The Azimut Grande 26 Metri 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 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 of small five-cabin yachts. Last year, Azimut presented the Grande 26 Metri, inspired by the desire to amaze again by offering solutions designed for superyachts together with new designer Alberto Mancini.
Except aestetichs, an innovative propulsion system to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 percent was presented. The proposition met an enthusiastic reception right from the start, with 22 units of the Grande 26M already sold.
Azimut Grande 26 Metri delivers smart design choices that reflect the expectations of demanding owners in terms of the onboard experience: five cabins, including the full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck, and completely separated guest and crew flows, huge flybridge – 50 square meters all on the same level – characteristics which together have never been seen before on a yacht this size.
Azimut Grande 26 Metri layout
In the words of Alberto Mancini, 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.
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 18 square meters.
The walkaround table, when extended, seats up to eight guests in an al fresco dining room with a view out over the water. In this way Azimut joined the builders featuring the open view cockpit in a remarkable way.
The creative design approach behind the Azimut Grande 26 Metri 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.
Azimut Grande 26M interior
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.
Forward in the salon, the dining room lies next to the panoramic glass wall and the lovely seat in the aft part of the main deck. The master cabin is in the bow, and like the salon, drowning in natural light seeping through two full-height windows.
Salvagni rearranged and rethought all the spaces in the master to get more space out if it, and the master is connected with the en suite (moved toward the bow) by an open dressing room illuminated by natural light that seeping through the cell-shaped windows with curved, flowing lines, a true masterpiece of organic design.
There are four more cabins below deck; three doubles and one with twin beds, as well crew cabins in the bow, with a separate entrance from the wheelhouse. On the bow, there is a large seat accessible via side passages, and the large top deck has some free extra space aft part, with a lovely seat and a bar, protected by a hard top.
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 percent lighter superstructure achieved through the extensive use of carbon fiber, delivers 20 percent lower fuel consumption at the most frequent speeds.
New 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 and Grande 26 Metri joins Azimut’s fleet of Low Emission Yachts, which now includes more than half the brand’s models.
Photos & video Azimut Yachts
