Streaking down the Côte d’Azur off Cannes, France, at an average top-end speed of 36.3 knots, I found myself lost in the fun. The 71-foot Azimut Yachts S7 handled more like a sports car than a vessel displacing more than 100,000 pounds. 

We carved S-turns and figure eights into the relatively calm Mediterranean blue this early morning, and I pondered the combination of factors that give this sizable sport yacht its smile-inducing, confidence-inspiring performance and handling.

First is an efficient planing hull form by Azimut and P.L. Ausonio Naval Architecture, penned to reduce hydrodynamic drag and aided by strakes placed for optimized lift. Transom deadrise is a stability-enhancing 13.8 degrees, with about 18 degrees of deadrise amidships. A near-plumb bow—something of an Azimut trademark these days—helps carry overall volume forward while creating a cleaver to cut through a tempestuous sea state. I used it to try to write my name in the Med.

Second is Azimut’s liberal use of carbon fiber to reduce weight on the S7. Its superstructure, flybridge, mast, transom and platform, and the after section of its deck, are made of the material. The carbon fiber reduces top weight by about 30 percent and helps lower the center of gravity, which, in turn, helps with that lively driving experience. Azimut says the use of carbon fiber also helps reduce roll momentum by up to 15 percent. See how this is all coming together?

The third and final piece of the S7’s performance puzzle is triple 800 hp Volvo Penta D13 IPS1050 diesels that are Tier III-compliant and coupled to pod drives. Azimut says the S7 is “eco-sporty,” adding that this propulsion setup reduces fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent compared with similar-size craft with straight shafts.

During my time on board, the S7’s engines consumed 86.1 gallons per hour at 2,000 rpm and a 28.9-knot average cruise speed, almost 2 knots above Azimut’s 27-knot published cruise speed. At cruise, the S7 has about a 304-nautical-mile range with  a 10 percent fuel reserve on the yacht’s 1,004-gallon tank. At the yacht’s 36.3-knot top hop, fuel burn jumps to 123.1 gph and range drops to 266 nm. Slide the throttles back to 1,800 rpm and a 24.8-knot cruise speed, and consumption drops to  64.7 gph while range climbs to around 347 nm.

This sport fly is speedy, and it looks the part too. Designer Alberto Mancini drew the S7’s lines. At first blush you might think this vessel is an express cruiser, but on closer inspection the sleekly integrated flybridge comes into view. Sweeping is a descriptor that comes to mind when looking at the S7 in profile. From the squarish stem moving aft, there is a flow to the yacht that’s almost sharklike in form: narrower forward, rounded and wider in the midsection and then just enough taper aft to accentuate the lines. Hullside windows stretch from amidships forward, elongating the profile, while glass in the superstructure aids in visually lowering it. The superstructure’s raked design helps as well. Extensive hullside glass ensures water views from all four staterooms.

Yes, this yacht has four staterooms, in a size range where many other yachts have only three. The full-beam master is amidships with an athwartships berth. There’s also a true walk-in closet, a vanity and a pop-up TV. The en suite head has a rain shower, and all the drawers are of the soft-close variety. I spent time here during my time on board, and the stateroom was whisper quiet, aside from water running across the hull. The view out the hullside windows here is tough to beat.

Up three steps and off the companionway are the guest accommodations, with one stateroom each to port and starboard. The one to port has side-by-side berths and an en suite head, which is also the day head. Across from here is a stateroom with bunks; let’s call it the kids room. The VIP stateroom is forward with an en suite head. There is also a crew cabin, although I expect most US owners to be owner-operators.

There’s a subtle elegance to the S7’s interior design, which comes from a company called Yachtique. This is a new collaboration with Azimut Yachts, but not with the builder as a whole. Yachtique is known for its work on superyachts, including with Azimut’s sister company, Benetti. Expanding the relationship enables Azimut to bring large-yacht interior sensibilities to relatively smaller builds. Interior woods include a dove-tone tay wood and Canaletto walnut on the furniture. Leather and neutral-tone  fabrics work in concert, creating a relaxed and sophisticated feel that the builder calls  “residential chic.”

