Maritimo M75 Yacht Review
Dense white walls of spray crashed over the bow and buffeted the towering enclosed bridge. The wipers sprinted from side to side, flicking the spray from the boat’s brow like a fighter saying, “Is that all you got?” I’m reminded of the maxim builders like Maritimo often use: You’ll break before the boat does. This would certainly be the case on this day.
The stacked chop we were blasting through off Ft. Lauderdale was but a small test of the M75’s offshore prowess and she was passing it with aplomb. From the exceptionally quiet enclosed bridge, the seas were running two- to three-feet with a breeze blowing around maybe 20 knots. There was no pounding. We seemed to simply glide through the waves at every angle.
After concluding our two-way speed run, where we clocked an impressive 28 knots, I stepped down into the salon and cockpit to get a feel for the guest experience underway. Stepping out into the cockpit, watching the wind recklessly throw spray around, I thought to myself: Huh, it’s windier that I thought. I proceeded to pop my head around the starboard wing station and up the side deck as a wall of white water was sent airborne and whizzing past me. Nope, these were honest five-foot seas we were running over; without getting to eye level outside the quiet comfort of the cabin, I never would have known it. Therein lies the M75’s—and indeed Maritimo’s—secret sauce. The yacht handles a sea so well, and the helm is so comfortable, you don’t quite appreciate how rough it really is. I liken it to going from driving your parents’ old beater and then taking a luxury sports car for a spin; you don’t know how fast you’re going until you see the speedometer.
In almost every way, including the driving experience, the M75 feels massive. From its expansive, teak-laden cockpit, which Maritimo calls an Adventure Deck, up to a flybridge that doubles as a second salon to the nonskid-clad bow, everything feels heavy, strong and reassuring.
As thankful as I was for the boat’s massive proportions while underway, there were a couple of moments I wished she were just a bit smaller. One was when docking. Capt. Tom Jagucki, a seriously salty and experienced captain, who also happened to sell the first Maritimo in the United States, quietly and confidently pulled us out of and into a slip so tight I swear you couldn’t fit a sandwich between our rub rail and the gleaming Zeelander we were alongside. He credited the boat’s maneuverability for his successful, windy extraction, but he must have ice water running through his veins—because he and I know that both man and machine deserve credit.
Navigating Ft. Lauderdale’s New River was another opportunity to see how a confident captain and masterful maneuverer like the M75 can work as a dynamic duo. On the day of our test (and in fact on most days here in general), the New River’s bridges, boat traffic, blind turns and various flotsam were not for the faint of heart. But with help from the thrusters, the responsive 75-footer held station on a dime, shifted and pirouetted in place like blender blades, and idled through a procession of boat traffic at just the right speed.
Aside from docking a boat with a nearly 20-foot beam, the final time I would have liked the M75 to be just a bit smaller was when it came time to rinse the salt off her—there is always a price to pay for making waves offshore. Walking up the side deck to the bow with a hose, I imagined that she probably feels like a super-yacht when it comes time to treat her to a fresh coat of wax.
Still, I enjoyed the short chore of helping to rinse down the 75. It helped me to imagine being an owner of this model and allowed me to daydream about grilling in the cockpit as friends buzzed around in the dinghy or played with SeaBobs. I could daydream about kicking all of them off and having my family settle into the four staterooms (two with single berths, a VIP forward and master amidships) for a night on the hook in the Caribbean. I could see everyone enjoying a movie night in the salon or listening to idle chatter on the VHF while taking in panoramic views with a cup of coffee from the bridge.
More than anything I could easily dream of cruising long and far while having the peace of mind that comes with owning a seaworthy Maritimo like the M75.
Maritimo M75 Specifications:
LOA: 75’8”
Beam: 19’8”
Draft: 5’3”
Displ.: 121,695 lb.
Fuel: 2,641 gal.
Water: 370 gal.
Standard Power: 2/1150-hp Scania DI16
Optional Power: 2/1,380-hp MTU 10V2000 M86
2/1,625-hp MTU 10V2000 M96L
This article originally appeared in the February 2025 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
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Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/cruisers/maritimo-m75-yacht-review
