40S Azimut Boat Review

Source: Dave Marsh, MotorBoat&Yacthing

The 40S comes with a comfortable accent on comfort. But the biggest surprise is its startling new hull

For: Ride quality, large heads compartments, engineering, headroom and berth sizes, optional high-low platform, Cummins driver interface

Against: Unresolved prototype issues, deck storage, short cockpit seat base

If you fancy a sportscruiser that genuinely gives you something you can’t get elsewhere, maybe the 40S is for you. The big difference between the twin-cabin, twin-ensuite heads 40S and almost all other 40ft sportscruisers is its saloon.

Usually, the area under a sportscruiser’s hardtop is still very much a deck area, with moulded seats and a teak-laid floor. On the 40S however, the saloon is every bit as smart and plush as its flybridge counterparts, with leather sofas, comfy cushions and carpeted floors. You usually have to stretch to around 60ft or so (about 18m) before you find this approach making an appearance in sportscruisers. Think of the 40S as a luxurious twin-cabin flybridge boat – without a flybridge!

Azimut have also put considerable effort into developing the boat’s steering systems. In an attempt to give IPS and Zeus a run for their joystick-twiddling money, Azimut have linked the engine and thruster controls to a joystick, for low-speed manoeuvring. Their Xenta ‘easy steer’ system de-couples the engine revs in a turn, allowing the outer prop to spin faster, which makes the turns easier and smoother.

And they married this to a superb Michael Peters-designed hull which made light work of the choppy conditions outside Savona, in northern Italy. The big question is, on this, their smallest boat, have Azimut managed to maintain the no-expense-spared approach to quality and practical detailing that their far bigger and far more expensive boats are renowned for?

Verdict

The 40S is really a luxurious twin-cabin flybridge boat – without a flybridge – and a tempting proposition for those who prefer carpeted luxury to open-air deck spaces.

Boat Specifications: 40S Azimut

Length Overall 39ft 5in (12.01m)

Beam 13ft 5in (4.10m)

Displacement 10.6 tonnes light; 11.9 tonnes loaded

Air Draught 10ft 10in (3.31m)

Fuel Capacity 242 imp gal (1,100 litres)

Range 28 knots, 195 miles @ 2,900rpm

Water Capacity 86 imp gal (390 litres)

Cabins 2

Engines Twin Cummins QSB 5.9-480 HO. 480hp @ 3,400rpm, 6-cylinder 5.5 litre diesels Cruising Speed 28 knots, 195 miles @ 2,900rpm

Top Speed 32.8 knots

RCD Category B (for 10 people)