This ambience is particularly evident in the salon. Surrounded by glass—and with natural light coming in at all points—the salon’s sense of space is palpable, helped by the fact that the low-back, cream-tone, U-shaped settee to port doesn’t obstruct the glass. In fact, because the  bulwark is open here, there are clear water views. There are also two fold-out high-low tables. Just forward is a U-shaped, Miele-equipped galley, which is a slight departure from the current trend of aft galleys on a lot of yachts. The layout works because there is also a Kenyon grill in the cockpit, and because the cockpit has an L-shaped settee to port, directly abaft the salon’s sofa. When the sliding door is open, the cockpit and salon are an integrated entertaining space.

That kind of continuity is also evident from the aft-deck sun pad to the foredeck lounge to the ground-tackle setup. The yacht is a lesson in feng shui: Everything has its place for optimal flow.

Sometimes a yacht’s mission can be nebulous, but the Azimut Yachts S7 has a clear purpose: This is a luxury performance yacht with superyacht-level interior design and a smart, functional layout that keeps everyone connected with the environment, while simultaneously limiting the yacht’s environmental impact. As far as I’m concerned, this yacht is a win-win.    

The Full Range

The Azimut Yachts S7 is the latest in the Italian builder’s S-class series. The lineup also includes an S6, S8 and S10. This line is intended to appeal to yachtsmen who like the style of a sport-fly yacht, but who are also looking for a length overall closer to 60 to about 95 feet.

Alfresco Fun

The Azimut S7 has three alfresco zones for guests to spread out and chill: A four-person sun pad over the tender garage is accessed via the hydraulic swim platform, the flybridge has U-shaped seating aft and a lounge next to the helm, and the foredeck has a lounge and a sun pad.

Helm It Your Way

The Azimut S7 has two helm stations: one on the main deck forward and to starboard, and one on the flybridge. Each station has Volvo Penta controls, a joystick and Garmin multifunction displays. The S7 heels moderately inboard on hard-over turns, but views at both stations are clear.

Take the next step: azimutyachts.com

The post Azimut S7 Reviewed appeared first on Yachting.

A Rum With a View II is a 2014 Azimut 60 Fly currently listed with Yachts 360 for $929,500. The 60-footer has a three-stateroom, two-head layout that sleeps six.

Stepping onto the 60-footer’s swim platform, potential owners will notice that it’s equipped with a hydraulic swim platform capable of hauling the yacht’s RIB tender (included in the sale). Up a few steps, is A Rum With a View II’s cockpit where a bench seat, table and loose chairs sit to create a six-person alfresco dining area. Stairs to port lead to the flybridge, while the yacht’s side decks with high rails lead to the foredeck where guests can enjoy a two- to three-person sun pad.

The salon, accessed via full-width sliding glass doors, is the next entertainment area. To port is an L-shaped settee and an ottoman, and a love seat with side tables is to starboard with a flat-screen TV forward, creating a comfortable space for casual conversation. When the sliding doors are open, the cockpit and salon become an integrated entertainment space.

Forward and up two steps is the galley to port and a U-shaped dinette to starboard. The galley is equipped with a J-shaped countertop, two sinks, an electric cooktop, an oven and a dishwasher. The lower helm station is all the way forward on centerline with a single helm seat for the skipper and Raymarine multifunction displays.

The Azimut 60’s flybridge has open space aft that could be arranged with loose furniture for additional seating options. Forward and to starboard is a C-shaped settee and fixed table, creating an alfresco dining space for six guests. Directly to port is a sink, an electric cooktop, a refrigerator and an ice maker–all abaft the upper helm station. To starboard, directly across from the helm station, is a lounge pad for guests to relax and chat with the captain en route to the next waypoint. The forward three-quarters of A Rum With a View II’ s flybridge can be enclosed with soft-plastic zip-shut windows.

