Our Yacht

OUR HOME: M/Y TANGAROA

OUR PLAN is to spend the next 3 to 5 years living full time on TANGAROA, our 51′ Maritimo motor yacht (“M/Y”).

CHOOSING “TANGAROA“

First, you may be asking, “what is that name?” Glad you asked!

We’ve lived part time in the Far North of New Zealand since 2004 and feel a kindred spirit with that beautiful country and wanted to maintain a connection to “Aotearoa,” or the Land of the Long White Cloud. Māori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand, have a rich mythology, much of which is nature-based.

In Māori mythology, TANGAROA is one of the great gods. He is a son of Ranginui, Father Sky, and Papatūānuku, Mother Earth. The father of many sea creatures, Tangaroa is considered the Guardian of the Sea.

Click here & click on the speaker icon next to the name to listen to the proper Māori pronunciation of Tangaroa. (We tend to pronounce it with a more distinct “g” and “r” or roll the “r,” if possible.)

Both of us have been long involved in helping to protect wildlife and ocean environments. Through our photography, writing, cinematography, non-profit work, and activism, both of us try to use our voice and skills to help protect our oceans.

OUR LOGO

The colors in the logo represent the brilliant greens, blues, and purples of the paua, Maori for “abalone” (Haliotis australis). Paua are found throughout New Zealand. When brought up from the sea (as paua are a favorite coastal food), the shells are covered in deposits of lime and marine growth. Removing this layer and polishing the shell reveals the the stunning iridescent colors and patterns. Each paua is unique in its range and depth of colors giving it the moniker of “sea opal”. Polished paua is used in jewelry and other artwork.

POLISHED PAUA SHELL

Orca are one of our favorite ocean dwellers. Found throughout the world’s oceans, from pole to pole, orca are the largest members of the dolphin family. Intelligent and family-oriented, the striking black-and-white marine mammals are always a thrill to see in the wild!

Our ORCA

FINDING TANGAROA

For years we attended boat shows when possible, wandered marinas during our travels to suss out boats in harbors, looked at many different vessels in person, and scoured the Internet to look at various manufacturers and models. We freewheel dreamed about the ideal vessel to do the diving, filming, and exploring we envisioned.

We wanted an ocean-worthy craft that had the speed to outrun a storm, a super-comfy living space with the comforts of home, plenty of storage, and a solidly-built beautiful yacht. Every time, we came back to Maritimo. Their tag line, “Intelligent Luxury,” perfectly describes their brand.

Finding the just the right Maritimo took quite a while. It was a journey of ups and downs.

Finally, we found Tangaroa.

TANGAROA DECK PLANS and VESSEL SPECS

The Maritimo M51 Flybridge model is one of Maritimo’s most popular vessels. It’s a genuine long-range luxury motor yacht, the perfect boat for two people: there’s plenty of living space with all the lovely amenities of a well-appointed condo, it has the power necessary for moving quickly when needed, and it’s easy for two people to operate.

When we started looking at Maritimo’s, their M48 was our favorite model. That one is still a beauty, but with every iteration of a boat, the company outdoes itself with new design features, upgrades, finishes, and comforts. The M51 is now the smallest model the company produces but it loses none of the Maritimo hallmarks: the aft bi-fold doors, internal staircase to the enclosed flybridge, and the walk around decks to the forward end of the windscreen. Maritimo’s advanced hull design and race-bred technology ensure superb balance, poise and fuel efficiency without compromise.

Maritimo plans allow for customization. We chose to have the third room in which the washer/ dryer is installed as our camera & equipment room. There’s an option to put a mattress in for another bunk, but we added a sofa bed to the settee in the upper flybridge should we need space for another person to sleep.

It’s the sum of all the details including the impressive full beam master, beautiful forward guest stateroom, and two fully-appointed bathrooms that feel like ones in a house, not on a boat. The aft galley is generous with ample storage and many other features. Bi-fold doors open out to the spacious cockpit area. With those doors open, the main deck feels huge! The feature that really sold Tom on this model is the electrically operated lazarette hatch. It’s like having a big basement storage area for all of our equipment!

The top deck, or FLYBRIDGE. The helm station, where we drive the boat, is forward right, with a settee next to it. At the rear of the bridge is another settee (perfect for naps, reading, or relaxing) that has a pull-out bed beneath the cushions. Behind the enclosed flybridge, accessed via a door, is the juliette deck. We call it our “gym” because it’s where we have the exercycle. There’s a small fridge on the deck, too. With it’s comfy seats cantilevered behind the teak deck, the view from up here is terrific. It’s a favorite place to hang out and watch the world, or to view wildlife.
Below the flybridge is the MAIN DECK. This is where we step aboard the vessel. There’s a whole lot on this deck, from the back end all the way to the front of the salon, or living room.
There’s a whole lot of well-designed space on the LOWER DECK. Forward of the salon are the staterooms. To the rear are the engines and the lazarette (storage).

MARITIMO 51 SPECS

Because we plan to travel long distances to islands far off the coast, and want enough fuel to outrun a storm if necessary, we had Maritimo install a spare fuel 200 gallon fuel tank in the vessel. If we travel at 7 knots (our slowest speed) we burn about 2 gal/ hr. That means we have about 3,000 miles of range on one tank. For a powerboat, that is impressive!
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