Maritimo’s new M50 is the result of a lot of intensity, born out of a singular purpose – namely, to fit a 50-foot pen. Design, R&D, engineering, plug, moulding, and parts manufacture, as well as fit-out, all worked fearlessly to have the M50 ready to premiere at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May.
Looking like a Maritimo, feeling like a Maritimo, and then carrying the brand’s famous robustness and quality were core to all of the above. To say that the 50-foot segment is congested is no throwaway line. Differentiation is critical, and to that end the M50 might not be for everyone, but it will suit boaters who don’t always have a cast of thousands on board but do need to expand and contract like an accordion to meet fluctuating demand.
The two-stateroom layout means both cabins get loads of room, and the owners will feel like they are in a much bigger craft since they use the entire 5.22m beam directly in front of the engine room. Similarly, the bathroom does not require one to shimmy past things to get in or out. Each room only has the one floor level, which is a wonderful bonus. A minimum of 1.9m of headroom throughout the entire vessel delivers that very important sense of space and a feeling of luxury.
The VIP cabin in the bow shares this philosophy and is only a tad smaller. Offset to the left, it affords access to both sides of the bed, and it can also be split into a twin (like to see an accordion do that…). All the cabins are light with a good airflow, and you really get to feel that the other POBs are not just behind a bulkhead but some distance away. Think of another apartment across the hallway, and you are there.
Secrets?
Next, to not only make 50 feet but also to give it to the internals, you had to lose the bowsprit and the traditional swim platform. The first one is not a problem. You just get the anchor to roll through the slot in the prow.
The second one was far more catching. You still needed a platform to perhaps take the tender, as well as be available for swimming, but hanging out the back by an extra metre is a lot when you’re talking 15.7m LOA. Solution? Flip it up vertically, and then, once it’s horizontal, lower it with a scissor action that keeps the weight closer to the transom. It is better than good, which is why patents have been applied for the 3.95m wide platform. The foredeck can accommodate a 250kg davit and a 2.5m tender or a sunpad with demountable shade.
Of course, said ‘vertical’ platform also delivers some added protection in a following sea, but you can still get past it when docked, as there is a gap between it and the Portofino hips.
The main saloon, and for that matter the bridge, are the other primary beneficiaries of the space. The former feels like a 60-something, and the single-action trundle bed that rolls out to join the settee turns that space into a berth the size of a pool.
The aft galley Maritimo pioneered 22 years ago just keeps getting better. The latest Maritimos bring the coachhouse glass right back to the bench space and cooktop, which is brilliant. The whole area still has a standing domestic fridge, fridge/freezer drawers, an ice maker, and a dishwasher, as well as an oven and cooktop, plus the space to house all the pots and pans you’ll ever need.
Sliding doors provide terrific access to the cockpit and do not impinge on the space, which means you have an abutting L-shaped return that talks directly to the forward-facing seats in the ‘boot’, which also houses the BBQ, sink, and gives access to the lazarette. Importantly, none of them, or the table, interfere with the deck hatch into the engine room.
Tick
Accessing the enclosed bridge is done via the reverse stairs. Once there, it is hard to pick out your favourite element. Sliding glass doors are used for the same reasons as the deck below. The layout suits an array of occasional furniture and the space can be separate or part of the whole scenario. A sink is optional, but if space is paramount and sundowners the plan, then just keep it simple.
To the left is the now raised cruising lounge that offers better sightlines outboard and also a stronger connection to the skipper. The sofa behind the twin, electrically adjustable, heated helm seats folds out to allow the vessel to sleep up to eight.
Yet if you had to pick, it would have to be floating dash that gets the nod. Stylish? Yes. Practical? Without compromise, and it houses two 19-inch screens with a plethora of information to take in. It is also quiet, even with the doors open.
You know, it does not get mentioned that much, but the footrest is great whether seated or standing, accommodating anyone from five-foot something to over six feet (2m) with equal aplomb. Under the seats you can opt for another drawer fridge. In and of itself, it is a penthouse apartment or even a teenagers’ retreat with its own TV screen – just make sure they bring their headphones for gaming and it will be happy days…
Nuts and bolts
The only power configuration is a pair of Volvo-Penta D13 inline sixes rated to 800hp a side, with a ZF 2.04:1 reduction gearbox behind them and then 29 x 38 inch NiBrAl propellers at the other end of the 2.25 inch shafts. 28 knots is available at WOT with 3700 litres of fuel on board, when she weighs the best part of 28 metric tonnes. Cruising is more like 24kt, and this is where the GRP hull’s natural cadence lies as well.
Now the D13 also comes as 1000hp and uses exactly the same block and head to do so but with different plumbing hanging off it, including a much larger intercooler, a larger gearbox behind it, and three-inch shafts. All of which is weight and money, and in this case purely academic, so we move on.
Now the tank carries 3700 litres, the bulk of which is under the main bed, so nice and low, and also central. Having a 10% reserve means you operate on 3300l, so 1335nm is available at 7.3 knots from 800rpm. At 12 knots the M50 is desperate to get on the plane, so just do that. The 24-knot mark is a tad over the fabled 80% load burning around 270lph combined, at which speed you will achieve 290-300 nautical miles, depending on conditions. A lot of the time 22 to 24 knots is where you’ll want to sit in open water, so the arithmetic is pretty simple.
Every Maritimo has a special treat. It’s their steering, which is derived from the race team’s experience. You do not manually steer anywhere near as much today as in times gone by. What a shame. FRED, the Frightfully Remarkable Electronic Device, does such a good job, but should you hit standby and go for it, you’ll be rewarded with sublime feel, genuine tactility, and a pinpoint connection.
Time to ponder
It seems everyone is fixated on gyrostabilisers. They are heavy, expensive to buy and maintain, and hungry for power, so the genset has to be on when you want to spin it. As for efficacy, well they do their best work at trolling speed in a beam sea, or
at rest in an anchorage with swell.
Now the M50 likes a bit of trim tab deployed, so be aware of this if you’re backing down a lot, and retract them; the same after you’ve finished running. It helps to preserve the rams.
Next, well it might seem to be a quantum leap from talking about stabilisers to then talk tabs, but what if you could do both for a lot of the time, and arguably for when it matters most? What if they could be active, programmable, fast-acting, and draw minimal power?
Part of the interceptor family, Seakeeper Ride has up until now only been available for smaller craft. They are basically ‘buckets’ and not vertical blades. Instead of just controlling pitch, they also deal with roll in real time, and because of the efficacy of the bucket, anyone who has enjoyed them thus far is rapturous about them.
The good news is that Seakeeper’s range is extending upwards, with 50-somethings now possible, and other size brackets on the way. Maritimo’s new M50 will be fitted with them shortly, ahead of extensive testing. The Ride system can be used alone, or in combination with a Seakeeper gyro, if you just have to have a gyro. If one needed an excuse to go back out on the M50, this could well be it. Interesting times…
Make a stand
Maritimo has, with the M50. It is not for everyone, and that’s a good thing. Boats are always a moulding of compromises. Do this. Take from that. Have loads of something else, and pay the piper elsewhere.
The M50 is bold. It is clear about who and what it is. It is different from other 50-footers. That’s the point. There are more than enough spaces on board, along with flourishes, touches, and details to define said difference. They’ll be more than enough to sway buyers, who’ll also get Maritimo’s renowned bluewater credentials and renowned quality finish as part of the mix.
