74 Azimut Magellano

Source: Emanuel Richelmy, Yachtonline.it

The Tunisian heat is disconcerting to say the least. And incredibly pleasant given that this was early December and not too far away at all, the first snows were falling. We arrive at Sidi Bou Said, a few kilometres from Tunis, in our shirtsleeves. There awaiting us in the centre of the marina is a boat the likes of which we’d never seen before. Elegant, imposing, with a truly original line. A perfect cocktail of trawler, displacement yacht and class motor boat, the Azimut Magellano 74 is the prototype for a series that itself will teach the sector a thing or two. It is the first craft in a totally new segment and, as such, has no direct competitor on the market as yet. A first for a new concept of seafaring. The nearest in terms of rhythms and cadences to sailing that a motor craft could deliver.

Sidi Bou Said is just one of the ports of call on the voyage that Azimut Yachts has organised to launch this original new creation which had been officially unveiled to the world at the Genoa International Boat Show. This was the prototype and she set off from the Marina di Varazze on November 21st, after a launch at which Azimut-Benetti chairman Paolo Vitelli officiated, flanked by “godmother” Rosita Missoni, who with her husband Ottavio and son Vittorio customised the interior furnishings. Also in attendance was Italy football coach Marcello Lippi, another Azimut devotee. Thereafter, the Magellano 74 did a tour of the Mediterranean under the command of Dag Pike, a living legend in powerboating circles and winner of the Yachtsman of the Year award in 2008. Also aboard was Vittorio Missoni and German former Formula 1 driver Heinz Harald Frentzen, who also owns an Azimut. It was a voyage to sample and test the delights of cruising at a steady 11-12 knots in superb comfort. Not to mention very low stress and fuel consumption levels! Curiously it was Pike himself who waxed lyrical about the Magellano 74 given that he is more used to piloting craft that easily smash the 50-knot barrier. “It is something new for me even though slow navigation isn’t entirely unknown to me because I used to own a sailing boat. In any case, the idea behind the Magellano 74 is brilliant. I know many motor boat fans that don’t feel the need to make more than 20 knots and this is the boat for them. It’s modern, comfortable, very well balanced, and easy to manage for a short-handed crew,” Pike said as he showed us around the interiors which abound with light luxury woods that create a very warm, welcoming ambience. “This is the boat for people who really want to enjoy the sea and everything that surrounds it, particularly in passage-making. In addition,” Pike continued, after first confessing to be in love with this boat, “rarely have I dealt with a boat this safe, stable and high-performing in any sea condition. Facing the Mediterranean in the winter is never easy, especially if one is undertaking a long navigation, and in these first 2,000 miles of our voyage we certainly did not hold back, quite the contrary. Nonetheless, the Magellano 74 responded excellently, proving to be a balanced boat that fears absolutely nothing, when sailing at 7 knots or at 24 knots. It is truly an incredible boat.”

At 22.5 metres with a beam of six metres, the Magellano 74 sports twin 1015 hp Caterpillars that give it a top speed of 25 knots. This is an important figure as the boat is designed to cruise at much lower speeds to guarantee it a range of over 1,000 miles. There are two decks, the upper one with an enormous sun pad area and the lower one where there is a marvellous open plan area that includes the galley, lounge and helm station. There are three staterooms: an owner’s, a VIP and a guest. Plus a crew cabin aft.

The interiors, designed by Freivokh, perfectly mirror the Magellano 74’s personality. The colour scheme was studied specifically by Missoni Home for the Magellano Voyage with many of its products and furnishing elements on board. The objects were created with the splendid, anti-conformist elegance of this boat in mind to offer the comfort of extraordinary luxury to the participants of this unique trip. “Magellano is a unique boat that marries style and elegance with comfort and practicality,” Vittorio Missoni himself explained, as we admired the comforts aboard Azimut’s new jewel. “It is a boat that can be used in any season. The comfort and luminosity of the interiors create a sort of loft on the sea, it is truly hospitable, perfect for welcoming friends, both in port and under way, or for a cruise even without crew,” he smiled with enthusiasm.

It is a boat that entrances at first glance with its forms, colours and technical solutions, but then later it seduces with its innate ability to draw anyone who comes into its contact under its spell. Even speed-lover Heinz Harald Frentzen seems entranced by this “slow boat.” “I truly like it a lot. It is great to travel at this speed, experiencing the sea in complete relaxation,” he confided. And the thought that he just might be the next owner of the Magellano 74 suddenly hits home. Shall we bet on it?