Azimut Verve 48 Review (2023 Edition)

Around the Marina

The idea of handling those triple 600s at slow speed might seem intimidating at first but with modern technology, it's very easy to manoeuver a boat like the Verve 48 around a marina. The joystick takes any concerns about juggling multiple engines out of the equation, simply twist and push the stick and the engines will cleverly angle themselves to move the boat in the desired direction. With all that grunt on tap, they make light work of shifting the Verve, despite its long, slender shape. That said, the optional bow thruster is worth having if you plan to moor stern-to a lot.

The fact that the tops of the V12 Mercs don't move takes some getting used to as, from the helm, you can't visually tell which direction the props are facing. This doesn't matter so much with the joystick as the computer does all the work for you but if you want to steer by hand this is worth noting as you'll be relying on the digital rudder indicator. 

The raised helm position provides an excellent all-around view from the helm, though, and the boat being so open makes communication with the crew really easy. There are numerous benefits of the improved walkaround layout but crewing and access on and off the boat is a key one. Crew can now move both sides of the console to handle lines and fenders and the boarding gate forward on the starboard is a handy addition. 

At Sea

The Verve 47, with which the 48 shares its hull design, had four Mercury 450hp Racing engines as its propulsion of choice. Potent and fruity as those engines are having four of them on a boat of this size did make for quite noisy progress. The performance was savage but on longer cruises, the sharp exhaust note could get tiring so the move to the silky smooth 600hp V12s was made to aid cruising refinement and it's done the trick. 

The rasping bark of the 450 Rs is replaced with a deep warble as the boat surges with extraordinary ease into a lazy 30-knot cruise. With a top speed of 50 knots, cruising at 20 knots shy of that feels incredibly relaxed and it's nice to know that you can up the speed by 10 knots and cruise at 40 if you want to get a shift on. The 600hp Mercs are immense power plants that provide the 48 meaty acceleration throughout the rev range and offer remarkable punch from a standing start. 
 

The twin-stepped Michael Peters hull needed no updating as it's a fabulous design that relishes its new propulsion partners. It's fast to plane and sure-footed in a straight line but chuck in a few turns and there is tremendous grip, no doubt aided by having three sets of counter-rotating props digging into the water. 

It's a compliment to say that the 48's performance feels unremarkable, despite its ability to crack 50 knots at the top end. The smoothness of the engines, excellent driving position, and protection at the helm mean you can travel at high speeds without noticing quite how quickly you're traveling. 

Similar to the joystick, the Mercury software takes all of the thinking out of driving the 48 at high speed. Single lever mode means all 1,800hp is controlled by one of the two big throttle arms so you can rest your hand on the hub and have excellent precision control if tackling rough seas. Auto trim also means you don't have to worry about running attitude and can just drive. It's an effortless high-speed cruiser and an absolute pleasure to pilot. 

The Verve 48 inherits much of its design from its predecessor but there are small changes dotted all over the boat to improve the recipe. The most significant of which is the switch from the Mercury 450hp Racing engines to tripe V12 600s. Their effect on the boat's cruising performance has been detailed above but their design has also helped Azimut improve the living spaces. Because only the bottom section of the outboard moves on the 600s the design team didn't have to account for the cowlings swinging so there is much more space to play with on the aft platform, which is significantly larger than the 47's.

The balcony on the starboard side now connects to the stern platform, too, which makes moving around the aft end of the boat a whole lot easier. 

The 48 has walkaround decks, too. By creating a gap between the helm station and the starboard side of the deck there is now a much better flow around the boat compared to the 47 and it means that those sitting at the helm don't get trapped in on one side. 

The Verve 48 is a fine blend of center console muscle and Italian flair. The quality feels great, as well. Mouldings are thick and well-crafted and all of the major touch points feel robust and classy. It's an expensive machine but it's abundantly obvious where that money is going. This may be the smallest, cheapest boat in Azimut's range but it doesn't feel like it. 

Michael Peter's twin-stepped hull is a gem, too. This underpins the Verve with genuine high-performance cruising potential. It's not just a head-turning design, it has the performance and seakeeping to match its striking looks. 

Sleeping accommodation is probably some way down the pecking order of someone looking to buy a boat like this. It's nice to have, but this boat will probably spend most of its life firing out to beaches and anchorages for the day before returning to base for the evening.

That said, the accommodation is well-executed and perfectly comfortable for longer stays on board if the mood takes you. Granted, there are boats of the same length with far superior lower deck accommodation but when you consider what type of boat this is the space works well. 

The two cabins are separated by a dinette and compact galley, equipped to knock up the odd meal if required. You would imagine that most of the cooking is done on deck but if you want to prepare breakfast on a miserable morning the galley is more than capable of handling that. Above it, a television is cleverly mounted within a mirror, so you can't see it if it's not turned on. The dinette opposite can also convert into a double berth, which means you can sleep six adults on board.

They will all be sharing a single bathroom, however. It is at least a good size with enough space for a generous separate shower cubicle and over 6ft of headroom throughout. 

Cabins

The owner's cabin is forward and features a raised double berth with enough space to clamber into it on either side. This isn't a huge space and the deckhead encroaches on headroom somewhat but there is useful shelf storage beneath the hull windows on either side and a hanging wardrobe to port for clothes. 

Amidships, stretching out beneath the cockpit there is a full-beam twin guest cabin. The boat is only 4.1m (13.5ft) wide so the space isn't enormous but it has two good single berths with a split in the middle that includes some storage and access to charging sockets at its top end.

