Which Yacht?

HRK,

There's a review of the Lazzara 68-S on the front page of YachtForums. Just follow the "Read More" link. This boat is so new that I doubt anyone will have first hand experience yet. On the Azimut 68, one of our members, John B., has owned one for two years and loves it. If you Private Message him, he can tell you everything you want to know. Here's his User Profile link...

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/member.php?userid=213

Good luck!

I can’t make any recommendations on the Ferretti, as you did not mention a particular model, however I can point out some attributes about the Lazzara 68-S and the Azimut 68 Plus, that would make a deciding difference in my opinion…

On the Azimut 68-Plus…

The main salon on the Azimut is completely open and multi level. Grouping the salon, dinette, bridge and galley together in to one room basically partitions it, but this room becomes very busy and it would be a hassle to transverse this area on a daily basis, because it is not on the same level. However, this does give the interior a very dimensional appeal.

My biggest gripe with the Azimut is the galley… or lack thereof. It is really not much larger than a standard wet-bar on most yachts. The galley is always a popular place for guests and family to congregate, but there is not adequate room for this either.

On the Lazzara 68-S…

The salon interior is not quite as "curvy" as the Azimut, however it is MUCH more spacious and everything is on the SAME level, including the salon, a full size forward galley, dinette and the wheelhouse, that provides a generous area for everyone to come together, whether it be for dining, food preparation or telling the captain how to steer the boat. Another feature that I REALLY like on the Lazzara is a built-in, dedicated office below deck. This is MUST on any boat for me and few full size yachts offer this accommodation.

Probably one of the most pronounced differences between the boats and one that is absolutely mandatory (again, this is a personal opinion), is the hard covered flybridge on the Lazzara. It is a very large, seamless addition that compliments the 68-S quite nicely adding protection and giving the boat a unique signature.

And the last thing that comes to mind is Lazzara’s aft tender garage. Actually, this boat accommodates two tenders; one in the garage and the other on the flybridge aft deck. This gives you a choice of water toys on demand... with the push of a button for the garage stowed tender!

From a technical and maintenance perspective, one feature I really like is Lazzara’s Seacheck program, wherein engineers do annual surveys of all operating data and compare them to each yacht’s operating efficiency. The Integrated Shipboard Information System, or ISIS, is a computerized program that monitors a 64-point check of engines, pumps, stabilizers, etc., and logs the data similar to an airplane “black box” to trace prior functions. Data from each yacht is downloaded directly to the yard, where it is checked every week by on-staff technicians to catch potential problems.

Both of these yachts are extremely popular in the market and choosing between them may come down to personal taste… and cutting the best deal you can.

Both of these manufacturers produce yachts that are recognized for quality. The fit, finish and engineering is excellent. Really.

I have not sea-trialed either of the boats, but generally I can give you a pretty good idea by examining the hull, propulsion, weight and CG.

The Azimut is a 41 ton boat with a 17 degree deadrise hull...
The Lazzara is a 46 ton boat with 12.5 degree deadrise hull...
Both are rated with similar horsepower (Azimut=2x 1150 and Lazzara=2x 1015)

Azimut states a top speed of 32 knots with a 29 knot cruise. I don't have performance figures for Lazzara, but you can expect them to be similar, and possibly faster for the Lazzara.

The shallower deadrise of Lazzara's hull would indicate a top speed & cruising performance edge, but this is offest by slightly increased weight. The shallower hull will also offer greater stability, as well as reduced draft for shallow waters. Azimut's deeper deadrise should provide a smoother ride in rougher water, but it may not be as stabile and it will have greater draft. Both are equipped with thusters and equally easy to move about on for lines & fenders, so docking will not be a challenge.

Short of having hull drawings (I haven't seen either one of these boats out of the water), it would be difficult at best to judge performance. PLEASE... keep in mind, this is just a comparison of numbers and should not be taken as an authoratative answer. We're just juggling theoretical considerations.

Having never owned either one of these boats, I can't answer this. I can tell you that Dick and Brad Lazzara are involved in every aspect of their organization, with an emphasis on customer support. On the flip-side, Azimut has a worldwide dealer network with a lot of product & support in the marketplace.

Lazzara's are semi-custom in nature. Many of the interior furnishings are appointed by the owner. I'm not sure on Azimut. Better check with them first. As for the guest rooms... you'll have to ask your guests.

Tough question. You might begin by evaluating the used boat market, with listing services such as YachtWorld, YachtCouncil, etc. Compare the original selling prices of previous offerings with the asking prices today.

Do your "due diligence"...

i own a ferretti 68 for the last 3 years. i have also looked into aizmut 68 during the purchase process and actually have owned a azimut 40 some time ago.

ferretti 68 was the first boat in the present change of design of ferretti boats. i have liked the design while my ferretti 53 was being built and the first 68 was built next to her for norberto ferretti. there are several very practical design elements incorporated into this boat. to name a few, she has good size full beam master cabin and a nice vip. both the fly bridge and the cockpit is good areas for outside dinning. she is extremely good sea, boat very easy to handle. compared to azimut a class higher on quality, especially technically.

if you have any further specific topics to discuss pls feel free to ask them.

My 2 cents on this topic.

I am also very impressed with Lazzaras quality and engineering. This is the size boat I have been looking at for sometime. The one thing that always bothers me with Lazzara is the lack of wood trim in the interiors. If you look at the walls and bulkheads in the Lazzaras you will notice alot of it is fabric verses the Italian and Hatteras for that matter are mostly wood ( look at the photos of the staterooms in the Lazzara 68 review). Fabric doesn't seem as warm and inviting as wood. To me, for the price of the Lazzara, which is comparable to the Hatteras and Ferretti but more than the Azimut, I would expect more wood use. However, I understand Lazzara does this to aid in the ability for future owners to change decor. I realize these are cosmetic differences not engineering differences, but most of the high quality euro yachts excell in their use of wood in the interiors I just wish Lazzara would use more to show off the skill of their craftspeople.

Why don't you have a look at the Fairline Squadron 68.
http://www.************/#/squadron/s68/
I currently have a Fairline Phantom 48 and I am receiving next January a Fairline Squadron 78. I think Fairline make great boats with excellent hulls, very spacious and beautiful interiors with exellent workmanship.