Ooops seem to have ended up in the Sunseeker sales office....

[timv]

Well I am in Sydney at the moment and I am pretty sure a squadron 78 has just come into the marina that is registered in Jersey so they must travel pretty well !!! ........I know I assume its something to do with tax but a certainly turned heads even down here .

 

[Portofino]

Stick to plan "A" the Sunseeker .
All 1st boats you learn what you like ,what you don,t like and what you want in an ideal boat -Therefore there will never be a perfect boat -Allways some one on here suggesting this and that -ingnore them !.

I was right .........

A17 M boat will have 1/2 fuel burn than a24 M and more likely to find a empty berth in visitoring Marinas .
Med in and around the season is all about outside living , and fun .
You don,t need an "expedition "type trawler -or if you do join the 3% that use one in the med .
As a newbie ,Sunseeker ( which ever med or indeed uk office ) will offer the complete package , key in hand so to speak .
Two more tips to add to my post # 53
1- go for wood floors -bin the cream wool carpet -it's a nightmare to keep clean ' bare foot , food , drinks. Cleaning etc ,
2- Aircon ---there are two types -----
-Firstly ..... Cheapest easy instal are modular units -under bunks, sofars etc in each space .---problem is they are noisey and may disturb sleep ,rattling droning away all night .
Secondly -Preffered option ( SS will do it @ build ) is to a " water chiller " fitted in the E room along with all the pumps + machinary or somewhere other than the cabins , with "air handlers "in the cabins -these a whisper quiet .
Keeps all the inside living space cool as a cucumber without the noise .

 

[Greenhorn]

I can see the benefit of having a larger tender, but I wouldn't feel comfortable driving something that size.
We were living in a 8m motorhome for 2 months, so anything bigger than that will feel roomy .

On the tender front, there seems to be three options.

1. strapped to the swim platform.
2. In a "garage".
3. On the flybridge with a hoist.

How easy are they to get on and off the boat? I suppose it's an important consideration as we've got a toddler we'll no doubt want to go the beach quite regularly. Also is it safe to leave the main boat unattended, it's not likely to float away is it?!

Sorry if the questions seem a bit dumb...

 

[MapisM]

Azimut also do a 50' fly, not quite as good looking as the 55S but still a great looking boat.

Actually, if it weren't for the radically different radar arch, I thought for a second that the brochure pics you posted were of an AZ50...

Btw, don't be fooled by the possibly better looking, very low profile radar arch astern in the SS52.
From a functional viewpoint, such arches don't hold a candle to proper ones like in the AZ 50 - in fact, it's no coincidence that in bigger boats you always find higher arches (more often than not, mated to hardtops). The trade off is that from an aesthetical viewpoint a HT looks obviously nicer on an 80' than a 50' boat, but Azimut for instance did a great job imho of making it consistent with the overall style of their 50.

Another thing I don't understand, looking at those brochure pics, is what they were thinking when they designed the forward seating area.
Those things only make sense when the cabins clearance allows to build them as walkarounds, accessible from both sides - as indeed they are in bigger SS models.

Regardless, whatever you'll decide, at that sort of size and for Med boating, not choosing a flybridge is a recipe for regretting your choice PDQ.
Oh, and 'fiuaskme, on a 50'+ flybridge, there's only one way someone could sell me an IPS powered boat, and it's over my dead body. But that's me.

 

[MapisM]

I can see the benefit of having a larger tender, but I wouldn't feel comfortable driving something that size.

It actually makes more difference for your deck hand(s).
For the helmsman, it's just a matter of getting familiar with the boat volumes.

How easy are they to get on and off the boat?

The hydraulic platform, which nowadays you get in most new boats, is the easiest solution.
Its trade off is that for any given overall boat length, you get less hull.

it's not likely to float away is it?!

Well, that depends on how well the boat is anchored.
Now, where's the popcorn when you need it....?

 

[Greenhorn]

By IPS powered do you meant the joystick? Why don't you like it?

 

[MapisM]

By IPS powered do you meant the joystick? Why don't you like it?

