TRUE COURSE
Elegant powerboats for warmer climates
Home to the world’s largest coral reef, Australia’s coast is opportune for the lifestyle of sailors and cruisers. An awarded boat builder and a purveyor of innovative design, it was natural that Bill Barry-Cotter, founder of Maritimo Yachts, sought handcrafted luxury motor yachts for sailing the country’s coastline.
We speak with Greg Haines, international sales and marketing manager, on the ideal Maritimo yacht, his life as a boat builder, and the future of yachting.
Q: Tell us more about your background and how you got involved in the yachting business.
My father started a business in 1959 building small fibreglass boats. He had a partner that came on in the 1970s, after which got my dad kicked out, quite simply. In 1984, we started building boats again. It became the Haines Group, which I currently own with my brother. We manufacture signature powerboats, travel powerboats, seafarer powerboats, and tournament powerboats. We also distribute Suzuki Marine for the Australian and New Zealand markets. Simultaneously, I also work with Maritimo Yachts. I bought a Maritimo 48 before I started working with them. Right now, I have a Maritimo 62.
Q: What have your clients come to expect from a Maritimo yacht?
Our boats are a little bit different compared to other boats in the market; our boats have a fully enclosed flybridge. In particular markets like Singapore where it’s so hot and humid, most of our clients prefer this feature. The enclosed flybridge also houses an internal staircase where most boats will typically have a ladder that’s external of the boat; this makes it a lot safer. We also have bi-fold doors between the saloon and cockpit that opens up the whole back of the boat on a really nice day. In the Pacific Northwest, our enclosed flybridge also works for them because they can run heating.
Q: How does the Maritimo concept appeal to the Asian market and what unique services do you offer?
Our boats have bigger fuel tanks so they can travel further. With numerous nearby islands from St. John’s to Phuket, you can drive as far as Indonesia and go fishing if you want to for a week.
Q: Which among your boat models tend to be more popular in Southeast Asia and why?
Based on the price of entry, Maritimo 51 is the most popular. Southeast Asia is a tropical region so it is largely dependent on the enclosed flybridges and the fully air-conditioned spaces. Our boats of this size are typically run by a three-person crew, though it can vary as it depends on the size of the boat and how confident the customer is in managing it.
Q: What is the single biggest challenge affecting the yachting industry at the moment? What is one change you would implement?
What’s starting to happen is a lot more remission controls so engines are becoming cleaner. But by going “clean”, they are becoming more expensive. Our clients tend not to finance boats and instead buy them outright. But if there was a cost-effective way of financing a boat for a longer period of time, and reducing the cost of entry, I think that would create more demand in the market.
Q: What is the most important advice you’d like to share with someone who is buying his or her first yacht?
Do it slowly. A lot of clients are experienced buyers and they move up from smaller boats. On the other hand, some clients might buy a Maritimo 70 for their first time. With every purchase, we always do an extensive handover process where we show clients how all the systems work on the boat because it can get quite complex. And we also demonstrate how to drive them.
What I mean by “do it slowly” is to get your confidence up before you try and do things that you don’t think you should do. Because you’re going out into the open ocean most of the time, and you have to keep your wits about you.
Also, don’t go out if it’s too windy. It’s much more different than buying a car because on a boat, you’re out there experiencing 30- to 40-knot winds and tall seas.You need to have good experience to be in big weather in a boat.
Q: What aspects of sailing do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy going on a cruise with family and friends, dropping the anchor in the ocean and spending the night out at sea. I also fish and go scuba diving. Living in Australia and being surrounded by the coast gives me the opportunity to do all three.
Q: What is the best place you have visited, and what activities did you enjoy the most?
One of my favourite places is an island off Central Queensland called Lady Musgrave. It’s a beautiful coral cay with a small island around it and turquoise blue water.You can fish just outside of it and go scuba diving and snorkelling inside it. It’s a magnificent part of the world. Another place I really like is Indonesia, down the area called Raja Ampat. I was on a charter boat down there for a week just diving and fishing.
Q: If you weren’t working on boats, what would you be doing?
I don’t know [laughs]. I’d probably be in marketing or sales somewhere. But I love boats. I started my first boat show when I was 12 years old. I have been involved with boat shows for 33 years. I learned a lot from my father — I can physically build any part of the boat, from the upholstery to the timbre work to the fibreglass.
Q: What does the future of yachting look like?
Boats are getting bigger. Forty years ago, the marina berths were smaller and reserved for 30-foot boats. Now, 30-foot boats are considered “very small” boats and the current trend is a 50-foot boat. Boats are also getting a lot more complex with a lot more systems, yet they’re a lot safer. Modern technology like thrusters and GPS navigation make them easier to drive, compared to the old parallel rule and chart. By the owner’s request, the Maritimo 70 Dragon Pearl has the most high-technology communication systems on it that can be reached anywhere in the world, even in the middle of the sea.
We just released a 59-foot boat at Miami in February. In May, we released its sedan version at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show in Australia; it’s a similar boat without the flybridge. We’re also having the sedan version of the Maritimo 70 being released. We’re also investigating doing something bigger than the 70, maybe something over 80 feet in length. We’re not looking into doing a superyacht yet, but this is getting there.