tamarind
New member
Has anyone got any experience of owning a Sunseeker portifino 400. Good points and bad? How good a sea boat is it with KAD42 engines and manouvering?
sunseeker 40 any good?
- Thread starter tamarind
- Start date
volvopaul
Well-known member
Im sure chriskaye will be along shortly he has a very nice one, but with twin cat 420s on shafts, quite rare im told.
Good boat plenty of power good slow speed handling, my first time in one was Island Harbour going into the lock with the wind blowing across the bows, no problem.
Engine access brilliant as the tanks are forward of them so can get at everything, usuall sunseeker build quality.
Good boat plenty of power good slow speed handling, my first time in one was Island Harbour going into the lock with the wind blowing across the bows, no problem.
Engine access brilliant as the tanks are forward of them so can get at everything, usuall sunseeker build quality.
tompyn
New member
I looked at buying one once had a survey paid deposit and on the Sea Trial it was well under powered with the KAD42's.That is of course only my opinion.
ChrisKaye
New member
Hi Tamarind
I have the 400 with CATS on shafts. Very pleased with the boat, beautifully put together and solidly built. Loads of power with 2 x 420hp on tap and very manouverable slow speed esp with bowthruster. Lots of space in cockpit and below. We had twin outdrives before and I would NEVER go back.
It is a heavy boat and fully watered and fuelled up is around 11/12 tons so I am not sure what its like with outdrives and whether it can still get up on the plane easily with a bit of fouling so check that. 2 x 230hp outdrives is a lot less than 2 x 420hp !
Downsides, Shafts are not as fuel efficient as outdrives. Volvo parts easier to get than CAT (although I reckon you wont need as many parts !).
pm me for any addditional info and if you tell me where it is I may know some more about it
I have the 400 with CATS on shafts. Very pleased with the boat, beautifully put together and solidly built. Loads of power with 2 x 420hp on tap and very manouverable slow speed esp with bowthruster. Lots of space in cockpit and below. We had twin outdrives before and I would NEVER go back.
It is a heavy boat and fully watered and fuelled up is around 11/12 tons so I am not sure what its like with outdrives and whether it can still get up on the plane easily with a bit of fouling so check that. 2 x 230hp outdrives is a lot less than 2 x 420hp !
Downsides, Shafts are not as fuel efficient as outdrives. Volvo parts easier to get than CAT (although I reckon you wont need as many parts !).
pm me for any addditional info and if you tell me where it is I may know some more about it
PowerYachtBlog
Well-known member
the shafts version used also to ride a bit bow high verus the sterndrive, like 5 or 7 degrees up
I think with sterndrives in good condition they used to do 30/31 knots in the med so should do similar in there
I think with sterndrives in good condition they used to do 30/31 knots in the med so should do similar in there
novanta
Member
We have a client with a 400, 2x TAMD 63's. Very nice boat, roomy, well build, but very noisy exhaust... Boat is more than 10 years old but looks like new!
Pennpromo
Member
Portofino 400
I have a Portofino 400, used to have a Camargue 47. Changed to the Portofino because we boat out of Christchurch and its very shallow. Its an excellent boat, but I do know that with KAD42s they are not fast.
Mine has CMD 320's on Bravo 3X outdrives, which have not been too reliable, see my posts! The boat as such is however wonderful, plenty of room, great handling, really good seakeeping. Build quality of these mid 90's Sunseekers was about as good as they get. Do check for a bit of cracking on the bottom, usually not serious, but need to be aware.
Is the boat you are looking at in Ocean Village at the moment, if so I have seen her and she looks pretty clean ?
Main issue is lack of boats as most have been snapped up by people in the Eurozone over the last year or so with the weak pound. I would think that there are probably only about 20 or so in the Uk from a build run of nearly 300, mixed between shafts and outdrives. If you see one with Mercruiser V8 diesels don't go anywhere near it, they didn't get up on to the plane with a dirty bottom and they have a big moulded fixed trim tab between the drives to help but it wasn't enough. Not Sunseeekr's finest effort by far ! If it has been re-engined, as has mine, with either the CMD engines or Yanmars then it would be good.
Apart from my past engine issues I am thrilled to bits.
SIMON
I have a Portofino 400, used to have a Camargue 47. Changed to the Portofino because we boat out of Christchurch and its very shallow. Its an excellent boat, but I do know that with KAD42s they are not fast.
Mine has CMD 320's on Bravo 3X outdrives, which have not been too reliable, see my posts! The boat as such is however wonderful, plenty of room, great handling, really good seakeeping. Build quality of these mid 90's Sunseekers was about as good as they get. Do check for a bit of cracking on the bottom, usually not serious, but need to be aware.
Is the boat you are looking at in Ocean Village at the moment, if so I have seen her and she looks pretty clean ?
Main issue is lack of boats as most have been snapped up by people in the Eurozone over the last year or so with the weak pound. I would think that there are probably only about 20 or so in the Uk from a build run of nearly 300, mixed between shafts and outdrives. If you see one with Mercruiser V8 diesels don't go anywhere near it, they didn't get up on to the plane with a dirty bottom and they have a big moulded fixed trim tab between the drives to help but it wasn't enough. Not Sunseeekr's finest effort by far ! If it has been re-engined, as has mine, with either the CMD engines or Yanmars then it would be good.
Apart from my past engine issues I am thrilled to bits.
SIMON
cataldo
Member
sunseeker 40 any good
tested one in south of france
about 9 years ago with kads,
very sluggish to get on the
plane,otherwise very roomy
and still look good
tested one in south of france
about 9 years ago with kads,
very sluggish to get on the
plane,otherwise very roomy
and still look good
