Azimut Atlantis 50 2015

Here is a yacht that looks like it means business, whether charging over open water at better than 30 knots, or sitting calmly at anchor in some sandy lagoon. Look at her aggressive posture, angular detailing, and streamlined shape--even if you knew little about express cruisers you'd probably guess this one is from Italy.

The Azimut Atlantis 50 is built at Azimut's factory in Avigliana, the company's home base, and receives exactly the same level of attention in terms of design, fit-out, and engineering as the parent marque. And that's pretty clear when you step aboard--there are the big, chunky stainless steel handrails, several sizes larger than they really need to be; a signature of Azimut yachts. The saloon cabinetry is beautifully finished and not made of fiberglass, as you might expect, but of old-school, lacquered plywood. There is hidden quality, too, in the hull's vinylester-resin outer skin and its vacuum-infused laminate.

The Azimut Atlantis 50 features an arrowhead exterior profile and cool and crisp interior design. This is a boat conceived to compete on a different playing field with a large two-stateroom, two head layout with lower dinette starboard, opposite the galley.

The stern seating area on the Azimut Atlantis 50 combines a sunbed, sofa, and dinette in one clever package that unfolds and opens up like a 3-D puzzle. The components are easy to operate and well thought out. The backrest, for example, is shaped like an isosceles triangle, which means it can sit at two angles and two heights. The short version: It works whether you want to sit up or lie down, and its simple frame flips backward or forward depending on which way you want to be facing. Then the forward seat cushion comes off to reveal a table, which raises up on its pedestal, and the side cushions slide out to the correct distance for dining. With two folding chairs--stowed in a locker under the aft cushion, so they're always handy--the table seats six comfortably. There is still plenty of room for two stern walkways, one each side, and a good-sized garage capable of holding an 8-foot tender underneath. A tender is easy to launch with the rollers going down from the garage and across the hydraulic swim platform.

The spacious air conditioned saloon offers a bright and comfortable environment, with big windows and an impressive sliding sunroof. The side windows also have opening panels. The port side offers your guests a very large seating area around a high gloss table as well as a place to lounge in comfort when the sunroof is open. The sideboard on the starboard side is designed to accommodate an ice maker, wetbar and electric grill. Continue with the entertainment on the flatscreen TV above, connected to the KVH HD7 dome, as well as the upgraded Fusion stereo system, with multiple remote units, playing your favorite music through JL Audio speakers. Add to the entertainment with the saloon's multi-colored lighting as well as the transom and hull side underwater lights.

Your fully equipped, double helm is forward on the starboard side of the saloon and offers great sight lines all around. Cruising is made easy with your Raymarine HybridTouch chartplotter and autopilot. The Humphree active trimtab system is first rate with keeping the boat level in varying sea conditions. The Joystick can integrate the bow thruster along with your engine controls to make docking or pulling up to a fuel dock a breeze. When you find that perfect cove, feel free to drop your electric anchor with all-chain rode and see how much you're paying out on your Quick Chain Counter. And of course, it's great to have actual gauges versus having to find your engine stats on a digital display screen.

Down below, the master suite is amidships, under the cockpit. The berth is full-size--6'4" by 5'4"--and the cabin also boasts an unusually impressive amount of stowage. The VIP guests up in the bow should also be pretty happy, with a 6'6" berth set at the proper level, and excellent headroom of around 6'6" at the foot of the berth. Substantial hull windows both here and in the master let in plenty of daylight, and all cabins have opening portholes for fresh air. The private head in the master suite is roomy, while the dual-access compartment on the starboard side hardly feels smaller, and also has a separate shower compartment.

The galley is equipped with an upright Isotherm refrigerator with separate freezer, a Miele four burner electric cooktop, a full size Miele convection oven, and a large stainless sink. The dinette has enough space to seat six around a beautifully finished expandable table with two fold-out leaves.

In the engine room, the twin 600-horsepower, six-cylinder Cummins diesels drive conventional prop shafts through V-drive gearboxes. The engineers have planned it well and access to filters, fuel-water separators, dipsticks, and header tanks. The generator is tucked away on the port side with the batteries and air-conditioning units there as well.

Acceleration is brisk on this yacht. Top speed was more than 32 knots, and the 50's handling is tight and predictable. The Azimut Atlantis 50 is also a luxury yacht, intended to pamper--which she does. And she's a quality product as well, put together by people who really know what they're doing. But above all, the Azimut Atlantis 50 is a yacht that looks like she means business, and she delivers.

Recent updates:

• New Bow Sunpad Cover (10/24)
• New Aft Sunpad/Seating Cover (10/24)
• Full Detail (10/24)
• PropSpeed (10/24)
• Antifouling Bottom Paint (10/24)
• Zincs (10/24)
• Teak cleaned and oiled (10/24)