The Sunseeker Manhattan 63 is a 69-foot luxury motor yacht with a flybridge that was produced by UK-based boat-building firm Sunseeker between 2011 and 2014. This yacht won the prize for “Best Flybridge Above 55ft” at the 2012 Motor Boat of the Year Awards, and with its startling attention to detail, contemporary styling and superb seafaring capabilities it is no exaggeration to declare the Manhattan 63 a masterwork of naval design. Though no longer in production, this dual-helm model with masses of finely sculpted outdoor space remains popular on the used and charter markets, with many a Sunseeker Manhattan 63 snapped up within days of being placed for sale.
The teak-lined flybridge remains open to the elements and features a port side entertaining area entirely given over to seating. A U-shaped leather sofa with a breakfast table at the rear joins onto another plush U-shaped sofa amidship, that then connects to a sprawling forward sunpad with room for up to four sunbathers. To starboard, meanwhile, you have stair access, a wet bar with a Gaganeau grill and a Raritan icemaker that is bigger than many yacht’s galleys, and of course the upper helm station.
On the main deck there is a fully hydraulic swimming platform to the rear that can be used to store a water tender, and a sheltered aft deck with a transom sofa. Out on the foredeck, meanwhile, an al-fresco sunpad for two offers marina-facing views and a chance for secluded relaxation. Stepping in to the main-deck salon through sliding glass doors you will discover a free-flowing space lined in your choice of pale oak, American walnut, glossy cherry or authentic teak, with swooping side windows offering incredible views and heaps of natural light. To the rear there is plenty of cabinetry, a couple of large sofas and bespoke, upholstered coffee tables that have been hand-made by Sunseeker’s own craftsmen. Located up front there is a dining table and a main-deck galley with Nero granite counters, a Sharp oven, a four-zone Eurokera hob and a full-height WAECO fridge-freezer. At the mullioned windscreen you will find the lower helm station, expertly designed for an intuitive piloting experience and boasting a pair of Besenzoni helm chairs, a Penta joystick, Side Power thruster controls, power-assisted steering, Raymarine electronics, a Raystar GPS receiver, a Ritchie compass and CCTV displays screens.
With the galley located upstairs the lower deck is free to provide more cabin space than you would normally expect aboard a yacht of this class, and there is room down here for up to eight overnight guests. A pair of twin cabins, one with an en-suite, are joined by an en-suite double stateroom to the bow and a full-beam owner’s stateroom amidship with a king-sized bed, a loveseat, a work-desk, a walk-in closet, upholstered wall panels, mullioned side windows and a bathroom with Avonite marble-effect surfaces and a waterfall shower. Should you require staff on your long coastal voyages then there is also a separate crew quarters accessed via a transom door with room for two and its own private head.
Hull design for the Sunseeker Manhattan 63 has been cleverly configured to allow for either traditional shaft-drives or next-generation pod-drive propulsion, and owners can choose between a pair of MAN V8 1200MHP or MTU M84 1100MHP shafts with plenty of power or the 900MHP Volvo Penta IPS pods for a smoother and more economical ride. Either way, you can expect top speeds surpassing 33 knots with comfortable cruising speeds of 27 knots barely testing this finely-balanced vessel.