75 Azimut

Source: David Lockwood, Boatpoint Magazine

The Azimut 75 hit the mark the day it was released in Genoa. It’s the mark of a where the big-boat market is at in Europe and is here now in local waters. A superyacht by local definition, Azimut’s 75 is shiplike but not so big that you can’t dock it yourself, assisted as you do by the hydraulic bow and stern thrusters and a remote helm controller. It’s stately but not so unwieldy so you can’t grab an outside arm at a marina at Hamilton Island. Just as importantly, it’s not so big that you can’t haul the boat out at a local slipway or travel lift and, with 1.79m of draft when fully laden, you can still sneak into quiet creeks to escape the throng.

The 75 pictured hereabouts christened Il Viaggio, as in The Journey, was destined to serve as a family conveyance foremost. To this end, there are four comfortable cabins and four heads, plus separate aft crew quarters. There is an optional three-cabin version. Why? I’m not sure. There’s ample volume below decks in this mini-ship to sleep 10. In fact, wherever you turn, space is a real feature quite unlike the lean Italian-made boats of yore.

Hailing from the biggest boatbuilder in the world, the 75 is the first of Azimut’s Yacht Series that reaches up to a 116 footer. But because Azimut-Benetti builds boats to more than 85m you get superyacht systems handed down the production line rather than recreational-boat thinking pushed up the line.

As is typical for Azimut, the 75 is nimble. Teamed with a pair of 1360hp V12 MAN common rail diesel engines, the private luxury liner had a 30-knot top speed as tested (and predicted by the factory). So this is a fast 55 to 60-tonne yacht on which you can reel in the sea miles at, say 24 to 27kts cruise should the need arise.

Having said that, and thanks to the 75’s deep bow without any reverse sheer, it looks just as content moseying around the harbour or doubtless hopping from island to island at 10kts. There are upper and lower helm stations for all-weather cruising, the giant flybridge extends aft to shade the cockpit and partially cover the full walkaround bulwarks, while cockpit space is about right.

At rest, the boat’s wonderful amenities come into play. While UK-built, the Williams T385 jet tender with 104hp turbocharged four-stroke German Weber engine is a nice match for the 75. After an hour playing on the harbour, I can vouch its eye-watering 45-knot performance ducky and, given that, the beach, shops and some serious play time will never be far away.

POINTS OF DIFFERENCE
As with most Italian-crafted superyachts, the details are what set this boat apart. And while Azimut builds plenty of 40-footers, it’s the big boats in its range that are different, special and real standouts. Consider, as I did, the (optional) push-button retractable boarding platform that extends to double your waterfront real estate, creating 10m² of teak-topped deck big enough to accept several outdoor sun lounges. You could even stage breakfast back here.

Then come the conversions: the cockpit lunch setting turns into a giant daybed; the flybridge tables convert to form a big lunch setting in the sky; and there’s a second smart sunpad with pull-up bimini on the bow so you can gain privacy and shade should you need it. The outdoor living stations come courtesy of superyacht artisan Stefano Righini, but the decor is from interior decorator Carlo Galeazzi.

Yet Azimut can be considered a semi-custom yard, as this Sydney owner had stamped his (and her) fine taste on the Il Viaggio. I found smart wenge joinery – that dark and mysterious African hardwood; sleek low-line white lounges; a remodelled dining table with harder edges; and soft furnishings that were at once contemporary yet abiding.

Zoom out and you’ll see a boat with Azimut’s signature reverse shark-fin saloon windows, but also timeless yacht lines unlike some of its contemporaries. And, as with any good yacht of this calibre, the 75 has the engineering to go places and remain self-sufficient for weeks at a time. There’s 6000lt of fuel, 1150lt of water (endless with the 180lt/h desalinator fitted to this boat), and big separate grey and black water tanks for big-city entertaining.

