It's Friday afternoon. You're clearing the inlet with eight guests aboard, triple IPS pods humming at 26 knots. The crew is forward in their own quarters, prepping dinner in a galley you'll never see. Your guests are spread across three distinct zones on the flybridge. No one is asking where anything is. No one is in anyone's way.
This is the weekend the Fly 78 was designed for.
Azimut built this boat for owners who've already done the 60-footer. You know what works. You know what doesn't. And you know that the jump from 65 to 78 feet isn't about bragging rights. It's about eliminating compromise.
Who This Boat Is For
The Fly 78 makes sense for the owner-operator who wants the space and capability of an 85-footer without the crew dependency. You're comfortable at the helm. You've run IPS before. You want to take friends to Bimini or the Abacos without coordinating schedules with a captain.
It also works for the semi-crewed owner. One deckhand. Maybe a chef for longer trips. The separated crew quarters and forward galley mean your team can work without walking through the salon. That's rare at this size.
This is not a boat for someone buying their first 70-footer. The systems are sophisticated. The fuel burn is real. And while the carbon fiber construction makes it lighter than competitors, it's still 127,690 pounds of yacht.
Design and Layout: The Separation Strategy
Azimut made one decision that defines this boat. They moved the galley forward, next to the wheelhouse, and put crew quarters under the bow. That creates a service zone completely separate from guest areas.
The result is a 78-footer that lives like a much larger yacht. Your guests never see meal prep. Crew can access the foredeck without walking through the salon. The sliding door between the galley and main salon stays closed during service.
The main deck is one continuous social space. Achille Salvagni designed it as a "Full Lounge" layout. There's a transforming coffee table that converts to formal dining for eight. When it's not in use, the entire space flows. No visual barriers. No wasted transition zones.
Below deck, the triple IPS configuration freed up volume. The master suite has a separate dressing room. Two of the guest cabins have full standing height around queen beds. That's VIP-level space in what are technically guest cabins.
The flybridge offers three distinct zones. Forward sunpads. A hardtop-covered bar and dining area. And an open aft section that can be configured for additional sunpads or counter-facing seating with a double grill setup.
Performance: Triple IPS as Freedom
The standard configuration is three Volvo IPS 1200 units at 900 horsepower each. That delivers 33 knots at wide open throttle and a 26-knot cruise. The optional IPS 1350 setup adds 100 horsepower per engine but doesn't dramatically change the performance envelope.
The real story is range. Azimut publishes a 420-nautical-mile range at a 17.3-knot slow cruise and 351 miles at 26 knots—sea-trial results run to ISO 8666 and witnessed by Lloyd's Register, not marketing projections.
Triple IPS means joystick control that actually works with a boat this size. Docking is predictable. Slow-speed maneuvering is intuitive. And the active trim control system adjusts interceptors automatically to optimize running attitude at every speed.
The carbon fiber superstructure reduces weight by 30 percent compared to traditional fiberglass construction. That weight savings goes directly into interior volume and fuel capacity. It also lowers the center of gravity, which reduces roll by up to 15 percent.
This isn't a boat you buy for speed. It's a boat you buy because 26 knots gets you from Miami to the Bahamas in three hours, and you can do it without thinking about fuel stops.
The Ownership Conversation
The Fly 78 sits in an interesting cost zone. It's expensive enough to require serious operational planning but not so large that professional crew is mandatory.
Fuel is the biggest variable in the budget, and it scales directly with how hard you run her. The published efficiency numbers above are the counterweight—the same slow-cruise figures that stretch range also shrink every Bahamas fuel bill.
Maintenance follows the same pattern. Triple IPS means three lower units to service, and diligence pays—bottom paint, detailing, and systems upkeep are steady line items rather than surprises.
The carbon fiber construction is a long-term advantage. It doesn't eliminate maintenance, but it reduces the structural issues that plague older fiberglass boats. Azimut's build quality in this range is solid. These boats hold up.
Crewing is optional but recommended for extended trips. Most owners in this range run the boat themselves on weekends and hire a captain for longer passages.
Where to Start
The Fly 78 is the right boat if you've outgrown the 60-foot range but don't want the operational complexity of a true superyacht. It's designed for owners who understand the costs and want the capability without the crew dependency.
If that's your profile, start with the IPS 1200 configuration. The performance difference with the 1350 setup is marginal, and the fuel burn penalty isn't worth it for most owners. Focus your budget on the interior layout and electronics package.
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