NAUTICA MAGAZINE
NAVIGATION TEST

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Text and photographs by Martino Motti

Nautica Magazine
n. 552, April 2008

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...

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.

TECHNICAL DATA

		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

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

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

IMPRESSIONS

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

EVALUATION OF COMFORT AND FUNCTIONALITY