Caribbean boats have been absent from showrooms since International Marine folded. Now Maritimo has revived the brand, built two new flybridge cruisers from the ground up, and shown them to the world at Sanctuary Cove 2026.
When word got out that Maritimo had acquired Caribbean and was planning new models, the response caught even the people running the project off guard. “We’ve done no marketing, zero,” said Sean Savage, Business Development Manager, Maritimo “and we’ve been overwhelmed by interest. That says something about the strength of the Caribbean brand.”
That was September 2025. Eight months on, the Caribbean 40F and Caribbean 27F Flybridge Cruisers have made their global debut at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Caribbean boats: a brand built on offshore credibility since 1958
International Marine, the previous owners, had been building boats in Melbourne since 1958. Caribbean wasn’t just a product line, it was part of the furniture for generations of Australian and New Zealand offshore boaters. The boats got passed down with the stories still attached.
“It’s almost a changing of the guard. Generations of Aussie boat owners grew up on Caribbeans. Their families fished from them, cruised the coastline, and passed down both boats and stories. Yet time marches on, and even legends need a fresh coat of gelcoat, or in this case, a full rethink.” — Sean Savage
Strong, reliable, and built to last were the words that came up again and again from owners when Maritimo started asking questions. The shortfall was fitout and finish, and by the time the brand changed hands, that gap had grown wide. Maritimo, whose core business is long-range luxury motor yachts, had the manufacturing setup to fix it.
“For decades, Caribbean earned a loyal following because the boats worked exceptionally well in real offshore conditions. This new generation of Caribbean has been designed to retain those core principles while evolving the brand with modern engineering, contemporary styling, improved layout and liveability, as well as all the benefits of Maritimo’s world-class manufacturing scale and capabilities.” — Bill Barry-Cotter AM, Founder, Maritimo
How Maritimo rebuilt the Caribbean flybridge range from scratch
The development process started with something you don’t hear often: Maritimo pulled existing Caribbeans from the water and brought them into the Coomera factory to be digitally scanned, inside and out.
“Once we had the boats digitised, we could put them on our design programs and get an in-depth analysis of them.” — Sean Savage
From there, Maritimo ran a focus group of long-time Caribbean owners, many of whom had owned several boats from the brand. Their feedback was blunt.
They loved the hull. They loved the ride. The deck and fitout needed to go. With that settled, Maritimo left the deep-V hull largely alone and rebuilt everything above the gunwale.
“We redesigned the entire upper footprint. New coach house, flybridge, deck layout, the lot. We’re keeping it traditional, functional, but with a nicer finish than the original Caribbeans had. We are going to keep things intentionally simple and strong, with an emphasis on external staircases, fibreglass hardtops, and high-quality clears.” — Sean Savage
The economics work because of what Maritimo already has in place. “For most boat builders, the cost of setting up to produce a 40-foot boat would outweigh the profit they make,” Savage noted, “but Maritimo already has the infrastructure and the systems. That’s why we can do this, and do it right.”
Caribbean 40F Flybridge: layout, engines, and offshore capability
The 40F is the bigger story at Sanctuary Cove. Forty feet of flybridge cruiser with a crossover brief: capable enough for extended offshore passages and game fishing, practical enough for a family weekend away.
It draws from the qualities that defined the earlier Caribbean flybridge models, strong seakeeping, dependable handling, deep-V offshore performance, with the exterior brought properly up to date. Sharper flybridge lines, larger glazing areas, a modern hardtop profile. No unnecessary styling; the brief was a cleaner, more finished version of what Caribbean always built.
One of the more significant layout decisions was removing the side elements of the forward-facing glass entirely, which freed up room for fridge and pantry storage. Wide, practical side decks, a large saloon, updated onboard systems, and a flybridge helm set up for offshore visibility round out the main deck.
The flybridge ladder sits within the awning envelope on the starboard side and leads up through a dedicated hatch, leaving the cockpit clear. Port side takes the fridge/freezer; sink and barbecue go starboard under the ladder. It fishes well and entertains just as well.
Propulsion is shaft-drive diesel throughout. Standard power is twin Volvo Penta D8s, the six-cylinder in-line 7.7-litre diesels. The boat on display at Sanctuary Cove is running something considerably more aggressive.
“These won’t be the standard power plants. The base engines will be Volvo Penta D8s, but for this build, the intention is to demonstrate the full performance envelope of this hull.” — Paul Wrench, Manufacturing Manager
That means twin Volvo Penta D11s, 670 horsepower combined.
A 400-litre water tank speaks to the range ambitions. The 40F also runs a dedicated engine room liner, which stiffens the hull and makes the engine room easier to service. Buyers can configure toward fishing or family cruising, and customers who fed into the design process were targeting 25-knot cruise speeds with headroom into the 30s.
