Follow Jim and Elicia’s Maritimo Owner’s Australian Cruising Experience as they take delivery of their new M60 Black Edition Luxury Flybridge Motor Yacht, cruise Queensland’s coastline, and prepare for a new chapter of boating adventures in Florida.
# Queensland Adventure: Why One Florida Couple Chose Maritimo
When Jim and Elicia decided to buy a new motor yacht after decades of boat ownership, they weren’t chasing trends. They’d owned more than twenty vessels over the years, sailed European waters, explored Australian coasts, and knew exactly what worked for their lifestyle. What they found in the Maritimo M60 Black Edition was something they’d been searching for far longer than they realised.
The couple’s journey to their new boat peaked in May when they flew to Australia not just to take delivery, but to experience Maritimo’s owner programme. It started at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, where their M60 sat proudly on display. Rather than a quick handover and goodbye, Jim and Elicia embraced the full immersion: factory tour, hosted lunch, and a week-long coastal cruise north from the Gold Coast towards Fraser Island with Captain Leigh at the helm.
That cruise proved unexpectedly valuable. Departing Sanctuary Cove with final preparations complete, they encountered everything Queensland could throw at them. Lively offshore conditions gave way to shallow tidal waterways that demand local knowledge and sound judgment. At one particularly tricky section approaching Fraser Island, Captain Leigh made the call to wait rather than push through marginal depths. Another boat pressed on and later needed repairs after hitting the sandy bottom.
“Captain Leigh was smart enough to stop,” Jim said simply when recounting the moment.
For experienced boaters, it was a timely reminder that seamanship trumps horsepower every time. The M60’s handling inspired confidence, but it was the measured professionalism of their guide that shaped the entire experience. They weren’t just learning a new boat; they were learning how to live with it.
What sealed the deal for Elicia was the internal staircase connecting the main deck to the enclosed flybridge. Having faced some health challenges, this single feature transformed how she could use the boat. “I was wondering why we haven’t had that for a long time,” she laughed. The staircase creates a connected living space that makes the flybridge feel like part of the home rather than a separate zone, especially valuable when grandchildren visit or seas turn rough.
Rather than pursuing extravagant modifications, the couple focused on thoughtful details born from decades of ownership across multiple brands. They added an extra cabin and bathroom in the flybridge for flexibility when cruising with family. A discreet power outlet inside the galley’s slide-out cabinet keeps those all-important coffee machines hidden yet instantly accessible. The satin-finish dark cabinetry? Chosen deliberately to hide fingerprints. Larger navigation displays, enhanced thrusters, removable cockpit railings, and custom fishing accessories followed, each decision pragmatic rather than flashy.
Remarkably, the entire process from first committing at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October 2025 to taking delivery in Australia moved with impressive speed. For owners eager to return to serious cruising after time away from larger boats, that timing mattered deeply. The vessel is now headed to Florida’s east coast, set to arrive in August.
The Queensland shakedown did more than prove a boat works. It demonstrated why Maritimo’s ownership experience carries such weight in a market saturated with glossy brochures and empty promises. Jim and Elicia saw Australian operations, understood the build philosophy, sailed genuine waters with experienced guidance, and picked up a boat that already felt like home. That’s not a delivery. That’s an beginning.
