Yacht Class n°23 (dec 2020/jan-feb 2021)

Azimut-Benetti Group

Azimut, property of Benetti Group, has no less than six families: Fly, S, Atlantis, Grande, Verve & Magellano. The latter symbolises the Navetta genre, which is mainly characterised by generous living space. This year, it has welcomed a new 25-metre with innovative lines and a captivating interior design.

Written by: Roberto Franzoni – Photos : All rights reserved

All the Magellano range bears design by Ken Freivokh, including this 25 metre which, however, seems to mark a milestone in the exterior design. Actually, her lines promise to remain timeless, yet they undeniably express a form of modernism, elegant in many ways. Incidentally, the designer is also working on a 30-metre project with apparently rather close references to the 25 metre. The main element characterizing the entire design and eventually all the yacht is the fully glazed superstructure, created to convey the feeling of a penthouse overlooking the sea, more than in many other yachts of similar size. In this, she directly meets the demands of owners who do not want to lose sight of the outside spectacle during navigation and open anchorages. Note that towards the cockpit, the slatted teak panels on either side aft of the deckhouse are a soft and tender memory of the romantic wooden construction era. Another “historical” detail, the elegant spiral staircase leading up to the flybridge from the cockpit is also reminiscent of a vintage ship. Also the almost vertical bow contributes to the same feeling and image of the yacht. Yet, her overall look remains modern.

Comfortable outdoors

It is easy to see that a significant importance was given to the outdoor relaxation areas with teak flooring. Let’s start with the stern and its cockpit overlooking the hydraulic swim platform forming a kind of beach club, very pleasant during anchorages. Rather than opting for the traditional U-shaped settee, Azimut has placed two sofas in the direction of travel with an adjustable table in-between: low position for snacks and high position for meals. They offer an unobstructed sea view, especially thanks to the glazed aft balcony. In other words, this place will be appreciated during anchorages. So will the foredeck and its two symmetrical L-shaped sofas (passageway in the middle) where guests can also settle down during navigation, but preferably in calm weather. The flybridge of about 35 m2, accessible via a stylish spiral staircase, is covered on three quarters by a roof. In order, from the stern, there is a beautiful terrace with either a lounge or sun loungers, a bar, a saloon and a port helm station, protected by a small windshield. 

A very enlightened designer

For its flagship, Azimut called upon Vincenzo De Cotiis, an Italian artist and architect internationally renowned in the field of interior design of luxury villas and cultural public places. In a way, yachting was new for him. This partnership was born from the yard’s desire to reach a new milestone by creating for the first time a yacht that was not only containing artworks, but was an artwork in itself. Note that polyester made of fiberglass, one of Vincenzo de Cotiis’s favourite materials. Thus, for the interior of the Magellano 25 M, De Cotiis used a special type of resin and thanks to an elaborate handicraft process, using multiple layers embellished with a bronze powder, he gave life to surfaces of parchment colour, enriched by pleasant clouded effects with inclusions that are reminding the patterns and the shades of the precious stones. There is an appealing play of contrasts thanks to the brushed Alpi’s Green marble or the dark walnut wood. The furniture shapes follow the creative atmosphere that Vincenzo De Cotiis gave to all the interior. He also put many efforts into creating a sense of continuity connecting the different volumes. The most strikingly original setting is the huge saloon, designed to offer a view of the sea from any point and of course to be flooded throughout with natural light. When entering this space, we understand Vincenzo de Cotiis was willing to break the classic rectangular floor plan: different shapes of sofas, the dining table that can be arranged lengthwise and many other originalities… One certainty, from this place, the sea remains close. Artificial light is also a key element, with a lighting system designed to create a soft, warm mood. The carefully thought out light design created by the artist involves not only lamps and classic ceiling spotlights. We are bound to recognize that Vincenzo de Cotiis masters both the natural and artificial lighting. He even managed to give to the luminous sofa bottoms the appearance of “being suspended”. This is most successful! The Magellano 25 has a semi raised deck between the main deck and the flybridge hosting the internal wheelhouse, which offers a perfect visibility.

An equally luxurious lower deck

The night area belowdecks is accessible via a starboard staircase. The full beam master cabin (25 m2) is central and has a partially open bathroom space on the starboard side with a large porthole, plus a walk-in closet. The decoration is in perfect line with the main deck, with dominant white. There are also two VIP on port side, each with a double bed perpendicular to the planking, and a twin on starboard. The bow accommodates two crew cabins (three berths) and a toilet area, with direct access from the galley to ensure a high level of privacy. 

A 30 metre in project !

This 25 metre is conceived for both day trips and long cruises. However, she has a limited range of 387 miles at 16.6 knots before calling at a port equipped with a fuel station. She is powered by two 1 400 HP Man engines with V-Drive transmission. At the cruising speed of 16.6 knots, navigation is very smooth and the sound level discreet. At maximum engine speeds, the Magellano hits 23.8 knots, ensuring a quick return to her home port. With the optional 1 550 hp MAN V12 configuration, she should reach 25 knots. With this new unit, Azimut did much more than just add a few more metres to its Magellano 66. Better than that, it has announced a 30-metre project that confirms its ambition to bring something new and bigger to the genre.