2022 Maritimo S600 Offshore review

However, in Maritimo’s mix is an entirely new concept, the M600 and S600 Offshore series. Both these models feature extended cockpits that create much more real estate aft, as well as solid transoms that allow the boats to reverse in heavier sea states.

The flagship of the Offshore series – more models will be added over time – is the flybridge-equipped Maritimo M600 Offshore. But not everyone wants the overhead – figuratively or literally – of a flybridge motor yacht.

That’s where the Maritimo S600 Offshore comes into its own. People who live along canals or moor in marinas with restricted air bridge access just can’t do the flybridge lifestyle. And not everyone wants to be clambering upstairs to access the bridge deck, preferring single-level living.

At its core, the Australian-designed and built Maritimo S600 Offshore is a long-range motor yacht.

However, this model eschews the current trend toward open transoms to feature a fully enclosed aft cockpit.

Who does this suit? First of all, if you don’t like open transoms because you have young children or pets or even dive equipment aboard, this is going to be high on your must-have list. But a closed transom also suits a very special kind of customer – keen offshore game fishers.

One of the design briefs for the Offshore series was to ensure that owners could fit a game chair in the cockpit, with enough space for the crew to move around. There’s a big kill tank under the cockpit floor, toe gaps under the coamings and all the topsides from the upper cockpit aft are completely clear of potential snags that could tangle a line.

What we have, then, is a hypermiling luxury cruiser capable of a multitude of options for potential owners who are keener to use it to live life to the fullest, rather than just enjoy it.

The base price for the twin 800hp Volvo Penta D13-powered Maritimo S600 Offshore is $3,045,000, with the flybridge-equipped Maritimo M600 Offshore demanding a $220,000 premium for the extra level of living space.

This boat, though, costs a little more than that. For starters, it is kitted out with optional 900hp Scania Di13 engines that provide a higher level of performance.

Other features fitted to our test boat include a bow thruster and electric stern thrusters; Twin Disk station hold joystick with additional cockpit joystick; 350kg davit to hardtop; custom upper cockpit lounge; upgraded barbecue; K’archer pressure cleaner; Relax Mini 1000 game poles; rod holders; custom lazarette flooring; Miele combination washer/dryer; Miele wine fridge and upgraded galley appliances to Miele; panoramic sliding windows to saloon; electric sunroof to hardtop; ottoman fold-out coffee table, marine satellite TV with Seaview mast, 120L/h Blue Water Explorer 950 desalinator; underwater lights blue; mood lighting package; upgraded bathrooms floors to match bench tops.

The boat is also well kitted out with electronics including twin Garmin 22-inch screens; a forward scan sonar; game fishing pack, AIS 800; Garmin GC200 cameras; FLIR 232 night vision camera; and a wireless router.

One of the features of this series is a saloon hardtop that is rated to carry a tender. Add a davit, and you can stow the tender away out of sight, leaving the aft and forward spaces uncluttered. It also means owners do not have to leave their tender behind for a day out fishing.

Owners can also have the option of having the davit fitted to the foredeck.

Maritimo’s boats are built using solid fibreglass below the waterline, with cored sides and superstructure to reduce weight above the waterline.

The Maritmo S600 Offshore is one of a new generation of Maritimo boats to use a lighter laminate and a different internal structure between the deck and hull mouldings compared with previous models.

The lack of a flybridge reduces the amount of weight up high, lowering the S600 Offshore’s centre of gravity and making the motor yacht more stable compared with the M600 Offshore.

Adding to this are wing tanks that are pushed to either side of the hull, both of which drain into a central tank laid along the keel. This design has introduced a new benefit for owners, as all three tanks can fill from one side of the boat. It also serves to lower the boat’s centre of gravity.

Maritimo is still a strong advocate for traditional shaft drives, with the M600 offshore featuring a slippery variable deadrise hull with a flat run aft and a shallow angle of attack for the shafts driving the props.

Maritimo has constantly evolved its hull designs to imbue its boats with a high level of ocean-going stability, excellent ride comfort, and fast, efficient running when needed.

