Maritimo M55 Review

Maritimo are continuously improving their M-series, and the latest is a stunning example of turning grand ideas formed into functional brilliance

Maritimo’s first M-Series yacht set the benchmark for cruising flybridges that emphasise open entertaining space and efficient running. 

Since their launch in the mid-2000s, the range has expanded to include hulls from 51 to 70 feet with past models edging either side of those lengths. Throughout the years, they have constantly evolved, with tweaks to layouts and new styling. This 2021 M55 is different, though, featuring updates and inclusions that push the M-Series to a new level. 

The most immediate and obvious change is a welcome back of the ‘winged bridge’, as seen on the popular M60 of the mid-2000s. The flybridge deck of the M55 is around 300mm wider than the ceiling of the main deck on both flanks, creating a wing over the walkways on either side. Visually, this is a more dominant appearance. Along with this are port window designs that reflect the successful X-Series in their long, sleek look and a waistband around the flybridge’s rear deck that acts as a support for the lounge and a comfortable armrest. These two elements, in particular, add more horizontal lines to the vessel and work well with the sheerline to give a sense of speed and presence, even at the marina. 

The effect of the winged bridge is felt mostly inside, but before we head in, there is one other major external update. The rear of the M55 has had a substantial design change by the way of the addition of Maritimo’s Adventure Deck. A revised layout of the rear lounge and the inclusion of a wet bar and cool store has made the most of the entertaining appeal around the cockpit and down to the swim platform. With the optional extended hydraulic swim platform (a must-have in my opinion), the space is both massive at 3.75 x 3.8m, but also inviting with a single step from the Adventure Deck to the cockpit through wide gates on both sides. 

A key feature of the Adventure Deck is the tender garage below. Lift the rear lounge by way of electric actuators, and you’ll find space to hold a 2.8m tender with ease. I paced out the space on the swim platform and especially with the optional extension, there is room to park a jetski, if wanted, or to short-term park the tender. Larger tender storage is also available on the foredeck.

HEADING INSIDE

Step through the bi-fold doors synonymous with Maritimo and you’re met by a galley complete with Miele appliances. An obvious change from other M-Series yachts instantly stands out in the form of the stairs to the bridge lead from the bow to the stern, allowing for a massive pantry and space for optional fridge drawers and an ice maker opposite the island bench. 

Although used heavily, the deep, dark finish of the optional walnut veneer did not overpower the area thanks to new saloon windows that stretch from the top of the lounge seats to just under the ceiling. They are simply sensational in size; I’m of the opinion you can never have too many or too big a window in a boat as the view should never be missed, but I digress. 

The benchtops in the galley are a marble-like solid surface, a good in contrast to the walnut but also practical in use, while the deep sink will be appreciated in rolling swells. 

A small step up to the saloon and the view from the extra-large windows is fantastic, but equally great is their ability to slide open to allow in the cool sea-breeze. 

The layout is traditional with a central walkway leading to an open-air stairwell to the lower deck, a large L-shaped lounge to port, and a U-shaped lounge to starboard with a bench and hideaway TV opposite. Underfoot is a synthetic carpet that will not hold odours when wet but is still soft and warm. Overhead are LED strip lights beautifully tucked into the ceiling in such a way as to spread light across the ceiling without any eye-searing brightness. It is subtle but functional, as lighting should be.

The open-air stairwell has well-placed leather-bound handrails and, being open air, there is no risk of a head knocking a frame on the way down. 

Immediate to the bow is the VIP that features another nod to the X-Series in an offset bed with no annoying steps on either side. A detail I liked is the depth of the storage underneath. If the closets won’t take everything your guests bring on board, firstly, I’d be surprised, but if that were the case, the underbed space will more than suffice. 

The VIP has direct access to the dayhead to port while to starboard there is a guest cabin set up with twin singles. No doubt this can be reconfigured to a double, small gym or office as I’ve seen on other Maritimo yachts. 

Follow the carpet down a second short set of steps and the full-beam Master is revealed. Featuring more than enough storage space, including a full height robe and deep cupboard suitable for overflow wine storage, it is still a bright space with an open feel, larger than the 5.2m beam would suggest thanks to the oversized port windows that sensibly cannot be fully opened. A lounge and daybed complete the area with a private ensuite featuring a separate shower and toilet. 

UP TOP

Maritimo boats are designed for drivers, so when you traverse the stairs to the sky lounge, there is no surprise the helm is a dominant feature. What is a surprise, though, is the space gained by the extended wing design. The additional 300mm added to each side may not seem like much in writing but from experience, the Sky Lounge feels as spacious as that on the flagship M70’s I’ve sampled. The layout is closer to the M70’s than the M51, with a deep and inviting wrap around lounge beside the helm where guests can sit in the line of sight of the driver. Behind the helm is a second lounge with a small bar and hideaway TV opposite and out on the deck is spacious with a neat little wet bar included while the aforementioned waistband behind the seating works very well as an arm rest. 

Driving the M55 from the starboard side helm is arguably as comfortable as anywhere else on the boat thanks to the superb helm seat complete with adjustable footrest and well positioned, leather clad steering wheel. Vision is fantastic thanks to narrow mullions and large windscreens and the ergonomically designed dash is a study in simple but usable design. 

The highlight up top has to be how the additional space allowed by the wings creates more room for friends and family to enjoy the elevated views. And, in typical Maritimo fashion, engine noise is well subdued until you give it a lot of throttle, when the experience goes up a few notches and the hull rises from the water thanks to upgraded power units from Volvo Penta. 

POWERHOUSE 

Like all Maritimos, the engine room is impeccably laid out with a clear line of sight to fuel water separators, fire suppression systems, 17.5kW Onan genset and, more importantly, has the headroom to actually move about.

