Sunseeker Project 8X
From an aft beach club that would make a superyacht jealous to a 140-inch movie screen on the foredeck, this is Sunseeker like you’ve never seen them before.
Increased emphasis on aft social spaces has skyrocketed in the last few years. Fold-down grills and lounges, hydraulic platforms that allow you to work a hot grill with your feet submerged in cool water and toy storage fit for a prince are more and more commonplace. The open beach club concept that Sunseeker revealed in their initial renderings of Project 8X show just how much of a departure this model really is. Borrowing cues from the superyacht market, this space has room for both a Williams 460 SportJet and a PWC. A davit to starboard cleverly hides in the coaming.
A removable shower beside the optional—yet, I expect, highly popular—submersible swim platform will allow you to rinse off any salt before grabbing a cold beverage from the fridge. (Go ahead and think about how relaxing that sounds.)
Should you ever tire of fun in the sun—it could happen, I suppose—you’ll find yourself in the massive 29- by 18-foot salon that’s unlike anything you’ve seen from the Sunseeker lineup.
“The salon is just gigantic compared to other boats in that category,” says Sunseeker Marketing Manager Bryan Jones. “The floor is a very open plan so we can have modular seating. We’re also putting in textured materials and big sweeping curved bulkheads, which is a real departure for us.”
This combination of new textures and curved bulkheads contin
ues in the full-beam master where those elements lend the space a Manhattan-penthouse feeling. We expect the VIP and guest staterooms will have a similar look and feel.
I’ve long wondered why today’s yachts have so many TVs aboard; one of my favorite things about being on the water is disconnecting from the endless news cycle and Netflix-series march. That was before I saw the 8X’s next trick. On the foredeck, strung between two carbon-fiber poles, is space for a 140-inch projection screen. Popup lights add ambience to the lounge that looks like it can comfortably accommodate a dozen people. If you’re not the most popular person at your dock or anchorage already, you will be after hosting a movie night. ( Jaws, anyone?)
When asked if the design departures found throughout Project 8X were a result of customer demand or trends the company has been seeing, Jones was quick to answer: “We try not to follow trends; we try to lead. People are starting to use their boats differently. It’s not all about going 40 knots everywhere: Volume and comfort are now as important as features and luxury.”
The exact specifications and dimensions of the 8X project—slated to launch in fall 2020—have yet to be released but it’s plain to see that this relatively modest-sized motoryacht has style that would make superyachts jealous and amenities that more mainstream builders will want to keep a close eye on. —