David Lockwood•8 Oct 2012

REVIEW

Maritimo M58 Cruising Motoryacht

Name: Maritimo M58 Cruising Motoryacht
Brand: Maritimo

True blue cruising motor yacht with long legs and added luxury

LIKES

- Genuine long-range cruiser

- Excellent efficiency across the rev range

- First-class travel in commodious climate-controlled flybridge

- Full-beam stateroom with separate office/vanity

- Established national dealer network and after-sales support

- Revered Australian yard led by Bill Barry-Cotter

NOT SO MUCH

- Naff front-runner lining in forward hanging lockers

- Fold-down shelves in forward stateroom seem a tad flimsy

- The non-skid isn’t easy to clean and repair

OVERVIEW

- A new long-range cruiser to supplant M56

Maritimo’s new M58 Cruising Motoryacht is the product of some serious naval gazing. In the pared-back market, boat builder Bill Barry-Cotter -- a doyen inducted into the NSW Boating Industry Association’s Hall of Fame this year -- made the decision to rationalise his model range and return to his roots.

What would this mean for prospective owners? Consider the saying: less is more. The Coomera-based yard now offers a smaller fleet of more refined motor yachts. While retaining their much-lauded efficiency, the boats boast improved layouts, greater accommodation, and a lifted finish.

The M58 that supplants the M56 (released in 2009) is a case in point. From the standing-height engine room to full-beam stateroom, this is a smarter, more complete and commodious live-aboard offering than the forerunner upon which it is based.

To create the M58, Barry-Cotter extended the M56 hull by adding more waterline length under the swim platform to support the standard twin 800hp Volvo Penta D13s instead of the Caterpillar 715hp C12s in the former boat.

Caterpillar 715hp C12s are still available as a base engine with a $51,000 credit -- think 28 knots top speed -- Volvo’s D13 900hp engines are an option, while the go-fast market can have C18s up to 1015hp

The extra horsepower of the standard D13 800s and 20cm or so of hull length give almost a knot more top-end speed than the old M56, but cruising efficiency is what matters.

On this shaft-driven M58 you will consume less than 10 litres per nautical mile (lpnm) at top speed of 31.25 nautical miles, but this drops to just 7.09lpnm at 1600rpm and 17.8 knots, according to the official data (sea-trial data in this story was updated 15/10/2012).

That’s not a fast cruise speed by any means but remember you are carting a veritable floating home with you for a safe cruising range of 632nm! Long legs, indeed.

Meantime, the sheer line was raised 300mm to create a more imposing boat and, with signature walkaround decks, the M58 has an almost ‘shippy’ feel. Unlike some nose-down competitors, the high freeboard will contribute to a drier ride at displacement speeds.

Other improvements compared with the M56 include a better cockpit amenities centre in place of the old outdoor lounge, no timber drinks table on the foredeck, a reworked saloon with improved dining setting, lifted interior fit and finish, new helm module and -- the big one -- a reconfigured full-beam owner’s stateroom.

The stateroom gains what feels like a huge amount of space. How did Barry-Cotter do it? The transverse full-beam fuel tank was changed to (GRP) wing tanks, the saloon was shifted forward and the companionway steps modified. The sum of these parts is a clever open-plan stateroom incorporating offset double bed and dresser/media centre/office on a mezzanine level.

Owners with itchy feet who want to go places, escape to the Great Barrier Reef for the winter or, say, seriously explore the WA coast, will do it in great comfort aboard the M58. It is a big improvement over the M56 and ideal for serious long-range cruising and holiday boating with the clan.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

- $2 million-plus luxury floating home

The M58 has a base $2.05 million price. The biggest option on our demonstrator was the Xenta docking system with twin joysticks for $25,000. The Italian-designed device now adopted by Volvo Penta controls main engines and thruster(s) simultaneously. This way, docking is a one-handed affair. Station-holding mode is available, too.

The Simrad electronics comprising 12in displays with broadband 24nm radar, sounder and autopilot cost $20,840 package installed. The boat had a Bose Lifestyle entertainment system with outdoor and flybridge speakers, TVs in the saloon and stateroom, an Italian linen soft-furnishing package and carpeted lazarette.

These non-standard extras amounted to $72,202, plus there was $18,887 of factory-fitted aka general options such as flybridge deck (Sky Lounge) clears, teak and table, cockpit barbecue and floodlights.

The M58 weighed in at $2,141,089 sans tender and watermaker, but including bow and stern thrusters, 4kw inverter/charger, Miele washer/dryer and more as standard than previous Maritimos. We like that.

