62E Azimut

Source: Ed Auck, Sea Magazine

An evolution in Italian design

When I looked down into the marina, the radiant blue hull of the new Azimut 62 Evolution stood out among the other vessels. Hamid Partow, Newport Boats’ sales manager, explained that the boat’s unique color was made especially for Azimut’s U.S. retail market.

The 62E is a natural for the California lifestyle. With or without a crew, this boat is easy to handle, fun to drive and world class in design, function and quality. Amid the newly built waterfront condos and slips, Marina del Rey provided the perfect location to test this luxury vessel.

Benvenuto!

As I padded around the pristine decks of the 62E in my socks (this boat was brand-new, and the dealer wanted to keep it looking that way), I noticed that the exterior decking material is smartly laid out in teak all the way to the bow.

During my pre-trip inspection, I immediately started to open storage hatches. I find myself judging the quality of a boat more by what I find, so taking a close look at every available space on this Azimut was a must. Right next to the transom cockpit entry door, I found a fully watertight hatch, which revealed a spacious crew quarters with its own head and shower.

The next hatch I found was in the aft cockpit. It led to my favorite room of all – the engine area. The gas assist cylinders and large pulls allowed me to open the hatch easily with one hand. No crouching was necessary to enter. The Azimut has a very user-friendly stainless and teak entry step. Once I was down below, I was not disappointed. The rigging is nothing short of magnificent. The C-18 Caterpillars are very comfortable, and service accessibility is effortless. The custom stainless steel underwater exhaust is a work of art, and it paid off as there is virtually no exhaust noise on this yacht. The Kohler 20 kw genset is mounted forward, and it also has excellent serviceability as do the batteries, fuel filters, sea strainers and everything else that counts while cruising the open seas. It is obvious that the 62E is not only one of the most beautiful yachts on the water, but it is second to none in quality of rigging and construction.

Out to Sea

After way too much time in the engine room, I decided I’d better not keep opening hatches or we would never actually make it to the open ocean before dark. It was another beautiful day in Southern California, just perfect for a sea trial. I chose to drive the boat from the bridge. As the C-18 1,015 hp Caterpillar engines fired up, I had to check the tachometers to make sure they were running – the exhaust system is indeed that quiet. The engines started flawlessly and were virtually smokeless. The bow and stern thrusters provided me with the added confidence that I wouldn’t scratch that beautiful blue hull on the dock, either.

Azimut has designed this yacht to cruise with 988 gallons of fuel and 264 gallons of water, and with the large-capacity gray and black water tanks you can confidently plan the long-range voyage of your dreams.

At the Helm

The wheelhouse was extremely comfortable and functional. The ZF Electronic controls, VDO instrumentation and Raymarine navigation system were all within easy view and reach from the extra-wide adjustable helm seat. Switches and controls were all well marked, and I didn’t feel like I needed a pilot’s license to operate the vessel. You also have a full 360-degree view from the helm.

Once we were beyond the breakwater I was excited to put the big Cats to work. As I accelerated the throttle response was truly amazing. This 30-ton yacht actually pushed me back in my seat. It took under 10 seconds to plane and accelerated to top speed in under 50 seconds. Once we were on plane every 100 rpm on the tach produced a speed gain of approximately 2 knots. The throttle response was incredible and proved the efficiency of the Azimut’s hull design. When it came to handling, this yacht turned like a sportboat. The steering and handling was immediate. The feel of the steering mechanism was crisp, and the hull leaned in and out of the turns. I didn’t need to use the trim tabs at all to assist the boat on plane or to correct any listing, which makes operating the boat that much easier. The hull lifted as we accelerated with no loss of visibility from either the bridge or lower station. At wide-open throttle, the yacht performed exactly as advertised and reached 33.1 knots at 2325 rpm. Even at wide-open throttle the Cats were extremely quiet and smooth. We found the boat cruised nicely at 2100 rpm at about 29 knots of speed. This 62E is so easy to operate even a first-time yacht owner will feel at ease in no time.

Heading Back

For our return to port, I chose to drive the boat from the wheelhouse below. We left the large salon door fully open and were amazed again at how quiet and smooth the yacht is. When we closed the salon door it was almost completely silent on board. I had remarkable visibility while making turns and it was reassuring to be able to turn my head and make sure we were clear of smaller watercraft. I could also see easily over the bow when planing, which again is another tribute to Azimut’s technology. Once back at the dock, the bow and stern thrusters can make anyone look like a docking pro. Securing the vessel was a snap, since the large cleats are mounted on the inside decks for ease of line access for moorage. Within minutes we had rinsed off the outer hull and secured the canvas.

A Look Inside

The aft cockpit table is a custom-ordered piece from Newport Boats; it is actually the table used on the 68-to 75-foot Azimuts and looks right at home on the 62E. Instead of a standard sliding salon door, the Azimut 62E has a triple sliding door that literally opens up the full width of the cockpit. It really connects the entire salon to the aft cockpit and eliminates the feeling of having two different sections to the boat. This creates a true open-air feel on board the vessel.

As you walk through the salon, there is a light and airy feel to the area. The window designs all around and above almost made us feel we were in an open cockpit. Extra-large stainless steel handrails are everywhere you would want them – on the stairs leading to the dining room, in the galley and forward to the wheelhouse. The rich wood floors, tables and cabinets have a spectacular fit and finish, as is typical with fine Italian designs.

The galley is appropriately outfitted with a microwave oven and a grill, refrigerator/freezer combo and a dishwasher. Ample storage for pots and pans is found in the cabinetry, which, by the way, comes ready for kitchen duty with a set of stainless steel cookware. A washer/dryer unit is located in the main corridor to the cabins.

The yacht has also been pre-rigged with all cabling for future electronics and accessories to be installed. The model I tested had yet to have the entertainment systems installed, although most of the rigging was complete. I love this approach, because as fast as the electronic market moves, you can outfit the yacht with the latest wide-screen TVs and home theater equipment available according to your taste. The yacht will not have to be taken apart and have different equipment installed if you are not happy with what is already installed at the time of purchase.

As I walked down the stairs to the sleeping quarters, I felt like I was walking through a much larger boat. Each cabin is extremely private and spacious. The master stateroom is aft and has walk-in closets, shoe racks, a vanity with drawers and a head with a private entry. The butterfly-style windows in the master stateroom are a new feature and provide a panoramic view; they replace the traditional oval windows in earlier models. The VIP stateroom is forward with a double bed, private head and walk-in closet. The guest stateroom is on the starboard side and has twin beds and a wardrobe with drawers. The head in the main corridor comes complete with a shower. The bridge has a large C-shaped lounge seat, which will ensure that the captain on the bridge won’t be alone. It also was equipped with a large crane and cradle for a good-sized dinghy or jet skis. A fiberglass staircase with teak treads and large radius handrails make accessing the bridge comfortable in any sea. A large deck hatch can be locked down to secure the stairwell, too. There is also a full-sized refrigerator and sink on the bridge for your added convenience while entertaining.

The Azimut 62E is truly a study in Italian boat-building mastery and certain to please the American yacht enthusiast.