Style Bender

The rumblings began early in the year. There were short asides at boat shows, a phone call from a company insider or two. Maritimo had something big going on — and man, was the builder excited about it.

I’d see for myself this past July in Sydney, Australia, as I strode down the docks on Sydney Harbor and came face to face with the company’s latest crown jewel, the X60.

This is a boat that may catapult Maritimo ahead in its market space. I can’t recall seeing anything quite like it. Her styling is much more Euro than what I’ve seen Maritimo produce in the past, without losing those classic Aussie lines, the kind that give off an aura of sturdiness and safety. Also, she’s a 60-foot production express cruiser with a full beach club. Think about that: A wetbar, refrigerator, icemaker, 43-inch television, head and options galore. One European client popped a Jacuzzi and a sauna into the space. Another owner installed a kegerator. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. And whatever options you choose, it’s all open to the hydraulic swim platform and nature’s goodness beyond that.

Another key design feature that sets this yacht apart is in her salon, where double skylights, over the forward part of the salon and helm, as well as the aft galley, respectively, keep the space noticeably well lit. The design choice came from customer feedback as well as builder insight. Who, after all, wants to cook in the dark?

That galley has a full-size, 6-foot-tall refrigerator, which will help out on longer cruises. (Aussies aren’t known for going on short jaunts, these boats were built for the long haul.) To that end, we must discuss the X60’s performance. Often, with a boat this stylish and creature-comfort-centric, performance becomes an afterthought. Not so in this case. The Maritimo’s convex hull was exceedingly dry, even in the four-to-five-foot seas that we encountered outside the harbor. Her landings were soft and true even off the largest swells. She got on plane quickly at 13 knots and cruised at 31 knots burning 79.2 gallons per hour. Her ride was also remarkably well balanced, there was no hole to speak of, and even hardover there was very little heel. Maritimo owes these qualities to its racing heritage, where balance is the secret ingredient to speed.

There's much more to tell about this hard charger from one of Australia's most respected builders. Stay tuned for a full review in an upcoming issue of Yachting.