Watched like a hawk
Ocean gets a sneak preview of Sunseeker’s new Superhawk 55 on a closed-door visit to the builder’s UK yard.
07 September 2022
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It’s one of the most-anticipated Sunseekers in some time, and the British builder has now confirmed that the first Superhawk 55 will launch in the latter part of 2022 before debuting at the Düsseldorf International Boat Show in January 2023.
Drawing on the heritage of some of the most iconic Sunseeker models, the Superhawk 55 marks a welcome return to a more visceral, open boat experience, albeit tempered by the demands of modern design that cater to a desire for decent accommodation, unlike the Hawks of old that were typified by sleek lines and outrageously long noses.
The new 55 does an admirable job of nodding to that classic styling but, as Ocean discovered on a recent closed-door visit to the Sunseeker yard, it also pulls in some distinctly futuristic touches.
We were able to explore a full-size GA of the 55 laid out on the floor of Shed 10 at Sunseeker HQ, as well as experience its layout, both on an in-build hull and via a virtual-reality headset.
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There are a couple of interesting points to note. First is the cockpit area, which can be specified without fixed furniture and offers prodigious and flexible space thanks to side decks – accessed via clever pantograph doors forward in the cockpit – that don’t run all the way aft.
Below, the forward cabin will likely be chosen as the master, but the aft full- beam cabin also offers plenty of space, even if headroom is more restricted in parts. But, let’s face it, you don’t buy a Hawk for its voluminous interior.
The hull, says Jared Hall – Sunseeker’s New Product Development Manager – is the first Sunseeker not to feature a level keel.
“The lowest point is around the bow thruster area, and then it steadily rises on the run aft,” he explains.
“There’s around 130 millimetres difference over the length of the boat.”
“The hull shape was based on cabin size and the beam, and is the optimal shape for speed, turning comfort and control, coupled with the 55 only ever being on an IPS system.”
That last point speaks volumes – the 55 will only be available with twin 725 hp Volvo Penta IPS950 pods. It’s another nod to the march of time compared to the 50-knot-capable surface-drive Superhawks of times past, although the new 55 is no slouch with a projected top end of 38 knots.
Either way, it may have been 13 years since the last Superhawk rolled off the production line, but it’s looking like the new 55 will have been worth the wait.
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