First Impression: M4
Date toured: October 2007

Motoryacht junkies tend to get into a tizzy over every new model that the world’s manufacturers build. Often, the hype is no more than that, especially with the current trend toward building ever-larger yachts    on a production line instead of as custom designs.
     For this reason, I was skeptical as I stepped onboard the new 121-foot Sunseeker motoryacht M4. It’s just the second boat of that size that the British company has ever built as a semi-custom/semi-production model, and it’s the first to be displayed outside of Europe. The $20-million M4 made her U.S. debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where her Mexican owner let her stop to meet the press before heading to Western Mexico this winter. She had a lot of hype coming into the show, not to mention the fact that she’ll enter the worldwide market as one of the most expensive charter yachts in her size range: $143,500 per week.
     Whether she’s worth it is the question I had in mind as I took a tour with Ben Young, head of superyacht management for Sunseeker and the shipyard captain who oversaw construction of the first 121-footer as well as M4, plus every other model of the same size that Sunskeer plans to build (there are two more in production now, plus six more on order).
     I’ll tell you, I was really impressed—both with M4 and with Young. He used his previous experience as a charter boat captain to build spaces and features into M4 that not only look great, but that also will help the crew provide top-notch service.
    The first place I noticed this was in the main saloon and formal dining room, which seemed to have far more seating than other boats I’ve seen in this size range. M4 has a ton of volume inside, for sure. “We did that so that everyone can sit together,” Young told me. “It’s integral to the design of the boat.”
     Also in this area, there’s a fabulous Bang & Olufsen sound system with speakers built right into the American walnut paneling and surrounded by leather accents. I almost didn’t even see the speakers, since they were so beautifully hidden in plain sight. (Apparently, M4’s owner has the same setup in one of his homes.)
     In the galley, Young showed me what looked like far more prep space than most charter chefs get on boats this size. When I remarked at the vast countertop, he explained that his team actually laid 12 plates out during construction just to make sure they’d all fit at the same time—so the chef can make sure everyone’s food comes out hot and simultaneously.
     The crew quarters also got a lot of attention on this boat, all to keep hard workers comfortable onboard. There’s even a built-in space designed to accommodate guests’ hard-sided suitcases, which often end up in crewmembers’ showers onboard other yachts for lack of space. Construction details like this make the crew’s job easier to do, which is a key ingredient for successful charter service.
     Each of the guest cabins, including two with double beds (show in the photo at right), and two with twin beds plus Pullman berths, was nicely designed with plenty of natural light. The master goes the full width of the yacht and has two-levels, one for sleeping and the other for dressing. In a nice touch, there’s a 15-inch waterproof television built into the master bathroom wall in such a way that you can watch it in the vanity mirror’s reflection while brushing your teeth.
     And should any of the 12 guests not feel comfortable in their cabin for some reason, one section of the large couch up in the sky lounge pulls out into a bed. Plus, the day head on this level contains a shower. That’s an unusual and intentional design, in case charter guests want to use that gathering area as an extra cabin onboard.
     My favorite charter-friendly feature on this boat, though, was up on the sundeck. That’s where there’s a retractable sunshade as well as an outdoor air-conditioning system—that guests can control by pushing buttons on the same Crestron remote control that turns on the stereo. Talk about the ultimate in personal control of your charter comfort. What a fantastic and innovative idea!
     All of this said, I still wasn’t sure about the boat’s weekly rate of $143,500, so I asked Sunseeker Charters owner Stefan Wertans why the owner was pricing such a fantastic yacht so high for its size range. Wertans told me that demand for the first 121-footer has been huge in the Mediterranean—there are just two weeks of availability left for the summer of 2008—and that the weekly rate includes things that you don’t usually get with a motoryacht charter, such as 40 miles of fuel per day, fuel for the tender, continental breakfast, Mediterranean-style lunch, and house champagnes, wines, beers, and liquor.
     Plus, Wertans said, the owner really likes his new yacht. He plans to be selective about which clients he accepts, and the rate will help separate the wheat from the chaff.
     Of course, M4’s owner is a businessman who’s open to any offer, so you might take a chance at negotiating when you book through a reputable charter broker. Just don’t expect too get too much of a break on the price.  My guess is that if the crew are even half as good as the yacht itself, M4 is going to be in high demand for several years to come.—Kim Kavin