The Maritimo S600 Offshore’s engine room is large with plenty of working space around the optioned-up 900hp Scania DI13 engines that drive our test boat. Everything is spaced and vital pieces of equipment such as the sea strainers are in easy sight. A service technician would pay you for the privilege of working in the space.

There is the option of adding a hydraulic swim deck to the Maritimo S600 Offshore if an owner requests it, handy for those customers who like the idea of a protected transom but aren’t that keen on their fishing.

From the aft saloon bulkhead forward, the Maritimo S600 Offshore closely resembles the Maritimo S60.

That includes the open and spacious saloon with an aft-galley layout, forward entertainment area and a helm station to starboard. Below decks is a familiar three-stateroom layout with an aft master stateroom with its own ensuite, a bow VIP stateroom and a third suite with twin singles that can come together to form a double.

Both the guest suite and forward stateroom share a bathroom that also serves as the day head, but can also double as an ensuite for the forward accommodations.

Behind the master stateroom’s bulkhead is the engine room where the twin Scanias are mounted to provide a shallow shaft angle. Aft of that is the crew quarters with transom access that can also be used as a utility room for those skippers who prefer to run their own show.

It’s the use of the space aft of the saloon bulkhead that defines Maritimo’s new Offshore series. Where the S60 clearly separates its upper and lower cockpit to create its open transom, the S600 sacrifices some of its upper cockpit to create more room aft.

Key to this is moving the module that houses the aft seats, wet bar and barbecue forward. This means the step up from the lower to the upper cockpit is halfway along the module in the S600 Offshore compared with it being flush with the forward edge of the S60’s.

The Maritimo S600 Offshore’s solid transom doesn’t really lend itself to easy access while boarding if you’re tied up alongside a jetty. The only way to do so is to climb over the cockpit’s gunwales; port and starboard access gates would help.

The only external access to the boat is via a two-piece transom door to starboard that swings up like a drawbridge at the top, and inboard below. The drawbridge is handy for not losing crew while holding station in a messy sea state, but when you get game fish in close and the gaffs come out it will need to be out of the way.

Access from the upper cockpit to the saloon is via a two-piece sliding glass bulkhead.

The galley, built around a large central island bench with plenty of storage space, occupies a large part of the aft section of the saloon.

To either side are full-size appliances including a fridge, dishwasher, wine cooler and combination microwave oven, and a full pull-out pantry. All the bench surfaces feature white marble-look finishes that contrast nicely against the dark-stained timber and stainless steel edging.

The space includes a three-burner induction cooktop and a sink with a small bowl.

Overhead is direct lighting provided by LED downlights, as well as indirect light provided using concealed floor- and roof-mounted strip lights.

Forward of the galley is a step up to the lounge space. Large and inviting, it includes an L-shaped lounge to port that is inclined ever so slightly that it faces forward, and a dinette to starboard behind the twin helm seats that can spin around to face it. At the push of a button the 55-inch TV pops up out of the port side cabinetry where it is visible from even the upper cockpit.

An access panel in the saloon provides access to the switchboard servicing the entire boat’s electrical system.

The starboard helm has the skipper sitting right up in the corner of the three-pane windscreen. The deep side windows give commanding visibility through a wide arc around the Maritimo S600 Offshore, while overhead a large sunroof lets natural light flood into the space.

The helm is wide and deep enough to house two 22-inch Garmin multifunction screens side by side. A smaller binnacle below them houses dual screens showing the status of the two Scania powerplants below.

Separate controls are also mounted for the autopilot, trim tabs and the Twin Disk gearboxes that include a trolling mode, while to the side are the throttle and bow thruster controls, as well as a joystick controller for low-speed manouvering that’s linked to a second joystick in the cockpit.

Behind the helm is a pair of comfortable captain’s chairs that feature a wide range of adjustments. An integrated footrest below adds to the comfort but leaves enough space to stand behind the helm rather than sit during docking manoeuvres.

An optional sliding window beside the helm helps with communicating with crew during docking manoeuvres, although there is no side door meaning short-handed docking will have the skipper hustling through the saloon to access the sidedecks.