Belowdecks are three staterooms, which include a forepeak VIP with a centerline berth and an en suite head. Another guest stateroom is to starboard with two single berths. Amidships is the master stateroom with an en suite head and a private dining area–consisting of two bench seats with a fixed table in between.

Twin 800 hp MAN R6-800 diesels give A Rum With a View II a reported top hop of 31 to 32 knots, with a 26-to-28-knot cruise speed. Its engines currently have 1,550 hours.

Notable features include: a 20 kW Kohler generator with 1,400 hours, a 15 kW Kohler generator with 900 hours, a Xenta Joystick, a Yacht Controller, new Raymarine Axium XL Displays, AIS, new AC Compressors, new House Batteries, JL Stereo and an aft crew quarters belowdecks.

It’s also worth noting all trades are welcome, according to the yacht’s current listing.

Where is A Rum With a View II located? The yacht is currently located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Take the next step: contact the listing agent, Scott Clements, scott@yachts360.com, (954) 369-2185, yachts360.com

Quick Specifications:

• Length Overall: 60’
• Maximum Beam: 16’4”
• Fuel Capacity: 740 Gal.
• Draft: 4’7”

The post Azimut 60 Fly For Sale appeared first on Yachting.

MarineMax currently has the Azimut Atlantis 45, Intuition, listed for $929,000. This 2022 build has a two-stateroom, two-head layout and a salon and galley amidships. Combine this with a skinny-water-friendly 3-foot, 8-inch draft and your family and friends are ready for a weekend cruise.

Stepping on board Intuition, it’s hard to tell where the cockpit ends and the bridge deck starts as furniture placement defines the social zones and every space flows into the next. The main deck has a very open feeling, aided, in art, by the 92-by-75-inch retractable fabric sunroof.

Owners and their guests will have a multitude of options to choose from when it comes to entertainment. On the main deck there’s a lounge pad aft, starboard-side U-shaped settee and dining table just abaft the helm for alfresco meals, and a double bench seat to port–capable of unfolding into a 16-square-foot lounge. There’s also a foredeck sun pad to catch some rays.

Stepping belowdecks, there is a galley to starboard. It features stowage for an extended cruise, an L-shaped countertop for meal prep, dual-burner cooktop, sink, refrigerator and freezer. Forward and to port is a C-shaped dinette, perfect for meals or reading a book on a rainy day.

Owners will enjoy a forepeak master stateroom with great natural sunlight from the long windows to port and starboard and skylight. They’ll also have an en suite head, cabinet storage and max headroom of 6 feet, 3 inches. Guests will be enjoying the aft stateroom that has three single berths.

Twin 670 hp Volvo Penta D11 diesels provide power for this 45-footer, giving it a reported top hop of 33 knots. The engines currently have 213 hours of run time on them.

From the Yachting Archive: “The Azimut Atlantis 45 shares the same next-generation design cues as the line’s flagship, the 51. Both are snub-nosed open cruisers with hardtops, and both have that smart, new Azimut look. Check out the latest S Collection flagship, the Azimut Grande S10, and you’ll see much of the same sheer and stem, despite the fact that the S10 is twice the length and more than five times the displacement of the 45.” – Yachting, September 2020

Where is Intuition located? The yacht is currently located in Naples, Fl.

Take the next step: contact the listing agent, David Michie, 239-872-7503

Quick Specifications:

• Length Overall: 45’
• Maximum Beam: 13’11”
• Fuel Capacity: 264 gallons
• Draft: 3’8”

The post Azimut Atlantis 45 For Sale with MarineMax appeared first on Yachting.

