85' Azimut 85 Ultimate 2007

The Azimut 85 is a ship-like motor yacht personifying discernment, distinction and plain good taste. It is a boat upon which one can entertain, and cruise comfortably. The deep-vee hull with hard chines and 17° of deadrise was designed by Stefano Righini.

Plush carpets, varnished cherry, burlwood and marble flow throughout a galley with Miele appliances, down companionways to cabins with personal sound systems and en suites with bidets and full-size showers, up to a flybridge with entertainment spaces and barbecue, and aft crew quarters complete with a full-sized laundry.

The Azimut 85 distinguishes itself in a number of ways. This Italian-made beauty cruises like silk at displacement speeds, trimming is precise without transom drag or a down-hooked bow laying low in the water.

Come fair weather or foul, the Azimut 85 will get you through stormy seas in first-class comfort. The boat provides good vision from its open-air flybridge - with an enclosed hard top for shade and protection from the elements. Below is a fully equipped pilot house helm station with comfortable seating and massive glass windscreen.

Fitted with twin V12 1350hp MTU engines, this 85-footer responds more like a sports cruiser than a mini-ship. Throttle down and the 66,000kg boat does a stunning 27-29 knots, with cruising speeds of 24-25 knots.

Because the Azimut has been designed with a view to outdoor living as well as inside escapes, you gain a sense of freedom the moment you step aboard. The full-length bulwarks are again more ship-like than flashy, and protected from the bridge overhang which also shades the cockpit.

In true Italian style, there's a body-beautiful sunpad built into the bow, large amounts of clear deck space, and volumes of storage for lines and fenders hidden under a discreet hatch.

There is an integrated anchoring system, loads of stainless hardware, including hydraulic winches that reel in the aft mooring lines.

The oval table fronting the semi-circular lounge can seat six for outdoor gatherings and there is a formal indoor dining room with hand-turned timber dining table.

From the cockpit, a push-button control pad lifts the transom door with garage space for toys and tender.