| maritimo
52 sky lounge review |
Who
would have thought a mere extension to a flybridge could lead to an entirely new
version of the Maritimo 52, whose floor space up top has now doubled in size
and, in so doing, redefined this long-range family cruiser. But best of all, you
get the extra aft deck on the bridge for $15,000 over the standard Sports Bridge
and, with a forward helm station instead of the aft-mounted one, there’s more
room indoors and outdoors to cruise and muse with family and friends.
 The
30th hull to pop out of the Maritimo 52 mould, the boat shown hereabouts was 52
Sky Lounge #1. After its launch at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show,
Maritimo says the boat’s been a huge success to the point where it outsold the
previous best-selling, best-value boat, the 48. Thus, with the addition of the
Sky Lounge the 52 has been given a new lease on life and buyers seemingly
perceive it as better value than before.
But like the original 52, the
Sky Lounge is a three-cabin/two head boat. In fact, the interior hasn’t changed
at all. But do note that the interior pics accompanying this article are from
another 52 Sports Bridge with myrtle interior (such are the options), as the
demo boat’s accommodation was incomplete and not dressed for our impending photo
shoot.
Yet for all the interior gloss, most eyes are trained back up top
on the extended flybridge that you could turn into an additional seating area
(for about eight people in NSW waters, says Maritimo), an entertaining deck
while cruising at champagne speeds and a flight deck where the views are best.
The only downside is that you’re stationed where the pitching motion of a boat
is greatest, so you’ll want calm anchorages sans boat wake if you plan to add a
table and chairs.
Despite the extra real estate in the penthouse, space
that was evident when this boat was moored alongside the standard 52 at
Sanctuary Cove, the highlight of the Maritimo 52 is surely its user-friendliness
by way of walkaround decks, a big cockpit designed for the Australian way of
life (now with greater shade on the Sky Lounge) and, to my mind at least, the
engineering below decks. |
HEART
AND SOUL
As with the 52 Sports Bridge this writer
tested in September, 2005, the Sky Lounge has a solid-GRP hull below the
waterline with balsa-cored hull sides, deck and house. Weight savings and
stiffness are gained through the use of a one-piece liner extending to the
engine room, foam-cored doors and interior assembly.
Interestingly,
there are no skin fittings, thereby reducing drag and potential leaks. All
overboard water from the air-con units, shower, sinks, sump pumps and so on,
leads to a common plumbing line that exits at the transom. The generator also
has its water/exhaust outlet back aft. Being removed from the cabins means less
noise at night and less chance of a diesel-stained hull (though the new
generators are cleanrunning beasts).
 Engine
access is great on the 52, with a big hatch on gas struts leading to a moulded
stairwell running forward from the cockpit. Such is its rake that even
exfootballers with dodgy joints will be able to negotiate the stairs. The engine
room is huge due to the motors being well forward, to assist with keeping shaft
angles low, and with most of the boat’s weight down low and amidships, and a
flat run on the aft sections of the Maritimo hulls, these are easily driven
boats.
A pair of Cummins QSM11s, each producing 715hp, is standard
power, but our demo boat had optional Caterpillar C12s that also produce 715hp
per side, plus a matching Caterpillar genset to port for one-stop servicing. I
noted an optional Sea Recovery Aqua Matic desalinator (you wouldn’t buy a boat
like this without a watermaker) and, combating water restrictions, a Kacher
gurney with fore and aft outlets for washing your boat.
The 52 Sky
Lounge comes with a 2000W 24V inverter so you can run the boat’s AV systems at
night without the generator. Every serious cruising boat needs an inverter. I
won’t list them all but, take it from this sleuth, all the primary servicing
items are easily accessible and, with a separate pump or utility room back aft,
there’s abundant servicing space.
I noted labelled intakes and seacocks
so that one could perform at-a-glance checks, good access to the water pumps,
easy checking of the coolant levels and strainers for the genset and engines. I
found the hydraulic steering system and, outboard of the motors, the battery
banks. The engine vents include washable membranes and, with the intakes inside
the walkaround decks, you reduce the likelihood of saltwater in your engine
room.
The lazarette, meanwhile, is accessed through a big deck hatch
that includes fender storage under its lid. Besides being home to the mighty
300lt holding tank and 800lt of potable water in polypropylene tanks, the
lazarette offers good access to the Marcon power-steering and plenty of room for
stowing victuals, watersports gear, fish and dive equipment. Needless to say,
this is important on a boat like this destined to cruise the reef. |
AUSSIE-SIZED
COCKPIT
The
Maritimo’s outdoor decks have always been a big hit and the 52 continues the
appeal. There is a broad cockpit with mid-transom entertaining centre
incorporating built-in fridge/freezer (good enough for storing long-term
provisions), barbecue hotplate, sink and food-prep space, plus dry storage in
the moulded console, along with a 240V outlet and shorepower connection.
