If you’ve been paying attention to the global megayacht market, then you’ve likely noticed that some builders, designers, and even engine manufacturers are no longer satisfied with providing the same styles and performance owners have expected over the past several years. There’s nothing wrong with those models, of course. The companies simply have decided to tap into a new breed of owners. This new breed is younger, more casual, likely to frequently entertain, and, in several cases, less experienced behind the wheel. In fact, some haven’t owned a boat before. The Lazzara LSX 92 appeals to them, just as much as to owners stepping up to a bigger size.
Lazzara Yachts took the notion of being a newcomer into account when it launched a line dubbed LSX, equipped with Volvo Penta’s IPS drives, in 2006. The first of these sleek yachts, the LSX 75, turned the express-style yachting world on its ear, between the atrium-like interior, the superyacht-like accommodations, and the intuitive nature of the IPS joystick controls. In fact, experienced or not, clients who were attracted to the LSX 75 not only enjoyed the relaxed, wide-open atmosphere, but also took comfort knowing any of their guests could take the helm in an emergency.
So when Lazzara premiered the LSX 92 at the Fort Lauderdale boat show, I knew there would be some similarities in layout and ease of operation. What I didn’t know until I took a tour is that the 92 charts some new territory of her own.
Take the engine package, for example. While the 92 has a four-engine package like her smaller sister, she employs the newer Volvo Penta IPS-850s, offering 670 hp apiece. (The LSX 75 is equipped with four 435-hp IPS-600s.) The compact nature of IPS packages means that the engine compartment, seen above, has more than enough room for an adult to access all maintenance points. In fact, even though the IPS-850 is 40 percent larger than the IPS-600, there’s still walk-around space between and fore and aft of each.
And they’re even more fuel-efficient. Dick Lazzara, the builder’s president and cofounder (with his brother Brad), says the Lazzara LSX 92 is 40 percent more fuel-efficient than similar-size, traditionally powered competitors. This exceeds the 30-percent-lower fuel consumption that Volvo Penta claims at cruising speed compared to inboard-shaft-driven yachts. As proof, Dick says that the 92 consumed just 96 gph while cruising at 25 knots en route to the boat show from the yard’s headquarters in Tampa. And that was in 20-knot winds and five-and-a-half-foot seas, according to Fabrizio Loi, Lazzara’s director of engineering and product development. In calm conditions, the 92 should exceed 30 knots, he says, even with a full load.
While I didn’t take the 92 out to sea, I did get to test the LSX 75’s IPS controls. I can attest to how IPS eliminates the concern and even intimidation factor in running a large boat. Let’s face it: Plenty of people don’t want to admit they can’t handle the boat they bought. Some spouses further have never taken the wheel, out of lack of experience. Neither of those scenarios should remain in place with the setup of the LSX series.
The 92 also shines in her accommodations. Enter through the aft-deck doors, and you experience a sense of volume that no other 90-odd-footer can provide. The LSX series positions the main helm to overlook an atrium-like galley and dining area, which boasts a vaulted, 14-foot-high ceiling. Even with the dark tone of the zebrano wood, there’s a real sense of airiness–which increases by pressing a button to make the sunroof above the helm slide open hydraulically.
Even though the 92 and 75 each position the master stateroom forward of the dining area and galley, the 92 showcases a novel arrangement–one you won’t find on a megayacht less than 100 feet, either. Walk aft through the sleeping area, where triple windows on each side brighten the room, and into the head. You’ll discover yet another intimate area tucked outboard, fitted with a spa tub. Look at the left side of the photo above–it reminded me of a mini sauna (above), thanks to the teak wood surrounding the tub. (Should owners not want the spa, they can opt for a study instead.)
But wait, there’s more to this novel arrangement. The spa has sliding panels outboard that reveal a watertight hatch. This hatch folds down to form a balcony. Stanchions get put into place so that deck chairs can be placed on the terrace while the 92 is in an anchorage. (Even though the models in the photo above were paid to look like they were having fun, something tells me it wasn’t too hard to enjoy the terrace.)
Speaking of terraces, the transom transforms into an additional one, in a truly clever dual use of space. Loi explains that garages often become big, empty wastes of space when tenders are offloaded, so the Lazzara team decided to do something about it. When the 92’s transom door rises, a section of the swim platform lowers to let the RIB and PWC launch. Then, at the press of a button, a panel flush overhead within the garage flips down hydraulically, becoming a wall. It even has a TV mounted in its middle. Since there’s teak underfoot, the area can now be used as an additional relaxation spot, as seen above, with the quick setup of a few lounge chairs, as seen below.
From the sporty appeal of the flying bridge–which blends nicely with the express lines of the yacht–to the inventive interior, the 92 certainly breaks new ground. But she also embodies the philosophy that Lazzara Yachts adopted three years ago with the creation of the LSX series. The yard set out to make the yachting lifestyle more enjoyable, not just with creature comforts, but also through fuel efficiency and, equally important, safety.
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