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A Look at Rolls-Royce’s Steerable Thruster

This compact, lightweight thruster pushes a 200-ton Benetti superyacht to 22 knots.
Rolls-Royce AZP C65
This Rolls-Royce Azipull system is built of lightweight carbon fiber. Benetti

The Rolls-Royce AZP C65 steerable thrusters on Benetti’s Fast 125 Skyler are a breakthrough in superyacht propulsion.

Azipods have been on commercial vessels for years, but Rolls-Royce designed the AZP C65 specifically for Benetti’s Fast 125 series. The steerable Azipull thrusters, with their forward-facing propellers, use carbon fiber throughout to reduce weight without sacrificing performance and efficiency. Mated to twin 2,636 hp MTU 12V 2000 M94 diesels, the thrusters push Skyler to a 22-knot top-end and a 1,540-nautical-mile range at 12 knots.

Other advantages, according to Rolls-Royce, are joystick maneuvering across a 35-degree turning radius, underwater exhaust through the thrusters and less vibration across the lower deck, where the engine room is farther aft (away from guest staterooms) than on other Fast 125s, thanks to the Azipull’s smaller footprint.

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