Sunseeker co-founder who started out at Christchurch dies aged 75

AN icon of the marine industry who started out with his brother in Christchurch before going on to found luxury boat firm Sunseeker has died.

Robert Braithwaite CBE, who was 75, was hailed as an “inspiration” by Sunseeker’s current CEO Christian Marti.

“He was recognised as a boating pioneer, a true visionary and someone who changed the face of boating forever,” Mr Marti said.

“Robert was not only the company’s founder but the father of the ‘Sunseeker family’ here in Dorset, and worldwide through our dealers and clients.

“He will always live on as the driving force behind our success.”

Born in Yorkshire, Robert left school at 14 and moved to Christchurch as a young man when his parents became proprietors of a local store.

He and his brother John dreamt of selling boats and made their first steps in the industry at Friars Cliff Marine, a Christchurch company, in the mid-1960s.

It sold yachts made by American boatbuilder Owens Cruisers Incorporated before later merging with another firm and moving to Poole, becoming Poole Powerboats.

When Owens Cruisers decided to close its UK operation some years later, the brothers spotted an opportunity, negotiated a deal to buy their boat moulds, and formed their own firm.

They first built their own boats in 1969, but were still predominantly known as a boat dealer into the 1970s.

That changed over the course of the decade when they began prefixing their new boats with the now famous name Sunseeker.

The first Sunseeker models to take off were the Sports 23 and the Daycab 23. By 1979 the success of the Sunseeker 235 boat put them firmly on the map, going on to build a reputation for producing sleek, high-powered sports boats, with mouldings produced at a plant in New Milton.

During the past three decades it has widened its global distributor network, with clients including wealthy private individuals and celebrities.

Some of its most recent boats have appeared in the James Bond films and Robert himself even made a brief cameo in Quantum of Solace as a speedboat captain.

In 2013 Chinese conglomerate Dahlian Wanda Group agreed to buy a 91.8% stake in Sunseeker for £320m.

It was reported Robert was treated for bowel cancer in 2015 at Poole Hospital and later donated a £3.5m robot for advanced keyhole surgery for cancer patients.

Last year John, retired from his executive role at Sunseeker on the day of his 75th birthday, having been there for more than five decades.

Members of the Braithwaite family live locally, including in New Milton.