Then come more options: underwater lights, provision for a dive compressor which was being fitted locally, upgraded Raymarine E120 electronics and a TracVision G6 satellite TV system, Ericson 3G telephone base, closed-circuit cameras, upgraded AV systems including 42in plasma screen and four-zone Bose Lifestyle system, a bigger barbie on the bridge and an outdoor icemaker, comfortable fold-up cockpit chairs, and so it goes.

GOING PLACES
Sensibly, the owners took delivery of their Azimut in the Med’ where they spent some seven weeks on a shakedown cruise around Italy with their trusty skipper aboard. The owner isn’t, however, a stranger to big boats and just the two of them docked and drove the 75 in the foreign ports of call, I’m told.

With separate aft crew quarters that include twin single-wing cabins and an upmarket head with marble-topped vanity, crew are considered on the 75 but not at the expense of the owners’ privacy. And, in this way, the 75 is again a really nice compromise between big and little, personal and communal ship.

Built to European RINA standards, the hull has composite decks and bulkheads, with solid GRP below the waterline and vinylester resin for a five-year warranty against osmosis. The hull hasn’t tunnels, however, but there’s plenty of lift in the broad aft sections as well as a good amount of vee for a 75 footer. The boat has 15º of deadrise at the transom, which is quite a lot for a yacht.

As is de rigueur on European motoryachts these days, instead of straight shafts, the big V12 MANs are fitted with Twin Disc V-drives to maximise internal volume and make the most of the requisite full-beam owner’s stateroom. The 90mm shafts spin four-blade 970mm Nibral props and decent rudders for nice off-the-wheel steering.

The engine-room is another highlight being virtually survey standard, with full headroom and a rear watertight door that really locks the sound in. The boat comes with an impressive bilge-manifold system, separate sea-water fire pump, plus the local agents added a back-up 24V water pump, along with redundant Racor fuel filters for each V12 MAN. Everything that needs servicing is, by good design, easily serviceable.

Incredibly, with the twin 20kW Kohler generators running, there is barely a murmur let alone a vibration thanks to their independent soft mounts. While this isn’t unusual for a boat of this class – noisy generators are something Europeans just won’t tolerate – it’s a sensory experience for those accustomed to production boats, that’s for sure.

With the twin gennies, you can run the boat’s 122,000 BTUs of tropical-strength Cruisair air-con to every cabin, dining area and wheelhouse, plus cook on the barbecue and use virtually all the ship’s AC loads and outlets. Meantime, engineroom venting is fan-assisted, all the sea-water plumbing is stainless steel or copper, and there are 24V DC systems.

Separate hydraulic units are used for passerelle, the telescopic swim platform and the 26hp bowthruster and sternthruster. The tender, carried on the flybridge, is launched with a long-reach 500kg crane and, once in the water and cruising, you can carry it on the extended 4.5m deep boarding platform.

OUTDOOR LIVING
With a self-levelling Marquipt stairwell, Il Viaggio rolls out the red carpet from the outset. The boat is easy to get around and there’s serious deck gear, such as a concealed heavy-duty Lofrans windlass, recessed anchor and saltwater wash. The foredeck fender locker is big enough to jump inside, while details like concealed fuel and water fillers add to the clean, uncluttered lines. And the foredeck sunpad with private bimini top beckons.

There’s a pantograph door to the salon to starboard, aft foot-controlled capstans to assist with stern-to mooring, and a wonderful lighting courtesy of the Italian illuminati Palagi. The cockpit setting is simple: U-shaped for 12, shaded under the bridge overhang, and centred around a teak table with parquetry. A drawer-style fridge and icemaker are nearby, while a television drops down from the moulded ceiling liner for sport or stock prices. Twin walkways then lead back to the swim platform.

Take the moulded staircase and you’ll reach the low-profile Euro-style flybridge, which is to be fitted with a bimini top locally, I’m told. A huge entertaining deck, the bridge has plush lounges that snake around its periphery and a second lunch setting with two opposing drinks tables that can be made into one by using a timber infill. This way you can seat at least eight guests for lunch in the penthouse.

