SPECIAL DELIVERY

THE 71-FOOT AZIMUT YACHTS S7 IS A SPORT-FLY DESIGN WITH 36-KNOT SPEED, A HIGH-TECH BUILD AND FLEXIBLE ENTERTAINING SPACES.

- PATRICK SCIACCA

STREAKING DOWN THE CÔTE D'AZUR off Cannes, France, at an average top-end speed of 36.3 knots, I found myself lost in the fun. The 71-foot Azimut Yachts S7 handled more like a sports car than avessel displacing more than 100,000 pounds. We carved S-turns and figure eights into the relatively calm Mediterranean blue this early morning, and I pondered the combination of factors that give this sizable sport yacht its smile-inducing, confidence-inspiring performance and handling. 

¶First is an efficient planing hull form by Azimut and P.L. Ausonio Naval Architecture, penned to reduce hydrodynamic drag and aided by strakes placed for optimized lift. Transom deadrise is a stability-enhancing 13.8 degrees, with about 18 degrees of deadrise amidships. A near-plumb bow-something of an Azimut trademark these days-helps carry overall volume forward while creating a cleaver to cut through a tempestuous sea state. I used it to try to write my name in the Med. ¶ Second is Azimut's liberal use of carbon fiber to reduce weight on the S7. Its superstructure, flybridge, mast, transom and platform, and the after section of its deck, are made of the material. The carbon fiber reduces top weight by about 30 percent and helps lower the center of gravity, which, in turn, helps with that lively driving experience. Azimut says the use of carbon fiber also helps reduce roll momentum by up to 15 percent. See how this is all coming together? The third and final piece of the S7's performance puzzle is triple 800 hp Volvo Penta D13 IPS1050 diesels that are Tier III-compliant and coupled to pod drives. Azimut says the S7 is "ecosporty," adding that this propulsion setup reduces fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent compared with similar-size craft with straight shafts.