Azimut launches Grande 44M: carbon fibre flagship with Hull Vane technology

Azimut launched the first Grande 44M in Viareggio on 9 July, the brand's new flagship. The vessel is 44 metres long and uses carbon fibre for over 50% of its structure, reducing weight by 8 tonnes in the upper sections. Seven units were sold to end clients before the launch.

The architecture is arranged across four decks. The fourth deck, housing the wheelhouse, is integrated into the profile designed by Alberto Mancini. This frees the Upper Deck from technical spaces, dedicating it entirely to the owner with private terraces. Exterior design is by Alberto Mancini, interiors by m²atelier.

At the stern, the Mezzanine Deck with Sea View Terrace follows the configuration introduced on the Grande Trideck, with the addition of a See-Through Pool with a transparent base overlooking the beach club below.

On the upper deck, the forward area can be configured as an enclosed dining veranda for twelve, a media room or guest space, with 180-degree glazing and access to the forward outdoor lounge.

On the technical side, the Grande 44M integrates several solutions. The Dual Mode hull, designed by the Azimut|Benetti Group R&D department with P.L. Ausonio Naval Architecture, combines a fast displacement section forward with a semi-planing section aft. The Hull Vane foil, a carbon wing installed at the stern in collaboration with the Dutch company of the same name, reduces hydrodynamic resistance and pitching. The wing weighs 400 kg in carbon, compared to the 1,500 kg it would have weighed in steel. The fourth deck integrates 30 m² of solar panels.

The Mild Hybrid propulsion system, developed by the Azimut|Benetti Group with Asea Nautica, is based on two 50 kW electric motors configured as shaft generators and a 188 kWh battery pack (expandable to 230 kWh). It allows anchor stays with generators off for 3-4 hours during the day and 8-10 hours at night. The battery pack fully recharges in two hours while cruising at 15 knots.

According to the yard, these combined solutions deliver a CO₂ emissions reduction of up to 30% compared to a conventional naval architecture of equivalent size.

The carbon fibre is processed at the Azimut|Benetti Group's Composites Centre in Massa. The Grande 44M will make its world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2026.

Azimut, founded in 1969 and part of the Azimut|Benetti Group, builds motor yachts from 13 to 44 metres across seven series. It operates five production facilities in Italy and one in Brazil, with a presence in 80 countries.

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