Nope, the joystick is just the IPS selling point, and there's nothing wrong in it, aside from the fact that it's actually useless for anyone willing to understand the logic of "traditional" maneuvering - which you'd better learn anyway, just in case the toy packs up.
But what's behind the joystick is a propulsion system based on rotating pods rather than straight shafts - that's the part I don't like.
Plenty of debates on that, if you wish to google for them...

 

[SammyB]

If I may ask, what's your take on them? Just curious.

Looks like a more modern trawler style- I first saw it on Cannes Boat show Brochure cover. Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh this year at Cannes!

 

[henryf]

By IPS powered do you meant the joystick? Why don't you like it?

There are essentially 3 types of propulsion system.

Shafts. Über cheap to maintain, little or nothing to go wrong very intuitive for close quarters manoeuvring once you learn how.

Out drives. Much more expensive to maintain, the big benefit is you get away with a smaller engine room. Not as intuitive for close quarters stuff - you can get yourself into a bit of a pickle by turning the steering wheel incorrectly.

IPS / Zeus drives. Expensive to maintain, theoretic gains in fuel but unlikely to use enough to make them viable for that reason. Theoretically you can get away with a smaller engine room but many use jack drives (small prop shafts) to link engine to drive in order to get engine forward and balance the boat so potential gain is cancelled out.

They do come with a joystick which simplifies close quarters manoeuvring but old dogs like me will argue you are better off learning how to handle a boat via traditional means. I worry there are some potentially big bills looming further down the ownership road.

Henry

 

[westernman]

Also for shafts - particularly if single engine is that the keel protects the propeller from most things you might run over. Such as lobster pots or even half floating fishing nets.

With an IPS drive your are dead in the water with potentially serious damage to the drives (I saw on another forum some one needed $20K of repairs after running over a fishing net).

Also when you run aground, again the IPS drives are toast. With a single shaft you just have a few scratches to touch up in the keel on the next haul out.

 

[Portofino]

I can see the benefit of having a larger tender, but I wouldn't feel comfortable driving something that size.
We were living in a 8m motorhome for 2 months, so anything bigger than that will feel roomy .

On the tender front, there seems to be three options.

1. strapped to the swim platform.
2. In a "garage".
3. On the flybridge with a hoist.

How easy are they to get on and off the boat? I suppose it's an important consideration as we've got a toddler we'll no doubt want to go the beach quite regularly. Also is it safe to leave the main boat unattended, it's not likely to float away is it?!

Sorry if the questions seem a bit dumb...

Bathing platform easy ist and safest way to launch recover tender .
Hi low like on the SS Hat or with others the Passerelle ( gang plank ) acts as a crane .
Anchor -Unattened ? --- it's an insurance issue -agian they have a easy Sunseeker packaged turn key answer ( I told you they make it sooooo easy to start )
Its this .... they have a family affiliation with Coleman ins based in Poole .
They do a Sunseeker shield policy - under writen by i think zurich for SS pwners - which allows you to anchor and leave the boat unattended --with wording like "line of sight " or within 1/2 hour to get back .I had this in writing to cover me when we realised how actually used the boat ,
This allows you to go to the beach etc . Tender in for newspaper / croissants etc.

Actual anchoring -well that can be a big subject - ----
Ips - /joystick -- avoid -go for standard shafts ---- agian google Volvo penta IPS --big subject .

 

[Nick_H]

I can see the benefit of having a larger tender, but I wouldn't feel comfortable driving something that size.
We were living in a 8m motorhome for 2 months, so anything bigger than that will feel roomy .

On the tender front, there seems to be three options.

1. strapped to the swim platform.
2. In a "garage".
3. On the flybridge with a hoist.

How easy are they to get on and off the boat? I suppose it's an important consideration as we've got a toddler we'll no doubt want to go the beach quite regularly. Also is it safe to leave the main boat unattended, it's not likely to float away is it?!

Sorry if the questions seem a bit dumb...

On boat size, the running costs do increase rapidly as you go bigger, so consider that alongside the purchase cost. Also most boats around 80 feet seem to have a paid crew member. On the other hand, if you want to invite friends with kids, or your children and grandchildren, then you may want to consider going one size bigger to get 4 cabins. This usually becomes an option around 65 feet.

