- The Maritimo 100 crew will enjoy five-star opulence on their voyage
- The ship features marble bathrooms and a professional chef’s kitchen.
Not even the Maritimo 100 crew expect the supermaxi to push its Sydney rivals to Hobart honours.
But with the five-star luxury they’ll enjoy on board, sailors can’t be blamed for simply wanting to enjoy the trip.
Maritimo, entering Sydney-Hobart for the first time, is one of only two 100ft supermaxis built by British luxury yacht designer Oyster. The other, Serafim, went on sale in 2022 for 6,300,000 euros (10.5 million Australian dollars).
Maritimo can boast being the most decadent boat in the 104-boat racing fleet, with marble bathrooms, stunning views and separate lounge and dining spaces.
While its rivals eat freeze-dried food or whatever they cooked at home this week, Maritimo presents a gallery of professional chefs with an elaborate menu.
“Tonight it’s roast ham and roast potatoes,” captain Peter Jones said of Thursday’s menu.
The Maritimo 100 (pictured) is so opulent it could be a five-star floating hotel.
You can’t blame Sydney to Hobart Maritimo sailors for wanting to take their time getting to Tasmania when they enjoy a luxury like this.
The ship features marble bathrooms and a professional chef’s kitchen, but the revealing level of sumptuousness could hurt the crew’s chances of line honors.
The range of features means the Maritimo weighs more than 100 tonnes, a major hurdle in the bid to reach Hobart before rival supermaxis LawConnect, Master Lock Comanche or Wild Thing 100.
Comanche, the world’s most impressive 100-footer, is the favorite for line honours, but the varied forecast conditions will also suit her closest rival and reigning champion, LawConnect.
But the bookmakers are not even offering a price for Maritimo to clinch the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup by being the first to get over the post, and her rivals are equally skeptical about her chances.
“Maritimo 100 will certainly have better food and a nicer ride than us, but she won’t be anywhere near the leaders when we approach Bass Strait in the early hours of tomorrow morning,” said Comanche co-skipper Matt Allen.
That won’t surprise Maritimo, as the crew is willing to prioritize enjoyment over praise.
“We’re in no hurry,” Jones said.
The state-of-the-art vessel was built by British luxury yacht manufacturer Oyster.
While other crews will cook their food in plastic bags, sailors on the Maritimo 100 will enjoy meals such as roast ham and roast potatoes.
“This time we really want to compete and make sure we shift gears again and get through the first few days of weather and enjoy our trip there.”
That said, the forecasts seem favorable for a large ship like the Maritimo.
The fleet was expected to travel up the New South Wales coast in northeasterly winds before a west to southwest change occurred over Bass Strait.
That will cause strong gusts and possibly rain.
“(The forecast) will actually be pretty good for us,” Jones said.
“The boat is quite heavy and will sail much better in larger seas than many lighter boats, so we should be able to sail tonight.”
The crew need not worry if the weather becomes too wet and wild.
‘Each of the cabins has hot showers. Every now and then we’ll be able to take a shower,” Jones said.