Sunseeker updates its world wide web showroom. Sunseeker story starts in 1962 when Idris Braithwaite sons, Robert and John enter the family business and a year later to this moves his chandlery and outboards shop down the road from Christchurch to Poole. With this change of location the Braithwaite's and business partner John Macklin enter into boat sales of American, British, and Scandinavian made boats and Poole Powerboats Limited is created. In 1969 the Braithwaite's purchase two boat moulds for a seventeen and a twenty foot cuddy sport cruisers from Brunswick owned Owens Incorporated, with the first becoming the Poole Powerboats 17 Sovereign in 1971 and the other the 20 Sovereign a year later. These first two boats are also the first standard stern drive equipped made in Britain boats. For that time the two cuddy cabin cruisers sufficed Poole Powerboats purpose as entry to the dealership family of Scandinavian made Coronet, Draco, and Windy boats, as the Braithwaite's also became the largest Volvo Penta parts supplier for the United Kingdom in the early seventies. Nonetheless a year forward the boat production business expands in late 1972 with the 23 Sports, followed four years later by the Daycab 23. The Poole Powerboats 23 Sports and Daycab 23 were also the first to feature the Sunseeker prefix on the hull, used by Robert Braithwaite for European export reasons as Poole Powerboats was likely to be confused with the French ‘poulet’ word for chicken in France. Produced in 120 units from 1976 to 1979 the Daycab 23 was Poole Powerboats first big success, which pushes the Braithwaite brothers into boat building, and in 1978 will partner with naval architect Don Shead, who debuts with the 28 Offshore and will not look back afterwards, for a partnership that will last till 2010 and his retirement. In 1979 Poole Powerboats changes its name and is rebranded to what has been known since then as Sunseeker. From their onwards the range becomes more complete and the sizes keep growing from the 31 Offshore in 1982, to the CUV 38 racing powerboat derived hull 34 XPS Portofino in 1983, to the 36 Rapallo in 1984, 47 Malibu in 1987, 60 Renegade in 1990 which was Britain's largest production yacht in that year, then to the Predator 63 in 1994, until arriving in the 24 meter plus super size with the 80 Predator in 1995 which again takes the mantle of Britain's largest production build yacht. After the 80 Predator Sunseeker has been building United Kingdom largest production super yachts, which will arrive to its largest 155 Yacht as build in two units between 2014 and 2016. Sunseeker also competed in various offshore races in the past for the most part in the eighties and noughties in the Endurance class, with its high point coming when it won the Round Britain 1984 in the CX Class, and placing fifth overall with a 34 XPS Portofino. The Braithwaite's will sell Sunseeker in 2010 to Irish private equity firm FL Partners, who in December 2013 resell to Chinese company Dalian Wanda Group. In November 2024 Sunseeker was sold to private equity firms Lionheart Capital from the U.S. and Italy’s Orienta Capital Partners. Sunseeker today produces 24 models from 38 foot to fifty meters, in six ranges; Performance, Predator, Sport Yacht, Manhattan, Yacht, Ocean, and Superyacht. Sunseeker current offer starts from the outboard powered Fabio Buzzi designed Hawk 38 and go up to the still in project 50M Ocean, with its latest model being the second generation Manhattan 68 which debuted past January. Sunseeker new web site takes you around with the following buttons; Menu, Yachts, and Dealer Locator. Sunseeker is also on social media with bottom page buttons taking you to its Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin, and Facebook pages.