The Maritimo S600 Offshore’s cockpit space is noticeably wide, running the full internal beam of the boat. Recessed gates installed at the step up into the upper cockpit can close the transom off to passing foot traffic if needed.

Backing onto the lower cockpit is a barbecue and wet bar featuring a top-loading refrigerator. Rope lockers on either side provide a convenient and easily accessible space to stow mooring lines.

Stepping up into the upper cockpit, forward access via the side decks is easy and comfortable. The side decks lead to a raised forward cockpit that includes tinted hatches letting light in below decks, and a double sun lounge. There’s also easy access to the anchor locker.

The upper cockpit in this boat, protected overhead by the saloon’s extended roofline, includes a large customised central table rather than the default one offset to starboard. This creates a more formal dining rather than entertainment-focussed space.

A chrome ladder is fitted to the port side of the cockpit’s bulkhead. It leads up to a hatch that gives access to the saloon roof that doubles as the on-water equivalent of roof racks on a vehicle.

Wide side decks provide good access forward to the foredeck. This space is dedicated to a large two-person sun lounge with adjustable backrests.

The Maritimo M600 Offshore is equipped with three onboard suites capable of sleeping up to six people.

The stairs to the accommodation level are located next to the helm and twist to port as it descends to the atrium that links all the staterooms. The atrium includes an alcove that houses a combination washer-dryer, but owners can order separate appliances if desired.

A set of stairs descends to the master stateroom that runs across the Maritimo S600 Offshore’s full internal beam and has full standing headroom. Set against the engine room bulkhead is a king-size bed with a set of drawers on both sides. The starboard drawers have a small settee on one end – one of eight different ways this space can be configured with lounges, desks and drawers and so on when ordering your boat.

A half-height hanging locker is on the starboard side, while to port is a step up into the ensuite complete with a separate shower and head. A 43-inch TV is mounted to the forward bulkhead.

Long and narrow hull windows let natural light flood this space while opening portholes allow natural airflow.

Forward in the bow is the guest stateroom. Maritimo makes the most of this space by offsetting the queen-size double to the starboard hull, giving more walkaround room. This also means Maritimo does not need to build a step into the floor, although the hull’s contours mean it is not entirely flat for anyone climbing into the right side of the bed.

One wall is fitted with a 43-inch TV. The hull windows here are little more than narrow slashes, but a skylight overhead lets in enough natural light to make it feel less closet-like. To port is an ensuite doorway to the shared day head with full standing height and a separate shower.

Between the two staterooms is the twin-single berth that can slide together to provide a double bed if needed. There’s a wedge of hull window in one corner and a skylight overhead, but it does feel a little enclosed, especially if you’re likely to be ducking under the plunging roofline and sleeping with your head aft.

This build is fitted out for a fishing enthusiast, the Maritimo S600 Offshore’s target customers. As a blank canvas, the S600 Offshore should be the envy of quite a few gameboat owners.

All the fishing action is focussed on the aft cockpit. The space here is huge, running across the boat’s full internal beam to create a huge open area and enclosed with deep coamings. This is to enable owners to fit a game fishing chair and leave enough space for crew to get past without having to duck and weave.

The space is set up to be entirely fishing-friendly. Mooring cleats are mounted at deck level, and nothing sits above the gunwales that could potentially snag a line.

In each corner of the transom, large scuppers allow water to drain out freely should seawater spill over while backing up on a fish.

On each side of the cockpit are deep gaff lockers. Anyone working with the gaff will notice toe kicks on all three sides of the cockpit, enabling them to get up tight against the coamings and lean over the gunwales with confidence.

The forward part of the aft cockpit includes a large 3.0-metre underfloor storage space accessed via an electrically operated hatch, while forward of that is a large fish box that is easily three-quarters the width of the space, and large enough to take a trophy-sized tuna.

The boat also has a windowed live bait trank mounted in the middle of the transom, as well as a pair of plumbed tuna tubes that drain into the cockpit. Outriggers are also fitted.

