Sunseeker

Robert Braithwaite started building boats in Poole in 1969 under the name Poole Power Boats; the Sunseeker brand followed in the 1970s. Don Shead's deep-V hulls fused offshore-racing pedigree with Riviera glamour, and the sports-boat DNA — helm feel, sheer speed, theatrical styling — became the house signature, later amplified by James Bond film appearances.

Sunseeker grew into Britain's largest boatbuilder, its yards lining Poole Harbour where thousands of employees laminate, join and fit out yachts from 50 to more than 130 feet. Acquired by China's Dalian Wanda in 2013 and passed to new investors a decade later, the company has navigated cycles without moving production offshore. The current range runs from sporty Predators to the Ocean and superyacht lines, all still engineered around fast hulls.