Azimut 38 Flybridge Review, Specs and Price

The Azimut 38, a 2009 entry ticket aimed at first-time owners

The Azimut 38 arrived in 2009 as the smallest boat in Azimut's flybridge collection, and its brief was unusually clear. Azimut said it was not the length of a yacht that made it special but its ability to meet its owner's needs, and the company aimed the 38 at people who had never run a boat this size before. Power & Motoryacht picked up the same theme in 2011, suggesting the systems on board would take the stress out of the first season for a new captain.

Physically it is a compact flybridge: 12 meters (39 feet 4 inches) overall including the pulpit, 11.8 meters on the hull, a 3.8-meter (12-foot 5-inch) beam and 12.4 tonnes at full load according to Azimut's specification. YachtBuyer dates production from 2009 to 2015. In 2026 it is one of the newest Italian flybridges you can buy for under about $450,000.

Proteo touch screens and Easy Docking, technology for new skippers

Two systems define the 38. The first is the Easy Docking joystick, which links the engines and bow thruster so a nervous owner can walk the boat sideways into a slip. The second is Proteo, a touch-screen monitor that shows the state of the boat's systems and manages the main electrical loads, switching non-essential consumers to standby to prevent the temporary blackouts that plague small boats when the air conditioning, water heater and galley are all on at once. Motor Boat & Yachting, which saw the system on the 38's sister 40S, described it as a 7-inch screen in the galley that controls everything and works brilliantly.

Both systems are now well over a decade old. On a used boat, ask whether the Proteo screen and its software still work as designed and whether replacement parts are available from Azimut's service network, because a failed control screen is more than a cosmetic problem when it manages your power distribution.

A Michael Peters hull shared with the Azimut 40S

MBY's review of the Azimut 40S called it essentially the Azimut 38 with the body of a sport cruiser, using the same hull and V-drive arrangement, and the magazine's 2010 test credited that hull to Michael Peters, the American designer known for fast offshore and sport yacht hulls. It made light work of choppy water off Savona in that test. Azimut lists 17.9 degrees of deadrise aft.

The family resemblance matters when you shop. If you like the 38's interior but want an open hardtop and more speed, the 40S uses the same platform with 480 mhp engines. If you want a flybridge, the 38 is the one to choose.

Bow master, midships twin and a dinette that turns into a bed

The lower deck has the owner's cabin in the bow, lit by side windows and an overhead hatch, with generous wardrobes that P&M singled out as making the boat livable for a couple. The guest cabin sits amidships with twin berths and two large hull windows. YachtBuyer lists an en suite head for the master and a second head for the twin that also serves as the day head, with Vetrofreddo basins and teak flooring in both.

On the main deck, the dinette sofa pulls out into an extra berth, which is how the 38 sleeps five. Aft, the cockpit has a dedicated storage area for its loose seats. The flybridge carries a sunpad and a sofa with a table, which is about as much as a 39-foot bridge can hold without feeling crowded.

• Owner's double forward with en suite head
• Amidships twin with large hull windows
• Saloon dinette converts to a fifth berth
• Flybridge sunpad, sofa and table

LED lighting, thermostatic mixers and a hidden vent hatch

Azimut marketed the 38 as easy on resources as well as on its owner. The boat uses high-power LED lighting, thermostatic mixers fitted upstream so hot water reaches the tap without running the tank cold, and a concealed hatch that ventilates the saloon naturally when the generator is off. Systems were laid out for quick access to make routine and major maintenance less laborious.

These touches are modest, but they make a difference on a boat with 400 liters (105 gallons) of fresh water. When you inspect one, check that the LED fixtures have not been replaced with mismatched units and that the ventilation hatch seals properly, since water staining around it is a common sign of neglect.

355 hp Cummins on V-drives and a 32-knot top end

Power comes from twin Cummins QSB 5.9 diesels rated at 355 mhp, driving through V-drives. Azimut quotes 32 knots maximum and a cruise of 26 to 27 knots depending on which year's specification you read. With 1,100 liters (290 gallons) of fuel, that is enough for a typical Florida or New England weekend of coastal hops but not for long runs without a fuel stop.

We have not found a published independent speed and fuel table for the 38, so use a sea trial to establish real cruise numbers on the boat you are buying. The Cummins QSB 5.9 is common in US yards, which keeps service and parts costs reasonable compared with less widespread European engines.

Is a 2012 Azimut 40 Fly the same boat?

Very nearly. Around 2011 a second model list on Azimut's website showed an Azimut 40 flybridge with the same twin 355 mhp Cummins QSB 5.9 V-drives, the same 1,100 liters of fuel and the same 17.9 degrees of deadrise as the 38, quoted at 40 feet 2 inches overall, which is the 40S's length. YachtBuyer files that boat as the 2011 to 2013 Azimut 40. Compare the specification and hull identification number of any 2011 to 2013 Azimut 40 Fly you view against this page, because the two are best treated as one family when you look at prices.

Used Azimut 38 prices against a $550,000 base price

Power & Motoryacht listed a $550,000 base price in 2011. In 2026, expect roughly $280,000 to $340,000 for early 2009 and 2010 boats and up to about $450,000 for late, low-hour examples with generators and updated electronics. YachtBuyer's market data shows only one 38 listed in the past three years and an average of about 271 days on the market, so be ready to move quickly or to look in Europe.

Annual running costs, excluding fuel and depreciation, typically fall between $28,000 and $50,000 depending on where you keep the boat and how much maintenance you contract out.