Azimut and its dealer MarineMax worked closely on a US version of the Azimut 84 flybridge yacht, which made its debut at the Yacht & Brokerage Show this week.
The two companies have enjoyed a good working relationship, which has gone beyond selling or servicing the Italian-made yachts. The partnership is so close that MarineMax has a build captain living on the premises in Viareggio during construction. Aware that not all markets are created equal, Azimut has not only welcomed but invited input from key partners.
MarineMax’s Andrew Schneider, the Azimut product manager, worked closely with Azimut on this US version of the Azimut 84 to make it better suited to American boaters. Based on the design introduced two years ago, MarineMax sold three of these Italian-American 84s so far, including the one presented at the show, sold to the owner of an Azimut 68.
Italian styling by Stefano Righini and a refined interior by Achille Salvagni Architetti are the new normal for many of the newest Azimuts, and this one is no exception. The yacht features an elegant blend of makassar ebony, sycamore frise, light-hued fabrics, leathers and great stones. Another available décor blends greys and uses zebrano as the primary veneer. The impeccable finishes, design details and tasteful furnishings conceal a great deal of storage space from the main deck to the cabins.
Tweaks that were made to suit the US market include a redesigned flybridge. It features the kind of space you’d expect on a much larger yacht, with a superb large bar, an outdoor galley, a barbecue grill and tons of seating, all designed to make it a social area. There is room aft to set chaises to soak in the sun and the person operating the boat from the outside helm will be in good company.
The design of the main deck follows the same idea. Whoever tends to dinner in the galley does not have to feel cut off from the action going on in the salon. A bar with comfortable stools invites guests to face the galley counter in attractive rainforest marble. A round dining table that expands to sit eight comfortably doubles as a games table, leaving plenty of room aft for a comfortable salon benefiting from large windows. An Apple-based entertainment system controls music, lights and TVs and a mix of Bose and GML speakers deliver great sound inside and out.
A pocket door separates the salon area from the pilothouse where the helm is a compact design with easy-to-read screens. A banquette and small table are on the portside. Located in between is one of the two accesses to the cabins.
The lower deck’s layout maximizes space, privacy and views. A private staircase amidships provides access to a master suite featuring a king-size bed, en suite with dual sinks and walk-in shower, a vanity and two spacious hanging closets. A second set of stairs, forward, provides access to the other cabins, including two VIP suites with queen-size beds (one converts to twin) facing large portholes and a large forward VIP.
The crew accesses their two cabins from the swim platform and have access to the engine room. On hull No. 1 two 1,725-hp Caterpillar engines deliver a comfortable 24-knot cruise. The standard engines are twin 1,800 MAN engines.
From Azimut’s point of view, this is very close to a custom build, since the layout and even some of the exterior design features (including the radar arch) have been changed. For both, this is a successful formula, which has allowed getting three previous Azimut owners into their next and larger yacht.