Port and starboard gates lead back to the big boarding platform, and
requisite deck shower and swim ladder. There’s a cockpit spotlight, fender and
rope lockers, and nice big cleats in the cockpit corners, too. Crew, kiddies and
the pet pooch will welcome the walkaround decks traced by stainless steel rails
leading to the bow.
Maritimo has designed the ‘house’ or superstructure
with ‘wings’ so rain and streaking doesn’t occur on the saloon windows, and you
can stand and wash the bridge windows. If you are charged with looking after a
boat like this you will appreciate such details. There is also a starboard side
door leading to what might be an optional lower helm to assist with access back
indoors.
The deep, ship-like bow affords plenty of protection and good
footing, though the moulded non-skid will be hard to clean. I noted a heavy-duty
Tassie-made Muir winch taking care of anchoring duties, whether using rope or
chain, plus fresh and saltwater deck washes, gurney outlet, and an integrated
anchor.
The davit was one of the latest telescopic 350kg Aussie-made ADC
numbers located on the bow along with the future tender. Originally, Maritimo
fitted a lower helm station and bridgemounted davit and tender, but owners soon
found it difficult launching and retrieving a tender up that high. Many European
motoryachts still insist on bridge-mounted tenders. |
PENTHOUSE
LIVING
 The
Sky Lounge offers you more lifestyle and luxury on your Maritimo 52 for not more
cost. And while the forward helm station doesn’t offer a view of the transom
when docking there are several ways around this: optional cockpit controls, aft
bridge controls and/or a remote docking device with controls for your thrusters.
Bow and stern thrusters, and a remote sure made docking the demo boat a
snap and, in fact, it was a one-person affair. Access to the bridge is also
easy, via the internal teak stairs to port. Once up top, I found big picture
windows around an Lshaped lounge for four that converts to a berth when
passage-making or parked at a dodgy anchorage for the night.
There’s a
portside settee for two opposite a wetbar with bottle storage, champagne-glass
holders and fridge in the bridge, a sink, plus opening windows for natural
ventilation should you prefer it to the air-con, and a Grundig television to
complete the impressive fitout. Talk about penthouse living.
The new
matt-grey dash is a low-glare number designed to take two 10in screens, in this
instance Simrad nav. gear including autopilot, plus marine radios, wind and data
gauge, and the twin Caterpillar engine panels and analogue gauges. As touched
on, the demo boat had bow and stern thrusters. The ZF electronic boxes offered
fingertip gear shifts, slow idle and synchro modes. There is also closed circuit
television with three onboard cameras.
Elsewhere, I noted controls for
the spotlight, wipers, trim tabs, windlass, a red night light and more. Also,
good access to the dash wiring, air-con unit and storage space in the bridge.
The Pompanette helm seats appeared reasonably supportive for long-range
cruising.
 But
it’s the teak-topped sky lounge deck that’s the buzz, with room for a table and
chairs. Providing you’re anchored in a calm spot this may well be the best seat
in the house for doing sundowners, and bacon and eggs for breakfast. Yep, you
could fit a small barbecue up here. |
INDOOR
LIVING
Essentially,
there are no changes indoors. Double sliding doors, which can be fixed in a
number of positions, allow you to serve straight from the recessed (down a step)
aft galley back into the cockpit. It’s a relatively small oneperson U-shaped
galley with moulded counters, high-gloss teak serveries, sink with separate
drinking water, four-burner Fisher and Paykel cooktop, an impressive pullout
pantry, compact Vitrifrigo vertical fridge/freezer with stainless steel facia,
dishwasher and plenty of pantry space.
Hard-wearing Amtico (mock timber)
flooring assists with maintenance in the high-traffic entrance to the saloon and
galley. The AC/ DC (mainly 24V) panel and simple batterymanagement system are to
port, before the steps to the bridge and alongside the boat’s wetbar with
icemaker and bootleg locker. A decent flat-screen TV was provided, along with a
Bose Lifestyle system.
Timeless high-gloss teak trim and earthy hues
highlighted the saloon’s forward seating area, which included an L-shaped lounge
for four forward opposite a small dinette for four. As touched on, with the
enclosed flybridge being so well appointed, you really don’t need a lower helm.
