AZIMUT ATLANTIS 45
QUICK SPIN We have a quick blast in this attractively revamped Italian sportscruiser
Sportscruisers like the Atlantis 45 are becoming rare beasts with the T-top day boat craze in full flow. But my word I was grateful for its protected main deck given the weather we experienced on the first day of the Cannes
Boat Show. Sheeting rain and high winds made it feel more Southend than the South of France but hunkered down beneath the 45’s swept roofline with the windscreen wiper arms sweeping like a mad conductor we edged out into the murky soup that was the Bay of Cannes.
The 45 is a replacement for the 43, a popular model that Azimut delivered 140 of in four years. The yard didn’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water given what a success the 43 had been so the updates are minor. The 45 looks more like the flagship 51 and it’s ever so slightly wider than the 43. It also gets Volvo Penta’s latest IPS600 engines meaning an 80hp boost over the 43. This extra power is felt most at around 2,500rpm where the turbos have spooled up and a nice wave of torque launches the boat forwards at an impressive rate. Zero to 20 knots takes 11 seconds and in double that time you’ll be at 30 knots. Somewhere between the two feels like the most comfortable cruising speed, 26 knots delivering a reasonable fuel burn of just 93lph for both engines.
It’s agile too; not as sharp as if it had sterndrives but less docile than some IPS boats.we’re taking it easy too, because visibility is down to a couple of hundred metres and though the view from the helm seat is good, with the roof closed it can be difficult to see what’s going on if you turn hard to port.
This and an overly bulky steering wheel are the only complaints from a helm station that is neat and well finished. There are twin screens that show navigation and engine data but a line of hard switches run along the middle of the dash so wipers, light, pumps and the horn among other functions can be quickly activated.
Away from the helm the main deck feels a little cramped but then we did have the skipper and five journos on board. The space adjacent to the helm is flexible, switching from a double navigator seat when the boat is on the move to a sunpad. It’s likely to get a decent amount of sun, too, given how far back the canvas sunroof will go. It may not feel as substantial as a solid roof but the aperture is larger and the soft material creates less of an echo chamber in the cockpit when the engines are running.
Aft, a large wetbar snakes down the port side, its proximity to the dinette and the sunpad ideal for serving guests. The tender garage that lies beneath the aft sunpad provides enough space for a 2.5m tender to be tucked away, and the garage floor comes out to grant access to the engines if repairs are needed. Daily access isn’t great, the deck hatch is narrow and the ladder steep. Once in, it’s pretty cramped, though the installation itself is of a high standard.
There are no space issues on the lower deck where Azimut has avoided the temptation to squeeze in three cabins and instead included two very spacious ones both with large ensuites. The master cabin is forward and its ensuite inaccessible from the saloon so guests have to use the guest bathroom as the day heads.
There is a huge amount of storage on board – over 8,000 litres according to Azimut – and that manifests itself in deep deck lockers, dry storage voids in the saloon floor and plentiful hanging space in both cabins. The amidships cabin is excellent, with twin berths that slide together to create a large double. You still get a bedside table, too, which is a thoughtful touch.
There is also a raised single bunk, ideal for a child but also a useful place to sling bags.
Engine access and a slightly cramped cockpit knock the shine off the 45 a touch but it’s an impressive package all the same. It holds on to traditional sportscruiser values and builds positively on the successful formula of the 43.