Thinking about Azimut

I think in this forum there are more people in the "crap" camp than the " B.B.Afloat" camp.
This has been discussed a lot here.
Search the forums and you may find all your answers

Can't imagine you've heard the best boats afloat anywhere other than at Marine Max.

Let's not let the past dictate the future. Companies evolve, just like humans. I haven't been aboard any of Azimut's recent builds. Maybe someone else can chime in?

Oops, my bad.

They run well and have okay build quality (average to good) in most areas.
Take number one for design features and have set the standard in the the 12 to 35 meters size for many years.
I would say since the 90's.
For example both the 68S (launched Summer 2003) and 68 Plus (launched Genoa 1999) have reinvented the market in the size and segment they compete.

With a similar budget I would still look at some of the offers from the Brits (Sunseeker, Princess, and Fairline) and Ferretti.

I know they are very popular in Europe. They also have a reasonable reputation in Europe. The USA is a different matter. I agree with Liam that their design and innovation is fantastic. I wonder if the common denominator in the USA is Marinemax

Certainly a very significant aspect of it.

Azimut produces an average of 300 boats a year from 42 to 115 feet (Grande 35 metri).
In recent years they have sold 30 to 40% of that production to North America. Since 2009, the USA has also been Azimut largest single country sale.
Apart that Azimut-Benetti is also the largest super yacht builder upwards of 24 meters and since the numbers have been taken they have always held this position.
In recent years the production number has always been an average of about eighty yachts over the size of 80 feet being build.
They largest not in nos of boats produced but also in length produced.

I lot of folks like their looks. The prep center is at the marina I stay at. Had a brand new 55 next to me this year - among the litany of problems was a badly "popped" fixed hull window. To me, a hull side window is structural and that kind of failure should never occur without some kind of impact. The boat is in the shed undergoing that major repair

I do not agree and like large hull side windows (always becoming larger), but most have there share bit of problems. I actually do not know how they manage to certify boats with these become larger.
They where nice when they took a bit of the midships cabin. Like the first Azimut 55 or the 68 Plus or Sunseeker 68 Manhattan Mk.II.
I think now they are overkill. Also a lower deck of a boat in my opinion needs privacy can you have that with those large windows.

When they first came out they had success on being a price beater against the American competition and MM exploited that well. Have not checked lately, are they the low cost option for Motoryacht still?

Bingo!

Explain. You do not agree with what? That a hull window shouldn't meet structural standards as an integral part of the hull?