Azimut 54 Fly Review — A Sport Yacht That Hauls at 32 Knots
This 2017 Azimut 54 Fly came to me through Newport Yachts — it’s actually my listing, and I’m not sure it’ll last until this video comes out. This Italian sport yacht tops out at 32 knots with a cruising speed of 27 thanks to twin Volvo Penta D11 engines putting out 725 horsepower each. And here’s the part I love — they’re direct drive, V-drives running straight to the shafts. No pods. Real propellers, a traditional bow thruster, and none of the maintenance headaches that come with propulsion pod systems.
The Hull and Exterior
Starting at the bow, this thing has a sporty pointed hull with a nice big planing surface — not one of those axe-style bows. There’s a full sunpad up front, two cleats, and all the anchor gear including a plow anchor with a swivel. At 54 feet long with a 15-foot beam, it carries 618 gallons of fuel, 155 gallons of water, and a 92-gallon waste tank.
The Flybridge
Up top, there’s a wet bar with a grill, sink, and fridge built into the cabinetry. The helm has full Volvo Penta controls and Raymarine electronics, with sunpads both forward and aft around a center table. The convertible roof slides manually, which I prefer over automatic ones because those always break and are a nightmare to service. The radar arch folds down with a button — handy for low bridges or reaching equipment up top.
Interior and Below Decks
The main salon opens through a big sliding door with seating to port and a TV that rises from the cabinet at the push of a button — Bose surround sound included. The galley has a Melee induction stovetop, oven and microwave combo, and a full fridge and freezer. One unique feature — the lower helm is on the starboard side while the flybridge helm is on port. I don’t see that often, and the setup actually feels like driving the Starship Enterprise with screens at different elevations and angles.
Engine Room
Those 725-horsepower D11s sit V-driven down to shafts with no pods in sight. The Cummins Onan generator is right below the hatch with conveniently placed switches and breakers so you don’t have to climb all the way down for routine resets. Azimut put portable lights on cords throughout the engine room, which is a detail I wish every boat had — just take the light wherever you need it. The room is clean and well-engineered, though those big D11s fit snugly. Access is good around about 80 percent of the engines, with the exhaust making the back side of the starboard engine a bit tight.
The Star Review
Stars are on a 1 to 10 scale, with 5 being average. Performance gets an 8 — 32 knots top speed, 27 cruising, extremely quiet underway, and no pods to maintain. Comfort earns an 8 for the spacious layout and all the lounging space from the bow sunpad to the flybridge to the salon and rear cockpit. Quality gets a 6 — it uses the same reliable components as most vessels (Volvo, Dometic, Seakeeper) and the construction is solid for an 8-year-old boat. Practicality scores a 7 because this boat actually maximizes its outdoor space in a way a lot of boats don’t. Value gets a 7 — Azimut has had some reputation issues around cosmetic aging, particularly with paint, but I think that stigma actually makes them an excellent buy when you find the right one.
That puts the total at 36 stars, the same score as the Prestige 42 — though personally I’d much rather have this boat. It’s also pretty incredible that at 54 feet, this thing is only 3 feet longer than the Sea Ray 510 but packs in a flybridge, crew quarters, and a full lower helm. If you’ve been looking at Azimuts or shopping the motor yacht market in general, the 54 Fly is one of those models where the value actually outweighs the brand stigma. I reviewed another Italian build recently — the Admiral 74 — and while that one’s in a different league size-wise, both boats share that same attention to engineering detail that makes Italian yards worth a serious look.