I find myself in need of the Hogwarts Sorting Hat to properly categorize Azimut’s Magellano 60. Judging by much of the specification sheet and the accommodations plan, it seems like a mainstream flybridge motoryacht. But it’s not. Strictly speaking, the Magellano 60 is a semidisplacement model, but then again, these designs aren’t normally quite so sprightly. Azimut uses the term “crossover” for its Magellanos. It fits.

Longtime designer Ken Freivokh’s work with Azimut on its newer and bigger Magellanos is masterly. His designs have a timeless quality and an elegance that’s so often missing from models with big diesels and top speeds closer to 30 knots than 20.

The 60 marks a new entry-level size for the Magellano range, with the older 43 and 53 Magellanos gone, and the 8-year-old Magellano 66 remaining as the last of the older series to be drawn by Cor D. Rover. The more recent Magellano 25M (an 82-foot raised pilothouse) and Magellano 30M (a 97-foot trideck) are by Freivokh. They share the same design DNA, with bluff bows and signature wooden battens on the after corners of their superstructures.

Outdoor spaces aboard the Magellano 60 include a foredeck terrace with booth seating and sun pads, a big flybridge beneath an optional hardtop, and a generously sized cockpit with a glazed transom panel and a full top-deck overhang for proper shade. Azimut calls the aft deck an “infinity terrace” with bi-fold doors that open to extend the salon. Furniture in the cockpit includes a table and two facing sofas, which means guests look out at the sea rather than back into the boat. There’s also a two-stool bar to port that shares its countertop with an aft galley when the drop-down window is open.

Inside, the decor is by Azimut’s in-house team, with clear influences from bigger sisterships that have 1950s-inspired schemes by Milanese-based architect Vincenzo De Cotiis. Beyond the galley and up one step are a lounge area amidships, a C-booth sofa to port and a pair of two-seat sofas on either side of a coffee/dining table to starboard. The overall palette is light-stained oak veneers and off-whites—all remarkably soothing. The salon views are superb too, particularly to starboard, where the biggest picture window measures a whopping 8 by 5 feet.

Beneath the raked aft windshield, the lower helm has two Aras bucket seats with the wheel inboard, prioritizing access for the skipper. Immediately to port is a dogleg staircase that leads to the deck below.

This is essentially a three-stateroom, three-head yacht with two showers. There are no other layout options. The owner’s space is amidships with en suite facilities to port. The VIP is forward and shares its portside en suite with the twin-berth stateroom across the companionway. A separate day head is there as well.

Power is also one choice only: a pair of 730 hp i6 MAN diesels. With them spinning at their maximum 2,350 rpm, and with the Seakeeper gyrostabilizer engaged, the Magellano 60 had consistent speeds of around 26 knots at half-load. There’s no obvious hop-up onto plane, but I felt a distinct step change passing through 1,600 rpm. Azimut calls the semiplaning hull geometry “dual mode,” which means it is efficient at displacement as well as faster cruise speeds up to 20 knots. According to my data, the yacht will run all day at that speed, which equates to 2,000 rpm. Allowing for a 10 percent reserve, there’s a working range of around 330 nautical miles. Ultimate range could be near 600 nm at 10 knots.

The Magellano 60 is surprisingly nimble too. The hull happily self-levels once the speeds push up into double digits with a 3-degree, bow-up attitude. The wheel remains light but precise, and it will turn this vessel surprisingly quickly. Although I had a calm day and minimal swell during my time on board, I found that the yacht felt most comfortable with the manual trim tabs fully up. They should come into their own in lumpier beam or quartering seas, when the gyro is probably best kept off.

Those engines, incidentally, are hooked up to V-boxes, and the shafts run out via half-tunnels, which help reduce the draft to a Bahamas-friendly 4 feet, 6 inches at full load. The space for the engines beneath the yacht’s cockpit sole is compact, but the machinery area does not encroach beneath the salon, which makes for a particularly quiet boat. I recorded just 67 decibels at the lower helm at 20 knots, 72 decibels in the owner’s stateroom and 62 decibels in the VIP.

