put the FPT-powered Sunseeker XS Chanllenger through its paces under the watchful eye of personnel from both the Sunseekers Sales Group and Fiat Powertrain Technologies. The team will compete in the 14 round P1 World Championship and August's Cowes-Torquay-Cowes, one of the most famous and demanding offshore endurance races in powerboating. With a new hull, new driver line-up and new championship rules which now include dyno testing checks on power output, Team Sunseeker head for San Benedetto del Tronto with big ambitions but some trepidation. "We are naturally nervous and apprehensive," confirmed throttleman Pete Little. "Alot is expected of us this season and, whilst we are mentally prepared and in peak physical condition, there are so many unknowns. How will the new hull perform, what improvements have our rivals made during the off-season and will the new rules ensure a level playing field for all the competitors?" Keeping a close eye on proceedings was Managing Director of Sunseeker Sales Group, Dominic Byme. "Our Sunseeker XS Challenger is a proven performer and, with the energy and commitment shown by everyone associated with our racing team, 2008 promises much," he explained. "However, in any form of motorsport, especially where the elements play a pivotal role, there are so many other factors to consider, including good fortune! Our ambition in Italy is quite simple; to comlpete both races without incident and, in doing so, establish a solid base from which to build our title challenge." The 2008 P1 World Championship season starts in San Benedetto del Tronto with the Italian Grand Prix of the sea. A time trial on Friday the 9th of May is followed by an endurance race of 75 nautical miles on Saturday and a 'sprint' event on Sunday. Team Sunseeker competes in P1's production class-SuperSport- with races scheduled to start at 11:30 am on both days. To keep up-to-date with all the action visit http://www.teamsunseeker.com *** http://www.*************/
Sunseeker 30M According to Sunseeker Yachts, they have a 30M Sport Yacht on course for 2009. The vessel will provide accommodation for up to 8 guests and four crew members. State-of-the-art electronics and navigation equipment will make this vessel ideal for bluewater endeavours. The CEO of Sunseeker Gordon Hui reported a good Hong Kong Boat Show and cited the Sunseeker 30M. "With a number of boats exhibited and a high degree of interest shown in various models including the Predator 52, Manhattan 60, Manhattan 70, the recently launched 34M Yacht and the 30 M Yacht due to be released in 2009." LOA: 99.11 feet BOA: 22.60 feet Draught: 7.30 feet Engines: Optional (up to 4868 PS) Speed: up to 28 knots ( depending on engine option) Range: 500NM (at cruise depending on engine option) Full details are available at Sunseeker http://www.*************/uploads/assets/7/0/703_30MY_spec_ENG.pdf
Sunseeker 39M Sunseeker have announced the arrival of the new 130 foot model. "Guaranteed to turn heads, the Predator 130 is palatial in scale and matchless in performance. Luxurious and with ultra-spacious accommodation, this vessel is comfortable for ten people to share, enabling you to live onboard for extended periods. Clever design allows for up to eight crew to move freely around the boat without intruding on guests, ensuring privacy is always maintained." *** LOA: 126.00 feet LWL: 101.10 feet BOA: 26.30 feet Draught: 4.11 feet Displacement: 165 tonnes Engine Options: 2 X MTU M93 12V 4000 ; 2 X MTU M90 16V 4000 (for shafts) : 2 X MTU M90 16V 4000 (for Water Jets) Speed: - Range: - Accommodation: 10 guest and 8 crew Full PDF details are available here: http://www.*************/uploads/assets/1/2/2/1221_Pred%20130_spec_ENG.pdf Fellow member Brunick highlighted the new vessel in this thread: http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/sunseeker-yacht/9056-sunseeker-predator-130-a.html
Sunseeker have just made a major expansion announcement. See this BBC link for more info :- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6449009.stm
New Travel lift for Sunseeker Back in April 2008, it was reported that Sunseeker acquired a 260 tonne Travel Lift at their Poole facility and plans were in the works to incorporate one at the Dorset facility in the future. Now this time has come and a new 320 tonne capacity lift has been incorporated. A new 320 tonnes travel lift, believed to be one of the largest hoists of its type in the UK, has been installed at Sunseeker International's Osprey Quay Shipyard on Portland in Dorset. The new hoist, supplied by Wise Handling Limited, has a height of 13.5 metres, an overall width of 15 metres and weighs 108,000 kg. The new travel hoist, which has been built to launch or retrieve boats up to 320,000 kilograms, has been acquired to operate with a brand new lifting dock. The dock, similar to that at the company's Poole Shipyards, has been specifically built to meet the demand for boats over 30 metres (100 feet). With a successful range of larger craft already in production - including the 37 Metre, 34 Metre and 30 Metre Yachts, along with the Predator 108 - the travel lift will also have the ability to elevate and move even larger vessels such as the Sunseeker 46 Metre Yacht currently in development and the Predator 130, which is due to be launched later this year. In addition, the hoist will have full remote control facility with double speed winching - enabling greater flexibility in moving boats. Sunseeker recently announced its intention to build superyachts over 50 metres and the 11 acre site at Osprey Quay, along with the facilities now available, will be an important part in the company's future development. Robert Braithwaite CBE, Sunseeker's managing director commented: "The investment in this type of machinery is vital to the future success of the business. With our range of models increasing in both length and weight having the new travel hoist will enable us to move the boats efficiently and safely. "The continued development at Osprey Quay is very important to us if we are to maintain our position as one of the world's major yacht builders." For more information: Sunseeker, 27 − 31 WEST QUAY ROAD POOLE DORSET BH15 1HX UNITED KINGDOM TEL: +44 (0)1202 381 111 http://www.************* ***
Sunseeker and fractional ownership? Sunseeker has entered the realm of fractional ownership. See here: http://www.*************
Sunseeker 46-meter Sunseeker upscales from the successful 37-meter yacht with the introduction of a 46-meter design set to launch in 2012. Preliminary Specifications: Length Overall: 46.0M, 150'0" Beam Maximum (incl. Topside Fender Strakes): 8.50M, 27'11" Draft (@ Full Load): 2.47M, 8'1"
Sunseeker Predator 130 Found this picture today on Flickr. It is a photograph of the new Predator 130. She is going to make her debut shortly. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dawnv/3891872679/sizes/l/
Hi, Does anyone have any sensible answers to what the differences are between these standards and the ones normally shoved down our throats as being the MCA and or RINA Standard? Class requirements are the absolute minimum to get your boat through, most if not everything covered by class can be improved a long way.
