Azimut’s new Low Emission Yacht, presented at Cannes Yachting Festival 2022, offers all the features of a superyacht in a length of 26 meters and introduces two novelties: the Deck2Deck™ terrace and the first Large POD propulsion system. The market rewards innovations in style and technology, with 22 units sold in the first two months since the launch.
The launch of the Grande 27M in 2018 was such a success for Azimut, both with the public and the market, that the model became a benchmark in the category. Today, Azimut presents the Grande 26M, inspired by the desire to amaze again by offering solutions designed for superyachts on a 26-meter boat and introducing an innovative propulsion system to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20%. The proposition met an enthusiastic reception right from the start, with 22 units of the Grande 26M already sold.
When it refers to a yacht, the term ‘super’ identifies specific characteristics, which the Grande 26M delivers through smart design choices that reflect the expectations of demanding owners in terms of the onboard experience: 5 cabins, including the full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck, and completely separated guest and crew flows. These distinctive features and the huge flybridge – 50m2 all on the same level – have never been seen before on a yacht this size.
In the words of Alberto Mancini, the designer of the Grande 26M’s exteriors: “The project was driven by the enthusiasm to create a compact superyacht, with five cabins, an enormous flybridge and a larger cockpit than usual for the category, which we wanted to extend to give the yacht a fully-fledged dining area overlooking the water.”
The result is the Deck2Deck™ Terrace, the first of its kind created using a transom extension system that pays tribute to the power of the ideas and expertise brought to bear by Azimut’s engineers. The Deck2Deck™ Terrace is formed by raising the teak-clad garage door to expand the size of the cockpit to over 18m2. The walkaround table, when extended, seats up to eight guests in an al fresco dining room with a view out over the water.
The creative design approach behind the Grande 26M is also reflected in the interiors, and particularly in the strategic choice of a partially raised wheelhouse, which, taken together with the smaller engine room resulting from the innovative Large POD propulsion system and the light carbon fiber superstructure – meaning more volume for the same weight – offers interior designer Achille Salvagni plenty of space to express his vision of organic architecture, in which the elements created by the designer are in complete harmony with the natural environment.
The shapes and hues are soft and warm like the marine environment seen through the huge full-height windows on the main deck and in the owner’s suite. Color accents in various settings on the yacht act as playful but discreet elements with which Salvagni sparks the imagination: the cobalt blue of the sofa and the suspended lamp over the dining table, the orange coffee table, the eye-catching chromatic details inside the cabins. The oak floor is perfect for interiors, conjuring up the warmth of teak, while the boards laid at a 45-degree angle give the impression of even wider spaces.
The star of the show is the owner’s cabin on the main deck, which is flooded with light through the two full-height glazed surfaces and represents a unique feature in this market segment. Salvagni’s idea is to rethink the spaces in the suite, contaminating the settings to offer greater depth: the cabin and bathroom are connected by an open dressing area, lit by natural light entering through original cell-shaped windows featuring curved, flowing lines, in another mini masterpiece of organic design. The same shape also appears in the handrail incorporated in the wall leading to the raised wheelhouse: the design is in the details.
GRANDE 26M, the new Low Emission Yacht from Azimut
Azimut has been investing in research for over ten years to develop innovative solutions that reduce the environmental impact of its boats and was the first brand to believe in POD propulsion systems. Drawing on its extensive experience, the Yard developed the new Large POD 4600 propulsion system for the Grande 26M in partnership with ZF. The system, combined with a 30% lighter superstructure achieved through the extensive use of carbon fiber, delivers 20% lower fuel consumption at the most frequent speeds.
These percentages are unmatched on the market today and have been achieved without compromising performance. The PODs pivot, eliminating the need for a rudder and the associated drag to achieve unrivalled performance for maneuvering and reaching high speeds, and the Grande 26M accelerates effortlessly to 28 knots. Compared with the POD systems already available on the market, the new ZF POD 4600 system was developed to increase efficiency on larger boats for the first time, with top speeds between 20 and 30 knots. An additional benefit of the system is higher torque at low speeds for easier maneuvering. The system is Hybrid Ready, because the future of Azimut is sustainable.
The Grande 26M joins Azimut’s fleet of Low Emission Yachts, which now includes more than half the brand’s models. These boats guarantee a 20 to 30% reduction in fuel consumption, and therefore CO2 emissions, compared with equivalent shaft line models with hard-chine hulls. This result has been achieved by combining three key factors: the adoption of innovative propulsion systems; the development of increasingly efficient hulls, tailored to master the challenges of each Series’ mission; and extensive use of carbon fiber to reduce weight.