DECK LAYOUT

- Big cockpit and storage for extended cruising

The M58 has an enlarged swim platform set a couple of half steps below the twin transom gates. Once aboard, the vast cockpit lends itself to everything from outdoor entertaining and long al fresco lunches to fishing or diving at The Reef. We’d add an extended Euro-style awning to enhance the comfort while swinging on the anchor.

Dedicated fender storage, side pockets and a big, carpeted cruising-boat lazarette -- which you don’t get on pod-driven boats -- ensure everything including deck chairs can be packed away when passage making. The heavy-duty stainless deckware adds to the intent, while crew will welcome the accessible above-deck cleats when decamping.

As touched on, the mid-transom lounge has been dropped in favour of a more practical amenities centre that, on our demonstrator, featured optional electric hotplate/barbecue, sink with hot and cold water, and a deep icebox with eutectic freezer function. A 240V GPO is also nearby.

More storage exists under the barbecue and in a side locker near the saloon door with a small servery and fiddle rail. A Xenta joystick docking device and set of Volvo throttles were mounted here to assist with short-handed berthing.

Bulwarks lead forward around the ‘house’ superstructure -- where we noted inboard engine vents well removed from ambient spray -- to a big flat foredeck suitable for toting the tender and davit. While there’s no intermediate wire on the bow rail, the bulwarks and grab rails offer good support.

A trusty Muir Thor windlass controls the self-stow stainless anchor and our boat had a saltwater deck wash fitted. There’s still the 56’s moulded seat in the cabin top moulding but the small teak table has been removed. Just plonk your drink on the deck. A starboard-side door grants speedy access back into the saloon and will enhance its ventilation.

INTERIOR AND ACCOMMODATION

- Refined saloon, open-plan stateroom

Large sliding saloon doors create a seamless thoroughfare from the cockpit to classic high-gloss-teak fitted interior. The AC/DC panel is close at hand, with simple breakers preferred by Maritimo over the newer CAN-bus switching systems.

An internal staircase invites you aloft to the enclosed flying bridge and what amounts to a second saloon. With a 12V fridge, sink, L-shaped lounge and teak table with double-bed conversion option there’s little reason to leave. Skippers will appreciate that on less-than-perfect nights.

An optional table with folding chairs set the scene on the aft flying bridge deck or so-called Sky Lounge. It’s a perfect spot for doing sundowners or breakfasts for up to four. Views extend over your anchorage. But six or more can easily ride in the air-conditioned bridge with big sunroof.

Underway, four can cruise in close company immediately before the windscreen on twin high-backed helm seats, with pneumatic pedestals, and a portside lounge. Night lighting is provided.

Back down the stairs, the aft galley with island servery has been given a lift via a leather-bound handrail. It and a lot of other nice touches come courtesy of designer Dave Stewart. Amtico (vinyl) flooring is a smart touch in the galley areas.

Blum soft-close drawers, a pull-out vertical pantry, solid counters, and appliance storage were also noted. Gourmands will appreciate the Panasonic combi microwave oven, Fisher and Paykel four-burner hob and drawer-style dishwasher, big domestic upright fridge/freezer, and double-width drawer fridge with icemaker at the wet bar opposite.

A pop-up television beneath the staircase faces the forward L-shaped lounge and improved folding dinette. There’s scope to seat six with the addition of a few loose chairs, deep windows frame the views, and sea air flows through the door opposite.

The lounge is big enough to double as a daybed, plus there’s a two-person lounge opposite to starboard. It’s a good seating arrangement for up to eight near the impressive bar behind the windscreen. Mind red-wine drips on the carpet.

The M58 has a three-cabin/two bathroom accommodation plan that’s fully air conditioned. The third cabin/laundry room had a single bed before a large opening portlight that diffuses any feeling of pokiness, hanging locker and Miele washer/dryer.

The forward cabin has the obligatory island berth with inner-spring mattress, timber bedhead, shelves, his and her hanging lockers (cedar lining would be nice), opening portlights and escape hatch with insect and shade screens. The fold-down shelves for plonking a drink or personal effects need to be rethought as they’re bound to get torn off.

There’s welcome head and shoulder room, with a door to the guest bathroom that doubles for communal duties. The toilets are the Planus (freshwater) type from the designers of Tecma heads, but with superior pumps and stainless steel one-way valve. There are big showers, of course.

To give you an idea of the volume of the hull and master cabin, it takes nine steps from the saloon to the carpeted sole. Open the first door to port after the descending the companionway and there’s a mezzanine-level landing with desk/dresser and almighty cedar-lined wardrobe, off which is the en suite.

Down four steps is the full-beam owner’s digs with king bed set at 45 degrees. This frees-up a lot of floor space. There’s was in-built television in the teak cabinetry at the foot of the bed and a lounge before opening portlights with views and fresh air. Additional lockers take care of your clobber.

