Azimut Yachts for sale

The Yachting Address view — Azimut Yachts: three different boats can carry the same "43", and that's where the real buyer's work begins

On the used Azimut market, a "43" can refer to a 2005 shaft-drive flybridge, a sporty 43S from 2007, or a 2017 Atlantis 43 with a completely different hull and powertrain. This isn't an isolated quirk: it's the direct result of half a century of continuous production at one of Italy's most prolific yards, which has reused the same foot-length numbers across generations of boats that now have nothing else in common. Before comparing two Azimut listings, the first question is never "which model" but "which generation".

From sailboat charter to the world's largest yacht group: the Vitelli story

Azimut was born in 1969 in Turin, when Paolo Vitelli, then a 22-year-old economics student, founded Azimut Srl to charter sailboats. By 1970, the company became the Italian distributor for the American brand Amerglass, which introduced fiberglass construction to the Italian market. In 1975, Azimut launched its own model in a joint venture with Amerglass, the AZ 43' Bali — its first series-built boat under its own name.

The decisive turning point came in 1985, when Azimut acquired Benetti, the historic Viareggio yard founded in 1873 and specialized in custom megayachts. That acquisition created the Azimut-Benetti Group, today the world's largest luxury yacht group by revenue, with yards in Avigliana (Turin), Viareggio, Savona, Fano, Livorno, and Itajaí in Brazil. Paolo Vitelli led the group until 2023, when his daughter Giovanna Vitelli took over as chairwoman — a mark of family continuity that provides reassurance about the durability of the service network, a factor that directly affects the resale value of any boat over ten years old.

The current ranges: Atlantis, Fly, S, Magellano, Grande — don't mix them up

The Atlantis range is the brand's entry segment, day-cruisers and sport-cruisers roughly 10 to 14 meters long, designed for day and weekend use in the Mediterranean. It's the most active range on the recent used market, with 2017-2024 Atlantis 43 and 45 models making up a significant share of the current catalog.

The Fly range (classic flybridge) covers the brand's oldest and most widespread architecture, with successive generations often carrying identical or near-identical numbers a decade apart — hence the naming confusion mentioned above. A used "46" or "62" flybridge can span fifteen to twenty years of technical evolution under the same commercial name.

The S range (S6, S7, and beyond) is the sporty, planing-hull, hardtop line, positioned above the Atlantis for buyers who want performance without sacrificing cruising comfort.

The Magellano range holds a distinct place in the catalog: launched in 2009 under the name "Long Range" with exterior design by Ken Freivokh, it's built on a double-chine semi-displacement hull called "Dual Mode," developed with naval architect Pierluigi Ausonio's P.L.A.N.A. studio. This hull allows economical displacement-mode cruising at low speed (10 to 15 knots) while still being able to shift into semi-planing mode at higher cruising speeds — a rare compromise between long-range autonomy and classic Mediterranean cruising speed.

The Grande range covers superyachts over 20 meters, sitting at the top of the Azimut catalog, with units that increasingly draw on the megayacht expertise Benetti brings to the same group.

Points to check before buying used

Shaft drive on classic flybridge models — most Azimut Fly models from before the 2010s are powered by traditional shaft drive rather than IPS. Shaft alignment and cutless bearing condition should be checked at every haul-out, particularly on boats that saw heavy Mediterranean charter use.

Engine hours and charter history — a significant share of used Azimuts on the Mediterranean market have seen rental use, particularly in the mid-range sizes (40 to 65 feet). A complete engine-hours and service history, backed by invoices, remains the only reliable way to distinguish an owner's boat from a fleet boat.

Teak deck condition — very common on Fly generations before the 2010s, teak decking needs regular sanding and caulking; a teak deck never re-treated after fifteen years of Mediterranean exposure represents a refurbishment item running into several thousand euros.

Assisted docking systems on recent models — Azimuts fitted with Volvo Penta IPS power (recent Atlantis, some S and Magellano models) have a docking joystick whose electronic and hydraulic maintenance should be documented separately from the rest of the powertrain.

Hull and gelcoat on 1990-2005 generations — on the oldest models in the catalog (notably 37/39/40 Fly), a gelcoat inspection and a check for osmosis remain recommended before finalizing any negotiation, on the same principle applied to other builders of that generation.

Azimut Yachts market prices in 2025-2026

Indicative price ranges, market as of May 2026. VAT included unless otherwise stated.

Our verdict

Azimut isn't the yard to choose for a catalog that's simple to read — with five active ranges and half a century of production, it's one of the most technically demanding used markets to decode in Italian boating. It is, however, the yard to choose for the depth of service network provided by the world's largest yachting group, and for the sheer range of choice a catalog spanning entry-level day-cruisers to the Grande superyacht line offers. The real work for a buyer isn't choosing between Azimut and a competitor, but precisely identifying the generation, the range, and the use history behind each model name.