Maritimo -- Sydney boat show 2012

Hall of Fame, M45 debut, new S58 Sedan series

On the second day of the 45th Sydney International Boat Show, where the traditional Friday breakfast drew the expected throngs from all facets of the marine industry, Australia’s revered cruiser makers Maritimo held its press conference.

There were some key announcements, but not before founder and boat building doyen Bill Barry-Cotter was inducted in the Boating Industry Association’s prestigious Hall of Fame.

A well-deserved accolade for the founder of Riviera and Maritimo. The latter is now refocussing on its core principles while raising the quality of its interiors via industrial designer Dave Stewart.

Maritimo has also launched a new Sedan series of boats, spearheaded by the S58 Sedan, that is "aimed squarely at those who enjoy the more versatile arrangement of the open cockpit but with a single-level sports sedan."

It's a very different boat to the company's Cabriolets, we're told, and will "really appeal to the discerning voyager coming out of a sports fish flybridge model."

NEW M45

- Sub-$1 million with plenty of gear

In respect of new debuts, the M45 was the star attraction. The Motor Yacht follows in the footsteps of the M48, hull number 108 on show alongside, which was always a big hit and a lot of boat for under $1 million.

The M45 is priced in the same ballpark, with six of the boats on sale at the special show price of $960,000 including a boatload of kit. Compared with the M48, the M45 has a longer cockpit, saloon and flybridge. The latter is a three-sided enclosure with rear clear curtain.

The forward helm console on the flying bridge of the M45 will demand a docking controller in the cockpit for short-handed berthing. But that’s no problem as the M45 on show, hull number 1, had twin Volvo Penta IPS 600 pod drives with joystick option. Top speed was said to be just under 30 knots.

Shaft drives are also an option -- Maritimo says it’s the only boat builder in Australia to offer both drives on the same hull -- and with shafts you can add a Xenta joystick docking device that simultaneously controls thrusters and engine gearboxes for ease of docking. Xenta includes a station-hold function, too.

Either way, the M45 is a two-cabin, two bathroom boat. There is the expected island berth in the bow with owner’s en suite. Guests or family will likely gravitate to the aft or mid-cabin with single longitudinal berth and transverse double berth tucked back under the saloon floor.

Should you prefer to use the aft or mid cabin as the stateroom there is provision for a layout tweak that turns the nearby guest head into the owner’s en suite. All told, the M45 has five fixed berths and a convertible double bed in the flying bridge.

Evidently, the M45 #1 was destined for America where, we’re told, dealers are enamoured by the boat.

NEW S58 BY XMAS

- New Sedan series based on slippery hull

Following hot on the heels or keels of the new M58 released at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May comes news of a new S58 Sedan due out before Christmas 2012.

Essentially, the boat has the same layout including huge open-plan, full-beam stateroom, only there’s no flying bridge. The Sedan hardtop follows a higher line, there is a cocktail cabinet instead of stairwell, and a generous lower helm station, we're told.

Standard power is a pair of Volvo Penta 800hp D13s for 30-plus knots but you can upgrade to twin Volvo 900hp or CAT ACERT 920hp engines. We’re told the M58 is more efficient that the competitors 53 flybridge boat.

Industrial designer Dave Stewart told us the dresser and hanging space on the mezzanine level of the 58’s stateroom gains extra hanging space on American boats. They are also toying with a bigger bed beyond king sized for that market, while local customers have been exploring office options here with a desk return and overhead library.

“We are now more European with our styling but we retain a unique Australian feel from the use of teak,” Stewart told us. And, we should add, Maritimo continues to defer to accepted nautical practices rather than go too far down the design avenue. The first new S58 will be release this summer.

Meantime, a Mustang 32 had sold at the Sydney boat show by Day 2 and the 43 sister ship has proven popular in Sydney and WA with the shaft-drive option instead of base sterndrives. More at maritimo.com.au.

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Maritimo -- Sydney boat show 2012

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