How Sunseeker super-sized the popular Ocean model

As the name suggests, the Sunseeker Ocean 182 has a volume of 182GT, which is an impressive 50 per cent gain in interior space over the 120GT found on the Ocean 90. While it isn’t the only builder employing a volume-centred nomenclature these days, Sunseeker notes it was inspired by repeatedly having client conversations that focused on a yacht’s volume. “We could see the trend of clients asking for more enclosed living space and looking for a smaller tri-deck yacht,” says Chris Head of Sunseeker London, the official distributor for Sunseeker yachts in the UK.

The exterior changes were certainly noticed by the owner of the new hull when they first laid eyes on the 182. “The lines of the yacht and the magnificent volumes, with an amazing bridge deck, attracted me to the Sunseeker Ocean 182,” says the owner. “It was love at first sight when we saw the yacht at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.”

Sunseeker distributors in both the UK and US were consulted by the builder early on in the design stages to help shape the Ocean 182. Hull No 1 bent a little more to the US market, while hull No 2, which debuted at Boot Düsseldorf earlier this year, featured loose furniture from Italian company Visionnaire that might suit European clientele. “But even Americans love European styling at the moment,” says Head, noting the universal appeal.

The new Sunseeker Ocean 182 might be proudly built in Britain, but the first hull, which strategically debuted at the Newport Boat Show, was shaped with America in mind with the help of Bryan Braley, president of OneWater Yacht Group, which is the North American importer for Sunseeker as well as the local dealer in the eastern US.

“It was important we get the flybridge on hull one right from the start, especially now that it was going to be enclosed,” says Braley. “The US market was looking for a fully enclosed, air-conditioned space for relaxed entertaining. Maximising storage, additional refrigeration and even a very specific placement of the TV were all factored into our final layout.

“The interior has elements inspired by nature, with curved lines, soft shapes and natural materials”

After trying different positions to get that placement right, the large, fixed television sits on port side. The perfect place to curl up and watch a movie, the upper saloon is one of the favourite spaces on board for the owner of the first hull. By day, the lofty vantage point of this saloon is ideal for taking in views of the water. Different seating arrangements and even an option to make an upper-deck dining room are available on the bridge. And as it’s high off the water, privacy is ensured.

“An enclosed flybridge also extends the boating season and gives the client more year-round usage,” says Braley. This suits how the owner of hull No 1 plans to use the boat, splitting their time between Florida and the Bahamas in the winter and the north-east US in the summer, cruising around Long Island, Manhattan, Block Island, Newport, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

The captain of the first hull also lauds the commanding 360-degree views enjoyed from the helm station on the bridge. Whereas the Ocean 90 had dual helms with an interior main-deck bridge and an open bridge up to it, this is the sole helm on the Ocean 182. And as it’s enclosed and not compromised by inclement weather, it’s really the only one you need.

Removing the lower bridge drastically altered the interior of the main deck. From the main saloon entrance, sight lines now stretch all the way to the forward windscreen, where a galley and dining area has replaced the bridge. “Moving the galley has changed things completely,” says Chinery of this country kitchen-style arrangement.

The standard configuration of the main deck is for an open-plan space with the galley opening on to the dining area, but there are also options to partially or fully enclose the galley for traditional crew service. The galley counters are finished in a hard-wearing Caesarstone. “We moved away from natural marbles because the consistency of quality is better and it doesn’t stain,” says Chinery. Miele appliances are standard in the galley, though Chinery notes that Americans might want Sub-Zero refrigeration instead.

Further opening up the main saloon is a floating spiral staircase to port, which catches the eye immediately upon entering the room. “It adds an interesting architectural feature to the interior and helps to create a light and airy feel, which is accentuated by natural light that’s maximised by the large windows,” says Ewen Foster, chief technical officer at Sunseeker International. “The interior has elements inspired by nature, with curved lines, soft shapes and natural materials.”

The sinuous staircase on the main deck fits in with other curvaceous interior items, such as a sweeping, curved bulkhead adjacent to the upholstered headboard in the master cabin and the soft curve of the bespoke vanity desk and bedside table. The full-beam owner’s cabin is found on the lower deck. Accessed from the main staircase, it is set forward of two guest cabins amidships.

The owner’s cabin offers a layout choice of a sofa or breakfast seating, and the guest cabins have the option of fixed or sliding twins or fixed double berths. Meanwhile, the forward VIP cabin is reached via a separate stairway off the dining area. “The yacht is well laid out for family cruising, and with the private VIP cabin it works great with another couple,” says the owner of the first hull.

Providing multiple options, whether it be layout or decor, is fundamental for an owner to be able to put their stamp on a series boat such as this. The builder has a dedicated interior collection for owners to choose from, which includes a range of fabrics, wall linings, leather, coloured lacquer, stone, veneer, flooring and decorative lighting. “The collection is created in close collaboration with Design Unlimited, and it’s characterised by a sophisticated palette of materials,” says Foster.

Hull No 1 features smoked eucalyptus on the walls, though future owners might opt for silver oak, which is another popular wood choice, says Chinery. The sofa in this hull is decidedly American, oversized with a high back.

It’s paired with a sleek Minotti coffee table. There is the option for free-standing furniture to be custom-designed to suit each owner’s style, with brands such as Visionnaire, Minotti and Poltrona Frau suggested by the yard.

The Ocean 182 also features a few options made standard. This includes items such as the mirrored medicine cabinets in the bathrooms and sidemounted ladders on the exterior. The main-deck dayhead, which was only an option on the Ocean 90, is now standard on the 182. Other elements were added to the 182 based on client requests, such as the shoe locker that’s found at the entrance to the saloon.

Fortunately, it doesn’t feel as if the added interior volume on the Ocean 182 comes as a sacrifice to her outdoor living areas. “We’ve not lost any of the aft deck areas, so we still have massive outdoor space, along with the bow lounge,” says Head. This includes the six-by-four-metre beach club, where the transom folds open to reveal sunpads. “The Ocean 182 will appeal to someone who wants big volume but doesn’t want to be running a big yacht with big crew,” says Head. “You have a 7.16-metre beam but are still under the 24-metre load line, so you have a yacht that feels like it’s bigger than 100ft (30.5 metres) at just 90ft.”

A large-yacht feel in a smaller package appealed to the owner of the first hull, who has had numerous boats over the past 40 years, including three Silvertons (up to 12 metres), two Sea Rays (up to 17 metres) and they still own a 16.5-metre Riviera. “Good sea-handling capabilities were also on my wish list,” says the owner. “Although I do have a captain, I wanted a yacht that I could feel comfortable handling by myself with a smaller crew.”

Despite the increase in volume, Sunseeker reports no loss in performance in the Ocean 182. Like her predecessor, she still achieves a top speed of 27 knots and delivers a 1,100-nautical-mile range at 10 to 12 knots. “Solid, stable and fast” is how the captain of hull No 1 describes the performance, adding: “We ran it at 22 knots across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas, and it seems to handle a variety of sea conditions equally well. It has a great economical cruise but can get up and move when needed.”

Sunseeker has three more of the Ocean 182 units on order – it can build up to five per year. As well as America and Europe, there are multiple enquiries from Asia, which might see mah-jong and karaoke rooms included on the lower decks. After her European debut, hull No 2 is set to make her way to the US , where she’s likely to turn more heads. “We get lots of compliments on the yacht every time we pull into a marina,” says the owner of hull No 1. It’s safe to say that with the Ocean 182, Sunseeker has taken things up a level.

First published in the August 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.