On the Gold Coast in Queensland, where the mangroves thin into open water and the Pacific light feels both sharp and forgiving, the annual Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show offers its own theatre. For some visitors it is spectacle, for others it is pilgrimage. Rows of bright hulls sit polished in the sun, flags lifting and snapping in the wind, and there is a murmur that comes only when money, leisure and a touch of escapism converge.
This year, tucked among the larger yachts and glossy tenders, the Australian builder Maritimo chose to unveil the S60 Sedan Motor Yacht. It is not the first time the company has drawn a crowd here. The M60 Flybridge, launched not long ago, was a success, praised for its space and long-range cruising ability. But where the M60 asked its owners to climb, the S60 keeps everything level. In its restraint lies its charm.
What you notice first is the profile. The roofline stretches long and low, sleek enough to look athletic, yet practical in its shade and cover. It is a boat that does not seek to impress through bravado. Instead, it suggests time. Time at anchor. Time with company. Time moving gently between spaces.
Step on board and this philosophy becomes clear. The flow from saloon to cockpit to water is seamless, as if the interior and exterior were designed as one. It is not a vessel that dictates how it should be used, but rather one that allows owners to shape their own rituals of sea life.
Maritimo’s marketing manager, Simon Stewart, put it plainly: “The protection from the elements, yet connection with the environment, is what owners want.” It is a sentiment that echoes across the deck. At the bow, a sculpted sunbed waits beneath the option of shade. Aft, the cockpit holds perhaps the most telling feature: a larger module concealing barbecue, fridge and sink, alongside a cavernous lazarette for stowing paddleboards, diving kit or the clutter of long days at sea. It is a space designed not just for show but for use.
From here the vessel fans outward. Transom gates fold away, side doors open to the dock, and walk-around decks lead forward without obstruction. Even functional details, such as air vents, have been re-positioned with subtlety. It all feels considered, the work of designers attuned to how people move rather than how brochures read.
The Adventure Deck lies close to the water, a platform that can carry tenders or simply host lunch under umbrellas. Children might clamber from it into the sea. Adults might stretch into long afternoons with a glass in hand. Above, a Utility Deck takes care of the practicalities, with space for kayaks, boards or a life raft, and a davit that makes their launch effortless.
In these spaces the S60 reveals its intent. It is not just about passage making, though it can carry its owners far. It is about the transition between movement and stillness, the shift from the helm to the horizon to the table.
The saloon is the natural gathering point. Large windows keep the space bright, and when the sunroof is open the interior feels almost like a veranda. The galley, set aft, has been part of Maritimo’s design language for two decades. Here it has been refined further, lighter, easier to move through, more welcoming. It is as much a social hub as a kitchen.
For the helmsman, a “floating dash” serves as the centrepiece. It gathers instruments, navigation and cameras in a single plane. Yet what matters most is the connection it affords. Communication with the saloon, the cabins below, and the decks aft is near seamless. The driver is no longer apart, but part of the gathering.
Beneath, the cabins offer retreat. The VIP stateroom is angled for ease, with storage tucked discreetly beneath. A third cabin can shift from twin to double at the touch of a button, a nod to the flexibility of modern boating.
The master suite stretches across the full beam, five metres wide, a sanctuary as much as a sleeping space. A king-sized bed anchors the room, while panoramic windows frame the water at eye level. Light falls across a day bed set aside for reading, reminding you that a yacht is as much for quiet mornings as for noisy afternoons.
Details matter here too: level floors to avoid hazards, ample storage, fittings drawn from Maritimo’s Black Edition. Even the laundry is discreetly folded into the companionway, acknowledging the reality that life aboard extends beyond leisure.
The S60 is not a radical departure, nor does it try to be. Its appeal lies in refinement. It listens to the rhythms of how people spend their time on the water. It does not dictate speed or distance, but invites owners to linger. It offers shade when the sun is at its height, openness when the air cools, and always a space to gather, converse and share.
For some, the joy of yachting lies in velocity, the feel of power through the hull. For others, it lies in solitude, the horizon unbroken. The Maritimo S60 seems to sit between the two. It is a vessel for both escape and connection, for travel and for pause.
