AZIMUT MAGELLANO 66: ONE BOAT, TWO SOULS

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Cannes, Cote d’Azur – Just running the Math, this is the starting point to leave for Gibraltar, with no stops. Bow to the South-West, let’s avoid the Balearic islands and then the Ocean. Azimut Magellano make you image navigation in a very different way. Travelling slow to arrive far.

A normal shuttle, a trawler, a displacing boat? Not exactly.

If you want, you can even reach 23,7 knots. A trick? A rip-off? No, this is the result of an idea called “dual mode hull“. Magellano 66 is the last evolution passage of this concept, born in 2009 with Magellano 76. But let’s go in order.

That hull has been improved and it is now longer, with more stability and higher performances at faster speed. The idea was conceived by three different men: Cor D. Rover designed the general lines and concept of the boat; Pierluigi Ausonio and his Plana Studio has designed the waterlines ( in the previous model, the designer was Bill Dixon), while Federica Bertolini has designed interiors. Everything under the supervision of Azimut architects in Avignana.

The result is a very original boat. Design is modern and interesting, far from the concept of a classic shuttle but less aggressive than the lines of a sporting boat. It can be appreciated even by yachtsmen and everyone who is looking for something new: when Magellano 66 was launched at the Nautical Exhibition of Cannes, Azimut sold 9 models.

Not bad in a moment where boating is trying to recover.

The main feature in the lower deck is the astern 5.5-metre shipowner’s cabin, with two big lateral windows, elegant and cozy furniture.

There are also a large fore guest cabin, with a classic V-shape and a L-shaped bed. There are also other two guest cabins (one  with twin beds and the other one with overlapping berths). All in all, there are a lot of beds and they are comfortable enough.

But how does Magellano 66 sail? It sails well and, above all, it is good at both low or high speed: you can sail by displacing at 9 knots with a great autonomy and low consumption; or you can travel at 14/15 knots, that is the real cheap cruising speed of the boat; but you can even reach 24 knots.

The strength of Magellano 66 is that it always assures good performances at any speed, which is a quality of only few boats. But Magellano 66 shows its best at about 12 knots. With 2 Volvo Penta engines, performance is excellent, there is not too much water dragged to the poop and comfort is excellent.

Consumption refers to both the 2 engines – autonomy is calculated with 10% certainty – noise was measured in the central hall – conditions of the sea trial: little rough sea, 7 people on board, 65% of liquid loads.