The Azimut 53, the latest motor yacht by the Italian Azimut/Benetti Group, has been selected Motorboat of the Year 2010 by a team of journalist lead by the UK magazine Motorboat & Yachting, beating to the finish line the British yacht Fairline 55. This is the second time in recent years that the prestigious British Award goes to the Italian Group, after the success in 1997 with the Azimut 47.

The Azimut 53 was crowned winner of the Flybridge below 55ft category where the judges look for versatile accommodation coupled with practical cruising comforts, alongside sound handling for longer forays. In fact, these boats may be called upon to function as weekend cottages or much longer term family cruisers and with a comfortable mixture of clean lines and ample windows that blend in to the symmetry, the Azimut 53 can stylishly do both. The “53” – as it is called – is an attractive cruiser with room for six plus crew. Somehow Azimut’s designers have managed to shoe horn virtually everything a 65ft motor yacht has into 53ft, without compromising space and comfort.

“The mark of a great flybridge cruising boat is one where all the various elements hang together exceptionally well to produce an appealing whole, but one which also dishes up a few irresistible attractions that on their own might persuade you to buy the boat,” the judges said in their awarding statement. They added that “the 53 has both. Azimut’s design team have paid particular attention to family safety, providing handrails aplenty and an exceptionally deep and well-protected flybridge. Alongside the excellent day-to-day workings of its versatile accommodation, the 53 is jam-packed with comforts designed to make life onboard as comfortable and as effortless as possible”.

Azimut/Benetti, represented locally by Esprit Yachting, are the largest private industrial group in the yachting sector.