Maritimo M53

Enlarge Photo

Top-notch engine room? Check. Easy to service mechanical systems? Check. Unobstructed sight lines? Check. Quality construction? Check. Cruiser friendly interior? Check. Efficient and seakindly ride? Check.

The list goes on. In fact, the more time I spent on the new Maritimo M53 Motoryacht, the more I realized that this cruiser ticks off all the boxes required of a boat designed and built to cruise well beyond the marina. In fact, of all the Maritimo models introduced at the last Sanctuary Cove Boat Show on Australia’s Gold Coast, the M53 stood out, in my opinion (see the complete photo gallery here).

Why? Well, for starters the no-nonsense cruiser remains true to founder Bill Barry-Cotter’s original mission of building practical, easy to maintain boats that won’t let you down when the conditions turn snotty.



An overarching thread of this philosophy is design simplicity. These days, it takes only a few minutes of talking with fellow boaters before the topic turns to how complicated boating has become. Yet Maritimo has perfected its formula to allow the owner/operator more time on the water, and less time spent poring over manuals trying to figure out how to turn on the television. For instance, the single 1,017-gallon fiberglass fuel tank means an absence of a fuel manifold system and/or transfer pump, not to mention a concentration of weight at the center of gravity. Fewer moving parts equals less maintenance. The electrical system is straightforward, with two starting banks and a separate house bank. A 1,200-watt inverter and 17.5 kW Onan generator provide alternating current service. All wiring is neatly run and precisely labeled, and the engine room is superbly laid out in trademark Maritimo fashion, allowing access to all components.

If you have yet to run a Maritimo offshore, I urge you to do so. The length-to-beam ratio of 3.5 for the M53 is about normal, not too fat and not too slender. Barry-Cotter is adamant about ensuring his boats have a relatively shallow shaft angle, in this case nine degrees. Not only can this help optimize thrust, but it also can help reduce vibration, thanks to a steadier load being applied to the propeller blades. We rose easily out of the hole, without touching the trim tabs, and achieved plane at an optimum running angle of approximately 5 degrees with slight tab applied. The 715-horsepower Volvo D12 diesels were well suited for the M53 and propelled us to a top speed of 32.2 knots. (The new 800-horsepower D13 replaces the D12.) American boaters, take note: There is no need to cram in the largest engine possible to gain an extra knot, a practice that causes Barry-Cotter to roll his eyes. Pull the throttles back to 1800 rpm and cruise all day long at 22 knots while burning a total of 40 gallons per hour. As happens in all Maritimos, headseas were met with ease and no pounding.