A BOAT’S LICENSE TO THRILL Why the Sunseeker is the ultimate yacht for afficionados of fun
Oozing sex appeal with its super-sleek design and cutting-edge British engineering, Sunseeker is the luxury yacht of choice for the rich and famous. And thanks to a drop in the pound post-Brexit, it’s become a little bit more affordable.
With their aggressive good looks and superb handling at speed, Sunseekers have long been a favorite of Formula One drivers and movie stars — and the James Bond film franchise, which has featured them in The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale Quantum of Solace.
Sunseeker’s Asian operations are run from Hong Kong by Gordon Hui, a native of the city who studied architecture in London before starting his own property investment company. He fell in love with the brand in 1992 when he bought his Sunseeker Tomahawk 37; when Hui returned to Hong Kong in 2003, he seized the opportunity to take over as chairman of its Asian operations.
Luxury yachts have long been seen as the ultimate playthings for the superrich, but in Asia they are put to practical use, says Hui, whose company distributes the boats in 11 countries around the region. Chatting over lunch on the deck of Hong Kong’s Aberdeen Boat Club, Hui says that Hongkongers in particular have a long tradition of weekend trips out to sea with family and friends, and is dismissive of the showoff culture of boating on the glitzy Cote d’Azur.
“A private yacht is a good way to get out to sea and spend some time with the family, learn water sports — it’s a good family pastime,” explains Hui, as he looks out on the sundrenched Aberdeen marina, where several distinctive Sunseekers are berthed. “People here just use them. It’s like a floating villa — an extension of a holiday home that you can go to different places in and can spend the night on.”
Hui contrasts that with the way luxury yachts are used in resorts such as Monte Carlo and Saint-Tropez, where people often charter boats “just to throw dinner parties” and to flaunt their wealth without ever leaving port. “It’s a waste of money,” he says. “I’d rather go somewhere quiet and enjoy a remote island or a white sandy beach. That’s why I love boating.”
A fun way to spend a weekend with friends and family, then — but with a hefty price tag. The entry-level Sunseeker Manhattan 52, which launched last September, costs £780,000 ($987,168, prices are fixed in pounds sterling worldwide) while at the top end, a 40 meter floating palace sells for £16.68 million.
The good news for those who can afford it is that buying a Sunseeker just became less expensive, thanks to the pound’s spectacular fall since Brexit. The depreciation of the British currency has boosted sales among wealthy customers looking for a relative bargain, Hui reveals.
Combine the plunge in the pound with the absence of import duty in Hong Kong and the city has become “the cheapest boating DieAnotherDay;
area in the world.”
Sunseeker Asia has sold more than 190 yachts since Hui took over — 120 of them in Hong Kong — and revenues last year were £30 million. Parent company Sunseeker International was taken over by Wang Jianlin’s Dalian Wanda Group in 2013 for £320 million.
So what’s involved in fulfilling your dreams and buying one of these superluxury yachts? “First, I need to ask about the usage — the size, your budget, and whether you’re buying for family, entertainment or corporate,” says Hui. That will help decide if you go for the Predator cruiser — he compares it to a two-door sports car like an Aston Martin — or a bigger yacht with a flybridge, which is an upper deck for navigation and relaxing that offers a panoramic view. The latter falls into the Rolls-Royce category, says Hui, also a self-professed car buff.
With Hong Kong being one of the most crowded places on the planet for boats as well as people, the second issue is a bit more mundane — can you find a parking space for your new toy? Berths are limited in the city’s marinas, both in numbers and size, and Hui says it’s essential to find a spot before ordering your yacht. There’s no point in shelling out several million pounds for your dream yacht if there’s nowhere to put it.
After picking out your model comes the fun bit — selecting the luxury fixtures and fittings. Sunseekers are built at the factory in Poole, Dorset, England, which has a workforce of 2,300. Delivery for most models takes around a year. Once built, your new Sunseeker is transported to Hong Kong on a container ship, dropped into the sea on arrival and then towed to a berth in the marina. Once it’s licensed, you’re ready to go. TheWorldisNotEnough.
In his position at Sunseeker, Hui has rubbed shoulders with many rich and famous personalities over the years. For one, he hosted lunch for Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond at the Aberdeen Boat Club when they staged Top Gear Live in Hong Kong in 2009. The show opened with a spectacular video of two Sunseekers racing through Hong Kong waters and actor Michael Wong leaping into an Aston Martin as he continued the chase through the city’s streets.
Hui has developed a close relationship with Aston Martin in Hong Kong; the quintessentially British sports cars have featured alongside Sunseeker yachts at various events around the city. Why are Sunseekers such a good fit for the James Bond movies? “First of all, it’s a cool, pioneering British brand — the Sunseeker is a sexy, sleek machine that’s
It’s like a floating villa — an extension of a holiday home that you can go to different places in and can spend the night on.” Gordon Hui, chairman of Sunseeker’s Asian operations
the equivalent of the Aston Martin,” says Hui. “Its Deep V hull design lends itself to the kind of high-performance maneuvering and sharp turns that the Bond people need — and that other boats can’t do.”
For most people, owning a luxury yacht or being James Bond for a day are the stuff of dreams. But if dreaming is not enough, there’s one way to get a slight taste of that glamorous world. Shaken Not Stirred, the Sunseeker Superhawk 34 that featured in the opening sequence of The World is Not Enough, didn’t actually explode in front of the O2 Arena as seen in the film. It’s available for hire on the river Thames for a relatively modest £3,800 a day — with champagne on the menu, if you desire that extra 007 touch.