Continuing on the wave of previous youngtimers, here is another splendid example emerging from our exclusive archives, an iconic proof of an equally iconic boat: the Azimut Magellano 50. A small masterpiece of the early 2010s, this 15-meter turned out to be almost unclassifiable: it was not a shuttle, it was not a trawler, and the ‘adventure‘ they still were not what … however, one fact was certain from the start, the Magellano 50 was, and is, an outstanding ‘globetrotter‘. An ideal boat for the long and exciting cruise, it was welcomed with open arms by the market.
Magellan 50 – small-big Globetrotter
“Don’t be misled by the beautiful photos in this report, taken on a beautiful day. I, the Magellano 50, tried it out in the dead of winter, under a heavy snowfall and in seas of the kind that would advise anyone against putting the bow out of the harbor. So much so that, as I was approaching Savona, I wondered what was the point of trying a boat in the middle of winter and in such terrible weather. I still didn’t know how unafraid this 15-meter boat was of adverse sea conditions; in fact, I even realized how nice it can be to go to sea even when it’s snowing outside.”
These are the words of those who, at the time, had a chance to try it out for our magazine, Motor Boats. So not to hesitate any further, this time let us first see the performance, in which all the reliability of this boat, designed in fact, to go around the world, emerges. All other data later, complete as always.
Don’t miss previous articles:
- Continental 50 S
- Rizzardi 55 Incredible
- Mig 43
- Prestige 60
- Portofino 11 Meters
- Rio 46 Air
- Bluegame 40
- Maxi Dolphin MD51
Magellan 50 – Navigation and Performance
“The sea was definitely angry, swept by a strong north wind with gusts over 30 knots. A formed wave populated the entire body of water, promising nothing good. It was snowing and the temperature, if not below zero, was close to it, just above only because of the sea. Already I was dismissing the trip as a wasted trip when I see the Commandant getting very busy dropping lines and picking up fenders. It’s just as likely to come out, I think. Why you get out anyway, I don’t have to wait long to figure out: just put the bow out of the harbor for everything to become clearer.”
The Magellano 50 faces the sea with an almost disarming calmness. There is no way to get him in trouble, whether he is stern, bow or sideways, the sea just doesn’t faze him in the slightest. Even the strong wind is absolutely neutralized: inside the bright saloon we chat amiably, check the efficiency of the on-board domotics, and analyze the data collected during the crossing from Barcelona and compare it with that of our navigation.
It’s a small finimondo outside, and we experience it as if on a kind of 360-degree screen, in a well-heated environment with very little pitching, considering the state of the sea. In the area of navigational aids, it is difficult to say with this sea the incidence of Easy Handling, the turning assistance system, which is nevertheless very precise and safe with a sufficiently tight radius. Valuable, on the other hand, is the Easy Docking support in maneuvering, with the joystick making the two stern and bow thrusters work in synergy, not making the Ips regret.
Then it is time to check the speed performance, with a keen eye on fuel economy, which is, on paper, the other major strength of the Magellano 50. 20 knots can be reached, and even exceeded by a measure, but that is not what the Magellan was designed for: in fact, it offers its best at 12 to 13 knots with the engines “humming” at 2200 rpm and with a per-engine consumption of 30 liters/hour, a new (and economical) way of thinking about cruising. The best, however, from the point of view of fuel economy, is achieved at 8 knots, at a speed of about 1500 rpm: thus 13 liters per hour per engine is enough. The only caution is to calibrate the flaps to 40% to lower the bow a bit, which is useful in this sea, but can be done without in normal conditions.
But the most extraordinary sensation is sailing at 12 knots on a sea that would put even larger boats in serious difficulty, and at the same time having the feeling of being in total safety, in a warm and welcoming environment, with hand-holds just about everywhere. Thus, even when you literally fall into the hollow of the wave (surprising the softness of the impact), there is always a nearby handhold to grab, an additional and important security for a boat that is designed to live in, sail in, and enjoy all year round.”
(at the end of the article, all the data from the trial)
Magellan 50 – Project
The Magellano was a unique boat, so much so that to find similar proposals one had to go up several meters, to ocean shuttles. Those thinking about trawlers, however, must confront the hull, which on the Magellan 50 is state-of-the-art. It was named Dual Mode, the work of the Dixon studio and, again in keeping with excellent marine qualities, was designed to keep fuel consumption down at displacement or semi-displacement speeds – with savings of up to 15 percent. At the same time, thanks to wide skids and significant submerged volume in the middle and forward areas of the hull, navigational stability was and remains excellent, even at medium speed.