I like the sunpad/kids’ playpen alongside the upper helm station and the integrated moulded amenities centre with a wonderful double-width stainless steel electric barbie in place of the usual tiny griddle, plus another drawer fridge. The icemaker is back under the stairs leading up from the cockpit… ask the hostess to fetch the cubes for the G&T.

Marked by a white sports wheel, the upper helm is simple despite the boat’s impressive systems. There are Raymarine E120 and autopilot, twin MAN engine-control panels, twin thruster controls, intercom, and a switch panel for such things as lights, anchor wash and so on. There is a factory option of flybridge hardtop that looks good, too.

Meantime, once the Williams tender is dispatched, using the OpacMare crane, the rear deck can be used for entertaining and slow-speed observation. But, if the weather doesn’t play ball, no worries, there’s always the lower helm and the indoor entertaining setting.

INDOOR LIVING
One of the nice things about the 75 is the separate dedicated dining table amidships on a raised floor adjacent to the galley. Another nice thing is the practical teak flooring and the wenge joinery that, together with the white Ultraleather upholstery, create clean lines with designer accents where you want them.

There’s an L-shaped lounge, a settee and built-in armchair for 10, picture windows for views, ceiling light features and simple roman blinds, plus a 42in television. The custom dining table built from glass and wenge, seats eight. But unlike the standard Azimut 75s in Europe, this boat’s galley had been opened up for the Australian way of all-inclusive entertaining and family boating.

With handy stainless steel counters for food prep and a spread of Miele stainless steel appliances, including induction stove top with potholder and a decent convection oven, this was a chic galley. There was also side-by-side fridge/freezer, garbage compactor and special switchable opaque/transparent glass that allow the chef to see back through the saloon or, alternatively, remain incognito.

Sliding doors can be pulled across to close off the lower helm forward of the galley and dining area, thereby allowing you to entertain on the move without distraction. There is seating for three before a chart table opposite the dash, finished with black Ferrari leather, while the helm seat was as a triple so you can drive with company. A height-adjustable electric centre section ensures optimum cruising views. In fact, the views from lower stations were surprisingly good to all quarters but the transom.

But the piece de resistance at the lower helms was a touch-screen control panel giving instant access to all Il Viaggio’s systems, tankage levels and more. It is one example of the big-boat intelligence handed down to Azimut’s 75. Another is the intercom that lets you talk with crew back outdoors. Meanwhile, closed-circuit TV scans the engine room. All bases covered.

SLEEP CITY
If you include the crew quarters, which you should do as they’re luxuriously appointed, the 75 ordinarily has five cabins and five heads for sleeping 10 people. But with optional factory-fitted Pullman berths added to the two amidships cabins; it’s the owners’ intention to put an extended family of up to 12 aboard for long holidays afloat.

All cabins not only have entertainment centres but also portholes. VIPs get a double berth and en suite in the bow with optional opening portholes for ventilation, trick lighting, flat-screen TV, big storage cupboards and a hanging locker. The en suite has an optional stone topped vanity, multipoint body shower and Tecma loo, as do all the five-star heads.

You step down to the communal day head that doubles as an en suite for the starboard cabin with its twin single berths and Pullman option. A similar cabin is to port, with the combo Miele washer/dryer nearby. All the beds are adult-length and the bedding is a smart example of restrained elegance.

With at least 2.12m of headroom, the full-beam stateroom is the highlight of the lower deck. There are big ports for views and an inviting king-sized island bed. The owners deleted the questionable dinette in favour of a settee and a huge storage unit. The dresser to port doubles as a desk, while the hanging space was extended into the en suite behind the bedhead, which features an enormous shower and no bidet.

As touched on, even with the generator running, there was barely a murmur in the stateroom. Suffice to say, good sleeping is assured aboard the Azimut 75, with the air conditioning running 24-7. When the generator is not running, there’s a heavy-duty inverter to power the boat’s fridges and AV systems throughout the night.

