Boat test for the 2006 Baia Azzurra 63 with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2006 Baia Azzurra 63.

Our retreat to cruising speed wasn’t because the 63 couldn’t handle the conditions. She didn’t pound and eased through the troughs, although things got a little harsher in the confused seas of the inlet. I also noticed that a lot of spray was reaching our windshield and occasionally over our roofline. After a little investigation, I concluded that this was due to two factors: At these speeds the forward chine flats were no longer parallel to the water, so they couldn’t effectively knock down the spray. Walker demonstrated that by using the flaps as “a fine-tuning tool” to lower the boat’s trim angle, he could reduce the spray somewhat, although it never disappeared.

I couldn’t let Walker have all the fun, so I slid into the double seat and he took my spot in the molded three-seater to port. I followed his directions, all the while keeping my eyes on the rpm gauge as well as the Arneson trim indicators located in a easy-to-read cluster just forward of the wheel. Once the 63 was on plane, I found that trimming the drives while keeping tabs on the gauges and adjusting the flaps took a little getting used to. Handling was impressive: At 50 mph I executed a 180-degree turn in less than two boat lengths by trimming the port-side drive down and turning hard to starboard. She dug in, and I temporarily lost sightlines to port—I had made sure to look twice before executing the turn. Walker explained that even sharper turns are possible by using the tiller joystick, which controls port and starboard movement of the drives.

The combination of blistering offshore performance and opulent accommodations make the baia an awesome boat. But she wasn’t perfect. Her electrically retractable canvas top wouldn’t retract due to a mechanical malfunction, and when I returned from our sea trial, I noticed that the two-burner electric cooktop had dislodged from its housing. Later, Allied Richard Bertram vice-president Oscar Losada assured me that technicians had fixed the top soon after I had left and that the cooktop had only been dropped into the granite countertop for shipping, not secured.

Even with her remarkable looks, luxury, and appearance, the 63 Azzurra faces stiff competition from both Italian contemporaries and stateside builders. So is baia pretending to a luxury cruiser that just happens to have some flat-out giddy-up? Actually, no. She’s both, and that’s a darn fine thing to be.

Allied Richard Bertram
(305) 633-9761

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