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If we hadn't tried it ourselves, it would be a stretch to say that one feature can completely change a boating experience. But UK builder Sunseeker has done just that with its SkyHelm option, a helm seat and steering wheel on the flybridge of its 65 Sport Yacht. Typically, driving a 37-ton 67-footer is an exercise in boredom, with the driver gauging depths and channel markers rather than feeling any boating buzz. But the upper helm with its matching Besenzoni wraparound seats, driver's legs placed under the steering wheel and a small curved windshield forward that cuts some, but not all, of the wind gives the feeling of driving a sports car. Yes, a sports car. Maybe it's because one can feel the hull climbing over every wave, without feeling the running surface crashing below, and at that tall height, the boat—and driver—actually leans into turns. Absent as well are diesel fumes and engine vibrations: Just the fresh ocean breeze rips through. Sunseeker's design team also created a sporty, uncluttered helm; the center island has digital-analog gauges, throttles for the Volvo 1350 IPS drives (generating 2,000 hp apiece) and a phone charger. The steering wheel itself tilts up, so the driver can stand and navigate in tight quarters or docking, using a joystick. The yacht tops out at only a hair above 40 mph, but it's still the most exhilarating ride in its class.
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