Sunseeker Manhattan 55 GOLD STANDARD

WORDS NICK HUNG PHOTOS SUNSEEKER INTERNATIONAL

Sunseeker is swinging back into the yachting world’s spotlight with not one but five new models showcasing this spring. As per the new normal, the global premieres are FT being held online and will be supplemented with Asia-specific presentations reflecting the British builder’s new-look regional network, which includes NextWave as its distributor in the key market of Hong Kong.

In Poole, Sunseeker’s home base since the 1960s, the first units of each of the five new models have been in the water for a head-spinning mix of final fitouts, fine-tuning, testing, sea trials, video and photo shoots, and client visits.

Not only is Sunseeker simultaneously orchestrating five global debuts while most shipyards typically release one or two new models a year, but the builder’s new models are notably varied. They span in size and range from the Manhattan 55, Predator 55 EVOTM and 65 Sport Yacht to the immense 88 Yacht and 90 Ocean, the latter the builder’s most exciting new model of recent times. The first of the five out of the blocks was the Manhattan 55.

The yacht’s fun features start by the water, where the full-beam hydraulic platform offers access to a treasure chest of compartments as part of Sunseeker’s popular Beach Club package. The drop-down barbecue is a winner and benefits from being well clear of any interior spaces, in case you slightly burn the steaks. When it’s play time, a wide beach seat folds down to let you watch the kids, rest after a swim or put on or pull off flippers with a lot more grace than if you were standing up. To starboard is a pull-up door, which doubles as an overhead shower along with providing access to a good-sized storage locker for anything from ropes and fenders to towels and toys.

The flybridge is accessed from the cockpit by a starboard stairway that’s topped by a see-through hatch, which shields the rain and even acts as a type of safety net in the case of accidental falls at the top of the steps.. Aft is a huge C-shaped sofa aft that comfortably fits six or more around a foldable table. Add a couple of loose chairs and you can have up to eight dining al fresco, which is made more appetising by the barbecue option in the portside wet bar. Forward of the wet bar is a C-shaped sofa and a coffee table, although the best views are offered in front by the full-width sunlounger, which has convenient backrests on both sides.