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ShowBoats Design Awards 2016, Kitzbühel

Ironman takes honours at Kitzbühel

The ShowBoats Design Awards 2016 was held in February at Kitzbühel, in the Austrian Alps. These awards were specifically created to recognise superyacht designers. Aspects of the most impressive yachts launched in 2015 were judged by a panel of design experts who compared fundamental aspects of superyacht design such as naval architecture, exterior design and interior layout, to bring the specialist skills of the industry’s most talented teams into the spotlight.

Benetti is very proud and happy to announce that the Vivace 125’ M/Y Ironman won the Naval Architecture Award for a Semi-displacement Motor Yacht. The judge’s words were:

Ironman presents an interesting application of azimuthing propulsion in a relatively small motor yacht and an innovative hull designed to transition smoothly from displacement speeds to semi-planing and a sprightly top end of 24 knots — two knots faster than predicted. An 18-month development period of what Azimut Benetti calls its D2P hull utilised CFD to refine every element and appendage, evolving a hull shape with a pair of asymmetrical chines and a wave-piercing bow. Its smooth underwater profile and reduced forward resistance result in a 20 percent higher cruising speed. At 11.5 knots Ironman burns 100 litres per hour. A weight control budget utilising carbon fibre in the hull resulted in 40 percent less weight when compared to traditional structures. Azimut Benetti chose pod drive propulsion with a forward pulling propeller for increased efficiency and enhanced manoeuvring.