Sunseeker Predator 82

» As featured in the 2008 edition of trade-a-boat's 'Big Boat Collection'

Amid the haze of being wined and dined Sunseeker-style, I stopped to take it all in. Of all the (semi) production boats I have set foot aboard, Sunseeker's Predators are the greatest of great entertainers. Simply, they never fail to perform and please.

The cleverly customised cream-hulled Predator 82 that we were wooed and wowed upon in Fremantle is owned by Alf Barbagallo.

The west coast luxury car dealer, representing the likes of Audi, Jaguar, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, is a mechanic by trade. And when you descend to the engineroom of his 82-footer and look at the twin V12 1550hp MAN engines you will find evidence of a spanner man who still has a passion for getting his hands dirty.

What you also need to appreciate is how Barbagallo has propelled Sunseeker from virtual obscurity to stardom in this country in so little time. He imported his first Sunseeker, a Manhattan 62, in 1999.

He has now sold 80 Sunseekers and believes the motoryacht style has become more popular than the big flybridge boats in recent years.

Though this Predator 82 is the biggest Predator I have tested, it is not the biggest in the range, nor is it the biggest that I have been aboard. Only weeks earlier in Sydney I was testing the lounges on developer Denis O'Neil's Predator 108. However, the 82 is no less a convincing example of the Predator way of boating, especially when equipped with a chef, who delivered lunch while we were swinging on the anchor of the $6.95 million boat behind a sandy island off Fremantle. Ah, the boating life.

THE RISE OF SUNSEEKER
Why the explosion of Sunseekers in Australia? Not surprisingly, Barbagallo applied his experience in the car industry to the boating industry, shelled out and imported stock boats, establishing a good working relationship with the UK-based boat builder. He also put a model Sunseeker in his car yard to entice customers wanting a luxury car into buying a boat on the side.

Before long, Barbagallo was enjoying quite a following among the high rollers on the west and east coasts. In fact, in April this year he will be among six Sunseeker owners heading off to the Abrolhos Islands for a 10-day luxury boating odyssey.

Other times, he cruises south from Fremantle to Eagle Bay or wines and dines guests like, well, us. Barbagallo's Predator 82 has some really deft touches that, I suppose, reflect someone who has seen the best part of the 80 boats he has imported and spent time on his own boats before.

It also helps that his partner Nalene isn't averse to boating. She had a hand in the 82's interior design. Construction-wise, the boat is made from hand-laid GRP with multi-axial woven rovings, vinylester resin to prevent osmosis, balsa-cored topsides and foam-cored decks and superstructure.

Stringers and transverse bulkheads provide stiffness to the hull. This hull was designed by superyacht and performance boat artisan Don Shead, who designs all Sunseeker boats to include half prop tunnels and the trademark use of vee-drives to increase internal volume.

Considering that Barbagallo is a mechanic, I decided to start my journey on the Predator 82 in the engine room, where it's hard not to ignore the aftermarket Snap-On tools, custom rack for carrying spares and hardware, and work station alongside the giant diesel engines.

There was a Sea-Fire fire-fighting system, plus an engine room venting system with auto shutoffs and remote fuel shutoffs. The one integral 5900lt GRP fuel tank is forward of the engine room and the fuel lines pass through a huge inline filter and separate secondary engine-mounted filters.

I also spotted twin 23kva Kohler generators, an invertor big enough to run the icemakers and refrigeration for 12 hours (without having to start the generator at night), a chilled-water tropical-strength air-conditioning system, an oil-change system for motors and transmissions, twin sets of Racor fuel filters per motor, and big sea strainers under the checkerplate floor.

There was a 200lt/h Aquabase desalinator and separate hydraulic units for the signature Sunseeker submersible boarding platform, passerelle and high-torque 30hp bow and stern thrusters.