Production History;
17 Sovereign 1970-77
20 Sovereign 1972-78
23 Sport 1972-79 John Braithwaite design era
Daycab 23 1976-79 (120)
28 Offshore 1978-85 Don Shead hull design
21 Sport 1979-82
25 Offshore 1980-86 (50)
235 1980-84
31 Offshore 1982-84
34 XPS Portofino 1983-87
28 Portofino XPS 1983-86
25 Portofino XPS 1984-86
21 Portofino XPS 1984-86
36 Rapallo 1984-87
31 Offshore Mk.II 1985-86
33 San Remo 1985-89
39 Cobra 1986-88
24 Mexico 1987-89
27 Monterrey 1987-89
37 Tomahawk 1987-90 (292) *includes Mk.II
31 Portofino 1987-90
47 Malibu 1987-90 *45 Malibu project
40 Travado 1987-91
36 Martinique 1987-90
20 Mustang 1987-90
Thunderhawk 43 1988-91
29 Mohawk 1989-91
27 Hawk 1989-91
38 Martinique 1990-92
34 Portofino 1990-92
60 Renegade 1990-93
46 Camargue 1990-94
52 Caribbean 1991-92
37 Tomahawk Mk.II 1991-93 (292) *includes original
32 Portofino 1991-95
50 Superhawk 1992-94
31 Hawk 1992-95
45 Apache 1992-95
42 Mustique 1992-95
55 Camargue 1993-96
53 Manhattan 1993-94
39 Martinque 1993-95
35 San Remo 1993-95
40 Comanche 1994-98
63 Predator 1994-97
46 Manhattan 1995
58 Manhattan 1995
54 Manhattan 1995-97
400 Portofino 1995-98 (92)
47 Camargue 1996-98
48 Manhattan 1996-98
62 Manhattan 1996-98
51 Camargue 1996-98
375 Portofino 1996-2000
80 Predator 1996-99 (21)
48 Superhawk 1996-98
54 Predator 1997-98
80 Manhattan 1997-2000 (18)
58 Predator 1997-99
44 Camargue 1998-2002
Hawk 34 1999-2004 (160)
74 Manhattan 1999-2001
60 Predator 1999-2002
50 Camargue 1999-2002
56 Predator 1999-2002
64 Manhattan 1999-2002
48 Superhawk Mk.II 1999-2003
84 Manhattan 1999-2003 (15)
44 Manhattan 1999-2002
Predator 75 1999-2004
105 Yacht 2000-05 (13)
XS 2000 39ft 2000-07
Superhawk 50 2002-06
74 Manhattan Mk.II 2002-03
82 Yacht 2002-07 (15)
95 Predator 2002-04 (7)
Predator 68 2002-05
94 Yacht 2002-06 (14)
64 Manhattan Mk.II 2003-05
Sportfisher 37 2003-2006
46 Portofino 2003-06
Portofino 53 2003-06 (200+-) *includes Mk.II and Pr 55s
75 Yacht 2003-07
Predator 55 2004-06
108 Predator 2004-10 (12)
82 Predator 2004-08 (21)
Predator 72 2005-08
Predator 62 2005-08
66 Manhattan 2005-07
90 Yacht 2006-09 (15)
60 Manhattan 2006-10 (69)
Portofino 53 Mk.II 2007-09 (200+-) *includes Mk.1 and Predator 55
Predator 55 Mk.II 2007-08
47 Portofino 2007-09
Superhawk 43 2007-12
70 Manhattan 2007-10
121 Yacht 2007-09 (9)
52 Predator 2008-10
52 Manhattan 2008-10
86 Yacht 2008-09 (9)
Predator 92 2008-10 (10)
34M 2008-12 (16)
74 Predator 2009-12
64 Predator 2009-12
30 M 2009-12 (13)
88 Yacht 2009-14 (19)
60 Predator 2009-13
Predator 84 2009-12 (20)
Predator 130 2009-12 (5)
54 Predator 2010-12
48 Portofino 2010-12
40 Meter Yacht 2010-15 (13)
80 Yacht 2010-14 (10)
63 Manhattan 2011-14
73 Manhattan 2011-14 (104* includes 75 Yacht)
53 Manhattan 2011-13
53 Predator 2011-13
115 Sport Yacht 2011-15 (20) *project 115 Predator
40 Portofino 2012-14 (70) *project 38 Portofino
28M 2012-16 (25)
485 San Remo 2013-19 *project 50 San Remo
55 Manhattan 2013-15
68 Predator 2013-16
68 Sport Yacht 2013-20
80 Predator 2013-16
80 Sport Yacht 2013-15 (2)
75 Yacht 2014-18 (104* includes 73 Manhattan)
101 Sport Yacht 2014 (2)
155 Yacht 2014-16 (2)
131 Yacht 2015-22 (19)
65 Manhattan 2015-16
57 Predator 2015-17
86 Yacht 2015-21 (56)
68 Predator Mk.II 2016-20
52 Manhattan 2016-20 (131)
95 Yacht 2016-24 (41)
116 Yacht 2016- (24
57 Predator Mk.II 2017-19
66 Manhattan 2017-20
76 Yacht 2018-
74 Predator 2018-
74 Sport Yacht 2018-22
50 Predator 2018-19
Hawk 38 2019-
Predator 60 Evo 2019-
68 Manhattan 2020-24
Predator 55 Evo 2020-
Manhattan 55 2021-
65 Sport Yacht 2021-
90 Ocean 2021 (24 *project 8x
65 Predator 2022-
88 Yacht 2022- (29
100 Yacht 2022- (16
Superhawk 55 2023-
75 Sport Yacht 2023-
Ocean 182 2023-
Predator 75 2023-
Predator 55 2024-
Ocean 156 2024-