 |
 |
Sea trials, brand-new and used boats
Other shipyards
 |
|
|
||||||
NAUTICA MAGAZINE
|
|
AZIMUT 58 FLYBRIDGE
Technological and custom-built, the Azimut 58 attracted the attention at the last Genoa Boat Show and not only for her bright green hull...
Designer: concept and exterior design by Stefano Righini, interior design by arch. Carlo Galeazzi, engineering by Azimut Technical Studio |
||||||
The exterior is marked by wraparound yet aggressive lines, just like
sea waves. Ample windows create a special and pleasant effect with the
surrounding environment. The view on the sea from the saloon, the
Owner stateroom or the flying bridge is wonderful. The state-of-the-
art building technology, continually evolving and improving, allows
Azimut to exceed itself in every new model. Careful design and
excellent materials complete the picture.
Inside, both wood and fabric are intentionally light, bright, fresh
and never dull, in fact some structural elements are painted with a
special brown varnish. Even cabins are ample and airy. The forward
cabin offers an interesting solution: the two single beds are hinged
at the head and may be slid so as to form either a V-shaped or a
central double bed. The waterlines were carefully designed for good
performance with limited fuel consumption.
Outside, a remarkable
solution was conceived for the aft platform on which a tender or a
personal watercraft may be housed. The platform is hydraulically
operated and may be lowered for easy tender hauling and launching. In
case no tender is kept onboard, the aft platform may be used as a wetbar.
 |
||
 |
Fuel consumption indicated in the graph is obtained from engine consumption curves supplied by builder, nevertheless the effective consumption at sea may differ from published data as a function of: loads and their distribution aboard, navigating conditions, engine state and adjustment as well as characteristics of propellers used. | |
CONSTRUCTION CHARACTERISTICS
Hull: deep-V fiberglass hull with 15.5 degrees deadrise aft and
23.5 degrees deadrise amidships. Hull sides and the two sprayrails are
marked by longitudinal steps. The fiberglass used is obtained from
multi-axial fabric with powder binder. Infusion-laminated fiberglass,
neopentilic-isophthalic gelcoat applied by spraying. Some parts of the
hull are in sandwich with expanded PVC coreHull construction and structures: structures are in fiberglass sandwich with expanded PVC core. The forward collision bulkhead and the engine room are in sandwich with wood core. Interiors and superstructures are in DCPD resin while the outside part of the hull is in vinyl ester resin
Deck: deck material is in sandwich with expanded PVC core; deck
flooring is in teak and is quite comfortable; even though fore-and-aft
passages are not very wide they are comfortable and safe thanks to the
jutting handrails. The flying bridge is decidedly large. Aft, the area
may be either dedicated to relaxation with chaises longues or used as
a garage for the tender. The central part of the flying bridge is
fitted with a settee and a folding teak table, opposite there is a
cabinet with refrigerator, freezer, sink and barbecue. Forward there
is the dashboard and a nice sunbed to starboard. The flying bridge is
shaded by a hard top - it is the first time Azimut fits the hard top
on a yacht of this size
Bow area: square shaped for larger space belowdecks, easier
walking on deck, greater floatation forward and a more spacious
sunbed. Mooring fittings are at sight.
Cockpit: open air space with a structural top (flying bridge).
The area includes a settee for 4 along the bulwark aft, beneath is the
deckhand cabin, the aft quarters are fitted with cabinets on which
mooring bitts and winches are fitted and inside which mooring lines
and fittings may be stored. To the sides of the settee, two steps
lead, on starboard side, to the fold-in hydraulic gangway concealed
when not in use and on portside to the aft platform. On both sides of
the deckhouse there are two structural cabinets and on portside there
is the ladder that takes to the flying bridge
Aft platform: hydraulically operated structural platform. On
its sides, there are small cabinets where various object may be stored
and the cold/hot water shower is fitted on portside. The swimming
ladder is concealed when not in use
Helm station: central ivory-and-brown fiberglass dashboard,
with leather inlays; includes engine and plant instruments plus two
Raymarine E120 chart plotters, Auto-pilot 6002, Tridata St6002, BCS
Flap, Rexroth levers, R240 VHF. The adjustable wheel in steel and wood
is at the center, levers are on starboard side. A footrest offers
complete comfort to the pilot seating on the electrically adjusted
pilot chair. On starboard side is the drop-leaf chart table plus the
electrical switchboard for controlling the different plants and the
two-seat leather settee. On the flying bridge the fiberglass dashboard
includes the various engine and sailing instruments, the two-seat
settee and a windshield to protect the pilot from the airflow.
INTERIORS
Layout and characteristics: entering the yacht from the cockpit
there is the saloon. On portside, after crossing a large glass door,
there is an elegant L-shaped sofa with a cabinet and a berth
underneath, opposite there is a smaller sofa with two cabinets on both
sides. The TV set is mounted on a turning stand and it is always at
sight. Two steps up take to the dining area with a leather and fabric
C-shaped sofa that surrounds the leather and pickled oak table. To
port of the dining area there is the galley separated by a fiberglass
worktop with underneath pleasantly designed drawers and cabinets for
crockery and a pantry.
The worktop is in Granulon and includes a steel
sink, a plate rack, on the short side three ceramic hobs with dish-
washer underneath, along the hull side a long cabinet with the same
kind of top, including a freezer, refrigerator and microwave oven. The
rest of the space under the tops is made of cabinets for storing all
kitchen utensils. Other cabinets are fitted above the worktops.
Forward there is the helm station. On portside of the dashboard a
ladder takes to the cabins, in this area inside a cabinet fitted in
the bulkhead there is the washing machine. Arrived in a small access
area, to starboard there is the master stateroom with transverse
double bed, bedside tables - each with a lamp, a hanging locker, a
chest of drawers with TV set above, flush mounted to the bulkhead, a
large bureau with a drop-leaf table that hides a dressing table with
mirror for the lady and three extra drawers. There are two windows
with shades.