Accommodation ranges through three cabins, each with sliding doors to
maximise space, and two heads including a dedicated en suite for the stateroom.
The heads have headroom of around 185cm, a moulded tile-look floor, trick glass
bowls with pushdown plugs, big drains for the shower stalls, extractor fans and
opening portlights.
The
loos are the Techma type that run on freshwater or, if you’re running low, can
be switched to saltwater. The communal head to starboard has a second door to
the VIP stateroom in the bow, so if there are two couples you’ll each have an en
suite, which is nice when spending time away.
The VIP guest’s cabin also
features an island double bed with innerspring mattress, hanging lockers, huge
headroom and smart fitted bedding. The companionway might be a bit tight for big
blokes, however. Grandkids and additional crew get the
starboard cabin
with bunks, sufficient floor space to dress, an Omega washer/dryer, three
shelves and hanging space. As with the other cabins, the port lights open into
the bulwarks so there’s plenty of privacy as no-one can peer inside from the
marina.
Naturally, the owner gets the pick of the cabins, as denoted by
a queen-sized island bed to port, roughly amidships and therefore somewhat
removed from the water playing on the chines. There are lowboys, a massive
storage hold under the bed, hanging lockers with lights and softtouch linings, a
full-length mirror, separate air-con controls and entertainment
options. |
OFFSHORE
CRUISING
I’m
not sure if Maritimo has a direct line with the weather gods or it’s just good
fortune but, yet again, the sea was all glass during our test off the Gold
Coast. But, as ever, the off-the-wheel steering was a highlight, with the
flat-backed boat turning more like a sportsyacht than a long-range wagon.
With one-third fuel and three-quarters of a tank of water, the 52 Sky
Lounge held plane at 12.5kts and 1420rpm, which is, of course, far from
efficient. At 1815rpm, the boat does 19.6kts - a pleasant passagemaking speed -
for 160lt/h consumption and a safe cruising range of about 425nm, leaving 10 per
cent of the 3850lt fuel capacity in reserve.
At 1960rpm and 22.6kts, a
nice cruise speed in calm seas, the C12 Cats drink 170lt/h for a safe range of
460nm, indicating these revs are very much the sweet spot for these motors on
this boat. Maximum continuous revs of 2135rpm produce 26.1kts for high-speed
cruising, while top speed is 30.1kts at 2365rpm.
With a flat run aft,
the key to this boat’s ride in rough water will be keeping the forefoot cutting
through the sea which, should it produce spray, won’t worry you in the
air-conditioned hardtop.
But where the Sky Lounge will come into its own
is probably not so much getting there as the time spent at anchor, in a quiet
bay, river or behind a tropical island, perched in the flight deck, the
observation deck, the penthouse... the Sky Lounge.
Whatever you choose
to call it, think of it as more real estate for not much more money, and a great
place to kick back with your friends and a cocktail or two at
sunset. |
| Specifications |
PRICED
FROM
Approx $1.39 million w/ Cummins QSM11s |
OPTIONS
FITTED
Engine upgrade to twin CAT C12 715hp including CAT
17.5kw genset, additional engine controls, sternthruster, deluxe davit, teak
deck in cockpit, platform, sidedecks, flybridge deck, Simrad electronics
package, three onboard cameras, cockpit BBQ, rear awning, KVH satellite TV,
gurney, desal, Bose, teak high-gloss interior (photographed boat is high-gloss
myrtle) and more |
PRICED
FROM
Approx $1.39 million w/ Cummins QSM11s |
GENERAL
Material:
..... GRP fibreglass w/ cored decks, superstructure and hull sides
Type:
............ Hard chine planing hull w/ tunnels and underwater exhausts
Length overall: .......................16.62m
Beam:
........................................5.18m
Draft:
................................ 1.2m (max)
Deadrise:
........................................n/a
Weight: ..................Approx
22,500kg (dry w/ standard engines) |
CAPACITIES
Berths:
...........................................6+1
Fuel:
..........................................3850lt
Water:
.........................................800lt |
ENGINE
Make/model:
............Caterpillar C12s
Type: .....Six-cylinder electronic diesel
engine w/ twin turbocharging and aftercooling
Rated HP: ............. 715hp
at 2300rpm
Displacement: ...............................12lt
Weight:
.....................Approx 1174kg
Gearboxes (make/ratio): ... ZF 2.037:1
Props: ....................Five-blade bronze |
SUPPLIED
BY
Maritimo Offshore, Lot 6 John Lund Drive, Hope Island,
Qld, 4212 Phone: (07) 5530 1477 Website:
www.maritimo.com.au | |
