Azimut Verve 42 first look: New baby of the range is a serious performer

When Azimut’s Verve line first appeared in 2020, it felt like a bold departure from the Italian yard’s norm…

True, it retained all the finesse and glamour you would expect of an Italian builder with proven superyacht credentials. But in essence, what we witnessed on that Miami boat show stand was a fast, outboard-powered sportscruiser with the performance and practicality of a centre console fast fisher.

Conceived as “the perfect weekender”, it sold out just hours after its launch, so it’s little wonder that the new Azimut Verve 42, launched at last yea’s Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, treads a similar path.

It uses the same Michael Peters SVVT (Stepped V Ventilated Tunnel) hull design that channels air under the hull, reducing the wetted surface and adding lift, while a central tunnel behind the steps improves stability and high-speed turning.

And it mirrors the Verve 47 above the waterline too, with the same blade-like hull windows (designed by Francesco Struglia) that helped make the first Verve model such a hit. Darkly tinted and acutely tapered, they drive forward from the trailing edge of the T-Top all the way to the bow’s seven-person lounging area.

In fact, the only patch of hull the windows don’t reach is the aft section on either side of the L-shaped cockpit bench. Back here, what you find instead is a neat little push-button terrace that folds down to port, expanding the aft deck for a much more intimate connection with the water, (pity they had to use a big, bulky retractable ladder rather than an integrated design).

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While that’s always a pleasure on a 40ft-plus sportsboat, the fact that the Azimut Verve 42’s transom is bristling with race-tuned outboards makes it an even more valuable asset here.

In spite of an asymmetrical deck layout that sees a deepset port walkway curve around the console, the helm station sits slap-bang in the centre of the deck, exactly where the keen driver would want it. What’s more, when you’re behind the wheel, you can gaze down at the water frothing along the hull.

As a weekender, naturally there’s an over-abundance of sitting/lounging/reclining opportunities. From the C-shaped bow sofa, to a full-width forward sun pad almost the size of Palm Beach, to the the big, L-shaped cockpit sofa.

Making the most of the generous near-13ft beam,  the cabin below decks is perfect for a weekend away for four, with a double under the helm, a convertible forward vee, and a big, enclosed shower.

In spite of all this, the new ‘baby’ Azimut is a serious performer too. Specced with a trio of Mercury’s supercharged V8 450R outboards, you can expect a top end of 45 knots, while still enjoying a 200nm range at rapid cruising speeds of around 33 knots, sipping from a 1,800-litre fuel capacity.

In fact, the only real problem is likely to be getting your hands on one. More than 30 confirmed orders have already created a substantial waiting list and demand looks unlikely to wane any time soon.

Azimut Verve 42 specification

LOA: 42ft 4ins (12.9m)
Beam: 12ft 11ins (3.94m)
Engines: Triple Mercury Racing 450hp V8 outboards
Top speed: 45 knots
Starting price: £690,000 (ex. VAT)

This article Azimut Verve 42 first look: New baby of the range is a serious performer appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Source: https://www.mby.com/news/fort-lauderdale-boat-show-2021-azimut-verve-42-117862