Three well-regarded boats, three different ideas of what a coupe-style cruiser should be. Here’s how they actually stack up on the numbers that matter once you’re using the boat rather than reading the brochure.

Draft – where you can actually go

The Absolute draws roughly 1.0m. The Riviera 465 SUV draws 1.33m, and the Maritimo S50 sits deeper again at 1.39m. Half a metre doesn’t sound like much until you’re the boat that can still get into a Waiheke Bay or park close to the beach at Kawau while the others are anchoring further out. In the Hauraki Gulf, that difference shows up on nearly every trip.

Cabins – who’s actually staying aboard

The Absolute and the Riviera both run three cabins as standard, so either suits a couple who regularly has guests or family staying over. The Maritimo S50 is a two-cabin boat – it’s built more around a full-beam master and a broader, sedan-style layout than around fitting a third berth in. Worth knowing if overnight guests are part of the plan.

Sea rating -where you’re allowed to take her

This is the one that surprises people. The Absolute 48 Coupe carries a CE Category A rating – unrestricted ocean going. The Riviera 465 SUV is Category B, which caps her at 200 nautical miles offshore. For most Gulf cruising it won’t matter day to day, but it’s a real distinction if you’re the kind of owner who likes the option of a longer offshore run.

Docking and handling

All three run IPS pod drives with joystick control, so low-speed handling is a strong point across the board – this isn’t a place where one brand runs away from the others. The Absolute’s auto-docking option is a nice extra layer for anyone who wants one less thing to think about backing into a Westhaven berth.

Efficiency and running costs

The Absolute’s twin IPS 950s are the smallest engines of the three (roughly 480hp each), against 600hp per side on the Riviera and 800hp per side on the Maritimo. Less horsepower on a similar-sized hull generally means lower fuel burn at cruise and a lighter maintenance bill over the ownership period -” and the Absolute’s solar array trims genset hours at anchor on top of that. If running costs matter as much as outright pace, it’s worth putting real numbers to this rather than comparing on paper.