Sunseeker Portifino 46, any pointers?

[robm3]

Currently bidding on a new contract and if that comes off then I'll be looking for another boat (I've ordered a wakeboat already).

The two I rather fancy are Riviera M400 or Sunseeker Portifino 46

Both can do the entertaining thing rather well plus some coastal offshore work.

We have some larger swells so definitely needs to be seaworthy. I know the Riveras are good and I'll assume the Sunseekers are decent too.

Riverias used to be built locally and very popular here in Oz but I just don't know much about Sunseekers.

Here's the two boats:

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/dealer/...

http://www.boatsales.com.au/boats-for-sale/private...


If anyone has any experience or some pointers specific to the model, I'd appreciate it.

(BTW Had a few boats so know the basic things to watch for).

[belleair302]

From what I know Sunseekers are expensive to run, high operating costs and can be tricky to get certain spares for. The performance is there, as is the name, but be warned selling isn't easy when you have had your fun.

[Fishtigua]

Not a big fan of Sunseekers. Good seaboat hulls let down by iffy build quality on some models put me off. The Volvos are now 10 years old, so am guessing they are 72s or 74s which have EDC controls and MS units that now getting tired. Spares are getting hard to replace/repair for those units.

The locally built Riviera are tough old boats. The original ones were based on Bertram Sportfishing hulls. A good, simple boat, maybe not as flash as a Sunseeker, but should last you years.

[MOTORVATOR]

I run a 46 Sunseeker Camargue and have to say the above posts don't reflect my experience.

Expensive to run? Well only in so much as any other 46 foot boat fitted out to that level. They use a majority of the same parts that any other builder uses. You will not struggle to get hold of props, shafts, glands, bilge pumps, seacocks,impellers etc etc and they will cost exactly the same as any other boat manufacturers using the same quality of part.

It runs old technology 2 stroke Detroit engines that people warned me were going to be a nightmare and nothing could be further from the truth. In 600 hours they have had a tune up, two oil / filter changes, one set of impellers and run as clean as a whistle. Any decent Detroit mechanic will tell you to run them hard and they will last 20,000 hours!

If you want a boat that can eat up miles in nasty sea conditions then go for a Sunseeker every time, but if you don't envisage ever being out there in poor conditions then go for something else by all means. The Sunseeker generally will not have the same accommodation space due to it's high deadrise hull design.