Sunseeker’s newest hardtop coupé – the 32nd model to bear the Predator name – faces stiff competition, not least from its year-old near-identical sportsfly twin sister. Both are fabulous. But which one to choose?
Sunseeker’s new-for-2022 Predator 65 seems, on the face of it, to be a 65 Sport Yacht without its fabulous SkyHelm. So why bother building it?
Because, as terrific as the Sport Yacht’s supercarstyle raised helm and sunpad undoubtedly are, that sportsfly option is not for everyone.
Sunseeker says there is a loyal Predator following out there that wants an even purer profile. But it’s not only about losing the visual clutter of seat backs and wind deflector from the coachroof to make those super-cool lines even more svelte. It’s also about catering to different needs. For instance, those with young families may want an even safer, single-level environment where they can keep an eye on everyone, and those of a certain age may prefer to dispense with the extra stairs and the low-slung driving position.
What the Predator 65 owner gets instead of that upper deck is a huge sliding carbon fibre and glass sunroof, which means a proper open yacht vibe on the main deck when it’s open and extra light in the main saloon when not. An opening roof may not sound much in itself, but it delivers a very different onboard experience. When fully open, inside becomes outside. And there’s plenty of other outdoor spaces too at both ends of those flush walkaround side-decks, given this model has an LOA of just over 67ft (20.5m).
Up front there’s a large foredeck terrace, made all the better when at rest with the poled bimini protection in place. Note how it sits within the superstructure. No deck paths here. The idea is to not break the continuous black ‘eyebrow’ that sweeps forward from the coachroof, down the windshield mullions and out onto the foredeck – we get that. And it does make the area within more contained and perhaps that little bit safer for young children – we get that too. But the flipside is those 18in-high coamings can end up being trip hazards if you are not careful stepping over them.
TOY STORAGE
The cockpit can be configured several ways, but all options retain the stern sunpad that overhangs the transom and tops off the garage. Supposedly 1.5 times wider than the present Predator 74’s, the garage can take up to a Williams 345 Sportjet as well as a couple of SUPs, Seabobs or maybe an electric bike or two. If the decking option has been ticked on the options sheet, that toy cave, along with the hydraulic platform and stern steps to either side, becomes your beach club.
The most popular cockpit option includes a C-shaped dinette that creates seating around three sides of the square. Our test boat had that and it does make what can often be
