Higher Expectations
Maritimo 56
Cruising Motoryacht
By: Pierce Hoover
Reprinted From: MotorBoating
As the latest addition to the Maritimo fleet, the 56 Cruising Motoryacht takes comfort and performance to a whole new level.
One could legitimately say that Maritimo’s Cruising Motoryachts defy comparison — at least in relationship to various enclosed-bridge sport-fishing yachts of similar size and shape. While war wagons from builders such as Bertram, Viking and Hatteras consider fishing prowess paramount, the Maritimo fleet places a far greater emphasis on comfort, versatility and efficient operation. With their slippery hulls, their secure, crewfriendly side decks, their raised, sheltered cockpits and airy interiors, these vessels are equally suited for entertaining aboard, long-range cruising, swim parties at anchor and, yes, even a bit of fishing.
The Maritimo line might have few peers, but it does have siblings. During the recent Miami International Boat Show, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the newest member of the family, the 56 Cruising Motoryacht, and also to gauge it directly against the company’s popular 52- and 60-foot models. With all three boats sitting transom-to-transom, it was easy to see the subtle but significant design updates incorporated into the 56.
In comparison with the rest of the fleet, this boat bears obvious family resemblances but displays a subtly sleeker profile, with a moderate drop to the forward sheer and a broader deckhouse that lacks the company’s signature side-deck overhangs. Transom corners wrap around an integrated lifting swim platform, and the cockpit gives up a bit more room to the salon. Full-length glass doors and huge side and forward windows bring ocean vistas into the salon, and the open galley is set to starboard and aft, at the same level as the rest of the salon and ideally placed to serve both the interior and the cockpit.
Down below, large side windows and well-placed skylights and hatches bring light and air to staterooms that not only create a sense of space through lighting and design but also are, in fact, generously proportioned for comfortable habitation. Storage space abounds and is found in unexpected places, such as in the cavernous locker underneath the master stateroom berth.
There are other motoryachts in this class that can boast similarly appointed sleeping and bathing quarters — and perhaps a few that can come close to delivering the spectacularly open vistas of the salon and the shaded comfort of the cockpit lounge, but when it comes to the “second story,” Maritimo designs are in a class of their own. No need to go outside to reach the bridge, or to negotiate a tight spiral stairway or ladder, because the 56 features a broad set of steps that are shallow enough for easy negotiation and are also flanked by sturdy rails that will enhance security in a seaway.
The view from the helm is spectacular and all-encompassing. The helmsman has an unrestricted view from bow to transom, and seated passengers can typically see the horizon through the large windows. A power sunroof and sliding side windows usher in sunshine and sea breezes in favorable weather, but with windows and doors closed, the bridge is as secure as any North Sea trawler when facing inclement weather.
Most crews will naturally gravitate toward the top deck when under way, but it was also interesting to note how this area becomes a favorite gathering space at the dock. Instead of looking into the salon windows of the boat next door, or hanging out in a dock-level cockpit, Maritimo crews can enjoy an elevated view of the marina, whether lounging inside in climatecontrolled comfort or taking the breeze on the balcony-style rear deck. Owners with a penchant for doing their own maintenance will delight in the 56’s engine room. Wiring and plumbing are well-organized in channels and conduits; filters and seacocks are easy to locate; and there’s ample outboard access for the main engines. Equally impressive is the cavernous lazarette aft, which could easily accommodate a dive compressor, folding bikes and a whole range of boat and beach accessories.
A dockside tour of the 56 certainly proved impressive, but given Maritimo’s growing reputation for building seakindly and fuel-efficient boats, I knew it would require some blue water time to take the full measure of this boat. The opportunity came just days after the boat show. A passing cold front brought blue skies and fresh northwestern breezes to south Florida. Biscayne Bay sported a moderate chop, and a three- to five-foot swell awaited us just outside the inlet. It wasn’t exactly Victory at Sea conditions, but it was rough enough that, had I been hosting a cruise rather than conducting a sea trial, I would have hesitated to take uninitiated guests out for the first time — especially if they were to ride on an elevated bridge deck, where any boat’s motion would be exaggerated.
Pulling the 56 away from the fuel dock against a fresh crosswind, I was immediately impressed by the way the boat stayed put. Given her significant windage, I expected to keep a heavy hand on the thrusters. Instead, moderate cross-controlling of the throttles was all that was needed to pull the hull out and away. This resting stability, I later learned, was a result of the hull’s full keel, which projects 18 inches below the running surfaces to enhance lateral stability and provide full protection for the proprietary five-bladed props that Maritimo fabricates in-house.
One might expect an enclosed-bridge convertible of this size to pack at least 2,000 hp to provide adequate running performance, and for the average deep-V hull, this would be the case. But one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Maritimo fleet is the use of hulls that feature reduced deadrise aft, which allows for a much flatter prop-shaft angle and results in greater lift and a flatter running angle. Moving the engines and fuel tanks closer to the center of buoyancy further balances the load and contributes to a level running attitude.
As a result of these various efficiencies, the designers are able to reach desired performance goals with a pair of 775 power plants. Proof of this capability came as soon as I advanced the throttle. Rather than dropping the stern and attempting to plow out of a deep hole in the water, the 56 rose gracefully onto plane with minimal bow rise. I was told that the 56 is based on the hull design of the company’s 550 Offshore Convertible, which has earned a reputation as a smooth, competent big-water performer. As I began to match speed and rpm to fuel flow, I had to keep reminding myself that this vessel measured nearly 60 feet overall length, traveling at speeds of 20-plus knots.
Throughout the speed range, the boat delivered exemplary economy, delivering no more than 2 gpm fuel burn even at the upper end of the speed range. As compared with a vintage deep-V of similar size (especially before the days of electronic injection), fuel consumption throughout the range was literally half. If fast motoryachts have a future in the world of $100-a-barrel oil, they will likely resemble the Maritimo design model.
I found the boat’s running performance to be especially impressive in the low to middle teens, where many hull designs struggle to hold plane. By contrast, the 56 maintained an easy 12 knots at 1,300 rpm while consuming just 17 gph and maintaining a modest running angle without the need for tabs. This may not seem like a particularly important quality when cruising in calmer waters, but when caught out in rough weather, the ability to maintain efficient headway at reduced speeds is a significant plus.
Out in open water, the 56 handled the day’s five-footers with unexpected aplomb. I was expecting to spend most of my time bracing against snap rolls each time the boat negotiated troughs and crests. Instead, the hull behaved with unexpected civility — addressing head seas with minimal pounding and maintaining a surprisingly even keel in cross seas. After an initial lean into turns, the hull returned to a near-level attitude — a function of the keel’s stabilizing effect. Even more impressive was the boat’s performance in the trough. When running off plane or drifting, there is no oscillation after a passing wave, and the hull settles smoothly back into an upright position quickly and predictably.
With its appealing combination of fuel efficiency and big-water capability, the 56 is a boat that is truly at home on the ocean, and is capable of extended cruises. Cruising at speeds in the mid-20-knot range, this boat will provide a realistic cruising range of up to 400 nautical miles, while throttling back to 15 knots will extend that range to well beyond 600 nm.
Since Maritimo first started production in late 2003, the company has splashed more than 450 boats and has become Australia’s premier builder of large motoryachts. Now, the brand is enjoying increasing esteem in North America and has established dealerships in a number of major markets, including the Great Lakes. In the years ahead, as fuel efficiency and value-for-money become ever more important qualities for prospective buyers, the Maritimo marquee is likely to become an increasingly common sight on our waterways.