IN THE SADDLE
As always with MANs, the electronic shifts have synchro and troll modes but such is the weight and sheer bulk of boat, the 75 didn’t lurch when the V12s were dropped into gear. Push the throttles forward and the twin 1360hp common rail diesel engines thrust the 75 onto the plane. Despite not having tunnels and, even though there’s a lot of weight aft, the big boat comes up nice and level and your vision isn’t compromised.

The wide beam aft seems to carry the load, but also, at production stage, Azimut fits each boat with Intruder trim tabs that are adjusted for the optimum running angle. Separate trim tabs are included for compensating for crosswinds and uneven load and, with a touch on tab, the lower cruise speeds are slippery.

Without the tabs we hit an impressive top speed of 30kts at 2350rpm but going slow was just as nice. With almost full fuel and water, the 75 slipped along at 10.5kts at 950rpm for 50lt/h in total and at 1000rpm the boat held a nice delivery or champagne displacement speed of 10.7kts for 63lt/h in total and a range approaching 1000nm leaving 10 per cent in reserve.

At 1600rpm the turbos start doing their thing and the 55-tonne boat is planing at 16kts for about 222lt/h in total and a range of 390nm. At 2000rpm the 75 cruised at 22.5kts but it was 2150rpm that saw this big girl in the groove doing 27.5kts for 436lt/h and a high-speed range of about 350nm leaving 10 per cent in reserve. All the while, there’s handy off-the-wheel steering, low noise levels and great seating, especially at the sunlounge alongside the upper station. And it’s nice to see a really solid windshield. Fine tuning abounds.

Not one to rest on its laurels, Azimut looks to the future and is working on a new anti-roll system for its yachts. Not that the 75 rolls. It’s more like a curtsy. And with long legs, big accommodation, serious engineering and smart Italian interior, this is a superyacht without super hassles. As the name suggests, Il Viaggio is as much about the journey as the destination. Delivery time for a new 75 is March next year.

HIGHS

• A mini ship with big-boat systems and superyacht engineering
• Ease of handling
• Uncluttered exterior with abundant living spaces on upper and lower decks
• A cool foredeck sunpad with private bimini top
• Wonderful amenities
• A trick extendable swim platform
• Super silent generator
• Unobtrusive engine noise when underway
• Beautiful interior with open galley and dedicated dining table
• Stateroom is the stuff of liveaboard dreams
• Crew quarters are first class, too
• A true liveaboard, long-range boat and we like it

LOWS

• Maintaining a boat of this calibre obviously requires crew
• Great care will be needed to retrieve the tender to the flybridge, hence the big boarding platform option.
• No icemaker in flybridge, though it’s not far away
• Sight lines aren’t great when berthing from up top, hence the remote docking station
• Combo washer/dryer isn’t as effective as separate units

Boat Specification: 75 Azimut

AZIMUT 75

Options fitted: Upgraded twin MAN V12s, twin generators, Williams 385 jet tender, hydraulic extending swim platform, tropical air-con, sternthruster, Raymarine electronics, satellite TV, Bose Lifestyle system, 42in TV and TVs in all cabins, phone system, double electric barbecue and fridge on bridge, washer/dryer, open galley with dishwasher and compactor, custom furniture and dining table, stone vanity tops, upgraded crane for tender on bridge, side boarding gates, soft furnishings, and more.

GENERAL

Material: GRP hull w/vinylester resin, and foam-cored decks and hull sides

Length overall: 22.4m

Beam: 5.82m

Draft: 1.79m including props fully loaded

Deadrise: Moderate-vee 15º

Rec. max. HP: 2 x 1360

Weight: Approx 55,000kg fully laden sans personal items and tender

CAPACITIES

Fuel: 6000ltt

Water: 1150lt plus desal

Holding tank: Approx 540lt grey water, 410lt black water

Accommodation: 10 plus two crew

ENGINE

Make/model: MAN V12

Type: Common rail 12-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine

Rated HP: 1360 at 2300rpm

Displacement: 22lt

Weight: n/a

Drive (make/ratio): V-drive Twin

Disc 2.5:1

Props: Four-blade 970mm Nibral alloy