M600 owner review - versatility to the fore with Maritimo
by Maritimo 4 May 08:15 AEST
'How We Roll' is a very finely appointed Maritimo M600 Offshore Motor Yacht.
You may have to look very closely to see her optional Scania Di16 1150MHP V8s, and if her demountable game fishing chair is not in the command position, then it will be her enclosed transom, and outrigger poles that afford an appreciation as to her mission and sublime adaptability.
Just like so many Maritimos, 'How We Roll' has pampering owners who maintain their M600 in 'as new' condition where it's moored on the quay at their home. It is also not Wade and Margie's first vessel from the world recognised brand. In 2014 they secured a previously loved 2008 M52, and then after that in 2018 a new-to-them M70.
"We do two very distinctly different types of boating, as Margie is not that keen on going outside. When we are in family mode it's normally an inshore situation, either the Broadwater here on the Gold Coast, or up at Hamilton Island and the Whitsundays. She likes the smooth water, so we installed a Seakeeper gyro stabiliser to assist with that, and I'm a very keen fisho and so is my best mate, who is an ex-Pro fisherman, and he's my Deck Hand. So, this M600 works beautifully with its enclosed transom, because we've got the nice apartment inside for the family, or we can go out offshore fishing," said Wade.
A 'marlin addict' is how Wade describes himself. 'How We Roll' is a tag and release boat, and when operating in game fishing mode the tender will be left behind from its usual position on the bow, as Wade is a stickler for weight that's not needed. This he says can be a critical element in getting out to where the fish are. During a competition, this takes on even more importance.
"There's enormous room at the back of the boat which allows the chair to be out of the way of the lazarette, and we have adjustable slats in the huge fish well to stop the smaller fish sloshing about so much. It's a great set up with larger slats in the shorter swim platform so when we back down on a fish the water can escape, especially in the gap between the platform and the transom. The toe holds around the cockpit are great for stand-up fishing and placing tags in, but for me I just love the aft helm position, as it affords great visibility, and I am into the finding of the fish, much more so than the bringing them to the surface aspect of our sport."
"I find it's awesome to be able to look out the back. We see the bite before we normally get the bite. You just have to move around a bit to look for birds and so forth, as we did not want to go for a full tower," added Wade.
"Last year we did really well with our best being eight in day, and regularly we tagged and released six or seven marlin, but this year it has been more like just the one," said Wade by way of explaining just how important backing down is on How We Roll.
Whenever the weather is right, How We Roll will be out there, and Wade is very keen to get their M600 up to Lizard Island for the world-famous Marlin Tournament. When there's not a lot of luck with the marlin, they will try to get some reef fish, Schnapper, and as you can see from the pictures, a tuna or two. They have a bait board that can go into the chair slot when it comes to this.
Then there's How We Roll's other side, which Wade describes affectionately as, 'an apartment'. For these very disparate roles the Offshore version of Maritimo's famed enclosed flybridge motor yachts is literally perfect.
"As for the other role, we have two young adult boys, who normally miss departure time, and subsequently come out to join us on the jetski. We entertain a lot of friends as well, so the enclosed transom is great for younger kids and animals. We do cook plenty of meals in the galley, which is an unbelievable space. Obviously, you've then got the tender up on the foredeck to run people ashore and whatever, then there's swimming, SUP, and so forth, and the lazarette is huge for any other storage. The M600 really does it all."
"Entertaining-wise, just seeing the joy in people's faces when they're swimming and eating and having a few glasses of champagne or whatever, well, it's just incredible!"
As for the things Margie loves about their M600, and with a smile the first thing she said was, "The Seakeeper. Ha ha. I love the convenience and comfort of the galley and cockpit lounge, as well as the dishwasher for the afterparty clean up."
"I can entertain outside, throw a line in to catch some whiting, or hide away in the master bed and watch movies." Wade then added, "Quite often I will find her and her friends sitting half submerged on the swim platform (all with a glass of champagne in hand of course)."
"Also, with the docking control joystick, there's no more arguing when returning to the pontoon," said Margie.
Having had three Maritimos now, Wade and Margie are familiar with the whole sales process. "They've just been unbelievable. We did a couple of factory tours during the process, and it was great to have some input into the M600 through its development. The whole process was terrific."
To emphasise the value of their whole experience, Wade commented, "Just 10 days after taking delivery, Wade and Margie took How We Roll up to Hamilton Island as part of the 2023 Maritimo Migration. Matt Johnson from BMS, who I dealt with to buy the boat, came on the trip with me. So that was awesome. There were little issues that we had on the way up, he fixed what he could, and then when we got to Hamilton, they had a Maritimo Technician there waiting, who came on board and fixed the problem in one day. How good is that?"
The optional Scania Di16s mean that How We Roll heads out to the fishing grounds at a comfortable 24-25 knots and can make 35 in the right conditions, and this was very much something that Wade wanted to have. Power to spare. It also helped that he had the same powerplants in the M70 he traded out of, and had nothing but adoration for them.
"The best thing I love about my M600 is the way it handles the offshore. No matter how uncomfortable it gets out there, getting hit on the side or whatever, you still feel safe. I just love the feeling of safety in the boat and feel like you can take it anywhere. It's a surety for you and your passengers you just cannot describe. That along with how versatile it is to do all the things we want is literally phenomenal."
How We Roll was named so after a hilarious time during a radio sched on board on Wade's previous boats. They had endured a trying day with no results, and just their turn came up to respond, they hooked up, and instead of saying that boat's real name, Wade simply said 'This is how we roll', and the crew insisted the next boat be called thus. It has, and the fun times for all have flowed on.
Asked if the M600 is his forever boat or whether he had another Maritimo in him, Wade finished with a chuckle, "I think I might have one more in me in a few years' time, but this one will do me for a little while."
View the M600 Flybridge Motor Yacht