Caribbean 27F Flybridge: the compact offshore cruiser reborn
The 27F has a different audience in mind, and for a large number of Caribbean loyalists it may be the more important of the two boats.
The original Caribbean 26 and 27 flybridge models ran for decades and built a following among offshore fishermen and coastal boaters that bordered on the fanatical. Compact, capable, and easy to tow, they brought serious offshore fishing within reach of owners who couldn’t stretch to a larger boat. The 27F is that proposition rebuilt.
“The 27-foot segment is incredibly important because it represents the sweet spot for so many Australian boat owners. Owners want offshore confidence, cruising comfort, and ease of ownership in one package. That’s exactly what the Caribbean 27F has been designed to deliver.” — Bill Barry-Cotter AM, Founder, Maritimo
The sharper design work is in the cabin. The brow, the forward overhang above the screens, has been shortened and shifted rearward to recover 300mm of cabin space. On a 27-footer, 300mm is not a small number. The extra room goes into seating and galley, and headroom and entry access have both improved in the process.
The rest of the exterior has been refreshed throughout: cleaner glazing, updated flybridge proportions, smoother hull surfaces, moulded-in toe rail. More contemporary finish, same offshore character. The cockpit is big, the flybridge helm sits high for visibility, and the first 27F will be powered by twin outboards.
Maritimo is expecting the 27F to connect with offshore anglers, with owners who are stepping down from larger flybridge yachts, with families after a manageable cruiser, and with long-time Caribbean owners who want a modern version of something familiar. The original 26 and 27 spread their following across all of those groups.
Boating New Zealand Insert
This review dates from September 2024, before Maritimo acquired Caribbean and reworked the 27-footer into the new 27F Flybridge unveiled at Sanctuary Cove 2026. The deck, cabin, and drivetrain have all changed in the new model. The deep-V hull underneath them has not. Read this as a record of the platform that Maritimo chose to build on, and you’ll understand why they did.
Maritimo production, racing history, and what they mean for the new Caribbean range
Maritimo is bringing more than factory space to this. The company has a long record in offshore powerboat racing and multiple championship wins, and the experience from that racing programme shapes how their boats are engineered for rough water.
“This launch comes at a time when interest in authentic offshore flybridge motor yachts continues to strengthen globally, particularly among experienced boaters seeking capability, reliability, and functionality over trend-driven styling. Maritimo’s decision to revive Caribbean reflects growing demand for practical Australian-built offshore boats capable of genuine blue water performance while still delivering the comfort and finish expected in the premium recreational boating market.” — Bill Barry-Cotter AM
Both boats were developed with input from long-time Caribbean owners and experienced offshore boaters. The specific choices in each boat, the 40F’s water tank capacity, the 27F’s recovered cabin space, the engine room liner, came out of those conversations rather than from internal design decisions alone.
“The global unveiling of the Caribbean 40F and 27F at Sanctuary Cove represents one of the most significant Australian production boat launches in recent years. These two new models establish the foundation of the reborn Caribbean range and reaffirm Maritimo’s long-standing commitment to offshore performance, practical innovation, and Australian boat building.” — Simon Stewart, Marketing Manager, Maritimo
Caribbean 40F and 27F: what’s next for the relaunched range
Two models is the start. A 49–50 footer in the same mould was already under development when the revival was first announced, and with the 40F and 27F now in front of the public the pace will pick up.
New Zealand boaters have good reason to pay attention. The deep-V hull, the offshore engineering brief, the flybridge layout, the focus on range and seakeeping: the boats are built for conditions that Kiwi skippers know well. Caribbean is an Australian brand but its offshore values are not country-specific.
“We feel honoured to be custodians of the brand. We’re not hiding the fact that it’s built by Maritimo, but we’re keeping the Caribbean name, logo, and legacy intact.” — Sean Savage
The Caribbean 40F and 27F Flybridge Cruisers are on display at Maritimo’s on-water berth at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, May 21 to 24, 2026.
For more information, visit caribbean-boats.com
Caribbean 40F vs 27F: at a glance
| Caribbean 40F | Caribbean 27F | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 40 feet | 27 feet |
| Type | Flybridge cruiser | Flybridge cruiser |
| Hull | Deep-V, shaft drive | Deep-V |
| Standard engines | Twin Volvo Penta D8 (7.7L diesel) | Twin outboards |
| Launch engines | Twin Volvo Penta D11 (670hp combined) | Twin outboards |
| Water capacity | 400 litres | Not specified |
| Configurations | Fishing / family cruiser | Fishing / coastal cruising |
| Heritage | Caribbean 40 flybridge lineage | Caribbean 26/27 lineage |
| Built | Coomera, Gold Coast, Queensland | Coomera, Gold Coast, Queensland |
