From the classifieds: Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruiser

On its arrival, the Bill Barry-Cotter designed Maritimo 52 turned the idea of the Australian long-range, live-aboard boat from a fantasy into a reality. All of a sudden, owners who wanted to do more than just command the helm had a boat that was fairly compact in size yet compromised nothing in terms of living space, drove well, wasn’t heavy on fuel and could carry enough water to camp out for a few days rather than just overnight.

>> Used Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruisers on boatsales.com.au

It was very well made, too, making it ideal for cruising the rugged Australian coastline. The Maritimo 52 featured a solid-glass hull below the waterline with balsa-cored hull sides, deck and house. Extra weight savings and more stiffness came via a one-piece liner extending to the engine room, foam-cored doors and interior assembly.

In another innovation that made it extremely well-suited to coastal cruising, the Maritimo 52 has no skin fittings, reducing drag and the potential for leaks from through-hull fittings. All overboard water from the air-con units, shower, sinks, sump pumps and so on led to a common plumbing line that exited via the boat’s the transom. The generator also had its water/exhaust outlet aft.

When it launched, the Maritimo 52 – priced from about $1.35 million – was fitted with twin Caterpillar C12 700hp shaft-drive engines mounted well forward on solid fibreglass bearers to give the 2.25-inch stainless steel driveshafts a shallow 9.0-degree angle. The engine room was made big on space to help with ease of servicing.

Living space was good for the size, with three staterooms providing accommodation for up to seven people.

“When you step onboard the first thing you notice is the huge hydraulic swim platform with port and starboard transom doors,” one seller says on boatsales.com.au.

These doors “allow ease of access to the teak-lined cockpit which has a built-in wet bar with refrigeration and BBQ plate, which is ideal for entertaining guests or for intimate get-togethers with your partner.”

The option of walnut trim was also offered on the Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruiser.

The ad says walkaround decks made access to the foredeck sun lounge safe and easy, even in offshore conditions, and allow for easy mooring at the dock.

“Internally, the high gloss timber cabinetry and leather lounging give a rich luxurious finish to the three cabin/two head layout,” it says.

“...With an aft saloon galley, the layout is ideal for long-range cruising with heaps of storage and with built-in washer/dryer.”

Upstairs, the enclosed, climate-controlled flybridge boasted full headroom and plenty of seating. The aft or flight deck doubled as an alfresco setting with grand views.

The bow contained provision for mounting davits and a tender.

“The twin sliding doors from the saloon to the cockpit opens the living space and allows the aft saloon galley to be at the centre when entertaining a larger group of guests, the ad says.

“Internally the custom-made staircase to the bridge allows easy upstairs access. With an optional lower helm fitted, parking is without fuss using the bow and stern thrusters (handheld remote) and third helm in the cockpit and a starboard helm door.

“If you are looking for a great Australian boat that has been designed for our great Australian lifestyle, you need to inspect this great cruiser.”

The Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruiser’s biggest surprise was just how well it steered. The hull’s engineering and big rudders endowed the Marcon power steering system with incredibly responsive handling – the boat could almost turn within its own length at more than 20 knots if asked.

The Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruiser had a variable deadrise, or warped plane, hull. Flat aft sections created lift, with a fine entry and deadrise forward helping to comfortably cleave through waves.

The boat had a three-quarter keel to help with directional stability. Importantly for warped plane hulls, the Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruiser travelled freely with a slightly bow-high attitude, although this meant it could struggle a bit while surfing down waves in a following sea.

The cruiser’s 3850-litre fuel capacity gave the Maritimo 52 an effective cruising range of about 450nm at 19 knots, meaning a run from Sydney to Brisbane – all without needing a refuel – should take less than a full day.

Specifications
Model: Maritimo 52 Flybridge Cruiser
Length overall: 16.60m
Beam: 5.20m
Draft: 1.35m
Weight: 26,000kg (dry)
Engines: Twin 700hp Caterpillar C12s
Fuel: 3850L, diesel
Water: 800L
Holding tank: 300L