To date Maritimo has sold close to 20 M50s in 12 months, so its popularity is obvious. The difference in price is significant with the S50 at $A1,385,000 being around $A70,000 less than the M50.
“One of the big things we have in the M50 that we didn’t have in the M48 is the full-beam master and that’s made a huge difference, especially in the US,” says Maritimo’s sales and marketing manager, Greg Haines.
But it’s in fact not just the extra 610mm that has made such a huge difference between the M48 and M50/S50, it’s also 120mm deeper in the hull sides. That all translates into a considerably larger saloon and a bigger cockpit.
The Maritimo S50 is an evolution of that same hull and starts a whole new line of sedan cruisers planned over the next few years by the company. To follow in late 2014 will be the S58.
The S50 has the same basic layout in the saloon and downstairs as the M50, but the big difference is that the flybridge was taken off and has been replaced by a whole new top.
From the window mullions down it is the same profile as the M50, even to the internal roofline, although without the stairwell and there is more bulk in the rear half of the roof line under which is now housed some of the machinery, such as the air conditioning units. Head height has not been compromised. An excellent standard feature is the fully electrically operated Webasto sliding sunroof, complete with block-out blinds.
Other major changes were to the staircase area, which is now replaced with a larger entertainment and cocktail unit and where the forward cocktail bar was in the M50 is now the helm. Accommodation areas all remain exactly the same as the M50.
One of the reasons the S50 came about was that Maritimo boss, Bill Barry Cotter, wanted a boat that he could moor at his home on the Nerang River, but being above the Sundale Bridge there were some height restrictions to be considered. The sedan style was the obvious choice and although initially he was considering taking the current M58 flybridge boat and transforming that into a sedan, it was decided to rejig the smaller M50 and see how the market accepted the new concept. And accept it, it did, with two more boats sold immediately, one of those being for a US client.
The Maritimo Sedan series is somewhat of a cross between the Maritimo Cabriolet range which has many of the same features but without the walk-around decks.
Wow Factor
The accommodation area will surprise you when you first see it and you can’t help but be overwhelmed with the full beam master. My first impression was, wow, I didn’t expect to
centre of the stateroom with easy access both sides. There is also a single berth to starboard, which can be optioned instead as further storage lockers, a work station or a built-in settee. The choice is yours. There is an abundance of storage in drawers, hanging lockers and underneath the master bed. There’s even a locker for the combo washer/dryer. The mezzanine level above the master has lockers, drawers, a full-length mirror and vanity, ensuring ultimate convenience for all occasions. With the help of the aft bulkhead now being 500mm further aft, the stateroom space, is 230 percent larger than the portside master on the previous M48 and all that for the same beam!
Naturally, there is a private ensuite, complete with extra-large shower stall, Corian vanity and raised ceramic bowl.
Your guests are comfortably accommodated in a guest suite forward, with island berth, bunks to starboard, and a day head easily accessed by both guest accommodations. Storage is provided throughout both cabins in every available space, with hanging lockers and cupboards. All the woodwork in the accommodation spaces and in fact throughout the boat is gloss teak, but you do have the option of a satin finish and a couple of other timbers.
Relax & Enjoy
If you are going to spend time relaxing or entertaining on board then you need to have a space totally dedicated to the task of looking after you. The S50 provides all that and more in the spacious saloon, which has the helm and galley to starboard and an inviting lounger/dinette space to port.
Being a sedan bridge, some changes had to be made downstairs to accommodate the single helm and Maritimo has done a nice job. The single Raeline helm seat is finished in leather with bolster and footrests. It’s a simple helm station but with plenty of space for your electronics, which in our test boat was a pair of Simrad NSS12 MFD screens. Controls, switches, and instruments are all close at hand and easily accessible.
Opposite is the L-shaped settee, with storage behind and below, plus a fold-out dining table with wine storage locker built into the centre.
Drop down two steps and the sole changes from carpet to Amtico around the galley and saloon entry. There’s an entertainment centre to starboard and the very well-equipped galley with island counter opposite. A built-in Miele dishwasher is now conveniently hidden under the island counter and like the rest of the galley is finished with a light Corian surface. Our test boat also came with a Miele upgrade package which included cooktop, rangehood, fridge/icemaker and washer/dryer.
Dual Cockpit
Alloy framed glass bi-fold doors divide the cockpit and saloon and can be fixed in a variety of positions. With the bi-fold doors in the aft cabin bulkhead the galley can be connected directly with the cockpit, or separated. When open they help create a large open plan living space.
There are two transom options available on the S50. The Euro transom which is the standard package has the barbecue and sink unit built into the central island module, complete with a combo fridge freezer, cockpit bench seat, table and access either side to the rise and fall platform. If you don’t always want a fixed rise & fall platform, something that serious fishermen would find gets in the way, you can go for the totally removable alloy framed Freedom lift. This is great for tender stowage, but you can easily unclip it and leave it on the dock when you don’t need it, leaving a flush transom ready for game fishing.
There’s also a rear access hatch to the exceptionally large lazarette so it’s easy to bring water toys back aboard without having to go into the cockpit space. There’s also no lack of lockers and storage area both under the coamings and in the cockpit sole.
