Italy’s Azimut Yachts has spent the past few years revamping and supersizing its Magellano line, which now tops out at 97 feet. But it’s the Azimut Magellano 60, which is the newest and smallest vessel in the range, that brought me to a yacht-filled marina on the Ligurian coast.
Named after the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the Magellanos once started at an economical 43 feet. Today’s dual-mode, semi-displacement hulls keep the ethos of long-distance cruising with economy at the forefront of the designs, but update them substantially for a modern audience. When I boarded the 60, I felt like I was walking into a thoughtfully designed living room. From the cockpit to the bow, there were plush settees, soft carpets and a rotating TV near a high-low table.
Visibility and volume were also readily apparent. The windows wrap around the main deck for natural light and impeccable views. The cockpit’s “infinity deck” also adds visibility, with glass forming the upper half of the transom, letting the owner and guests see straight through to the ocean. Anyone relaxing on the sofa out there will feel much closer to the water than on many other boats.
As for volume, the master and two guest staterooms are generously sized, each with its own head and shower. Two of the guest showers have a sauna-style touch, with wooden box seats. There’s also a crew cabin with a head aft.
“They call it the SUV on the water,” someone said as I walked around the yacht, learning precisely how the 60 had earned the moniker. Azimut’s captain drove the 60 out of the marina and straight into increasingly snotty waters. I could feel the dual-mode hull design in action. There’s an upper chine to enhance stability at lower speeds, a lower chine that reduces resistance at higher speeds, and a central skeg to increase directional stability. We had quite a bit of pitch from the rollers dead ahead, but after the captain steered us off by 20 degrees or so, it seemed as if there were no waves at all. This boat is definitely a well-rounded performer.
When it was my turn behind the wheel, I tested maneuverability with full circles and figure eights. Despite her size, the 60 could cut a decently tight turn. I pushed the throttles to full tilt, putting the twin 730-hp MAN i6 engines to work.
Azimut reports a cruise speed of 18 knots with a top speeds of 26 knots. I clocked her at just over 27 knots with substantial fuel burn, returning a range of 306 nautical miles. On the other hand, this boat is just as comfortable at 8 knots as she is at more than 20 knots. At 8 knots, the 60 is good for 1,000 nm, with the MANs sipping just under 8 gallons per hour. Back down the throttles to 5 knots, and she’ll go 2,297 nm.
Sound levels on board topped 70 decibels only when the MANs were at maximum revs. Between 8 and 20 knots, my decibel meter stayed below 60, about the same level as normal conversation.
Azimut also made a move toward sustainability with its choice of fuel on the Magellano 60. She’s been running on HVOlution, a type of hydrotreated vegetable fuel. According to Azimut, this type of fuel matches diesel’s performance while reducing carbon emissions by 60 percent. HVO is not yet a commercially distributed product at any fuel docks, and it costs 10 percent more than diesel, but the builder has it delivered via truck with plans to open an HVO station, possibly at Varazze, to the west of Genoa, as soon as next year.
I’m told that Liguria’s buildings were painted so colorfully because fishermen wanted to be able to spot their homes as they steered back to shore. It’s certainly a beautiful place to be, but with the Magellano 60 offering so many onboard comforts and benefits, I’m not sure I’d ever steer home at all.
AZIMUT MAGELLANO 60
LOA: 60ft. 7in.
Beam: 16ft. 11in.
Draft: 4ft. 6in.
Construction: FRP
Displacement: 76,985 lbs.
Fuel: 965 gal.
Water: 199 gal.
Engine: 2x 730-hp MAN i6
Info: azimutyachts.com
This article was originally published in the January/February 2024 issue.
