Australian luxury cruiser manufacturer Maritimo has made a splash around the world in the past week with boat lovers from the prestigious Monaco Yacht Show, the Newport International Boat Show and the Auckland International Boat Show impressed with the latest models from the Gold Coast based company.
And the three shows at the weekend follow hot on the heels of the Cannes International Boat Show where Maritimo’s new S48 Sedan Cruiser drew praise from both dealers and the public alike.
“We had a lot of very positive feedback from Cannes and our European lead dealer, SpencerShip, is in final negotiations on several models including two S48’s,” said Maritimo Sales and Marketing Manager Greg Haines.
“The decision to display in Monaco was a last minute thing with Craig Harvey, General Manager of SpencerShip, calling up at the last minute to see if there had been any cancellations.
“As it turned out there had been a cancellation 10 minutes before he called so they grabbed the opportunity. “ Monaco is usually reserved for boats in excess of 25 metres in length, and related tenders and equipment only, so as it turned out Maritimo’s S48 was the only ‘normal’ production boat builder allowed in the show.
The feedback was tremendous and the number of compliments on the standard of the boat and its finish from people well qualified to do so, knowing the European market so well, was extraordinary.
He said SpencerShip also had discussions with prospective dealers for Maritimo in the United Kingdom, Thailand and Denmark at the Monaco show.
Mr Haines said Maritimo received similar comments from dealers and prospective buyers during the Cannes show in the weeks before Monaco. “They loved the tender garage and also the use of Wenge timbers in the interior, which you do not see much of in European boats.
At both Cannes and Monaco Maritimo hosted ‘sea cruise’ cocktail events for VIP’s involving sponsor partners marketing fine champagne and designer jewellery. Mr Haines said this was particularly impressive in Monaco as guests were taken out in style to cruise past the dozens of super yachts that were anchored in the bay off Monaco for the show.
He said the M58 Cruising Motoryacht on display at Newport had attracted a lot of attention with prospective buyers impressed with the full beam master suite.
The M58 has a lot of features you would normally only find in a much larger vessel and this has resonated with international buyers.
He said the Auckland International Boat Show was also highly successful for Maritimo with the new M65 Cruising Motoryacht attracting a lot of attention.
The fact that the M65 had travelled across the ditch from the Gold Coast to Auckland for the show turned a lot of heads.
“It is a serious Bluewater passage maker and there is no more evidence of its pedigree needed than the successful trip from Australia to New Zealand.
“The crew averaged about 13 knots for the voyage and we are currently reviewing all the data that we collected onboard including fuel consumption.”
Mr Haines said that attendance figures for all three shows were strong and in Cannes and Monaco there is a definite new air of confidence that has not been evident in European markets for some years.
He said Maritimo was now gearing up for a big presence at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in early November.
“We are progressively expanding our international dealer network and at each of these international shows we are building on the reputation for quality and finishes that have become the hallmark of the Maritimo brand,” he said
“To have experienced boat brokers and manufacturers come up to us and compliment us on the quality and style of our new models in environments such as Cannes and Monaco says a lot,” he said.
Mr Haines said Maritimo’s workbook stretches out to the end of next year and that pipeline is sure to be further bolstered when negotiations are finalised following Cannes, Monaco and Auckland.