The big, inviting, open-plan private sleeping, dressing and work space is a real highlight.

HULL AND ENGINEERING

- Serious cruising class

Maritimo employs a variable deadrise hull with a flat run aft coupled with (2.25in) shafts featuring a shallow angle of attack for maximum (five blade) prop thrust. The M58 also benefitted from careful weight distribution, with the 800 litres of water in twin tanks and the sizeable 300 litre black water tank all back aft.

Fuel has been increased from 3,850 litres on the M56 this writer tested to a whopping 5,000 litres in the wing tanks with sight gauges, but the excellent walk-in engine room remains, with abundant servicing space for the main engines and 17.5Kva Onan generator back aft.

We noted washable membranes on the air intakes, fuel filters aft, charcoal water filer, engine strainers with clear inspection ports, eight batteries across house and engine-start banks, and scope for fitting a watermaker, which we’d most certainly do, even considering a work bench such is the headroom.

In the lazarette, there are cues to Maritimo’s race-boat heritage in the heavy-duty, hydraulic, power steering system that delivers snappy off-the-wheel handling. With plenty of Maritimo sister ships making extended coastal voyages in our testing waters, we have no hesitation backing the M58’s engineering or solid hand-laid glass hull.

ON THE WATER

- Cruising beauty begs to head north

The new upgraded helm pod featured twin Simrad NSS12 screens, central Volvo colour engine-monitoring display that dispenses the usual array of analogue gauges, Lectrotabs, bow and stern thruster sticks, Xenta joystick, electronic shifts, windlass remote and more. It’s not a busy dash and with the supportive helm seats we felt right at home.

In fact, before long we had the autopilot engaged, feet on the dash, and were heading north from Sydney for some fanciful, distant port of call. The only shortcoming was time. But on our quasi cruise, the M58 proved willing to plane and please. You get a 450-630nm-plus safe cruising range and efficiency across the rev range in keeping with Maritimo’s reputation.

According to the official data, 1600rpm is most efficient, returning 17.8 knots for 126.1 litres per hour (l/hr) or 7.06 litres per nautical mile (lpnm), and a 632nm range (all range figures are derived from 90 per cent of the 5000l fuel supply). This is a useful heavy-weather cruise.

At 1800rpm smooth cruise you’re doing 21.25 knots for 154l/hr or 7.25lpnm and a handy 618nm range. This is the cruising groove and just a nice speed to travel at sea. Yet the engines aren't under much load at all.

The M58 is still very fuel efficient at fast cruise at 2000rpm, travelling at 25.15 knots using 205l/hr or 8.18lpnm and a 548nm range. This is fairly flying. As touched on, WOT returned speed more than 31.5 knots. So there's plenty of grunt in hand for lugging all your live-aboard gear.

On the calm-sea test day, there wasn’t a lot else to convey other than true magic-carpet cruising in the enclosed climate-controlled flying bridge. The M58 has the ability to reel in sea miles in real comfort, while retaining good access via the internal stairs to the saloon and galley below. You could fetch lunch on the fly.

VERDICT

- An Australian-made motor yacht for cruising our harsh coast

The M58 represents the embodiment of Maritimo’s time-honoured tradition of building long-range motor yachts while embracing the Australian boat builder’s future direction. It’s at once a long-range cruiser in which to satisfy your wanderlust, an Australian-made boat with integrity, and a luxury floating abode with greater amenities.

Most impressively, this is a big but relatively frugal motor yacht using Volvo Penta’s 800hp D13 engines. The boat prescribes to Barry-Cotter’s theory of evolution: smarter, bigger, more comfortable and efficient. One for the retirees with time on their hands and a couple of million.

Specifications:

Price as tested: $2,141,089 with $91,089 of general and non-standard options including Xenta docking system, twin 12in Simrad screens, autopilot, Bose, saloon television, teak and table on Sky Lounge deck, barbecue and more.

Priced from: $2.05 million with Volvo D13 engines

LOA: 18.70m

Beam: 5.20m

Draft: 1.35m (max)

Weight: Around 29,000kg dry with standard Volvo D13 engines

Sleeping: 5+2

Fuel capacity: 5000 litres

Water capacity: 800 litres

Holding tank: 300 litres

Engines: Twin Volvo Penta 800hp D13 common-rail diesel inboard engines with shaft drives spinning five-blade props

Supplied by:

Maritimo Offshore,

15 Waterway Drive,

Coomera, Qld, 4209

Phone: (07) 5588 6001

Website: www.maritimo.com.au

Tested through:

SBM Maritimo Sydney - The Spit NSW

Suite 1, 81 Parriwi Rd, The Spit

Mosman, NSW, 2088

Phone: (02) 9968 1222

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Maritimo M58 Cruising Motoryacht

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