Azimut Grande 27M: one of a kind
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Azimut Grande 27M: one of a kind

The world's only five-cabin 27M yacht with raised wheelhouse, the Grande 27M is also the first Azimut of its size to be built using unique «open» technology.
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The Azimut Grande 27M has many strengths: a dynamic silhouette, elegant decoration and attention to detail, a sporty character and innovative production technology.


The Italian shipyard itself focuses on the uniqueness of its new 27-meter model, which had its world premiere at the Cannes Yacht Festival and the Fort Lauderdale exhibition.

«This is the only five-cabin 27-metre yacht on the market with a raised wheelhouse and wide hull»," says Giovanna Vittelli, Vice President of the Azimut-Benetti Group. In addition, the new Azimut is the world's largest «open-top boat», added Paolo Vittelli, founder of the shipyard.

But what does it mean?

As soon as the case created by the vacuum infusion method is removed from the mold and turned over, it already has everything you need, including finished furniture, before the installation of 16-ton superstructure.

This is how Azimut builds all of its smaller models at its high-tech factory in Avillan. In the case of the Grande 27M, this method was first used on such a large yacht.

The new approach allows Azimut to achieve a high level of efficiency. In 2017, the shipyard plans to produce eight hulls Grande 27M, and in the following years intends to bring this figure to 10-11 hulls.

In addition, the «open» construction method allows for more successful space optimization and the most convenient way to position all the yacht's systems.

«We work with minimal construction tolerances. All fiberglass parts are produced using forms cut on a CNC milling machine. Furniture frames are also milled on this machine, after which the furniture is finished manually»," says Azimut Chief Technical Officer Alessandro Rossi.

When the hull and superstructure of the first Azimut Grande 27M were connected together at the docks of the Viareggio shipyard, it was an exciting moment for the builders. The owner of the yacht had no doubt about the success: he had never been to the shipyard during the entire construction period and only once took a look at the drawings and some photographs of the process at the Azimut Benetti Yachting Gala event in Porto Cervo in June.

«I'm probably not a typical owner»," he admits as he sits aboard his yacht while an endless stream of visitors to the Festival de Cannes passes by.

Indeed: in three years it was his fourth Azimut; the first boat was much more modest in size. He now requires a four-man crew to operate his new 27M. Radical and fast change. He is young, full of energy, loves long cruises and looks forward to a great journey in the Mediterranean Sea.

He and his wife have bought a yacht almost as standard. The only thing they added was a hi-end stereo system with multiple speakers, subwoofers and an Apple TV system.

Although this model, like all boats in the Azimut Grande range, can be customised to some extent, the yard has done its best to anticipate customer needs by offering four or five cabins (with different bed configurations) and three interior package solutions from Achille Salvagni, known for his work on the Numptia (now High Power III).

Salvani has worked with Azimut before, but this is the first time he has provided complete interior solutions to the shipyards. In addition to 27M, he worked on her older sister, Grande 35M.

«I am a huge fan of St Laurent and Chanel with their extremely refined simplicity," says the designer. - Here we wanted to achieve the ambitious goal of creating an interior that is both refined, simple and timeless. This is a yacht that will be copied over and over again, with a level of detail in her interiors that is close to unique».

He speaks of the Grande 35M, but all this applies equally to the younger 27-meter model.

The materials used to finish these yachts include aged oak, teak treated with black resin and looking almost like stone, lacquered mahogany and Carrara marble.

In addition to the refined and refined furniture created by Salvani, the turnkey» interior «includes a selection of works of art.

The designer cleverly used the generous interior spaces created by the wide hull of the new Azimut, creating a luxurious master suite on the main deck with floor-to-ceiling windows, and generous guest cabins on the lower deck, where he placed king-size beds so that they do not adjoin to starboard and starboard. In a twin cabin, he placed the V berths, making even more useful space available.

In addition to living space for 10 guests, the designers have placed two cabins with crew toilets on board the Grande 27M, and a tender garage for the 4.5-meter Williams, which can be launched with a swivel system installed above the bathing platform, has been squeezed between the engines.

In order to increase the usable space, it was decided to use the compact MAN V12 motors, which in combination with the gliding hull and the relatively light weight of the vessel give a good «maximum» of 27 knots. The yacht is equipped with hydraulic bow and stern thrusters, fin stabilizers and monitoring and navigation systems from Naviop and Simrad. The Azimut Grande 27M has a maximum range of approximately 800 miles at 12 knots during sea trials. At cruising 20 knots, the boat eats 400 litres of fuel per hour.

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