BILL Barry-Cotter's majestic luxury cruiser, the Maritimo 60 - named Cruiser of the Year and all-round Australian Boat of the Year in 2005 - has enhanced its reputation by being named best boat at the prestigious Newport International Boat Show, on Rhode Island.

The Gold Coast-built beauty claimed the top honour from more than 50 new boats considered by the judging panel.

Show organisers say the awards were part of a Newport For New Products program implemented for the show, which attracted more than 800 exhibitors and more than 650 boats in water and displayed on the hard.

Judges looked for vessels that made "a contribution to the experience of recreational boating".

The Maritimo 60 scored high marks for what the judging panel termed its well thought-out and executed design and innovative features, such as its true walk-around decks for safety in rough conditions.

Its large and fully-enclosed flying bridge and internal staircase also received prominent mention. The judges concluded the Maritimo 60 "represented the perfect design for long-range cruising".

The $2.5 million Maritimo 60 is the flagship of the current production, with the slightly smaller Maritimo 52 and Maritimo 48 also making their presence felt on the luxury boat market.

Maritimo USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Gold Coast company, is responsible for marketing the breed in the US and has already established a strong dealer network.