There is an option to specify the lazarette as a single-berth crew cabin. Either way, this space has its own entrance from the port side of the hydraulic swim platform.

Like other newer Magellanos, the 60 that I got aboard had a striking custom paint job, this one a blue-green metallic hull. Italians call it ottanio. Americans call it teal after the duck. A light-gold boot top set it off. The standard specification includes white gelcoat.

The Azimut Magellano 60 premiered at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September. Once production hits stride, the builder expects to deliver one every two weeks.

Sustainable Diesel

The Azimut Magellano 60 I got aboard ran on hydrogenated vegetable oil instead of diesel. The claims for this sustainable fuel include emissions reductions from 60 to 90 percent, depending on the raw materials used during the refining process. Thanks to a deal with Italian producer Eni Sustainable Mobility, all Azimut owners can request delivery of new boats with HVOlution biofuel in the tanks.

Formidable Flagship

The Azimut Magellano 60 is the start of the builder’s four-model Magellano range. On the other end of the range is the 97-foot, 6-inch Magellano 30 Metri. The 30 Metri is notable for its ability to hold more than 3,800 gallons of fuel while consuming about 15 percent less than traditional hard-chine planing hulls. Twin 1,500 hp MAN diesels give the 30 Metri a reported 16-knot cruise speed and a 20-knot top hop.

Take the next step: azimutyachts.com

The post Azimut Magellano 60 Reviewed appeared first on Yachting.

Biofuel is now a reality for yachts built by Azimut-Benetti Group, which is working with Eni Sustainable Mobility to fill yacht fuel tanks with HVOlution. It’s a biofuel made from hydrogenated vegetable oil that can reduce emissions up to 90 percent, the builder says (and whose raw materials do not compete with the food chain).

Azimut-Benetti is starting by using the biofuel for technical testing on its yachts and by allowing owners to take delivery of new yachts with biofuel in the tanks. The first yacht used to promote the partnership with Eni Sustainable Mobility was an Azimut Magellano 60 this past June.

Going forward, Azimut-Benetti plans to create refueling sites for owners of its yachts. The first of those sites is expected to be in Italy, where Azimut-Benetti is based.

Eni Sustainable Mobility: A New Chapter in Fuel

Italy-based Eni has been around since 1953. It’s a company with global operations focused on natural gas, oil, electricity and renewable fuels. The wholly owned Eni Sustainable Mobility company began operations in January with a focus on organic fuels, biomethane, electric recharging and similar-minded projects. The HVOlution biofuel that Azimut-Benetti is now using is just one of the company’s alternative-fuel offerings; it also provides hydrogen, liquefied natural gas and other choices.

The post Azimut-Benetti Group Moves to HVOLution Biofuel appeared first on Yachting.

Azimut-Benetti Group has signed an agreement with Eni Sustainable Mobility for the supply and use of HVOlution, a biofuel produced from 100-percent renewable raw materials.

The yacht builder says it’s the first agreement of its kind in the yachting industry to target decarbonization.

“For Azimut-Benetti Group, this agreement is a tangible step forward on the course we have charted out to reduce CO2 emissions,” President Giovanna Vitelli stated in a press release. “It is a result that enables us to extend our area of action in emissions reduction by involving the supply chain, with a focus on energy decarbonization.”

HVOlution is made of hydrogenated vegetable oil that’s produced from waste raw materials and vegetable residues, or from oils generated by crops that do not compete with the food chain. The promise is for emissions reductions of up to 90 percent compared to a benchmark fossil-fuel blend, according to the companies.

Azimut-Benetti plans to start using HVOlution this summer for the technical testing of new yachts, sea trials and prototype model handling. Yacht owners will also be able to take delivery of new Azimut models with HVOlution biofuel in the tank. The first model expected to use the fuel is the new Magellano 60, in early June.

