British yacht builder Sunseeker International has announced that the first ten hulls of recently introduced Hawk 38 line will be part of a special limited-edition series, in the memory of Sunseeker founder, Robert Braithwaite CBE DL, who had passed away in March 2019.
The Hawk 38, a new high-performance chase boat model, was the last project Robert was involved with and therefore a fitting tribute to him. Each of the ten boats will carry a polished stainless steel plaque on the helm dashboard numbered from RB001 to RB010.
The 11.85-metre yacht design has been developed in collaboration with Fabio Buzzi Design, who himself is a winner of 43 World Speed Records and 55 World Championships. Fabio Buzzi also was present at the yacht’s helm during the trials. The model reflects Mr. Braithwaite’s passion for speed and performance, delivering an incredible top speed of 68.7 knots during her sea trials.
The model reaches her impressive speed with the power of twin Mercury R400 outboard engines. Still, with the yacht's console, carbon fibre roof, deck mouldings and fittings final calculated top speed will make 62-63 knots.
The Hawk 38’ key features comprise a foredeck fitted with a sunbathing pad and optional foredeck sail canopy, a helm station located midships and a U-shaped seating around a central table facing the aft. The cocooning helm station is shielded by a double-curvature ventilated glass screen with a sweeping black carbon fibre hard top.
Inside, within a beam of 3 metres the boat features a closet underneath the helm, and a space for two drawer fridges under the yacht's triple bench stern seats. The yacht will be also fitted with grills and swim speakers facing aft.
The console unit is fitted with a Simrad navigation system, consisting of the latest 16-inch Evo 3 touch screen multifunction display with GPS and Wi-Fi capability. Power-assisted steering is courtesy of the intelligent leather trimmed tilt steering wheel incorporating full control of the navigation system.
Throughout the boat, there is multiple built-in storage such as a cavernous stowage locker with carbon fibre lid at the bow, which can be used for toys including two seabobs with dedicated bulkhead-mounted charging units.
Commenting on the new limited-edition series, Sunseeker CEO, Andrea Frabetti said:
The legacy of the Sunseeker brand is built on developing performance boats such as the Hawk 38 – it’s in our DNA and something Robert was extremely passionate about having raced extensively in his early career. I am honoured to unveil this special edition series of the Hawk 38, a very fitting tribute to our founder.
Robert Braithwaite was an inspiration to everyone at Sunseeker and to the wider marine industry, recognised as a boating pioneer, a true visionary and someone who changed the face of boating forever.
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