Unlimited Class A homologation (in wind force 8 and waves over 4 m), and a range of over 1000 miles, made the Magellan 50 the pioneer of a new philosophy of going to sea with a 15-meter boat. Not surprisingly, then, the series had, and continues to have, good fortune with theAzimut Magellano 66 and the new Azimut Magellan 60.
Magellano 50 – Deck
One look, then and now, was enough to tell what Magellano 50 is made of. Starting with the bow that is free of slips (which reduces the vertical acceleration of pitching), to the high gunwale that protects the gangways (which are true ocean-going shuttle-like), to the forward dinette, which will be especially appreciated in port and which, when needed, becomes a large sundeck well protected by the volume of the deckhouse, where there are also two large lockers.
Aft is the classic dinette with a ladder leading to the swim platform; the transom is recessed to accommodate the pram. The latter, if desired, could also be mounted on the large fly, suitably equipped with a davit, although there is plenty of space it would “steal” and the elevated area is actually a very livable space, thanks to the generous dinette, full kitchen cabinet and well-sized dashboard. The center mast serves as the instrumentation support and is equipped with stereo speakers, a large locker and shower.
Interior
On a globetrotting boat like the Magellano 50 it happens that the priority is not to get to the destination quickly, but to prolong the pleasure of sailing as much as possible. Precisely with a view to long stays on board in mind, the shipyard has not provided a standard layout, but has designed four solutions to choose from, to find the one that best suits one’s lifestyle on board. The first choice is made on the number of cabins, which can be two or three, then we move on to further declinations, which change the central area of the layout, in which the sofa area, the study or the compartment for the washing machine, which in the other solutions finds its place under the stairs, alternate. Whatever the choice, the two main cabins, namely the master and VIP with their respective private bathrooms, do not change in either location or size.
The great habitability is further enhanced by the large glazed areas that make the saloon a bright environment in direct contact with the cockpit, thanks to the almost total openness of the partition. The barycentric kitchen is an excellent solution to be able to serve the two dinettes, outside and inside, and to evacuate smoke. Beautiful dashboard that shows that with a minimum of ingenuity original solutions can be found that can combine rationality and design. The lower deck is accessed by a convenient staircase, and in the test model, which is two-cabin, the central area is occupied by a study and a sitting area.
Both, however, can optionally make room for a cabin with two overlapping beds or a utility room, for example for laundry with an emergency bunk. The owner’s cabin is amidships, while the VIP cabin, which has little to envy in terms of volume, is in the bow. Both are served by a dedicated bathroom with a separate shower.
Magellano 50 :Propulsion
In the engine room, a pair of 425-hp common rail Cummins with electronic fuel management is originally planned. In addition, the boat is equipped with Easy Handling, which is the assisted tacking system, Easy Docking for support when maneuvering, and Seakeeper, the gyroscope that significantly reduces boat roll in rough seas.
As a reminder, the Magellano 50 was even then also offered with hybrid motorization thanks to two 23 kW electric motors mounted on the drive axles ahead of the diesels.
Magellano 50: Recorded Performance and Data Sheet
The data collected in our test. Recall the weather conditions: Real Wind, 30 knots; Sea State, very wavy; Outside Temperature: 0/1°C; Persons Embarked: 5; Fuel: 1600 L.
| Revolutions per Minute – RPM | Speed expressed in knots | Hourly Fuel Consumption |
| 1000 | 5.5 kn | – |
| 1500 | 8.8 kn | 26 l/h – autonomy: 103 hours 45′ |
| 2000 | 10.9 kn | 58 l/h – autonomy: 46 hours 30′ |
| 3000 | 20.7 kn | 106 l/h – autonomy: 17 hours 20′ |
| Length Over All (LOA) | 15.64 m |
| Length at Waterline (LWL) | 14.10 m |
| Baglio Massimo (Bmax) | 4.65 m |
| Fishing | 1.32 m |
| Dry Displacement | 19300 kg |
| Full Load Displacement | 25000 kg |
| Maximum Motorization | 2x 435 hp |
| Fuel Tank | 3000 L |
| Fresh Water Tank | 700 L |
| Beds | 4+2 |
| Approval Category | A |
| Construction site | azimutyachts.com |
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