The headroom is restricted over the berths but it's very good in the lobby, where the ceiling pushes into the void beneath the helm station to create towering standing headroom just inside the cabin door. There is a good storage unit on the starboard side, though this does rob space for a port hole so there is only one small window to port meaning you rely heavily on artificial lighting in this cabin. 

You can have all the performance you want but if the driving position doesn't pass muster it can harm the entire driving experience. No such issues with the Verve 48 as its helm is set up perfectly to enjoy the immense straight-line performance delivered by those V12 Mercs. The adjustable helm seats are comfortable and supportive if you want to set the speed and settle back for the ride but with the bolster bases, it's just as easy to stand and drive the boat if you prefer. It's a boat that you can engage with if you want to grab it by the scruff of the neck and drive it or just pin it at 30 knots and let it get on with it.

For what is a very open design the helm is very well protected and this dulls the sense of speed. The GPS may well be telling you you're tracking along at early 50 knots but it never really feels like it, which is a good thing for what is supposed to be a fast point-to-point cruiser.

With the optional glass sunroof, it's really easy to ventilate the area depending on the conditions. In good weather, you can peel the roof back and let the air flow but they have cleverly incorporated a smaller actuated hatch above the helm to let some air in even if the weather isn't so good. This means that even if you don't spec the sunroof you have a way of getting some airflow through the helm. 

The dashboard is finished in an attractive mix of leather, piano black plastics, and stainless steel detailing. The plastic air vents look a bit cheap for a boat of this style and quality, however. It's a great-looking helm with the bulk of information displayed across the three large MFDs which are set into a pod at the top of the dash, though there is a run of metal switches for lighting, wipers, and things like that. The main controls are close to the seat, the chunky oversized Mercury throttles falling to hand particularly easily. It's good to see a remote control panel for the MFDs, too, because prodding at a touch screen on a boat this fast can be difficult. 

The deck spaces are a key part of the Verve formula. This is a boat to enjoy long days in the sun having used its 1,800hp to rock up at the local hotspot before pretty much anyone else. The Verve 47 was great at this and the subtle but important changes made to the 48 only serve to improve the experience.

The decision to only mount a balcony on the port side may rob you of the extra deck space that a second platform would provide but the boost in comfortable seating space is the right call here. You can seat a lot of people around the vast dining table, which disappears into the deck when it's not being used. It will stop at various stages but align with the seating and add a couple of in-fill cushions and you've got a huge sun pad to enjoy. Yes, this means people are walking around on the tabletop when it's not in use but Azimut supplies a vinyl cover as standard, designed to be used when dining. The optional sun shade which motors out from the T-top to fully protect the area if you want, is something that you'll appreciate during lunch on sunny days. 

The decks are served by storage areas too, none more impressive than the "boot" in the transom, which is large enough to store and charge two Seabobs stacked on top of the other and still have space for a deflated paddleboard. The extended platform makes prepping for watersports, crewing, and moving around in this area of the boat so much easier compared to the previous model, too. 

There is a hatch beneath the cockpit table which lifts at the touch of a button to reveal a vast technical area that is home to the generator, air-con units, and if chosen as an option, the Seakeeper 6 gyro stabilizer. There's room left over to store kit in crates too, if needed. 

The wet bar is a focal point of the cockpit of the main deck and it's a well-specified unit. It has two Kenyon grills and a deep sink up top with a mix of fridge, freezer, and ice maker in the lower part, the makeup of which can be customized. There is some lovely detailing in the area, especially in the T-top, which provides excellent protection and whose underside features a slick backlit pattern based around the Azimut logo. A lot of effort has gone into breathing life into what are usually unremarkable parts of a boat's design. 

Easy Does It

The 48 is an easier boat to move around than the 47 because there is now a passage to the starboard of the helm. This means you can head forward on either side of the console rather than being forced down the port side and that those at the helm can move in and out from either side of the boat. It's another seemingly small change that drastically improves the day-to-day usability of the boat. The starboard deck is raised and therefore slightly trickier to traverse than the sunken deck on the opposite side but it's very handy to be able to head forward on either side of the boat when crewing.

It's a foredeck you're going to want to visit quite regularly, too. There's a good slab of sun pad up front but the ribbon of seating with a small table right at the peak of the bow is a great place to hang out on an evening and the perfect place to catch the breeze if the boat is moving around slowly. 

The starting price for the Azimut Verve 48 (at the time of writing) is €1,150,000 ex VAT. The standard specification is pretty generous but, as ever, there are some options worth considering to add the final polish to what is a very tidy package.

Our Options & Pick

The bow thruster is a punchy €15,500 option but as good as the Mercury joystick is, we think the extra peace of mind of the thruster is worth this outlay. There are times when you just want to be able to tweak the bow in isolation and the thruster makes that job a whole lot easier.

A Seakeeper 6 gyroscopic stabilizer is an €85,000 option, which is a chunky amount of cash on a €1 million boat. That said, considering this boat's primary use of day boating and enjoying time on anchor it could make all the difference to guests' comfort on board. It will have little effect when the boat is on the move given the speeds it will achieve but at rest, it's a game-changer. Pricey, mind. 

The hi-lo cockpit table is €22,000 and though that seems a lot for a table its added functionality does allow you to do a lot more with the cockpit space. Being able to "remove" the table altogether for lounging around or prepping for watersports is useful, as is being able to create a big sun pad in the cockpit. 

The Webasto sunroof will cost you €17,850 to add an option and though it's nice to have the glass opening roof it's arguable as to whether it's a necessity, especially given the actuated hatch is there to provide some through breeze to the helm.