Spotlight: Maritimo 73 Sky Lounge

Maritimo's masterpiece

Gold Coast-based Maritimo is in the process of creating it's biggest and best work yet, the flagship 73ft cruising motoryacht, to be officially launched at this winter's Sydney International Boat Show. The mighty Maritimo 73 Sky Lounge is not only the biggest vessel built by the company to date, it will be by far the most opulent, with an interior that panders the owners, their family and their lucky guests.

With a beam of 6.6m and a displacement of 50 tonnes, the 73 Sky Lounge is a superyacht by our local measure. Standard power comes from a pair of Caterpillar C32 V12 twin turbocharged diesels each producing 1550hp. The twin Cats will propel the shiplike motoryacht to an amazing top speed of around 36kts and an equally amazing cruise speed of 30kts, says Maritimo.

But it's the "masterpiece" down below where the Maritimo spin doctors want you to head. A company executive told Trade-a-Boat that the full-beam owner's stateroom amidships, with picture windows and walk-in wardrobes, is the crowning jewel on this motoryacht. There will be his-and-her's en suites either side of the king-size bed and an exceptional en suite, with optional sunken bath or spa. See what they mean about pampering?

Along with the palatial stateroom, the standard accommodation layout features another three cabins. Between the stateroom and the bow cabin are two opposing cabins; portside is the VIP guest's cabin with double bed and en suite, while the adjacent cabin has twin bunks with a third en suite/dayhead that also services the forward cabin with double bed.

Stairs lead from the accommodation to the saloon. It's there that you will find a large L-shaped lounge with dining table and a smaller L-shaped lounge with table and seats for eight. Adjacent to the dining room is a fully serviced galley with modcons including dishwasher, fridges and freezers.

The saloon unfurls to a large cockpit with dual port and starboard doors at the transom leading from the boarding platform. Underneath the cockpit sole is the tender garage. The 73 Sky Lounge has full walkaround decks with deep and safe bulwarks, plus a ship's door leading from the forward saloon to the walkaround decks.

A second internal staircase connects the saloon with the enclosed flybridge and emerges next to the helm station. The skipper has a central driver's seat and can converse with passengers on a two-seat lounge to port and another two-seat lounge immediately aft, which backs on to a wetbar. There are opposing U-shaped lounges, each with table, and a large aft deck traced by safety rails.

Maritimo is proud of the meticulously planning in the engineroom, with full-height headroom access and an abundance of space for routine maintenance. To give an idea of the enormity of the 73 Sky Lounge, the combined weight of the anchors, chain and Muir windlasses total more than one tonne.

Engine options for the 73 Sky Lounge include smaller Caterpillar C18 in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesels of 1000hp each that, says Maritimo, are still be able to produce a top speed of 28kts. This frugal engine package may hold greater sway with long-range cruising buffs. Suffice to say, as with all Maritimos, the 73 Sky Lounge will have a huge cruising range for voyaging around the remote Australian coast and across the Pacific.

Although the 73 Sky Lounge is still under construction, Trade-a-Boat understands that an early estimate has the price of the new Maritimo at around $4.3 million.

For more information, visit www.maritimo.com.au