The Azipull Propulsion System

Numerous critics have described Breaking Bad as the best TV series ever made. The show told the story of a chemistry teacher with lung cancer. Unable to pay his chemotherapy bills and fearing for the well being of his family, he quits his job and starts making crystal meth. As the show progresses he morphs into a drug lord, a cold-blooded killer and one of the nastiest villains in TV history. His long-suffering wife is an attractive blonde named Skyler.

The yacht shown above is also named Skyler. She's part of Benetti's Fast collection and measures an impressive 125 feet. She also features Azipull Carbon thrusters, the most sophisticated propulsion system on the market and the result of a collaboration between Benetti and Rolls-Royce.

The Benetti Rolls-Royce Collaboration

Rolls-Royce began developing steerable thrusters back in the year 2000. Three years later the Azipull range was introduced and by November 2017 had sold more than 500 units. Benetti's collaboration with Rolls-Royce hinged on one very clear requirement. Conventional thrusters of the size Benetti needed for its new range of superyachts weighed about 20 tons. In order to achieve Benetti's design goal, that weight had to be reduced to just 3 tons.

Rolls-Royce engineers tackled the problem by using carbon fiber and other lightweight composites to re-design the thruster's supporting structure and casing. The result was a hydrodynamically-optimized component offering excellent course-keeping stability, superb manoeuvrability, easy maintenance and low noise and vibration levels. And the weight was about 2800 kilos – a fraction over the 3 tons Benetti had requested.

The benefits of the Azipull system also extend to the design of the yacht they're equipped on. The engine room can be made smaller and more compact, thereby freeing up premium space elsewhere in the hull. And the Azipull system's light weight means the engine room can be placed further aft, minimizing noise and vibration in guest cabins.

The Benetti Fast 125

The Benetti Fast 125 was designed specifically for propulsion by Azipull Carbon 65 thrusters. It's a four-deck superyacht with 5 staterooms and a stylish exterior designed by Stefano Righini. There are 4 distinct areas devoted to relaxation and the option to choose from 3 interior design configurations. The layout on the lower deck benefits greatly from the Azipull propulsion system. With the compact engine room placed well aft, there's ample space for a side-opening garage with tender and a pair of jet skis. And because the garage is positioned between the engine room and guest quarters, ambient noise in the sleeping areas is low to the point of being negligable.

The first yacht in the Fast 125 series was named Iron Man. Prior to handover it was given an intensive test run in the Mediterranean, logging thousands of miles to prove its seaworthiness. Next came Constance Joy, a stunning, Ferrari-red creation that amazed everyone when Benetti presented it at the Cannes Yachting Festival. The yacht's captain trained on Rolls-Royce simulators before taking command of the helm. When asked about the yacht's propulsion system, he replied: "I have been working at sea for forty one years and have been a Captain for twenty nine, but I haven't seen anything like the Azipulls so far. This is the propulsion system of the future."

Third in the series was Skyler. She was delivered to her new owner in June 2017 and later that year triumphed at the Robb Report China awards. More sales followed: Benetti announed a 7th sale in early 2018; soon after that an 8th sale was consolidated by a broker in Monaco.

Pinnacle Marine New Zealand

Pinnacle Marine is New Zealand's only appointed dealer for Benetti Yachts. Pinnacle is helmed by Grant Saunders, an industry veteran with years of hands-on experience dealing with luxury yachts. If you would like more information about Benetti or any of the other brands we represent, please get in touch.