Give or treat yourself to a subscription to Boats in Motion print + digital and for only 39 euros a year you get the magazine at home plus read it on your PC, smartphone and tablet. With a sea of advantages.
The Azimut Atlantic Challenger has been one of the big names in the ’90s, when boats, and earlier passenger ships, challenged each other in the Atlantic to cross it at full speed, without stopping. The goal? The Blue Ribbon, recognition for those who succeeded in crossing the Atlantic Ocean without stops and without supplies, carrying passengers (at least one). Obviously the goal was to take as little time as possible.
Today, as you can see from the photos, unfortunately, the Azimut Atlantic Challenger lies semi-abandoned near Mantua, Italy. Thank Alessio Negrini for the photos.
Azimut Atlantic Challenger in the golden age
In 1988 Paolo Vitelli, founder of the Azimut shipyard, is determined to gain the Blue Ribbon, the recognition for those who manage to complete an Atlantic crossing without refueling, carrying passengers.
This is the testimony of Paolo Vitelli in the book “On the crest of the wave. The Italian boating industry since the 50s. A story in history, Azimut-Benetti”
“The purchase of Benetti gave Azimut worldwide resonance. It seemed to me the time to do something to consolidate and expand this reputation with a valid initiative in terms of communication and technology. I decided to launch a challenge to cross the Atlantic without refuelling and win the prestigious award for the fastest Atlantic crossings, the Blue Ribbon.
To tell the truth, Richard Branson gave me the idea of crossing the Atlantic at high speed, and among many successful records, he had tried to cross the Atlantic with a 15-metre motorboat that nevertheless needed to refuel along the way.”
Sponsors and companies enthusiastically joined the project and the Azimut Atlantic Challenger were born: it is a 31-meter aluminum hull with Pininfarina design, built-in Viareggio by Benetti and powered by 4 CRMs of 1,850 horsepower: 7,400 total horsepower on a Riva Calzoni hydro-jet propulsion system.
Azimut Atlantic Challenger in action
“I immediately activated myself – says Vitelli in his book – to be able to conquer the Blue Ribbon according to the established rules which were essentially two: one was to have at least one paying passenger on board as well as the transatlantic liners who had been competing for the Blue Ribbon for almost fifty years.
The challenge is not only to go fast, but also to get to the other side without ever stopping for fuel. In fact, the Azimut is designed to “pull straight ahead”, carrying over 80 tonnes of diesel. Obviously, with such a weight, technical problems arise, especially if you have to sail at over 35 knots on average to break the record (still intact) of the SS United States, the transatlantic liner that set the record in 1952.”
As we were saying, to get the recognition it was necessary to have at least one paying passenger: in the case of the Azimut Atlantic Challanger she boarded Whintrop Rockfeller, at the symbolic price of 1 dollar.
The prophecy of Gianni Agnelli
“The other rule was to have enough range, in order not to refuel. The route began in New York, USA, and ended at Bishop Rock, the westernmost and southernmost point in England. The boat was stable and fast, could load an enormous amount of diesel fuel and was equipped with the most modern navigation equipment. […] We had Cesare Fiorio as skipper and Gianni Agnelli as chairman of the organizing committee. Gianni Agnelli was thrilled with the boat and the project, but he added: “Pay a lot of attention to the CRM engines, that’s the Achille’ heel of the boat”. In fact, we didn’t complete the crossing because of the breakage of an engine’s valve lift!”
“Our attempt, made in July 1988, was followed by televisions all over the world and was also reported on the front page of Italian newspapers. […] The name Azimut and the adventure it had attempted with its few strengths touched public opinion. In Italy, in particular, the story was followed by national news and the front pages of almost all newspapers. In short, a great success.”
Today a historic boat of Italian nautical history, unfortunately, lies “semi-abandoned”, according to the images, in a dock near Mantua. Who will save it?
Keep in touch!
To stay updated on all the news on boating, selected by our editorial staff, subscribe to the newsletter of Barche a Motore! Just click on the link below, accept the Privacy Policy and click on the “Subscribe me” button. You will receive in your email, twice a week, the best news about motorboats in English! It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time, without obligation! CLICK HERE
Share:
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
2 thoughts on “From Ocean Records to Oblivion: Who Will Save This Super Boat?”
Mauro rosi
Please let me know where the Azimut Atlantic Challenger is currently now
If Google Maps is right, she is in italy in 46037 Roncoferraro, Province of Mantua. You can see it at 45.095085 °N and 10.953777 °E on Maps.
Hopefully somebody takes her out of sleep!
Powerboats, its stories, from small open to motoryachts. Sign up now for our free newsletter and receive the best news selected by the editorial staff each week. Enter your email below, agree to the Privacy Policy and click the “sign me up” button.
A superyacht, a prince and a thoroughbred: they are the protagonists of Shergar’s story. It is the 1980s and the Karim Aga Khan (the prince), obsessed with the idea of speed, had the boat built that was to become the
On the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, FPT Industrial, a brand of Iveco Group, a global leader in the design, manufacture and sale of propulsion systems, provided the non-profit Tethys Institute with two of its environmentally friendly engines. The Tethys
No VAT on courses to obtain a boating license. Reiterating this in a decision destined to set the standard was the Tax Court of La Spezia in ruling No. 72/2025, which dismantled the claims of the Internal Revenue Service. The
Revolution Marine Group, a leading yacht brokerage and consulting service representing, among others, Oceanwalker Yachts, presents S60e, a 60-foot solar-electric luxury catamaran that combines sophisticated design with sustainable technology. Oceanwalker S60e S60e is 18.3 meters long and 8.3 meters wide.
Gestisci Consenso Cookie
Per fornire le migliori esperienze, utilizziamo tecnologie come i cookie per memorizzare e/o accedere alle informazioni del dispositivo. Il consenso a queste tecnologie ci permetterà di elaborare dati come il comportamento di navigazione o ID unici su questo sito. Non acconsentire o ritirare il consenso può influire negativamente su alcune caratteristiche e funzioni.
Funzionale
Always active
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono strettamente necessari al fine legittimo di consentire l'uso di un servizio specifico esplicitamente richiesto dall'abbonato o dall'utente, o al solo scopo di effettuare la trasmissione di una comunicazione su una rete di comunicazione elettronica.
Preferenze
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono necessari per lo scopo legittimo di memorizzare le preferenze che non sono richieste dall'abbonato o dall'utente.
Statistiche
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso che viene utilizzato esclusivamente per scopi statistici.L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso che viene utilizzato esclusivamente per scopi statistici anonimi. Senza un mandato di comparizione, una conformità volontaria da parte del vostro Fornitore di Servizi Internet, o ulteriori registrazioni da parte di terzi, le informazioni memorizzate o recuperate per questo scopo da sole non possono di solito essere utilizzate per l'identificazione.
Marketing
L'archiviazione tecnica o l'accesso sono necessari per creare profili di utenti per inviare pubblicità, o per tracciare l'utente su un sito web o su diversi siti web per scopi di marketing simili.
2 thoughts on “From Ocean Records to Oblivion: Who Will Save This Super Boat?”
Please let me know where the Azimut Atlantic Challenger is currently now
If Google Maps is right, she is in italy in 46037 Roncoferraro, Province of Mantua. You can see it at 45.095085 °N and 10.953777 °E on Maps.
Hopefully somebody takes her out of sleep!