Biofuel access while cruising: Azimut-Benetti and Eni Sustainable Mobility also plan to work together on a distribution network for biofuel, starting at marinas in Italy.

Where to learn more: go to azimutbenetti.com

The post Azimut-Benetti Inks Biofuel Deal appeared first on Yachting.

Whether driving from the portside, flybridge helm station or from the main-deck wheel with 360-degree visibility, views are aplenty aboard the Azimut 53 Fly. The flybridge has a retractable fabric roof, two sun lounges and a dinette to starboard. There are three staterooms, including a full-beam amidships master, a forepeak VIP and a twin-berth guest stateroom to starboard, for family weekends. Top speed with twin 735 hp MAN V8-1000 diesels is 32 knots. At press time, there were eight 53 Flys available, ranging from $684,097 to $2,399,000.  

From the Archive

“For all the natural light that bathes the interior, I’m one who prefers to run a boat in the open air, and if I owned the 53, I would work from the flying bridge helm station 99 percent of the time. Luckily, it’s well suited to bringing the party upstairs. The helm station sits to port behind a reverse-raked windshield, and from here it was, truthfully, much easier to monitor the small boats that dodged around us, blissfully unaware.”

— Yachting, March 2011

The post Azimut 53 Fly for Sale appeared first on Yachting.

Bayliss 67 Overtime: Custom Fishing Machine

Bayliss Boats in North Carolina started construction on Overtime in August 2020. The yacht was completed in November 2022, two months ahead of schedule. Overtime has standard equipment, such as a Seakeeper stabilizer, Furuno’s Omni sonar and Northern Lights generators, while custom features include what Bayliss calls “an elaborate live well circulating system” that the owner plans to use for a substantial fishing program based out of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Inside, Overtime is the second Bayliss constructed with a walnut interior, which the yard calls “sleek and bold.” There’s a three-stateroom, two-head layout for longer itineraries, and the tackle room is designed like a showroom, with walnut, granite and a cork wall.

Riviera 46 Sports Motor Yacht: Made For Family Fun

The Riviera 46 Sports Motor Yacht is an owner-operator-friendly vessel with hand-laid fiberglass construction, notable performance, and fun and function to spare. These yachts are intended to be used for family cruising as well as adventurous getaways, with a cockpit that’s set up for entertaining, with amenities such as an electric grill, a wet bar, a sink and stowage. Just forward is a covered alfresco deck that extends the interior salon’s living space into the outdoors. Accommodations include three staterooms and two heads for comfortable family voyages, with air conditioning throughout.  There are two power options for the 46 Sport Motor Yacht—both from Volvo Penta: a twin 600 hp IPS800 or 725 hp IPS950 diesel. 

Invictus TT420: Christian Grande Design

The Invictus TT420 made its debut in January in Europe, joining what is now a four-boat TT model range from the Italian builder. The boat’s lines are based on its bigger sibling, the TT460, with an integral glass windshield. Note the high bulwarks all around for safety on board, as well as the folding tables amidships that can convert into a relaxation area protected by the hardtop. Owners can opt for a hydraulic device aft to help launch the tender, a feature not commonly found aboard boats in this size range. Power is twin 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 engines in a sterndrive configuration. Look for the Invictus TT420 to become available in a new color, vogue white, which will also be available on the TT460 going forward.

Hylas M49: Ready To Roam

Hylas Yachts, long known for its Taiwanese-built sailboats, now has three powerboats among its offerings. The M49, shown here, joins the M44 and the M58 in the power lineup. The M49’s design is by New Zealand’s Salthouse, whose background is in Down East vessels with a commercial-fishing and offshore-angling heritage. Hylas says the helm station has no blind spots from stem to stern. Amenities for onboard entertaining include a refrigerator, a barbecue and a dinette. Accommodations include two staterooms and two heads, with an optional washing machine for couples or families that expect to be on board for longer cruising itineraries. Power is a pair of 370 hp Yanmars, and the boat has a fuel capacity just shy of 240 gallons.

