Not all yacht christenings take place seaside. Azimut Yachts’ headquarters are in Avigliana, Italy, a mountainous region outside of Turin. So, it was only fitting that towering peaks, with just a bit of snow, welcomed the first Azimut Seadeck 9 yacht during her launch ceremony on January 30.
The 84-footer (25.6-meter) is the largest yacht ever launched from the Avigliana shipyard. Three years ago, Azimut made significant investments to ensure it could build and launch megayachts to 89 feet (27 meters) from the site. Additionally, the Azimut Seadeck 9 yacht is the flagship of its Seadeck series, which prioritizes low emissions and deck areas as close to the water as possible.
For emission reduction, Azimut chose Volvo Penta IPS 1350 propulsion. Over more than two decades, the powerplants have proven to emit 30 percent lower carbon-dioxide levels than traditional inboard combustion engines. Furthermore, they consume 30 percent less fuel than those same engines. The triple-engine arrangement on the Azimut Seadeck 9 yacht should allow her to reach a top speed close to 29 knots. On a related subject, Azimut says the series is ready for Volvo Penta’s hybrid version of the IPS system, too.
Design-wise, the small superyacht series bears styling by Alberto Mancini. Like her predecessors, the Seadeck 6 and 7, the Seadeck 9 has what Azimut calls a Fun Island. Specifically, it’s alfresco space that includes areas that unfold, quite literally, over the water. Spread over three cascading levels, the space includes a pool, a seating area, and open area for loose sun lounges. It further includes a swim platform that deploys with stairs connecting it to the upper Fun Island spaces. Overall, the space encompasses 646 square feet (60 square meters).
With interiors by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, the Azimut Seadeck 9 yacht strives for simple elegance. Natural materials lie underfoot and all around, for instance, with sunlight streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The idea is to allow owners and guests to feel more in touch with and better appreciate their surroundings. Both the décor and the layout are semi-custom, of course. In fact, buyers get a choice of four or five staterooms, all below decks. In the four-stateroom configuration, a cozy lounge can accompany the cabins.
During the launch and christening ceremony Giovanna Vitelli (below, middle), chair of the Azimut-Benetti Goup, called attention particularly to the unusual location. “Avigliana represents a unique reality in the industry: building boats in the feet of mountains,” she noted. It requires more coordination to transport the yachts to the sea, for example. Furthermore, it “has encouraged us to develop new solutions, to push our technical and engineering capabilities to the limit,” she says. “Seadeck 9 is the product of 50 years spent making the unthinkable possible, 50 years of challenges overcome.”
Following the owner’s maiden voyage and first season aboard this summer, the yacht will appear at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.
Alberto Mancini Yacht Design albertomancini.com
Azimut Yachts azimutyachts.com
Matteo Thun & Partners matteothun.com
More About the Azimut Seadeck 9 Yacht
LOA: 83’11” (25.6 meters)
Beam: 20’8” (6.3 meters)
Draft: not specified
Guests: 8-10 in 4-5 staterooms
Engines: 3/1,000-hp Volvo Pentas
Range: not specified
Builder: Azimut Yachts
Stylist: Alberto Mancini Yacht Design
Naval Architect: Azimut Yachts
Interior Designer: Matteo Thun & Partners