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The
second-most impressive aspect of the Predator to me, however, is her engine
room. How Sunseeker’s design team managed to fit three behemoth
diesels, marine gears, and jack shafts for the Arnesons into a space that
is also occupied by a sizable separate garage is not what’s most
remarkable. What is: access to everything, including the two standard
28-kW gensets, is excellent. Part of the reason is that the centerline
engine sits well below the outboard engines, but part is also due to just
good design work. The space is huge—there’s more than 12 feet
of headroom in places—yet it’s integrated into the design
so well that the 95’s profile remains low and sleek.
The
exhaust system is as beautiful as it is complex. As you can imagine, routing
six large manifolds to the outside in an orderly and efficient manner
is no small task, but the job is somehow accomplished with minimal intrusion
in the engine room. The outboard diesels each exit to their respective
side, while the center engine goes out the transom. All three systems
have four-inch bypasses that allow the engines to breathe even when the
95 is planing. They also produce a pleasing aggressive rumble.
So what
was the most impressive aspect of this yacht? Despite all the engineering
brainpower invested in her, nothing compares to the feel behind the wheel.
Everything about the 95 is effortless, from throttling her engines to
trimming her Arnesons to turning her power-assisted wheel. She planes
amazingly quickly—about ten seconds—with little bow rise.
While I didn’t have an inclinometer on board, I’d guess a
maximum of four degrees. Once she’s trimmed, it’s just point
and shoot—she’ll do pretty much what you want her to. Crank
her wheel all the way over at WOT, and she just leans in and carves—and
still makes 38.5 knots. She can cruise sedately, too, if that’s
your pleasure: Drop the three V-16s to 1500 rpm, and the 95 still does
25 knots.
With
performance like this, it’s hard to remember you’re on a yacht
that’s 94'4" long by 20'8" wide and fully equipped in
the truest sense. Her lower deck is available in a variety of configurations,
but all have a midship master with large en suite head and three forward
staterooms comprised of a VIP and two guest rooms. Between them is the
saloon with port-side galley and dining island (with knee-level microwave
oven) and a starboard settee that can easily seat a dozen. A large Panasonic
flat-screen TV graces the forward bulkhead, and fixed ports just above
the waterline on either side brighten the area. Crew’s quarters
are aft and to port in two configurations; the two-engine version offers
a smaller port-side garage with starboard crew quarters.
The
main/bridge deck is eight steps up and includes what Sunseeker calls a
second saloon, basically a large enclosed living and eating area capped
by a hardtop with four skylights. The area, fully air-conditioned, is
so comfortable and well-appointed, you can’t help but wonder why
anyone would want to be below, unless it’s to cook or sleep. For
the ultimate in fresh-air fun, the entire front half of the overhead slides
open at the touch of a button. The helm offers superb sightlines from
four Besenzoni leather pedestal seats, aft of which are a bottle chiller
and glass stowage. Port and starboard watertight doors give ready access
to generous side decks, and aft, a big, U-shape settee to starboard offers
the perfect vantage point from which to view a second large Panasonic
flat screen to port, flanked by two occasional chairs. Being a Sunseeker,
everything here and below is clad in flawless lacquered cherry and leather.
Abaft
an elegantly curved sliding glass door is the alfresco portion, with a
curving port-side stairwell leading down to the crew quarters (except
for the two-engine version, in which access is from the swim platform),
a wet bar with ice maker to starboard, and port and starboard seating
aft of this. An awning that electrically extends from the hardtop can
protect this entire area. There’s yet another large benchseat aft
not covered by an awning that electrically retracts into a monster sunpad
to provide more space for guests. Stairwells on either side of the sunpad
lead past Simpson Lawrence warping winches down to the platform, which
has a turntable to ease launch and retrieval of the tender or PWC. All
decking here and on the main level is teak.
You
can find things like teak decks and a lot of other amenities on this yacht
on other yachts. You might even find one with triple engines. But you
won’t find one that offers the unique combination of luxury, amenities,
performance, and sheer pleasurable driving that the Predator 95 has. There
is just nothing like her afloat.
Sunseeker
USA Phone: (954) 984-2911. Fax: (954) 984-2913. www.sunseeker.com.
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