Sunseeker Predator 60 Evo
Throughout the Evo’s design, Sunseeker has paid special attention to the ways their owners spend time on the water.
The first thing you’ll probably notice when you step aboard this new Sunseeker is the roof—or the lack of it. It’s clearly a hardtop model, but with the gigantic carbon-fiber sunroof open, there’s not much evidence of that. Add the huge side windows and deep windshield to the expanse of sky and it feels like an open boat in all but name.
The impression is heightened by the relative size of the cockpit and salon: Neither dominates the main deck, and with the glass bulkhead lowered, these two equal partners join to make a single social area, with the entire emphasis on fresh air and seating. There are two substantial sofas with tables, and a sunpad aft, while the galley is down below along with a small dinette. The sunpad on the foredeck is big enough for three, with independent folding backrests.
Laid out down below with three cabins and two heads, the design focus for the Evo was to create the most luxurious environments possible in the master and VIP suites while still allowing practical space for the galley and its attendant seating area. So while the third cabin has good headroom, it is pretty cramped in every other dimension, with a pair of bunk beds, a hanging locker and little room to swing anything, let alone a cat.
The VIP ensuite in the bow is a different story. You might wish for a bigger shower compartment, but in every other respect this is an excellent suite, comfortable and reasonably spacious. Naturally the master, spread across the widest part of the Predator’s hull, is the yacht’s pièce de resistance, with its sizable hull windows, central double bed, a sofa along the starboard side and a well-proportioned head.
Throughout the Evo, Sunseeker’s interior designers have paid special attention to the depth of finish. So there is some intriguing polished steel detailing, and rich, dark veneers to contrast with the pale bulkhead linings and surfaces. Bespoke exterior paint colors are available too.
A small crew’s quarters occupies the stern alongside the tender garage, which can take an 11-foot William 345 Sportjet. The Evo’s twin engines are mounted just aft of midships. It comes with a choice not just of horsepower but between traditional 900-hp or 1,000-hp shaft drives, or 725-hp IPS900s. When transmissions and drives are taken into account, opting for one configuration or the other involves a negligible weight difference, so the choice comes down to personal preference.
While IPS customers can have joystick steering, dynamic positioning and the other goodies, those choosing shaft drives can opt for Sunseeker’s “Hydro Pack.” “It’s a performance and handling package that we offer instead of the standard trim tabs,” explains Sunseeker’s technical sales engineer Ross Donohoe. It includes Humphree’s automatic trim system, which seamlessly takes care of both lateral and longitudinal trim. Then there is Seastar’s electronic Optimus EPS steering: “This has independent steering cylinders with clever software that gives you variable steering at different speeds.” Finally, the pack includes sophisticated “flow aligned” rudders: “These optimize hydrodynamic flow and help increase efficiency,” Donohoe says.
He wouldn’t commit to a prediction for the new system on a 60 Evo, but in tests with a Predator 50, these rudders alone were reportedly responsible for a one-knot speed increase.
Specifications: Sunseeker Predator 60 Evo
LOA: 59’10”
Beam: 15’5”
Draft: 4’3”
Displ.: 61,508 lbs.
Fuel: 581 gal.
Water: 158 gal.
Standard power: 2/900hp Volvo Penta D13 900
Cruise speed: 30 knots
Top speed: 34 knots
Price: $1.56 million
