Bluegame BGM75 Yacht Review

Bluegame has never shied away from the experimental. Sanlorenzo’s ever-so-slightly down-market brand has always shown off the builder’s attentiveness to eye-pleasing aesthetics and Italian elegance, but they’ve done it in a way that’s a bit different from most anyone else in the industry. Take for example, the yard’s rather avant garde spin on the split-level boat—seen in earlier models—with a salon both on the main deck and on the accommodations level. Or look to the hydrogen-powered chase boat the builder conjured up for the American Magic America’s Cup team. In that line of innovation something new this way comes: the BGM75, the first production catamaran the builder has ever put to sea.

This yacht is rather narrow for a catamaran, at 74-feet, 4-inches long, she is 26-feet, 7-inches wide—compare that to the Sunreef 75 Sportfish which at the same length is a full three feet wider. What Bluegame was going for here was a boat with same displacement as a 90-foot monohull, but with the added stability and fuel efficiency of a twin hull. The aim too, is for improved handling over a wider cat.

Bluegame CEO Luca Santella designed this model’s exterior along with Zuccon International Project. What the partnership came up with is a modern, workboat-like profile accentuated by the BGM75’s reverse-shear windshield. The boat I toured at the 2023 Cannes Yachting Festival had a gorgeous eggshell-colored hull with a black superstructure lined with heavy tint, sole-to-ceiling windows. It’s really rather sharp looking, not something often said about cats.

And though her exterior was beautiful, where this boat really shined was her interior, which was probably my favorite of all 27 boats I toured in Cannes. The woodwork is simply outstanding. You know those reality TV shows where they bake cakes that look like other objects? That’s what I was reminded of running my eyes along the matte oak seen throughout this Bluegame. It was so rich, so expertly finished, that it looked like you could cut out a slice of it for yourself for dessert.

The onboard ambiance is minimalistic, beachy, and nearly sailboat-y—very much my cup of tea. It’s the work of the acclaimed Milan-based designer Piero Lissoni. That wood is perhaps most masterful in the, erm, master. That stateroom is a few steps down from the main deck and is effectively its own deck. The oak at the forward part of the cabin curves sublimely around the king-sized berth, creating an elegant little nest. The BGM75 in Cannes was a three-stateroom boat, though a four-stateroom layout is available for those with large families or chartering in mind. A crew area aft can sleep either three or four depending on the owner’s choice.

With the three-stateroom layout, the galley is down in the hull, and there was a really generous amount of prep space there, perhaps 15 square feet—for an Italian boat in this size range, that’s about as good as it gets. If the four-stateroom layout is chosen, the galley goes on the main deck, which would be in line with my personal preference.

Another highpoint on this model is its bow lounge, where we see a sloping teak deck culminate in more beautifully rounded woodwork at the tip of the bow. A teak table is surrounded by seats and sunpads, and with a sunshade overhead this becomes a dreamy place to enjoy a Mediterranean inspired lunch on a hot, sunny day.

The BGM75’s beach club will also draw plenty of attention thanks to foldout terraces to port and starboard that widen the beam to 39 feet. A garage forward opens to give access to the SeaBobs and the tender, while lounge chairs set up on the boat I toured beckoned showgoers from the docks, looking like the absolute perfect place to work on your bronze.

This boat runs either Volvo Penta IPS700s or IPS800s depending on owner’s preference. With the larger engines she is said to be able to hit 20 knots while cruising at 18. I’d love to take this model out for a proper sea trial, as I am curious to see how a catamaran this narrow actually handles But I suppose we’ll have to save that little experiment for another day.

Bluegame BGM75 Specifications:

LOA: 74’4”
Beam: 26’7”
Draft: 4’3”
Displ.: 105,800 lb.
Fuel: 1,321 gal.
Water: 264 gal.
Power: 2/550-hp Volvo Penta IPS700,
             2/600-hp Volvo Penta IPS800
Cruise Speed: 18 knots
Top Speed: 20 knots

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This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/boats/bluegame-bgm75-yacht-review