1:53 AM Mon 24 Nov 2008 GMT
 | | 'Maritimo C60 Sports Cabriolet 2008'
Maritimo |
Maritimo, Australia's premiere manufacturer of long-range, luxury motor yachts has its eye firmly on the future and is investing heavily in research and development in the immediate future.
Industry legend and Maritimo CEO Bill Barry-Cotter plans on spending $10 million on R and D during the next financial year.
'We have a five-year plan at present and the initial results will be seen at the 2009 Sydney International Boat Show (July 30 - August 4) when we unveil six of seven planned new models,' he said.
'These are not re-styled or re-badged boats I'm speaking of, they're new vessels in every respect,' he declared.
Despite a boat building career now stretching back more than 40-years, Bill Barry-Cotter shows no sign (or inclination!) of slowing down.
Still heavily involved with his favourite sport, offshore powerboat racing, he will campaign a new Maritimo-built race boat for the '09 season. This new catamaran, created at the company's Coomera plant, will be capable of 260km/hr-plus.
Bill will probably take the wheel with friend and key Maritimo staff member Ross 'Roscoe' Willaton handling the throttles.
Away from the race circuits, Bill Barry-Cotter can normally be found at one of the production facilities at Hope Island or Coomera.
It may surprise some to learn that he does not have an office, preferring to spend his time 'hands-on' on the lines.
'It's what I do,' he says, 'I'm a boat builder.'
Although some of the planned new models destined for the Maritimo range remain 'under cover' at present, marketing director Luke Durman has confirmed three new Aegean flying bridge sportboats, two new Cabriolets and the massive flagship, the 73' Sky Lounge will headline the first releases.
'A the end of this current financial situation, Maritimo will be marketing a range of boats that will be the envy of boat builders worldwide,' Durman declared.
'We will be in an excellent position to take full advantage of a market upturn.
Durman said a restructuring of the company workforce had played a major role in determining a bright future for Maritimo.
'Rather than let good people go we have moved them into R and D and I am supremely confident this move, allied with the proposed new range will see Maritimo position itself as a powerhouse in the boast building world,' he added.
For further information, contact Maritimo, telephone (07) 5588-6000 or visit the website www.maritimo.com.au
by Bob Wonders
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Macquarie Island, TAS
