If you’re in the market for a modern luxury motoryacht in the 60-foot range, odds are that you’ve heard of the Azimut 66’ Magellano from Italian yacht designer Benetti. This no-expenses-spared motoryacht is part spaceship and zero parts nostalgia, a combination of trends defining yachting in 2019: plumb bow, massive seating area in the foredeck, large entertainment focused flybridge, carbon fiber components, sumptuous interior, and the list goes on.
When we say massive seating area in the foredeck, we mean it. The area features its own mini-accessway and U-shaped seating around a table with nearby stowage. There’s a similar al dente vibe above, the single-seat helm and nav station effectively integrated into the many cushioned seating arrangements. The cockpit is not left out, with a large dining table and another U-shaped seating around it with ready access to the swim step. Crew quarters are accessed via the transom as are the twin Volvo D13 800-horsepower, V-drive diesel engines.
The builder touts the Magellano’s double chine Dual Mode Hull. The theory is that at low speeds, the upper chine provides additional beam. At high speeds, the water flow is directed to the lower chine shaped to provide less resistance to help with efficiency. It’s a cool concept, untested by Northwest Yachting at the time of this writing.
Inside, there are both three- and four-cabin layout options with three enclosed heads (in addition to the one crew cabin and head). The interior is stylized like many modern yachts with an emphasis on being open, but notable also is the Navetta option—essentially a deployable separator between the entertainment-focused salon and the forward galley and helm. This could make the Magellano a natural charter option, increasing the intimacy of the guests while partitioning the operations-focused crew.
All in all, the Azimut 66’ Magellano was built to be a trendsetter and seems to be accomplishing its goals. If interested, you can contact local dealer Alexander Marine USA. There’s one at their docks at the time of this writing.