DECK PARTY
Outdoors, I stumbled across the Predator 82's aft garage, inside which is a Zodiac 350 Projet RIB that can be launched at the press of a button. The submersible boarding platform can also carry a jet ski. Cleverly, narrow walk-around decks lead forward of the saloon.

Forward of the wing doors and the saloon, the boat has deep ship-like bulwarks backed by a bow rail, so you get the best of both worlds: a super wide saloon and, once you exit the saloon by the wing doors, full-width access to the bow.

And there's good reason to go forward. A giant sunpad on tracks was bathed in rays, accompanied by champagne holders. Crew will appreciate the safe footing on teak bulwarks, the in-deck fender holders that don't spoil the boat's svelte lines, and the giant custom mooring cleats.

However, it's the cooperative cockpit that is most impossible to escape. We spent some hours being fed and watered al fresco around the giant teak table. The circular lounge, with cool graphite-coloured upholstery and folding aluminium, Italian-designed Gineico chairs, can comfortably take eight under the optional automatic retractable Italian awning, which casts shade over the swanky setting.

The aft lounge has room to seat six more guests and it converts to a massive sunpad, on which four couples could work on their tans.

Nearby were carbon fibre capstans to assist with stern-to-mooring and an amenities centre and servery with two fridges and icemaker. The boat also comes with a griddle, but it didn't stay for long on this Predator.

Barbagallo wanted to add a more capable barbecue to the garage, where the lid would provide shelter when cooking in the rain, with a second mounting spot on the boarding platform so that by barely submerging the platform any splattered fat would simply wash away. By removing the supplied griddle on the amenities centre he could then extend the serving space to better cater for buffet lunches.

SEXY SALOON AND GALLEY
The Predator's seamless indoor/outdoor saloon, with an aft door off the cockpit and an electric moonroof will play potently into the hands of Australian boaters.

All on the same level, you can waltz inside and lounge, dine, be entertained by the concealed 100cm plasma television, drive, or navigate with immediacy. Fair weather or foul, indoors or out, the Predator 82 entertains.

It has a solid cherry wood dining table with black granite inlay and six leather-backed timber chairs. >Across to starboard is a plush, cream leather U-shaped lounge and tub seat capable of seating seven, before a leather-topped coffee table and 100cm plasma screen television, which is linked to a $50,000 Crestron audio/visual entertainment system with separate zones and 1000-plus CD and movie storage capacity.

The television rises from the cabinet or servery with just a fiddle behind the triple leather helm chairs. The wet bar with icemaker was nearby, the impressive AC/DC panel across the way. Joinery was easy-clean satin cherry wood, solid on all the architraves, the saloon floor a sealed, waxed, easy-clean, non-slip teak with a removable floor runner.

Between the dining table and lounge, aft of the helm, was enough floor space to tango. That's partly because the galley is tucked aft and down a stairwell to port. How will Australians handle a galley that's not part of the entertaining areas? I thought long and hard about this and so, too, has Barbagallo. Let's face it, at this level of luxury boating you don't want to come face to face with dirty dishes and half ravaged platters, empty bottles and broken baguettes.

And should you want to do the cooking and catering yourself, no worries, the galley is the size of a fully blown kitchen.

Before the chef began weaving his magic, I was invited down to the galley, which Barbagallo had chosen as part of the optional master stateroom/larger galley/smaller crew space layout because he likes to entertain and cook and, well, we Australians are more hands-on and don't need many paid hands. Its aft location means you can serve food straight back up to the cockpit lunch setting or to the formal dining setting. It's handy to both and features black-granite bench tops, metallic bronze cabinets, and stainless steel splashbacks.

Cooking amenities ranged from a Bosch oven and four-burner cooktop - though there wasn't a potholder on the cooktop the galley is at a very stable part of the boat - to a convection microwave, Bosch fridge and separate freezer, a dishwasher, white and sparkling wine fridge, and a red wine cellar. There was a separate sound system for the galley and three portside windows for views and additional ventilation. Among the spaces for storage was a pullout pantry.

