Grand Introduction: Azimut 27M Grande

Azimut has released an addition to the new Grande collection. Just 10 feet shorter than the first in the range, but with a distinctive snub-nosed bow, this so-called wide-body yacht provides the largest living space in the category, keeps faith with Azimut’s traditional flowing lines, and offers full-height windows that rise from the hull into the superstructure.

There’s a “sporty, edgy character” conveyed, principally by the modern vertical bow. Stefano Righini, Azimut’s designer for this model, amongst many others, has won Azimut awards, including the “most achieved” award at the 2017 Cannes boat show, recognising the extraordinary amount of living space provided within the yacht.

The master cabin is on the main deck, and there’s room for up to another four guest cabins below. Extensive use of carbon fibre in structural elements makes it possible to provide more space for the same weight, resulting in good performance on the water, and extra comfort within.

On boats this size, intended for extended trips, both socialisation space and private space become important and both are provided generously on the Azimut Grande 27m. Staff have separate circulation routes, reducing the likelihood of collisions between passengers and staff carrying trays of food and drink.

The flybridge is half as long as the whole boat, and includes sunpads, seats, dining and a bar area.

The flybridge is half as long as the whole boat, and full-width and includes sunpads, seats, dining and a bar – and lots of circulation space for cocktails while at anchor. You could sacrifice some of this space for a jacuzzi. The deck is strong enough with all that carbon fibre. The fore deck is almost at the same level as the flybridge but is accessed from the main deck by companionways that extend upwards from the gangways on either side of the main saloon.

The foredeck, as is now becoming de rigueur, isn’t just about fitting as many sunbathers onto a flat surface as you can. There’s sheltered seating for at least six people, a rising dining table, and sunpads with a sloping bolster built-in. You could probably get six sunbathers on the pads, but three or four could share in comfort.

The mail saloon, with its avant-garde furniture and dining area

The saloon, and its avant-garde furniture for lounge and dining, the dining squarely amidships, is just behind the complicated galley and its private access upwards to the wheelhouse and nearby downward access to the lower deck cabins. The wheelhouse is somehow inserted above the main saloon, yet just below the flybridge. The two helm positions are thus quite close to each other.

As is usual with an Azimut of this class, the designer of the interior furniture and fittings, Architetti Salvagni, was encouraged to be creative. Embodying Azimut’s trademark “sinuous lines”, and hand-built, with only a little wood on display, the smooth and rounded shapes, with contrasting materials and textures, present a flowing contemporary look, only faintly reminiscent of the ‘60s and the relentlessly modern look of the era.

Further forward on the Main Deck is the master cabin with big wardrobes, a dressing room, a desk and a head with two of everything. Plenty of space to hide from your guests in here. There’s a day head near the galley.

The spacious and stylish owner’s suite.

The lower deck, in addition to the two cabins set aside for four crew which sit behind the main midships bulkhead, can have three or four more cabins. The five (total) cabin version has two flanking doubles near the centre of the boat, and two twins, side by side in the fore peak. The four-cabin version has a double and a single centred, and a huge double, nearly as large as the master cabin above, but with only one of each thing in the head. The crew cabins can be set up as two sets of bunks or as two bunks and a double. They share a mess and a head. Further back is the garage, below which is the engine room and the twin 1900hp diesels.

The Azimut Grande 27m has power steering, said to deliver a similar sensation to driving a top of the line car. Remember, in Italy, “top-of-the-line” car means the Ferraris and Lamborghinis that aren’t common elsewhere. Like one of these cars, the control system includes a means to configure the responsiveness of the controls. It is electronic, not hydraulic, eliminating lots of hydraulic piping between the two helm stations and the rudder. Further enhancing the handling is the automatic trim adjustment system that intervenes to get the hull up onto the “step” faster, and thereafter adjusts the trim to match the running conditions, resulting in cleaner handling and better fuel efficiency.

The distinctive hull is a planing deep V hard-chined hull that, with the twin MAN 1900hp engines will get this very large yacht up to 27kts which is quite fast for an 88-footer. Truth be told, Azimut is missing a trick by not calling this a Grande 88, at least in the Far East, but that doesn’t take anything away from its performance as it displaces 89 tons. Top cruising speed is 24kts, and at a more modest distance-eating speed, 12kts, its range is over 800nm.

www.azimutyachts.com

Words by Nic Boyde | Images courtesy of Azimut