What virtues make a motor yacht stand out from the crowd, especially when it occupies a category as competitive as the 50-foot segment? According to three years of research and development involving feedback from Maritimo owners and dealers, the answer lies in a combination of ease of operation and maintenance, timeless styling and functionality. The S50 Sedan Motor Yacht serves these and more in spades and is fast on its way to becoming the best-selling model in the Maritimo range. The S50 was the centrepiece of Maritimo’s $38 million showcase at the 2026 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May, following in the wake of the M50 Flybridge the year prior. But, as designers and management are quick to point out, the S50 is different, not derivative.


“The S50 is not a sedan conversion of the M50,” explains Phil Candler, Maritimo Operations Manager. “It’s a totally new model from concept to design, through plugs and moulds to sharper styling that will inform the models that follow it. The S50 has the same proven hull, forward and master accommodation, but everything else has been reinvented. From the moment you step aboard, entirely new facets of design make it stand out from every other sedan that precedes it.”

The brand’s new sedan motor yacht wraps all of Maritimo’s 22 years of engineering and design prowess in one 15.69m package, including shaft-drive propulsion, a single-level main deck and accommodation for four guests in two cabins. The S50 fills the space in Maritimo’s range for owners seeking the company’s blue-water capability in a smaller sedan package suited to smaller berths and different cruising requirements.

Sleek sedan

Docked at Maritimo headquarters at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast, the S50 looked sleek and slender when we arrived for our on-water test. The streamlined S50 features a sharply raked three-panel windscreen, black glasshouse, slender hardtop and sculpted hull windows that its designers describe as ‘Mediterranean-inspired’. Measuring 15.69m overall, the S50 has a beam of 5.22m. The 1.3m articulated high-low swim platform can be used for access, angling, sunbathing, or carrying a tender or PWC. Ingeniously, the platform hinges vertically to reduce the vessel’s overall length by 750mm for berthing in a 15m pen.

Aiming to create a category-leading 50-footer with unrivalled living areas, designers have achieved increased usable cockpit space of approximately 300mm by carrying the beam forward. This is an aft deck-cockpit designed for long, lazy days on the water with friends and family, supervising the chef, or vicariously enjoying the on-water fun. The transom incorporates an integrated barbecue, refrigeration, sink and ice storage with generous storage beneath the Euro-style boot. The cockpit module also comprises seating for six around a fixed table. Lifting the lid reveals access to a lazarette for fenders, water toys and other equipment. Secondary access is located beneath the forward-facing cockpit seat. Engine-room access is through a large floor hatch in the upper cockpit, which benefits from moulded liner and insulation.

The main event

Leveraging the sedan characteristic of single-level living, designers have kept steps to a minimum for optimal comfort and safety. The cockpit and interior, separated by large sliding glass doors are on the same level, with just a drainage grate between them. New to this model, the gourmet galley is located to port, arranged around a U-shaped benchtop and preparation area, allowing for direct passage from the cockpit to the helm. Decked out for entertaining, the galley comprises double sinks, a Miele cooktop and oven, full-height refrigeration and integrated storage. On the starboard side is cabinetry concealing double freezer drawers, an ice machine and additional bench space below the windows. On this model, the wood panelling is enviro-oak, a reconstituted timber product, giving the interiors a fresh, contemporary feel.

One step up from the galley is the saloon, where slim window mullions, a low roof structure and two overhead ceiling hatches open up the space to light and passing panoramas. Headroom is approximately 2.4m near the galley and two metres in the main lounge, amplifying the generous proportions. Optional two-stage side windows enhance the ventilation and views. A C-shaped lounge, which folds out to a double bed – perfectly practical for teenagers or extra guests for overnight stays on board – is positioned to port, complemented by a mobile table that converts from coffee table to dining table. And rounding out the hospitable saloon, a two-seater settee set on an angle is located on the starboard side between the galley and helm, while a 65-inch television is installed on an electric lift within the port-side storage unit.

Helm, systems and propulsion

One of the main advantages of the sedan is the helm’s central location in the thick of the action, connecting the skipper with those in the saloon and aft deck. Another first for Maritimo, the lowered dash, consisting of two 19-inch Garmin displays and controls for onboard systems, is designed to provide an unobstructed view over the bow. The twin helm seats are electrically adjustable and heated for those extended passages in cool weather.

Taking this baby of the Maritimo stable through the Seaway into open water, the sporty heart of the S50, and its lightweight, low centre of gravity construction come to the fore. The key, according to veteran skipper, Ross “Rossco” Willaton, is “the low-mounted central fuel tank replacing conventional wing tanks. This positions the fuel load closer to the centreline and lowers the centre of gravity. The arrangement is intended to maintain more consistent trim and stability as fuel is consumed and to increase space in the engine compartment.”

Propelled by twin Volvo-Penta D13 diesel engines producing 800 metric horsepower each, driving through ZF gearboxes and conventional shafts, the S50 is capable of topping 30kn. The Volvo Penta Trim Assist automatically adjusts the yacht’s running angle, while the Volvo Penta Interceptor System reduces roll and pitch motion by up to 60 per cent when underway, but not at rest. Hull number one is not fitted with a gyro stabiliser, but there’s space available if owners specify. During our test run, the S50 reached the plane at 14kn, and optimal cruising speed of 24kn at approximately 1900 to 2000 RPM. At this pace, the vessel maintains a relatively flat trim with a fine bow entry and clean wake – a testament to Maritimo’s priority on offshore, long-range capability. With 3,500l of fuel and 750l of fresh water, the S50 possesses the cruising range and onboard independence expected of Maritimo, the blue-water specialist.

Smart suites

Accommodation is located below decks, reached by a companionway with stairs oriented to port, compared with the opposite on previous models. Within the stairwell, an 8kg washer and dryer are installed – imperatives for weekends, weeks or longer stays on board. The two-stateroom layout was carefully considered, prioritising headroom, storage and a sense of space that evokes the ease and amenity of a much larger vessel. The full-beam master cabin amidships features a king-size bed, private ensuite, wardrobes and cupboards galore, a chaise to port, and large through-hull windows with opening portholes. Rounded bulkheads above the bed add a sense of contemporary luxury. The forward VIP cabin has an offset queen bed that can separate into twin beds. There’s storage aplenty beneath the bed, in pigeonhole cabinets and wardrobes, plus an ensuite which serves as the day head.

S evolved

Stretching far beyond the parameters of a 50ft sedan, the Maritimo S50 captures everything the Australian builder has mastered over more than two decades of designing offshore motor yachts. Elegant, never extravagant, practical and stylish, the S50 is equally at home in coastal anchorages as it is heading out to the reef. For owners seeking a refined, manageable and capable cruising motor yacht, the S50 represents a compelling new benchmark.

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By Jeni Bone