Off the galley to starboard were the crew quarters, which feature two very obliging bunks, air-conditioning, a wardrobe, and a generous ensuite with a shower stall and Techma toilet.

The washer/dryer was also located there and, despite the utilitarian nature of the area, the galley and fifth crew or kids' cabin never seemed pokey. I emerged from the kitchen tour to a steady procession of gourmet grub, so I can vouch for its effectiveness.

LUXURY LODGINGS
Ignoring the aft crew/chef/waitress cabin, the standard Predator 82 has four cabins, each with ensuites, but Barbagallo deleted one of the forward bathrooms to create a larger open-plan foyer, from where the cabins are accessed. There was a leather armchair where, as though in a waiting room, I took time out to sit and contemplate what a clever little space he had created.

The bathroom to starboard is not too difficult to find. I poked my head inside and noted a big shower stall with six body-blasting jet heads, a floating porcelain sink, Techma toilet, and a black-granite floor and vanity top. The layout was repeated in the guest ensuite off the forward cabin. I described in my notepad the style of the cabins as being ‘five-star international hotel or resort', but you could add adjectives such as timeless, tasteful, uncluttered, and executive. Definitely elegant.

The portside cabin has two single bunks and gold bedspreads in the boat's metallic theme. There was trick lighting, cherry wood air-conditioning vents, and a good sense of headroom and storage space. There was also a full-length mirror and, as with all cabins, a Sharp LCD television. The cabin across to starboard had single side-by-side beds with matching gold bedspreads, a door to the ensuite, opening port and air-conditioning, plus a nice parquetry detail on the door.

The guest cabin ensuite is huge. There's a full-height hanging locker and dresser with mirror, a large shower stall, plus a Sharp home-theatre system.

Nestled back four steps from the foyer, the Predator 82's stateroom is the stuff of superyachts, full width and flanked by triple picture windows, one of which opens for cross-flow ventilation, and a lofty sense of headroom.

Dressed in a gold waffle-patterned bedspread, the king-size bed, bordered by bedside tables, shimmered alluringly and was offset to optimise floor space.

There was a walk-in wardrobe with an oiled-timber liner, a full-length mirror, and 100cm flat-screen television linked to the Crestron system, built-in two-person settee, work desk and/or dresser and a safe for the family jewels. The ensuite had his and her washbasins, loads of dressing room, a huge shower and Techma toilet. Very civilised indeed.

DRIVING TIME
The 1550hp V12 MANs were smooth and quiet, much like the generators.

Barbagallo drives the 82 himself and manages it with aplomb. You probably could too with bow and stern thrusters and a remote docking device that let's you stand outside on the bulwarks, roughly amidships, to monitor the boat's position. Closed circuit cameras at the helm reveal the aft extremity of the boat, bow and engine room.

Being on the same level as the saloon means you get to drive and share the experience with your guests. At the central low-glare black dash, Barbagallo had fitted three Raymarine E120s with television and CCC input, an ST2 90 autopilot, Bidata for instant speed and depth, and a backup handheld GPS.

There were spotlights, air-conditioning controls, bilge alarm systems and more. Visibility was excellent through the windscreen in all but tight turns and the three big pantograph wipers with fresh-water washers assist in keeping a safe watch.

At 1600rpm the MANs propelled the Predator 82 to 20.1kt while jointly consuming 250lt/h for a safe working range of 430 nautical miles, leaving 10 per cent of the 5900ltr fuel supply in reserve. At 2100rpm the 82-footer achieves 28.6kt, but both motors use 494lt/h for a 310 nautical mile range. Top speed was 33.4kt at 2320rpm for 640lt/h.

At Sunseeker's recommended cruise of 26kt, the boat was a lot of fun to drive. The new Predator 72 is coming to town and, I'm told, two Predator 94s are on the way. Onwards and upwards for the growing motoryacht market, it seems.

HIGHS

LOWS