VisionF 60: Coming In Spring 2024

Turkish builder VisionF Yachts is adding a VisionF 60 power catamaran to its offerings, which also include the VisionF 80. The yard is promising a wealth of options for the 60’s layout, with the galley on the main deck or in one of the hulls, and with three or four staterooms for overnight accommodations. One of the staterooms can be outfitted as a gym, and crew quarters can be included at the stern or the bow. Solar panels can be added to the roof for more eco-friendly cruising. Note the platform that’s aft between the hulls; it’s a high-low design that can be used for swimming or to raise the tender out of the water. Power for the mothership will be a pair of 360 hp Volvo Penta IPS600s, with the builder projecting a top speed of 21 knots. 

Azimut S7: Triple Pod Propulsion

Azimut’s S7 is designed for lower fuel consumption than competing models. To help make that possible, the Italian builder used carbon fiber for  construction on quite a bit of the upper part of the yacht. The idea was to preserve the S7’s center of gravity (and, thus, guest comfort on board) while reducing the vessel’s overall weight. The result, according to Azimut, is a 30 percent reduction in weight as well as a 15 percent reduction in typical roll momentum. The S7’s layout includes four staterooms, thanks to extra interior volume that the use of space-saving IPS engines affords. There’s also a cabin for a crew member. Azimut says that with the triple 800 hp Volvo Penta IPS1050s installed, the S7 has a reported maximum speed of 35 knots. 

The post 6 Must-See Owner-Operator Yachts appeared first on Yachting.

Azimut Yachts in Italy has introduced the Seadeck series of hybrid motoryachts. The first model is the 56-foot Seadeck 6, which is scheduled to debut at the Düsseldorf boat show in January 2024.

The larger Seadeck 7 and Seadeck 8 models are expected to follow between 2024 and 2025. The Seadeck 7 has a 72-foot length overall, with details about the Seadeck 8 still being finalized.

According to Azimut, the Seadeck series reduces emissions by up to 40 percent compared to similar-length yachts. Each of the models has what the builders calls a “fun island,” an aft terrace developed in collaboration with Alberto Mancini and Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez. Propulsion is by Volvo Penta.

“Seadeck is a new starting point for future generations,” Giovanna Vitelli, chair of the Azimut-Benetti group, stated in a press release. “We wish, once again, to chart a course that will be an inspiration for the entire industry, so that the theme of respect for the environment is interpreted—as it is for Seadeck—with a concrete approach made up of investment, technological research and the courage to introduce a new lifestyle that embraces the sea.”

Did you know? More than half of Azimut’s fleet now includes low-emission yachts.

Take the next step: go to azimutyachts.com

The post Azimut Yachts Introduces Seadeck Series appeared first on Yachting.

Eclipse 505 and 605: South African Stunners

The Eclipse 505 and Eclipse 605 are both Michael Peters designs that use the company’s Stepped-V Ventilated Tunnel (SVVT) hull. The Michael Peters team also contributed to naval architecture on both models, alongside Du Toit Yacht Design in South Africa. That’s where these boats are built, by Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing in Cape Town. It’s a yard that was founded in 1989 and that has specialized in custom and semi-custom catamarans from 27 to 150 feet length overall. The Eclipse 505 has two staterooms and two heads, while the Eclipse 605 has three of each. The hull drafts are minimal (2 feet, 11 inches on the Eclipse 505, and 3 feet, 3 inches on the Eclipse 605) so the boats can be used in cruising grounds like the Bahamas.

