The Other Yacht
“Imagine you’d be standing in Mallorca, near the Real Club Nautico or the Club Del Mar, and a friend is asking you about your yacht. And imagine the best answer you can give is pointing in the rough direction and say that it’s the third white one in the second row….“
But that’s not the only reason why the Azimut 72 Magellano would be our choice if we’d have to pick a production motor yacht under 100ft. And we’re not saying that because some of us have been involved in the design two years ago as part of the Ken Freivokh Design team. We do have to admit, we like the orange coloured hull. It’s bold and beautiful. It makes a statement, telling the world that this is not just another one of the same. It draws attention, but would that really be a bad thing?
Furthermore, it’s not just the paint. The shape stands out, too. Elegant in its own way. Purposeful and functional, but not utilitarian. Yachts that can go out at any weather conditions don’t need to look like fish trawlers and support vessels. With it’s tall structure and the vertical bow it’s certainly a proud yacht, but it also has a few sexy curves. And on the inside the story continues, with an interior that certainly makes a difference. It’s modern and fresh, stylish but not showy. You can see that the Magellano range was not designed for the afternoon in the bay coming back in the evening, but rather expanding one’s horizons a bit further. The world travelling salty dog might complain that there’s no vice at the corner of the dining table that would allow it to double up as a work bench (very useful if your engine gives you troubles somewhere north of Borneo). Admittedly, some of the corners of the furniture could have been a bit more rounded, but further to that it’s pretty close to perfect. The main salon / galley / dining area and pilot house are one single open area with more light and more panoramic views than you would have ever seen on any other yacht in its class.
“So, what if the cook is ugly and is cooking something smelly?”
Honestly, we don’t understand that question. The 72 Magellano isn’t really designed to be run by a full crew (although of course it’s a possibility), so the cook is most likely a friend or family member… we actually prefer spending our time in a yacht that makes us feel good rather than one that doesn’t but is more practical. And, as far as we know, both Ken Freivokh as well as Bill Dixon (as the naval architect) succeeded in creating exactly that. The bottom line is, we acknowledge the fact that the Azimut 72 Magellano is not everybody’s cup of tea, so it’s maybe not surprising that it’s not the most successful yacht the company every built. But we think there are good reasons, especially for people with their own heads and a bit of wanderlust in their veins, why it should be Azimut’s most desirable one!