Superyacht
DIAMOND HEAD: Maori 64
The Maori 64 mixes avant-garde styling with rock star attitude to create one of the most distinctive craft on the water. Yachts takes a deeper look at the Marco Ciampa designed yacht.
Yachts
The Olbia studio of Marco Ciampa is only a short cruise away from the Sardinian yachting hotspots of Porto Rotondo, Capriccioli bay and Porto Cervo. Working on the Costa Smeralda is about as inspiring as it can get for a designer, as many of the world’s most well known yachts anchor there for the summer season. Being surrounded by iconic hulls, Ciampa’s inspiration is evident and with the forward thinking of the Maori Yachts vision, his adventurous concepts for the shipyard make it through to the build stage without question.
AVANT GARDE
For the latest Maori Yacht, the awe inspiring 64, the Italian designer starts the silhouette off with his iconic ‘diamond head’. This distinctive bow treatment sets the avant-garde tone for the rest of the yacht and is a bold design statement. But, that is just the beginning. A pair of red-trimmed sofas make up the foredeck lounge on this 18-metre, with, incredibly, the lines of the hardtop starting from the armrests. Here, the golden lines swoop up towards the windscreen, flanking a huge, red sunpad before coming to an end alongside the hardtop.
The hull lines are equally as intriguing, arcing aft from the diamond head bow to the swim platform, creating a feeling of movement. However, during navigation, the bottom of the large hull windows remain parallel with the ocean, exaggerating the already sporty silhouette. Ciampa really has put considerable effort in matching the 64’s looks to her performance.
This distinctive bow treatment sets the avant-garde tone for the rest of the yacht and is a bold design statement.
POWER
As the Maori is 18-metres of aggressive sportster, it was never going to be propelled by a couple of inboard V6s. To match the looks, Maori has two engine options: 2x FPT turbo diesels rated at 825hp each, and 2x MAN turbo diesels rated at 1200hp each. That’s enough raw power to propel the Maori up to 46-knots (with the MANs), while also allowing it to cruise at 38-knots. To top the performance off, the 64 is propelled by JollyDrive surface drives. Not only are they more efficient as there’s less drag, but the result of running propellers that operate half in and half of the water is a huge, guest-pleasing rooster tail at full throttle.
Despite its size, the Maori 64 is agile and comfortable on the water. It is an excellent combination of elegance and speed.
GUEST COMFORT
Thanks to its walk around design, the 64’s layout is geared for guest sharing, with the main deck featuring a large sun-pad aft. Here, the headrests also act as the back rests for the aft sofa. Forward is the lounge, featuring two L-shaped sofas with corresponding tables, where underway, we’d recommend sitting, as at full throttle the mix of horsepower and surface drives mean the ride can be exhilarating. Put it this way, you’ll need to be firmly wedged in with something to hold onto when the skipper’s having fun.
Opposite the helm is lounger, with the sliding door that leads down to the cabin in between. At the bottom of the steps is the master cabin, which is bright and airy, thanks to the aforementioned windows. These are huge for an 18-metre yacht, and thanks to a cream and chocolate colour way, the sun’s rays create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
| Maori Yacht 64 Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Overall length: | 18.76 m |
| Waterline length: | 17.60 m |
| Beam max: | 5.50 m |
| Draught: | 0.95 m |
| Displacement: | 25 tons |
| Full speed: | 46 kn |
| Cruising speed: | 38 kn |
| Navigation category CE 94/25: | A |
| Certification forms: | B RINA |
| Passengers (including crew): | 16 |
| Crew: | 1 |
CONCLUSION
The Maori 64 is basically a concept that the shipyard actually went and built. Marco Ciampa’s design is an adventurous one, with the unique execution of the bow, sun-pad, windscreen and canopy making the big walk around instantly recognisable. Add the full throttle rooster tail from the surface drives and you have a superstar performer on every level.