Flanking the sides of the engine room are two green powerhouses in the Volvo Penta D13-800 MC, which are well known to me. Maritimo has been using the big six cylinder for a number of years across a number of models and, like me, they appreciate a vast and flat torque curve. Rated at 800hp, the real shining statistic is the 2900Nm of torque available from only 800rpm, which makes acceleration smooth and effortless. 

Their inherent straight-six balance delivers power smoothly with a nice high-pitched whine as the turbochargers come on-song, adding to the experience when you apply moderate to full-throttle. Quite a modern design, they are fuel efficient and compliant with the ever-tightening emissions standards.

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Volvo Penta Australia, through Maritimo, supplied fuel burn data from their rigorous pre-delivery testing which we verified on a blustery afternoon at Broadwater on the Gold Coast. Against and with the tide, maximum efficiency was at or just under 1000rpm where the D13’s would burn a combined 32.5L/h for a range of about 1185 nautical miles with a ten per cent reserve. A healthy cruise was found at 1900rpm where combined consumption was 176L/h and at WOT, the D13’s propelled the M55 up to a touch over 29 knots while consuming 293L/h. With a tail wind, there is no doubt you’ll have fun chasing 30 knots, and you’ll get there. 

At maximum efficiency, the M55’s range puts the Pacific Islands in reach fairly comfortably, with Noumea only four days away at nine knots from Brisbane —  but is the hull up to the challenge?

THE BUILD

Strength won’t be an issue, with the M55 one of a new breed of Maritimo that utilises fewer but larger and more intricate moulds and a secretive patented bonding process between the main plugs to ensure rigidity and exact alignment. The hull itself is around 25mm thick at its thinnest and, I’m told, up to 40mm thick in critical areas such as the keel and at joins. 

The result is a dry weight of 27 tonnes but importantly, that weight is kept as low as possible through a clever layout. Firstly there are the shaft drives that allow for the engines’ heft to be centrally located in the hull and with a 9-degree shaft angle, the M55 features a very shallow draft of only 1.4m. The arrangement of the fuel tanks is a coup de maître, with the main tank found under the Master stateroom with two wing tanks flanking it. All three tanks are linked, allowing owners to fill up all 4550L from a single filler point. This positioning makes for a very low centre of gravity, something the team searched for and should be proud to have achieved. 

Although our test boat was not fitted with one, I am a big fan of SeaKeeper gyros and on motoryachts of the past, it would be one of the first options I would suggest be selected. But with this new approach to weight distribution, I’m not sure this is needed in the M55 — which is surprisingly stable. Luckily, should you decide you do need one, the provision is there to quickly and easily have the factory drop one in after delivery. 

Bow entry is fine and the sheerline tall and well flared so I expect the M55 will live up to expectations and to cut into and lift cleanly through the swell. The shallow stern will lend itself to rolling with the swell as opposed to trying to run over it but we didn’t get our chance to trial the M55 that aggressively — hopefully next time. 

THE WRAP

It would be fair to say I came away from my day on the M55 very impressed. I knew and appreciated the design features like the bridge wings and Adventure Deck before stepping on board. But once I had experienced them, their practicality and benefit was reinforced greatly. 

At the time of printing, Maritimo has an impressive problem ahead of them, with a reported record amount of order placed for the M55 and delivery dates are already stretching deep into 2022 and 2023. 

Expansion is well underway at the Coomera yards and the search is on for more top-talent to help build them so I wouldn’t be dissuaded from enquiring, just be forewarned, it’s not just me that is mightily impressed, there is a line forming for what will no doubt go down as another legendary M-Series from the masters of the motoryacht. 

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M55 VS M600 OFFSHORE

Almost immediately after I had sampled the M55 an email arrived introducing the new Maritimo M600 Offshore. It stopped me in my tracks as I wondered if it would impact on the M55’s sales so close are some specs, but there are some significant differences.

They share the same beam, fuel capacity (and clever fuel tank layout), as well as the same Sky Lounge, saloon and accommodations layout, but that’s about where the similarities stop. 

On the Sky Lounge, the M600 gains an upper-rear portside helm station with clear view of the cockpit where the M55’s sink resides while a pair of outriggers flank the be-winged topsides of the M600. 

The M600 has a longer hull than the M55 (18.54m vs. 17.27m) which is gained via a longer, fully enclosed cockpit that features provision for a game-chair and a fully moulded fish bin that stretches almost the width of the cockpit. 

Along with the longer hull, the base M600 comes with the M55’s optional-upgrade D13-800 Volvo Penta engines meaning it gains 2000kg to its dry weight, but the extra hull length adds displacement so the M600 gains a small advantage in draft, albeit only 5cm with the M600 registering 1.35m. 

So summing it up, the M600 adds what a gamefisher needs while retaining the benefits of M55’s focus on weight and innovative use of space. 

FACTS & FIGURES

PRICE AS TESTED POA

OPTIONS FITTED
Volvo D13 800hp Engine Upgrade
Extended hydraulic swim platform
Additional cockpit seating
Additional flybridge seating
Miele appliances

PRICED FROM A$2.167m

GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP

TYPE Monohull

LENGTH (LOA) 17.72m (58ft 1in)

BEAM 5.23m (17ft 2in)

DRAFT 1.4m (4ft 7in)

DISPLACEMENT 27,000kg (dry)

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE 23 (day) 6 (night)

FUEL 4550L

WATER 750L

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL Twin Volvo Penta D13

TYPE In-line 6-cylinder 

RATED HP 800 (each)

DISPLACEMENT 12.8L

WEIGHT 1560kg (each)

GEAR RATIO 2.01:1

PROPELLER 5 blade Nibral

MANUFACTURED BY Maritimo

For more information visit maritimo.com.au