Picture Perfect

Quantum Of Solace © 2008 Danjaq, United Artists, CPII. 007 TM and related James Bond Trademarks, TM Danjaq.

It may not be the red carpet, but the Sunseeker Superhawk 43 gets her shot at the bright lights when she appears in the new James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace. The movie hits the big screen on Oct. 31 in the United Kingdom.

The Sunseeker Superhawk 43 enters the spotlight in a lead role in a boat chase sequence, which was filmed on location in Panama in March. But she is not the only Sunseeker to have a role in Quantum of Solace. The Sunseeker Sovereign 17, one of the company’s first open-cockpit speedboats, is used to transport James Bond, played again by Daniel Craig. The Sunseeker 37 Metre Yacht M4 also makes an appearance in the film.

This is not the first time Sunseeker models have made it to Hollywood: five others have appeared in the previous three James Bond movies. Casino Royal (2006) featured the 108 Predator with appearances from the XS 2000 and Sportsfish 37; Halle Berry climbed aboard a Superhawk 48 in Die Another Day (2002); and a Superhawk 34 sped down the River Thames in The World is Not Enough (1999).

Not be outdone, Sunseeker International’s managing director Robert Braithwaite CBE appears as a speedboat captain onboard one of the models with 007 himself. In the scene, filmed on location in Italy in April, Braithwaite is on the Sunseeker Sovereign 17—the first boat he ever built.

“For everyone at Sunseeker, it’s very rewarding to be involved in Quantum of Solace and once again see our British-built motoryachts appear alongside Britain’s most famous secret agent,” Braithwaite said.

Poker Run Fun

When my parents bought a vacation home in Punta Gorda, Florida, about 20 years ago, the place was so sleepy that the residents practically rolled up the sidewalks at 8 p.m., and Dad's 21-foot Sea Ox could smoke most of the boats cruising past Fisherman's Village, a collection of shops, restaurants, and slips within walking distance of my parents' place. Times have changed dramatically since then, and my visit this past weekend underscored just how much. A poker run, complete with chase helicopter, came to town, with several dozen speedsters built by Cigarette, Fountain, Donzi, and others throwing roostertails that proved they took full advantage of the relaxed speed rules in the channel (raised to 80 mph). While they stopped at Fisherman's Village just long enough to refuel and enjoy lunch, it was long enough for me to snap some shots. Enjoy!

Embrace Your Inner James Bond

Searching for a modern-looking tender for your megayacht or a one-of-a-kind dayboat? The slick, modern lines of the Fearless 28 is the result of a partnership between industrial- and product-design gurus Porsche Design and emerging boatbuilder Fearless Yachts. Her deep-V hull is built utilizing fiberglass sandwich construction techniques reinforced with carbon fiber. The 28 purportedly reaches speeds of more than 80 mph with her standard twin 525-hp Mercury gasoline stern drives. Care for more giddy-up? Ilmor Marine’s marinized version of the 550-hp powerplant that’s under the hood of the Dodge Viper are also available. The builder plans on expanding the line of Fearless Yachts with 44-, 68-, 125-, and 150-foot models over the next three years, with the 68 slated to premiere in 2008. The 68 will reportedly be equipped with standard twin 1,550-hp MTU 10V 2000 diesels mated to Rolls-Royce KaMeWa waterjets.