Thumper

Thumper suits a group that would rather see four anchorages in a week than settle into one. Sunseeker launched her in 2014 as a one-off within its 40 Metre range and she was refreshed in 2021. Her semi-displacement hull will touch 24 knots when the itinerary calls for a long hop, although she spends most of her life at an easy 12. In 2015 she reached the final of the World Superyacht Awards in her size category.

Her rooms came from the London studio HPM Developments, and the brief shows: pale timber, leather and semi-precious stone, closer to a smart Hamptons house with a hint of Ibiza than to the glossy finish many builders favour. Glass doors along the main saloon open up and the sides fold out into small balconies, so a meal indoors still feels like a meal by the water. Commissioned pieces by the Based Upon studio hang throughout, and the skylounge keeps a full bar for the evening.

Outside, the sundeck is where the group gathers, with its Jacuzzi, bar and loungers, while dinner tends to move to the table on the bridge deck. The toy list is long for her size: an Aquaglide inflatable park, two Seabobs, two jet skis, towables, paddleboards and tackle for trolling and deep-sea fishing from the Williams tender. She is also a certified RYA training centre, so younger guests can take lessons on the water toys during the week.

Who is she not for? Everything here is built around speed and deck life rather than wellness, so guests hoping for a gym, spa treatments or a large beach club should look at bigger hulls. A crew of nine looks after the party without the layers of staff found on larger yachts, and groups planning a slow week at a single anchorage will not use what makes her different. For friends or a family with teenagers moving between Saint-Tropez, Calvi and the Costa Smeralda, she fits neatly.