A few of you have asked me to share my impressions of the M60, and now that we’ve got 25 days at sea, it seems like the time is right.
By the way, by virtue of touching US shores after April 1, 2023, it’s considered a 2024 model.
This Is A Big Boat!
Before we ordered our boat, we toured two M55s in Florida. They were impressive, but it wasn’t because it was much bigger than our Sabre 48 FB. As soon as I set foot on our M60 in Newport, the size blew me away.
From the aft folding doors forward, the M60 and the M55 are identical; the entire extra five feet is applied to stretching out the stern and, more importantly, the Sky Deck on top.
The extra five feet create a lounge that comfortably seats six people. Combined with the twin Pompenette Helm seats and companion lounge, I think ten people could comfortably stretch out up here.
Because the Sky Deck sits 15’ above sea level, it never seems to catch spray, so it’s a great spot to ride, even at a fast cruise.
As nice as it is to have the extra five feet of Sky Deck, it makes it impossible to see the stern of the boat from the helm. Maritimo offers a second helm on the port side of the Sky Deck or Lower Cockpit for $11,000, but I didn’t want to give up the sink, refrigerator, and trash bin module in the Sky Deck.
In addition, the starboard aft corner would still be blind to both the primary and port auxiliary Sky Deck helm.
In the end, I opted to have SK Marine install a dockmate ($22,000), which allows me to maneuver the boat from anywhere, including the lower deck.
The joystick is programmable, and we had Scott set it up as follows:
- 12:00 and 6:00 – Both engines forward and back.
- 3:00 and 9:00 – Both thrusters with proportional power (the further you push, the higger the thruster RPMs.
- 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, and 10:30 – the engine 180° away only.
- Twist puts one engine forward and the other in reverse.
I have found that docking on a straight dock with a starboard tie, is easily done from the main helm, looking out the side window and monitoring the lower cockpit video camera.
This allows me to see when the stern is clear, when the final crew member boards for departure and when everyone is off the cockpit before going to cruising speed.
The other surprisingly large space on the M60/M55 is the salon. Because there is no lower helm, this is another social space for 6-8 people.
Handling
The only big boats I’ve ever operated were our Back Cove 37, 41, and Sabre 48. They had similar hull designs and performed well in rough water, each doing a little better than her shorter sibling.
Our largest – the Sabre 48 Flybridge, weighed in at 39,000 pounds with a half load. When we hauled the M60 in Plymouth, Curtis (the lift operator), told me Amazing Grace weighed in at 95,000 pounds!
Yes, the M60 weighs over twice as much as our Sabre 48, but other differences affect handling. Six hundred of the 1200-gallon fuel storage is located well forward under the master cabin and below the waterline.
The net result is an entirely different feel than the Back Cove/Sabre designs. They all felt like they were riding over the waves. The M60 feels like it’s plowing through the waves.
Last Tuesday, we ran from Plymouth to Salem about 15 miles east of Boston in 20-knot winds and 3-5 foot chop on top of long period 8-10 foot swells. We ran the entire time at a high-speed cruise of 27-29 MPH.
The Maritimo Sky Lounge is ridiculously quiet, with closed doors and windows. It’s quieter than a high-end luxury car or a passenger jet. Being 15’ above the waterline means you don’t hear the engines or the waves hitting the hull.
The weight, load distribution, and quietness combined to deliver handling in rough seas that feels more like a 747 flying through turbulence than any of our modern Downeast boats.
The only craziness occurs when you’re surfing down larger waves coming in at 45° off the transom. You get both a heavy bow steer and a significant pendulum effect at the helm. Now that I know, I’ll be avoiding those kinds of waves!
I added two options that may have an impact on performance. I opted for an ARG Stabilizer, which makes a big difference at the dock or on a mooring and probably at lower speeds. I also added Humphree Interceptors, which are also gyroscope-driven. The Inteceptors are mounted above the tunnels and fire up to 0.4 seconds to soften the list and trim.
Performance
Maritimo ran a brief sea trial before handing us the keys to the M60. The top speed at 2400 RPM is a few ticks over 34 MPH with 700 gallons and three passengers on board.
Our actual high-speed cruise occurs at 2150 RPMs. Depending on the fuel and passenger load, we see a 27-30 MPH cruising speed and an 80-gallon/hour diesel burn.
I’ve always been a “get there as fast as you can” kind of helmsman. And on most of my previous boats, the optimal MPG fell right around the 80% throttle load.
The M60 is different. I found two other fuel economy sweet spots. We were running from Edgartown to Menemsha, and my son-in-law was on a 90-minute Zoom call on the Sky Deck, so I timed our trip to just under two hours.
There is a very nice cruise at that speed – 13 MPH, that yields 0.6 MPG.