What the Maritimo S600 Offshore lacks, though, is a game tower. Maritimo design chief Tom Barry-Cotter told boatsales.com.au that early concept drawings of the Offshore series boats did include a fibreglass-roofed stainless steel tower, but as yet no one has asked for one.

Our test boat was running with a very light load on board, and only 1000 litres of fuel in the tanks. Our trip from Maritimo’s Coomera-based headquarters saw us head out to the Broadwater and out to sea for the one important test we wanted to try – backing up the boat.

One of the benefits of the sedan styling is the low centre of gravity they carry compared with flybridge models. At low speeds, you sense this in the lesser amount of head-toss, the side-to-side motion of the boat, as you cross wakes compared with flybridge-equipped models.

The helm is well laid out and logical, with the main Garmin multifunction screen directly in front of the skipper’s eye line. All the main gauges and controls are easy to reach, although the long line of push-button switches extends a long way across to the co-pilot’s side of the console.

Maritimo has worked hard to optimise sightlines from the seat, even using an open shelf on the galley so the skipper can see into the cockpit if needed.

Open up the throttle and the two Scanias growl subtly into life below you. Normally, at this point, you’ll be reaching for the controls for the trim tabs as the stern squats and the bow lifts as the boat comes onto the plane. However, the Maritimo S600 Offshore doesn’t need any trim.

Even seated, the skipper never loses sight of the horizon as the Maritimo S600 Offshore makes the transition. Take it up to 19 knots and there’s still no need to trim the boat at all, the hull sitting flat and level. In fact, the only times you’ll ever be likely to set the tabs is in rough weather or in a following sea to help soften the ride.

Maritimo prides itself on its steering systems, which it says have evolved directly from its involvement in the XCat international offshore powerboat racing series. In fact, Maritimo has had to tap even more of its racing experience to help it work on alternative propellor/gearbox combinations as the Russian Ukraine war disrupts vital marine gearbox supplies globally.

Unfortunately, Maritimo did not have performance figures before our test and our limited time with the boat did not permit us to run our own, but the numbers we did get hinted at an economical package with engine loads never climbing above 70 per cent.

Performance

*Both engines

One test we did do was throwing the Twin Disk gearboxes into reverse and punching the stern into the swell. The Maritimo S600 Offshore backed up confidently and without fuss, with only small amounts of water or spray occasionally splashing over the transom as the running swell hit the vertical wall of the stern.

Not everyone needs an express sportsfisher capable of running out to the shelf at high speed for a quick and dirty weekend on the water. For some of us, the journey is as much a part of the experience as the fishing.

That’s where a boat such as the Maritimo M600 Offshore comes to the fore. It’s a capable cruiser able to turn a sportsfishing trip into an experience rather than a mad dash.

Maritimo has taken a lot of effort to ensure the lower cockpit is as fishing-friendly as possible, with the only compromise being the lack of easy access dockside if the M600 Offshore is not fitted with a swim deck.

In a sense, Maritimo has built a boat that from the upper cockpit back is an even more capable bluewater cruiser than its open-transom models.

Priced from: $3,045,000 including twin 800hp Volvo Penta D13 engines

Price as tested: POA including a bow thruster and electric stern thrusters; Twin Disk station hold joystick with additional cockpit joystick; 350kg davit to hardtop; twin Garmin 22-inch screens; forward scan sonar; game fishing pack, AIS 800; Garmin GC200 cameras; FLIR 232 night vision camera; wireless router; custom upper cockpit lounge; upgraded barbecue; K’archer pressure cleaner; Relax Mini 1000 game poles; rod holders; custom lazarette flooring; Miele combination washer/dryer; Miele wine fridge and upgraded galley appliances to Miele; panoramic sliding windows to saloon; electric sunroof to hardtop; ottoman fold-out coffee table, marine satellite TV with Seaview mast, 120L/h Blue Water Explorer 950 desalinator; underwater lights blue; mood lighting package; upgraded bathrooms floors to match bench tops

Supplied by: Maritimo Australia