Eastbay 60: The Largest Eastbay So Far

The Eastbay brand has been on the water with many models since 1993 but has been revitalized since 2014, when GB Marine Group—the parent company of Grand Banks and Eastbay—got a new boss. He charged the team with creating the Eastbay 44, which incorporated GB Marine’s V-Warp technology. Customer demand then led to the creation of the new Eastbay 60, which has the same technology, along with an extensive use of carbon fiber, and updated accommodations with an eye toward luxury. Preliminary sea trials, according to the builder, show a 27-knot cruising speed and a 33-knot top speed with optional 900 hp Volvo Penta IPS1200s. Optional 1,000 hp Volvo Penta IPS1350s take those numbers up to 30 and 38 knots, respectively.

Apreamare Gozzo 45: Walkaround Design

Apreamare, which has been building boats in Italy since 1849, has a new Gozzo-line flagship model: the Gozzo 45. Designer Marco Casali of Too Design, working with Cataldo Aprea and the Apreamare technical department, is primarily responsible for creating the Gozzo 45. They describe the boat as a “classy cruiser” that stands apart from other, “increasingly redundant” models of the same size in the marketplace. The cockpit table is intended for entertaining with eight to 10 guests, while the two-stateroom, two-head accommodations plan belowdecks is set up for weekends on the hook. (An optional three-stateroom, two-head layout is also available.) Engine packages can be traditional shaft-line or Volvo Penta IPS installations.

Aquila 42: A Sleek Catamaran Ready to Entertain

Aquila Yachts has announced plans for a 42-foot power catamaran that is on track to make its debut in February 2023. The model will join the company’s existing lineup of power cats that go as big as 70 feet length overall. So far, Aquila has revealed that the 42 will have two staterooms available in multiple configurations, along with a utility cabin and twin 230 hp or 300 hp Volvo Penta D4 diesels. This will be a great option for someone looking for a small, yet mighty cruising boat. Guest relaxation areas will be concentrated on the flybridge, in the cockpit and on the foredeck. The new boat will be built to the standard known as CE Certification Category A, which means it will be suitable for seas up to 13 feet as well as winds above 40 knots—in other words, get ready for some serious, longer-distance cruising itineraries.

Prestige M48: First Model in a New Line

The M48 is the first model in the new M-Line of catamarans from Prestige Yachts in France, which also makes three additional lines of motoryachts from 42 to 70 feet length overall. The M48’s open cockpit has seating for as many as eight people, and a nearby aft platform lowers electrically so it becomes flush with the twin transom platforms, creating a nearly 20-foot-wide space that can be used as a beach club or a tender launch. The flybridge has guest seating and dining. The master stateroom is positioned forward with a king-size berth, while owners can choose the layouts and berth sizes for guest staterooms. Prestige reports a cruising speed of 15 knots and a top-end speed of 20 knots with standard Volvo Penta engines.

Azimut Grande 26M: A Low-Emission Yacht

The Azimut Grande 26M, which was presented at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, has the Italian builder’s Large POD propulsion system. It is designed to reduce fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 percent—a big selling point, according to Azimut, which reported 22 hulls sold as of early December. This is a five-stateroom yacht that includes a full-beam owners’ stateroom on the main deck. Exterior designer Alberto Mancini says one of the prime spaces on board is the oversize cockpit: “We wanted to extend to give the yacht a fully fledged dining area overlooking the water.” In terms of performance, Azimut says the 26M cruises at 24 knots with a top hop of 28 knots.

Arcadia A96: Coming This Fall

Arcadia Yachts in Italy is planning for the premiere of the Arcadia A96 at this autumn’s Cannes Yachting Festival. The power package is unusual, with four (count ’em) Volvo Penta IPS1200s, or optional IPS1350s. The setup allowed Arcadia to devote more space to guest areas forward of the powerplants, and to give skippers features at the helm such as joystick maneuvering and dynamic positioning. There is also an optional silent-mode system that uses solar panels for eight to nine hours of operations overnight without the hum of a generator. The builder says the boat has a “quiet-running” system for air conditioning too, further helping to keep the ambience for guests on board, ahem, perfectly chill.

The post 7 New Yachts for a New Season appeared first on Yachting.