There is also one around 21 MPH that gives me 0.45 MPG.
These two lower speeds provide attractive and economical cruising options on a nice day when you’re not in a hurry. The 13 MPH is a curiosity since the calculated maximum displacement speed is under 10 MPH (the square root of LWL * 1.3.)
The low-speed steering performance is a bit challenging. The M60 has twin 1000 HP straight shafts. I ordered the tunnel drive option for a 4° shaft angle and a 3’ 10” draft.
As a result, steering the M60 at speeds under 10 MPH is challenging when compared to the twin pods on the Sabre 48. I’m still learning how to manage this by jogging the throttles to turn at low speed. It’s totally doable; it just takes practice.
The Lazarette
The additional length in the M60 over the M55 shows up in the Lazarette.
That’s four eBikes occupying about 25% of the space. The lifts on the M60 are hydraulic (versus electric on the M55) to handle the extra weight of the hatch. I added a 250 KG Crane that helps get the bikes up to deck level.
The only negative I found with the Lazarette was that it’s only 30” high when closed, which makes bike storage a little tricky.
Pleasant Day Cruising
We opted for sliding windows in the Sky Lounge and the doors between the Sky Lounge and Deck fully accordion, which provides a splendid open-air experience option on a pleasant day.
There were no opening helm windows on the Sabre 48, and it’s nice to revisit the “wind blowing through your hair“ experience on such a big boat.
Power Management
The M60 has 50 Amp power service, and it’s really hitting the top limit for that amount of power. She has seven Air Conditioners, five refrigerators, and five TVs. The ARG Stabilizer is air-cooled and draws significant power.
This makes it very easy to trip the shore power breaker. I’m getting good at strategically shutting down breakers to stay under 50 amps total draw, but it’s a challenge.
A Competent Liveaboard
The more time we spend on our M60, the more apparent it is that this boat – and all Maritimo M and S class yachts are designed for the couple that wants to pull up stakes and live on their boat.
There is an incredible amount of storage, and the boat is easy to clean.
The Maritimo M and S class boats start at 51 and run up to the new 75. If you’re looking for a highly competent bluewater boat, you should check them out.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions (davidjameshorne@gmail.com).
Thank you for the initial assessment. Wow, Amazing Grace is a BIG yacht. Tons of space, seems ideal for your cruising style. The enclosed fly bridge is a quiet cocoon, must be a peaceful ride up there.
Ahoy Dave,
Another excellent post that I can relate to. Yesterday Melissa and I reflected on our first year with the Belize 54. She commented on how smooth the seas were. Mind you, we have logged over 200 hrs which includes bringing the boat from Florida and going as far north as Penobscot Bay. I agree with the favorable seas ,but the increased mass has helped with our cruising enjoyment. Our Sabre 48 Sedan had a half load displacment of 37.5K compared to 54K for the Belize. The old engine adage of “no replacement for displacement” applies for boats as well. Conversely fuel economy is lower. From 18-27 knots, fuel consumption is fairly flat at .5nmpg. At these speeds the Sabre consumed .7nmpg.
When we met in Plymouth, you stated your preference for using slips. We employ all three methods for stationary boating. At Cutty Hunk we were excluded from using the moorings in the basin due to a 50 foot limit. This is a common limit for moorings. Fortunately, we were able to secure a mooring for larger vessels outside the harbor that was actually less dense and more pleasant. More importantly, it was serviced by the oyster boat!
None of our experiences with going bigger or choosing certain options is earth shattering or surprising. I can say that at least for me I downplayed these potential realities during the excitement of handing over that big check. The brilliance of your honest post is this: every boat is a compromise. The goal for all of us who enjoy this activity of adventure , family and friends is balance. To be clear, do I look back at the Sabre with vestiges of regret? Absolutely not.
Lastly, during our cruising vacation, Starlink enabled Melissa to log heavy hours from Mirth in preparation for the release of Amazon’s new Alexa product that took place this past week. Out of respect to her, I didn’t get to extend an invitation for you and the Mrs to tour our boat in Plymouth. Below is a link to a review of Mirth from the Miami boat show earlier this year. It is much, much smaller than Amazing Grace , but we remain enamored. Next year I hope to extend a tour with a cocktail!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbXlXGHE_II
Jim
What brand are your e-bikes?
I have two kinds. Two are Tern and two are Doheney. I also have a 250 KG crane that I use to get the heavier bikes up to the swim platforms.
The key is there is only 30” of headroom in the lazarette, so I have to fold down the handlebars on the Doheneys and remove the seats on the Terns. You also have to watch out for the lights on the ceiling.
I’d recommend these…
https://dohenybike.com/products/doheny-ext-extended