Can anyone explain this "feature"?

You will find this particular member used to ride boats with a lot of horses.

What question? The deck barely slopes. The cap is what slopes while the deck is pretty much level, which gives it the illusion of the deck sloping. Go to Azimuts website and look at the 70' MY which is depicted in Post 1. You can see all kinds of pictures of the foredeck and it is a very safe foredeck to be on.........

If you really want to talk about unsafe foredecks.......you should really be talking about a lot of Sportfish, raceboats and such.

Let me write it more slowly for you. When you stand at the rail working lines, and you place your knees and hips against the rail so as not to fall, do your feet stand on a flat deck or the slope? What's straight down from the horizontal rail between the stancions?

I don't give a rat's behind about slopes allowing you to see an extra 3' when you're cruising. I don't give a rat's behind about square bow designs. I've never commented on that except that it's done for style purposes allowing designers to once again cut the amount of actual boat you get in a given size, and it appears to have been done at the expense of safety. I'm quite familiar with boats being designed by people who have no concept about how things work on the water. I know you've stated that you're not concerned with your crew's safety, but some of us are. You've been insisting on twisting this thread in a way to start a fight. You're not worth it. So how about an answer to what my question has always been about. You say you've seen this boat in person. I only have the picture to go by. Where will the deckhand's feet fall when he works the rail? What's straight down from the horrizontal rails between the stanchions?

Looking at the Azimut 70 Fly, your feet will be on flat surfaces. If you so choose to use the small ledge to brace yourself, then nothing stopping you. The stanchion is about an inch on the raised surface which gives you a forward tilt of perhaps 2%. By comparison, looking at a Hatteras 60 MY, the stanchions are also on a raised surface about the same distance from the flat surface but raised more. The one big difference is that on the Hatteras when you're all the way forward, you would have to step up on the raised surface plus step around the windlass which is more out of the way on the Azimut. Also, the Hatteras does not have the additional cross rails of the Azimut.

I would consider both boats rails safe. But if I had to say one was safer, then I'd choose the Azimut. And this comes from someone who would choose the Hatteras boat long before the Azimut.

I'd suggest going and taking the virtual tour on the two boats as both have one. I have been on the Hatteras in person, have not been on the Azimut. There are many things I might criticize on the Azimut but this is not one of them.

Thank you Olderboater. After noting that it looked like a hazardous situation I was attacked by a certain section of a horse. In 3 pages of posts yours was the first to address my concern in any way.

Sadly noted Ed. The title of this thread is... "Can anyone explain this?"

I'd like an explanation of WHY certain members of this forum are so hell-bent on creating a hostile, unwelcoming environment! For those of you who think your knowledge, expertise or experience gives you the right to talk in a condescending, demeaning or arrogant manner, then I've got a news flash...

YOU'RE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE!!!

I am D A M N tired of responding to emails and PM's by members (and non-members) who are offended by the aggressive remarks of a few select members. If you think I won't take action to ensure you never post here again, you are wrong. If you think this forum can't survive without you, you are wrong again. In fact, I think YF will flourish without you and I'll tell you why...

When strangers approach me at various events and tell me they don't participate on YF due to the 800-pound gorillas waiting to pounce, then I know YF would be better off without you. I know each of you. At one time, I respected you. Your knowledge or experience is of NO consequence unless you are a decent, respectful person. Trust me when I tell you, it's a H E L L of a lot easier to press the delete button on your memberships then deal with the barrage of problems you create.

Looking in a mirror, instead of the third exterior pic of the link?

Astondoa 55 Fly . Astondoa Yachts . The magic of seduction

The Astondia is not the bow nor the boat pictured in Post #1. This is the sistership of the boat pictured in Post 1, I believe

Azimut 70: Photos | Azimut Yachts official | Luxury yacht sales

One might note also that Azimut has styled the 64, 70, and 80 flybridge models in this manner.

There are better photo's of the bow and bow arrangement if you look at the photo gallery of the 64'. There you can even tell that section of bow rail over the anchor is actually a gate that opens for entering and exiting the vessel from the bow.

Bow rails

Looks to me that the top rail is one continuous piece especially above the 1st port side stanchion. If so does that mean you open the gate below it and duck down below the top rail to get on and off at the bow, then again thanks to the angle you could open the gate sit down on the deck and slide down quite nicely.

If you use your link and open the "brochure" for the 64 one can see the severe angle the forward rails are set at.

I think I will still take my chances on a good old 53 hatteras, deck boxes, spare anchors and all. At least I will know I am in an upright position with my feet planted firmly on the deck and my legs & body in a vertical position.

True.

The conversation was getting a little crazy and needed a frontal pic to see the relationship of the deck, railing, and slanted edge.

Astondoa was mentioned in the OP, so thought it fair game to include, since it was the only frontal pic readily available.

Apparently concerns have been eased - all's well that ends well.

Needed more than a frontal pic of an Astondoa to calm those dudes.....

Marmot, you understood my meaning, how should I have said it?

Thank you Carl. I wondered if I was alone in my feeling that the general level of surliness had been rising in the past few months.

The marker that sticks in my brain was Ed commenting about "the full moon" making everything weird over a 3-day period.

I'm glad you said something, and more glad that you will DO something.

I agree that you can't lean against an angled bow rail for comfort, but most cases you can lean/ brace yourself against it for docking purposes. Each builder tries to achieve different features and sadly most put form over function these days but the buyers are the ones driving that. The buyers want sexy over safe and functional.

While I'm not certain of this but it appears with the new Azimuts that they are designed to med moor the bow against the seawall and the front gate opens and therefore having the rail leaning so far foward gives you something to hold onto when entering the boat from the dock in front of it. I haven't paid attention and will take a look at the Azimut on C dock at Bahia Mar this week as it is docked bow first. I do feel the Azimut bow in post 1, is a plenty safe enough bow to work from getting fenders to launching the anchor and such. It seems to have plenty of railing and a flat enough wide walkway and deck. Wouldn't be my first choice, but certainly wouldn't be my last choice. I also do like the extra cross bars in the bow section.

I remember some 90's Euro yachts came with openings in the bow rail just for exiting and entering from the bow, but they were ugly and never took at least in the U.S.