Azimut Yachts Introduces 45 Flybridge to 2011 Lineup

June 19, 2011

The Azimut 45 Motoryacht, one of Azimut Yachts’ new arrivals for 2011, sets a new benchmark for the market by re-examining the fundamental aspects of liveability and quality, attaining a level the competition may find difficult to match. The great efforts put into design, functional studies, and technical research have now borne fruit in the form of the undoubtedly most advanced flybridge motoryacht of its class.

The Azimut 45 represents a project that leads to new consequences through the use of ideas that were put into practice in earlier models with great success. These include a new layout for the living area that features a different use of available below-deck space through an innovative placement of the galley, as well as a cabin arrangement that come in two varieties, 2 or 3 staterooms, each with a large central VIP cabin.

The exterior design and the concept were created by yacht designer, Stefano Righini, and the interior design, by Carlo Galeazzi. On the exterior, the great achievement is the spacious flybridge, which is attached as a modular unit at the stern. The space can be reconfigured with the simple rearrangement of a few elements: from an dinette complete with a dining table and a sofa area with L- or C-shaped seating, to a spacious sundeck on a single level.

These elements have bases that use rotational technology, which enables a savings of 25% in weight versus traditional elements. The flybridge is designed to accommodate 10 guests between seating, sundeck, and steering station. Accessed by a handy stairway, this spacious terrace overlooking the sea covers the entire cockpit, providing ample shade. It has side railings for additional safety and a skylight near the exterior steering station that can be opened, allowing communication between the flybridge and the living quarters in the interior of the main deck. This creates continuity between the two environments, exterior and interior, enabling communication between the two steering stations, even while underway. The flybridge helm features a full instrument panel, including a 14″ Raymarine display.

Great design work is also on display in the cockpit, which comes with a folding table that disappears into the sofa and a refrigerator or icemaker. The swimming platform can be either fixed or retractable, which is also useful when hauling or launching the yacht tender. The retractable version can bear a load of 350 kg, with running boards on the sides to assist in getting on and off the boat.

The Azimut 45’s Main Salon comes with 2 large sofas and a pouf, thus accommodating eight people. The main sofa can be converted into a double bed. The table’s height can be adjusted with the flip of a switch.

A great deal of effort was put into the design of the central guest cabin, a spacious suite that achieves volume beneath the steering station. It is illuminated by daylight from a panoramic glassed wall and has a bathroom with separate access. The double bed can be turned into 2 singles with a few simple adjustments.

Located in the bow is the Master Stateroom, built with care and attention in order to provide wherever possible wardrobes and space for storage, such as the large locker underneath the bed. Here as well, the cabin has a dedicated bathroom that is illuminated by light from large rectangular side portholes.

The three-cabin version offers the owner a cabin with overlapping berths, which bring the total number of beds to 8, counting the convertible sofa in the dinette.

Her galley is particularly roomy: in the first version, the marble worktop reaches a length of 3.2 meters and can accommodate a dishwasher, microwave oven and a fridge. In the 3-cabin version, a small part of the galley space is taken up by the third cabin, but the worktop remains one of the most ample in its category. One surprising feature of the galley is its location, since anyone using it can still chat with people sitting in the dinette or at the interior steering station, which is in keeping with the modern concept of cooking being a time of shared enjoyment and socializing during on-board life.

The oak interiors are a natural honey color with a breathable finish; the Jakarta leathers have a light finish on the tips that gives them a heightened 3-D effect. Azimut follows the construction philosophy of using natural dyes and materials.

The keel of the Azimut 45 is a classic variable dihedral, with an angle of 21 degrees amidship that reproduces the optimal qualities in other models of similar size in terms of wave absorption and performance. It is built in its entirety employing an infusion process, a building method that ensures low environmental impact, high-quality construction, and top-flight mechanical characteristics.

The Azimut 45 is outfitted with twin 480hp Cummins engines with shaft-mounted propellers, and a 32-knot maximum speed. With the “easy handling” and “easy docking” options, steering the boat has been highly simplified. The easy handling option assists with differing propeller rotation speeds in order to enable quick, precise course corrections, while the easy docking option enables docking in tight spaces to be accomplished using a simple joystick: wind and sea conditions have no effect on precision, and thanks to intelligent management of the power of the twin engines and the bow thruster, all maneuvers become sure and simple.

These are systems that have made it easier to use the yacht, particularly for those with little help on board. All of the boat’s functions can be monitored by using the “easy cruising” system, which integrates data relating to the electrical system, tanks, temperatures, and alarms.

2011 Azimut 45 Specifications & Dimensions:

Maximum Length: 13.78m / 45’3”

Hull Length: 13.46m / 44’2”

Waterline Length: 11.2m / 36’9”

Beam: 4.38m / 14’4”

Draft: 0.86m / 2’10”

Full-Load Displacement: 17.00t / 37,478 lbs

Light Displacement: 13.30t / 29,321 lbs

Fuel Capacity: 1,300 liters / 343.46 gallons

Water Capacity: 500 liters / 132.10 gallons

Grey Water Capacity: 140 liters / 36.98 gallons

Black Water Capacity: 140 liters / 36.98 gallons