It's Showtime!
by John Curnow, Global Editor, Powerboat-World.com 4 Nov 2019 13:00 PST
Maritimo One M72 - based on the magnificent Maritimo M70 Motor Yacht © Murray Waite
What you are looking at is the first vessel to appear from Maritimo's new Maritmo One personalised customisation department. It is classed as an M72, based on the grand and popular M70 platform with all of her special and bespoke changes to truly meet her new owner's definitive requirements.
This very special reveal (thanks Maritimo) slots in very nicely with our theme, seeing as Maritimo One was announced back at the Sydney International Boat Show, and Fort Lauderdale's turn has just concluded.
As you can see, Maritimo has just commenced the sea trials of this first, Maritimo One vessel. The massive M72 motor yacht has been purposely customised for its New Zealand owner, a dedicated game fish enthusiast, who plans to chase sport fish off New Zealand's north island. It is his third Maritimo.
Customisation of the yacht included a specially designed transom, which will lift the stern of the boat up as it is backed up towards the game fish. Something her Scania DI16 16.4 litre V8 1150hp/3512Nm donks can easily do. More than 200 changes were made to the production line version of the Maritimo M70, including lengthening the hull/cockpit. The vessel will be handed over to its owners next week and they will then head north on their 'shake-down' cruise, before returning to the Gold Coast, and then ultimately taking the vessel back to New Zealand.
The luxury Australian motor yacht manufacturer not only modified the hull's running surface, but her transom, tank capacities and engineering, as well. This required fully customised weight studies and hydrostatic reports to ensure it all embraced Maritimo's engineering and design ethos and expertise.
Apart from of the features highlighted here, the vessel is resplendent with live wells, bait tanks, a different mezzanine cockpit configuration, that central, aft helm pod, the modified hardtop with enhanced window openings and rear sight lines to further assist in her central mission. We cannot wait to see the other initial vessels (M51 and M78) appear in time.
Showtime News
Naturally there was a flurry of information about a vast array of craft on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. We certainly found soft spots for the new Palm Beach 70, their largest boat yet. Sister brand, Grand Banks, also revealed images of their largest to date, the GB85, and soon there will even be a GB90 to go up once more.
Prettiest boat was easily the Zeelander 72, and the Wally Tender showed just how cool new school can really be. Tankoa had their 72m behemoth standing guard, and Silent Yachts 55 highlights what can be done with electric propulsion when you can start with a bespoke platform.
On that note, special mention goes to Nova Luxe who has come a long way from the concept that intrigued me a while ago. Their first is in shakedown right now, and looks to be on display at the Miami show. I like how they are going with a 360V system. It is a bit like 19 and 21V hand tools versus 12V. They are just better.
Nova Luxe have an attention to detail that seems to be not only focussed on outcome, but the bigger picture as well, and for that, they get our tipped hat award. There is a little video of theirs here on Powerboat-World.com right now, so please go have a look.
Keeping the faith
We started a topic of significant interest to me, and evidently, many others as well with Out of sight? Following that up were some additional points in Why thank you very much...
In that thread we indicated that we will continue to look at corrosion, over-protection, and coatings. One of the subsets of that is in-water, dry docking systems, which we will continue to investigate, but in the meantime we have had some great new - and at this stage anecdotal - information that is worth sharing.
I particularly liked Dean Howard's analogy that comparing old fashioned boat bags with these new systems is "...like telling motorists to turn off their engines on a hot day because they will overheat. Definitely true forty years ago, but probably not so today," said Howard.
"Every customer that I know of in a FAB Dock (over 600 of them), flush their motors and drives every time they put their boat away. I have had my own boat in a FAB Dock for nearly six years, wash and flush it every time I get home, and I have zero corrosion problems on ten-year-old Bravo 3s."
So there are facts we are investigating, for if you do not have an open mind then exactly what are you? There are comparisons between various dry docking systems, so we do need to look at the validity of them and overall data collection. I guess, in a way it is stand by to stand by, but we are looking...
Importantly, the coating component of our triumvirate also needs to be elevated to the same status as the others. There is an inherent toxicity, the ablative nature of many, the residue, build up of said fall out, and then food chain relative to tiny critters and even bigger ones, like us. In a way, a clear epoxy coating to protect your hull and the environment has winner, winner stamped all over it.
In short, not the subject matter for one or indeed several newsletters, but just like end-of-life vessels, one we do need to keep coming back and always asking the question. Is this so? To that end, yes, thank you all very much for your readership, your phone calls, emails and efforts to provide a greater good. We can do it.
OK. Today you will find that we have information for you about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, we talk with Bavaria Yachts CEO Michael Müller, radar by Simrad, Beneteau's new Antares 11, the Lexus LY 650 from Marquis Yachts, take a ride with Feadship, Prestige announce the X line crossover vessel, hybrid propulsion with MTU, Oceania readers look at the story of Liberty III off New Caledonia and what they have to say about their training with the Down Under Rally, world's largest 3D printed boat at the University of Maine, 325 and 405 Conquest from Boston Whaler, hopefully you saw the Jarrett Bay sensation that is Grander at FLIBS, Technohull blasts along in their new Grandsport 38 RIBs, as well as much, much more below.
So as you see, there are stories, lessons, inspirations and history to regale yourself with. Please do savour... We're really enjoying bringing you the best stories from all over the globe. If you want to add to that, then please make contact with us via email.
Remember too, if you want to see what is happening in the other parts of the group, go to the top of the Powerboat-World home page and the drag down menu on the right, select the site you want to see and, voila, it's all there for you.
Speak with you again, very, very soon. Time to go boating now...
John Curnow
Global Editor, Powerboat-World.com