The other option is the fishing version with a solid transom with a single transom door and no central island and with the option of fish bins and tuna tubes.
Venturing down into the engine room finds a neat and tidy set-up. Our test boat had a Karcher pressure cleaner installed in a compartment in the cockpit, with an outlet set up so the cleaner head could reach the ground tackle right at the pointy end of the foredeck.
Deep bulwarks and wide side decks give you a secure and safe access to and from the foredeck, something that is a special feature of the new sedan range. The anchoring system is all recessed so there’s a nice clean line across the foredeck.
Power Options
With the hardtop superstructure eliminated, the overall weight of the boat has been reduced by over 2250kg, and as expected there is a corresponding increase in performance and fuel economy compared with the M50. The water tanks have been removed from the lazarette and moved forward under the showers. This makes the lazarette storage area much larger and while it also provides a little extra weight forward, the difference in the trim and ride of the boat is negligible.
There are two power options, with a choice of a pair of Volvo Penta D11 @ 670hp or Cummins QSM11s @ 715hp, both through conventional shaft drives. Pods are not available on the S50.
Our test boat, Maritimo S50 #2 was powered by the Volvo Penta option and I had the chance to run it on the Broadwater as well as a short cruise off the beaches of Surfers Paradise. The sea was running with a gentle swell and about 15 knots of breeze, so it was ideal to experience the ride and handling. At 26 knots the S50 was quiet and comfortable and whether in a head, side or following sea the hull was predictable and easily driven. The big solid keel helps the boat track straight in the following sea. Drop it into a hard turn and there’s no excessive heel, although it would still pay to take the fruit bowl off the table.
The boat was fitted with the Volvo Penta Interceptor trim tabs which seem to work better for fore-aft trim than levelling the boat sideways, although it might just be a matter of practice. While the bow angle is fine at the helm, the seat aft was too low and anyone sitting there cannot see over the bow. Haines informed me that they have plans to raise the seat in future boats by adding an hydraulic lift with actuators so you have the option of raising it to the same height as the helm seat when underway and then dropping it back down when at rest.
Maximum speed with either engine set-up is just over 30 knots and both return similar fuel figures. Cruising on the Broadwater on the way back to Hope Harbour Marina, we sat the S50 on 1900 rpm and returned 141L/h @ 22.50 knots, which if we had carried on would have seen us have enough fuel to get to the Whitsundays, around 600NM north.
Interestingly, the M50 with the same Volvo Penta D11s has a top speed of 28 knots, so there is a small speed gain with less weight and windage.
Quality Image
There has been a noticeable uplift in the finish and presentation of Maritimo’s boats in recent years and the new S50 is no exception. Quality materials and attention to detail is certainly very noticeable and is something that the company is now very conscious of. Interior designer David Stewart has stamped his mark and combined practical and functional layouts with furnishings that not only match the style of the boat but are also durable and purposeful, from the hard wearing teak interior timbers and contrast stitched leathers to the Corian surfaces and his own soft furnishings package.
Haines is very confident about the future of the Maritimo S range of sedan boats. “It’s a growing market and with our boats we offer the stacker doors, wide and deep walk around decks, full beam master and aft galley, which are things that Australian and New Zealand clients really like and our sales have proven that”, he says.
- Boat design name: Maritimo S50
- Year launched: 2013
- Designer: Maritimo/Bill Barry Cotter
- Interior designer: David Stewart
- Builder: Maritimo
- LOA: 16.15m
- Beam: 5.20m
- Draft: 1.30m
- Displ. (light): 21,000kg
- Max speed: 30.5 knots
- Cruise speed: 26 knots
- Construction: GRP
- Fuel capacity: 4000 litres
- Water capacity: 800 litres
- Engines Make: 2 x Volvo Penta D11 @ 670hp
- Gearbox: ZF
- Drive Train: Shaft
- Propellers: Teignbridge
- Sound Insulation: Acoustics
- Generator: Cummins Onan 17.5kW
- Inverter/Charger: Magansine
- Air Conditioning: Sea Air
- Sunroof: Webasto
- Watermaker: Idromar IDR0-MC2J
- Bow thruster: Vetus
- Stern thruster: Vetus
- Stabilisers: Seakeeper (Optional)
- Anchor winch: Muir 2500
- Anchors: 30kg S/S
- Steering: Maritimo
- Engine controls: Volvo Penta
- Lighting: Dream Lighting
- Paint (antifouling): International
- Hatches: Bomar
- Wipers: AM Equipment
- Porthole hatches: Bomar
- Heads: Planus
- Woodwork: Teak
- Rise & fall platform: Davco or Freedom Lift
- Stainless steel fab.: In-house
- Saloon doors: In-house
- Trim tabs: Interceptors
- Helm chair: Raeline
- Upholstery: Leather
- Spotlight: Marineco
ELECTRONICS
- Autopilot: Simrad
- GPS/plotter/sounder: Simrad NSS12
- VHF: Simrad
- Track vision: KVH
- Entertainment systems: Bose & Samsung
- Base price of boat: $A1.385 million
- Price as tested: $A1.550 million