Views vary on the tender location. I like them on the bathing platform as it's the easiest position to launch from and doesn't use up internal space. Garage storage has the benefits of looking much neater, and keeping the swim platform clear, but really eats into interior volume and is rarely an option on flybridge boats. Flybridge storage would be unusual on a boat like the SS you're looking at, but common on bigger boats or passage makers like the Nordhaven. Having seen them swinging around on the end of the crane and bashing into the main boat when launching at anchor, I have no desire to store a tender up there.

You won't have any choice anyway if you go for the Sunseeker or a direct competitor at that size, you'll have to store it on the bathing platform.

It's OK to leave the boat at anchor whilst you go ashore if you have confidence in your ground tackle (anchor and chain). Don't assume that the standard anchor will be the best option, many on here have chosen to upgrade their anchors or chain for bigger sizes or better designs. Make sure your insurance policy allows you to leave the boat unattended, but most do under certain conditions

On the drive system I'm firmly in the keep it simple camp, which means a shaft drive. If the manoeuvrability of the IPS joystick appeals, you can get much of the same benefit by fitting a stern thruster and a remote which controls both thrusters and the engines on one handset.

 

[Portofino]

The popular beaches are buoyed off by yellow bouys to stop motorised craft entering -to separate people from propellers
Some have a marked channel for motorised tenders ,some don,t .
So you are gonna need a none motorised water toy , inflatable + oars ?
We have had young kids and guests and it's nice to ashore for an ice cream and to build a sand castle etc.

None buoyed beaches are plentiful too ---but no ice cream either

 

[Portofino]

Here is a typical anchorage that fits the insurance critea -I think ! -don,t really know untill you claim !
We are in 10 M of water with 50M laid out .Its sheltered and calm , forcast is calm
Cap Ferrat is behind the camera 5mins away .
To the R of the sq 78 ( a well known formulite ) is a small jetty leading to a pebble beach - with a nice restaurant - you could motor tender it there as no yellow bouys - Town is a2 min walk .

3rd week in Sept 15 ---we indeed stayed the Pm

 

[Greenhorn]

Is that typical throughout the med or just to South of France?

 

[Portofino]

Is that typical throughout the med or just to South of France?

I would say yes in the sence that bathers are separated from propellers in the popular ( read best beaches )
How ever in places like Corsica you can get your boat v close -depth permitting and have civilisation Girolata springs to mind -others will chime in with a pic .
In Italy they are not keen on anchoring within 200 M. -but we have
In the 1st pic I actually swam ashore towing the kids in dingy ,
In the 2nd pic we into the marina by motorised tender but previously have gone to the beach -dragging the tender up the beach .
So there's a dilema -nice big motrised tender ,erh but can you and the rest drag it up a beach -so you can leave it to explore inland -village shop etc ?
That's why we have a small inflatable .
Others will chime in soon ----- all depends how you want to use your boat
We have a small dog --- so like a 2 y old requires easy + regular shore access .It's all doable .
Here's a v pop anchorage between 2 Islands

And the other side of one excuse the go pro image -but little beaches all to yourself and a 15 min walk to civilisation on that island .Here you can get in as close as you dare -keep in the back of your mind filling in the insurance claim

Across the bay to the R is Cannes -here a big tender trip

 

[longjohnsilver]

Superb, Nick, you really couldn't tell it wasn't an original Princess fitment

I assumed Nick had just hit something and the airbag had gone off........

 

[Portofino]

Not wanting to start fly bridge Vs open -but you are all safe in eye line on one level -to make up space go bigger .
This it's only £250 K so you will not do your brains in with depreciation and for what ever reason you have to bail out ,it's only a fraction of outlay .With the balance buy more training , crew and suitable mooring and have a bigger running cost fund
Here,s one I shot by near St Tropez -he was doing 32knots when I crept up behind and went past

And here a link for a typical example
http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1242919/

 

[MapisM]

Is that typical throughout the med or just to South of France?

Do you mean the need to constantly keep an eye around while swimming, to avoid hitting other boats or get hit by them?
Well nope, that's not typical of SoF only - though that area of the Med definitely stands out, in this respect. :ambivalence:
Otoh, there are still a few places where you can enjoy stunning anchorages on your own - see below.
'scuse me now, must look for my coat PDQ...

 

[Greenhorn]

Wow that looks stunning, what time of year was that?