GAME CHANGER

It’s almost impossible to pigeonhole the new Bluegame BGX70. As part of a Sanlorenzo sub-brand it sits just underneath the relatively new 76- to 112-foot SX range, and shares a similar design philosophy of a forward superstructure, reminiscent of explorer yachts, but with superyacht-style living spaces.

Bluegame, as a brand, brings its innovative design philosophy to the 42- to 72-foot class, and supercharges them in the process with some fairly impressive performance.

It should come as little surprise to find the design of both Sanlorenzo SX and Bluegame yachts is the work of Olympic yachtsman and architect Luca Santella.

At the Centre

The award-winning BGX70 is the larger of the two yachts in the BGX range, which was specifically designed to complement the larger Sanlorenzo SX models.

It may have picked-up the ‘most avant-garde yacht’ at the the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2019, but the philosophy behind the design is fairly simple: Put the owner at the centre and maintain a connection with the water.

The stern ‘multi-use area’ is more like a beach club on a superyacht, and unlike anything you’d expect on a yacht measuring 21.86 metres (71’ 7”).

Forward of a beach club on a superyacht is most likely an engine room, whereas here and down a couple of steps is a lower-deck full-beam saloon area, putting the waterline even closer to eye level. Forward of the saloon is access to the full-beam owner’s suite.

There are two layouts for the lower deck, one with two cabins, in which case the owner’s suite has a private lounge area forward, dedicating the bulk of the lower deck for the owner’s private enjoyment, or a three-cabin version which uses that lounge space for the third cabin.

Intriguingly, access to the guest cabins is via a separate stairway forward in the pilothouse, ensuring the owner’s privacy.

Access to the upper deck and pilothouse is from the beach club via a beautiful glassed-in companionway, itself reminiscent of a superyacht.

The pilothouse, with its reversed windshield, offers 360-degree views, and a small saloon area. Through sliding doors aft is a dinette, and large sunpads and dining areas forward are safely accessed by walking around the pilothouse either side. There’s even a crew cabin in the bow for two.

Radical Pragmatism

Part of the secret to this space maximization is the use of Volvo IPS propulsion, which not only consumes less space, but also offers excellent maneuverability, and a surprising 28-knot top speed with the standard twin 900-horspower configuration, or 30 knots with the twin 1,000 horsepower option.

The high-performance hull is designed to cope with all sea conditions, and is constructed from glass reinforced plastic, while the superstructure is carbon fibre, to reduce weight and lower the centre of gravity.

The interiors are hand-crafted in the Iseo Lake area, using FSC certified woods, zero impact sustainable leather, and formaldehyde-free furniture.

Other than the quality of workmanship and materials almost everything about the BGX70 is unexpected. But it is more than just a radical design intended to shock – the BGX70 is conceived around people, around what they want from a yacht.

Call it radical pragmatism.