Thank heavens someone else thinks this is a crock. I've had to explain to more than one owner just because a boat is built to a certain Class it does not mean it is built to a standard a good yard, skipper or engineer would accept. Just because you carry so many bright orange life-belts with a stamp on them does not make a safe boat. They are minimums for the insurance companies to work to. For one owner, when I cut a new hole in the bottom of his boat to fit a new depth-sounder he almost went ballistic when he saw how thin the hull was compared to the drawings (within Class though). He though Classification was a guarantee of quality. His lawyer soon told him the truth.
Yes, but that does not mean that every boat described as being built to class (as they are above) are not good boats. Each yard has its own build quility and I personally dont think that Sunseeker hides behind any 'crock'. I cant wait to see the P130 in the flesh. It looks great the picture.
That is open to some debate, I assume you have crawled around a good number of classed vessels in order to make this kind of sweeping endorsement of the system. Where has anyone suggested that they hide behind a crock? I have run a Sunseeker Superhawk all over the Med in some very poor weather and have nothing but respect for just how tough those things are put together. I was trying to find out if there really is such a thing as top MCA and RINA credentials as stated in the article posted by YachtNews in addition to the ones that are normally applied. I was not slagging off any particular yard or brand of vessel.
You know I really cant be bothered posting on this website any more. Its almost impossible to write anything without getting agro. Yes Kiwi, I have been on some boats, but probably not as many as you. Glad you enjoy your Superhawk. Cheers all.
Hi, I didn't go out of my way to cause either of you two any offense with what I wrote. I deal with decisions made by Class on a regular basis as part of my work. I originally wanted to know if there was actually a second set of rules that were being applied in one location and not in others. There are numerous examples of something a Class Surveyor will allow in one yard and one of his colleagues will not allow in another yard- each claim that they have made their decision based upon their interpretation of the rules. They are also able to make a decision one day and months later when their "interpretation" of the rules has changed reverse that decision with no recourse from the yard or Owner. It should also be pointed out that during a build the yards are the customers of the Classification Societies in 99% of cases. The Owners only become customers after delivery. This situation seems to give rise to a very cosy relationship between yards and their Class surveyors in a number of cases. Just having your boat classed and fitted with a lot of Class approved equipment doesn't mean you have the very best thing you could have, you have the minimum level of construction ad outfit required to meet an interpretation of the Class Rules. Here is an example: A 75M Motor Yacht from a reputable yard has an MCA Approved Rescue Tender Crane fitted to it. On the Maiden Voyage of 10 days a fairly good stream of water is found to be leaking from the Crane Base down below all over the Hydraulic Valve and Emergency Operation Station. First use after this 10 day voyage a golf ball sized bubble appears in the outer casing of one of the Hydraulic Hoses and the safety cut out at the end of the boom proves to be badly corroded and contacts rotted out. The manufacturer is sent to the boat by the yard, said manufacturer blames crew for the hose and cut out even goes as far as to say Crew changed the wiring of cutout switch. Within first month Crane is again US as the Cable has become badly damaged from coming off the spool whilst unwinding, this was caused by the length of cable when boom is raised to allow room to lower cable being greater weight that the bit sticking out to pull it down. A request for some tech assistance to remove and replace the cable and to add some extra weight was met with scorn as this was a Class Approved Crane what could anyone onboard possibly know or be able to do to improve it. Within 6 months it had been removed from the vessel and returned to the factory because amongst a whole host of failures and problems the plasticine used to make the slewing gear was too soft and it stripped out- all this on a crane that had probably only been used 50 times max. Another problem with this class approved piece of Rescue Equipment was the Control Pendant, the lever control switches had a max running current fractionally below the actual current that the circuit was subject to hence they lasted about 2 or 3 months and burned the little arms off inside the switches- everything was blamed crew, water ingress, act of god, natural disaster, wear and tear etc etc every time there was a replacement issued ( once the warranty was over the Owner was billed for these) it was always the same POS that was Class Approved. It took about 4 hrs and €500 Euro of parts from Telemecanique to build a new controller onboard that has now seen 2 yrs service without a problem although the crane itself has had to be removed from the vessel twice to rectify design and reliability issues and the drama continues on this Class Approved Item. If anyone who was/is on that boat reads this they will know exactly what boat it is.
"Tickled Pink" on the for-sale market News of the 37-meter Sunseeker "Tickled Pink" has hit brokerage market. This is a relatively new Sunseeker yacht, only launched and delivered in 2008. Asking price is just under 10 million Pounds.
A nice video of the Sunseeker 37-meter hull 1, "Snapper"... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLlJjn7fgEI&feature=player_embedded#