A
lum Bay, Wednesday 5 June. A fresh Force 4
is blowing through the Solent from the south
west, kicking up the usual messy chop. The
Sunseeker Hawk 38 we’re in is lapping it up,
skipping over the wave tops at 50 knots,
the supercharged howl of the twin 400hp
outboards accompanied by the staccato ratta-tat-tat of hull
chines kissing water. The closer we get to the Needles the larger
the waves become and the further the Hawk starts to fly.
Sunseeker’s skipper, an experienced offshore racer, is starting to
work the throttles harder now, whipping them all the way back
and forth like a conductor’s baton, urging his piston-powered
orchestra to raise the tempo up a notch.
Timing is everything in this game. The aim is to keep the hull
skimming flat and fast by throttling back as the propellers leave
the water then slamming the power back on a fraction of second
before it lands to reduce the stress on the gearboxes. His ability
to read the waves is uncanny, and his hand speed dizzyingly fast.
I had been looking forward to driving Sunseeker’s fastest boat
for almost 20 years; now I’m getting nervous. I’ve already piloted
the prototype of this very boat at 68 knots without the slightest
wobble. But that was on Lake Como in conditions so benign
I could have sailed a paper boat across it. This is different. This
is the Solent with winds, waves, tides, overfalls and large pointy
rocks. At speeds over 50 knots things happen very quickly.
I remind myself that the Hawk 38’s target market is not
experienced offshore racers but ordinary power boat owners
in search of the ultimate fast day boat. People like me in other
words, albeit with a lot more money – at £642,000 inc VAT this
is not for the faint-hearted nor light of wallet.In the hot seat
A pause, while our snapper changes lenses, provides an
opportunity to swap places. I clip on the kill cord and settle
into the beautifully upholstered Buzzi Besenzoni helm seat.
The deep side bolsters keep my hips locked in place while a small
toggle switch beneath the seat lets me bring the base up to meet
my thighs. I could have folded it all the way down and stood
with my feet braced against the console, but in these conditions
the powerful spring and hydraulic dampener of the seat’s
suspension system should do a better job of absorbing any
impacts than my legs. There’s only one way to find out.
With both Mercury 400R engines trimmed right in and the
multi-function steering wheel centred, I ease the two stubby gear
selectors into ahead and shift my hand across to the taller throttle
levers to feed in the power. Compared to the instant acceleration
of a ‘normal’ sportsboat like an Axopar or Cormate, it takes a
couple of seconds for the Hawk to build up speed. Until you see
it in the flesh it’s hard to grasp just how long and thin this thing
really is. Put it this way, the Hawk 38 is almost nine feet longer