The bathroom is aft, sink is in new polyester brown resin
fitted on a wooden and fiberglass cabinet, to port there is the
Vacuflush toilet and the bidet. The shower stall is fitted behind the
access door, it is very large, with flooring and seat in pickled oak.
To port of the access area, up three steps there are the guest cabins,
to starboard the twin bed cabin, hanging locker, bedside table and
porthole; forward is the VIP cabin with V berth where the beds may
slide to form a central double bed, with bedside table, drawers,
cabinets and lockers. On the ceiling there is a sliding hatch with
mosquito net. The cabin is fitted with I-Boat, the onboard system for
hearing I-pod music. The VIP cabin head may be accessed from the cabin
as well as from the corridor. It includes a sink in a new brown
polyester synthetic resin supported by a wooden and fiberglass
cabinet, a Vacuflush toilet and a round shower stall with pickled oak flooring.
FITTINGS
Standard fittings: teak ladder to the flying bridge,
refrigerator and sink in the flying bridge pilot settee (but facing
aft), adjustable stainless steel steering wheel, chain counter,
watertight radio and CD player with three + two loudspeakers on the
flying bridge, flying bridge dining table, VHF, midships bitts,
hydraulic gangway at sight, sewage tank deck fitting, 55-pound delta
anchor with 246 foot 10mm chain, 1700 W Aries winch, three windshield
wipers, forward sunbed cushioning, antifouling paint, tender lifting
aft platform - maximum load 991 lbs, stainless steel/teak swimming
ladder, cockpit cold/hot water shower, underwater lights, adjustable
pilot seat for one person, computer desk, stainless steel lacquered
hydraulic type steering system, stainless steel steering wheel with
rim in varnished wood, engine instruments and plant controls on
dashboard, saloon Roman shades, starboard cabinet in pickled oak,
radio and CD player with loudspeakers, TV set arrangement, 32" LCD TV
set, carpeting in interiors, three ceramic hobs, microwave oven with
grill, Granulon worktop, two stainless steel sinks, extractor fan, 34
US gallon refrigerator, 14 US gallons freezer, pickled oak flooring,
Owner double bed leather band with safe, cabinets with interiors in
natural cedarwood, bureau/dressing table, arrangement for 20"-30" TV
set, opening windows, pickled oak flooring in heads, interior cabinets
and lockers in pickled oak, 5kWgenerating set, dockside electrical
connections, two battery-chargers, three automatic bilge pumps, bilge
emergency system using engine cooling system pump, 15 3/4 US gallon
water heater, gray water plant with 27 US gall. tank, black water
plant with approx. 100 US gall. tank with macerator, hydro-electrical
steering system with NiBrAl rudder, NiBrAl propeller, 2 hydraulic
flaps, engine room fire-fighting plant, 8 fenders, cushioning, window
nets, crockery, mooring linesOptional fittings: teak flooring, barbecue, flying bridge hard top or awning, fiberglass roll-bar with antennae's support, flying bridge teak, flying bridge icemaker, fender holder, aft windlass, stern thruster control, joystick device for easy maneuvering, icemaker in the saloon, dish washer, teak cutting board, washer-drier in ladder bulkhead cabinet, bidet in Owner head, deckhand cabin with head, opaque honey-hued cabinets, water-maker, 550 lbs. 6 oz. hydraulic davit, 72,000 BTU air conditioning plant + 5.000 BTU air conditioning plant for deckhand cabin.
IMPRESSIONS
SEA AND WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING BOAT TESTINGWind: 17/20 knots
Sea: Force 3.
PERFORMANCE (with 554,82 gallons of fuel, 52.84 gallons of freshwater and 5 passengers)
Time needed to reach planing speed: 12 seconds
Minimum planing speed at 1,100 rpm's: 10.5 knots.
EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE
Seakeeping ability, turning and behavior on waves: the boat
behaves well, the feather spray is cast far away meaning the bow is
sufficiently raked. The ride is quite comfortable and cushioned in a
chop. Maneuverability is fair, the steering system is a bit hard but
effective. The smallest turns have radius of approx. 328 feet. The
hull glides appropriately and lateral stability is good.Helm station: the interior one is spacious with a comfortable pilot seat and excellent visibility. Instrumentation is rationally fitted. The flying bridge one is comfortable and equally spacious, of course visibility here is better.
EVALUATION OF COMFORT AND FUNCTIONALITY
Deck: easy walking even along side decks that are comfortable and suitably protected by the handrail. Several grabrails around the yachtInteriors: comfortable, carefully designed and numerous grabrails where useful, furniture corners are rounded or even padded with leather. Pleasant warm beige, ivory and leather brown hues. All interior wood is in pickled oak with open pore finishing. Ample use of leather for upholstering panels and cabinets. Excellent use of space and wise optimization of volumes: the yacht is fraught with cabinets and storage space. Passengers comfort: air conditioning system, heating system, I-Boat for I-pod interfacing, Hi-Fi system, LCD Tv set, cabinets with interiors in perfumed cedarwood
Galley: essential but spacious, practical layout, pleasantly integrated with the surrounding space yet separated by the counter
Bathrooms: bathrooms are quite ample and comfortable, the Owner one has a beautiful shower stall
Engine room: a large port in the center of the cockpit enables easy access through a ladder. The engine room is ample and quite deep for maintenance and considerable space is dedicated to the plants
Electrical switchboard and plants: the two main low voltage switchboards are in the engine room and in the dashboard, the 220V switchboards are in the galley and in the deckhand cabin. An emergency switchboard is in the cockpit.
All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without publisher's written permission. Credits