Ocean Magazine’s latest issue spotlights the Bluegame BGX63, showcasing its rugged design, seaworthy performance, and innovative features like the hydraulic swim platform and expansive beach club. The article highlights why this Italian-built yacht is a natural fit for Australia’s adventurous boating lifestyle.
In a market dominated by domestically produced vessels, the Italian builder Bluegame is making serious inroads thanks to rugged construction, seaworthy hulls, innovative design and manageable sizes. And the Bluegame BGX63 may be the perfect example of why the Tuscan shipyard is such a good match for the yachting public in Oz.
First, to clear up any confusion, the BGX63 is effectively the same model as the BGX60 that debuted a few years ago. The only major difference is an added submersible swim platform for equipment launching and access to the water for swimmers and divers. Unlike many Italian builds that place a strong emphasis on low-profile lines and sleek contours, the BGX63 is decidedly masculine. High bulwarks help split heavy seas and project a nearly workboat-like air that’s further fostered by a reverse-rake windshield. The latter feature of course helps to clear water faster for better visibility should any waves come up over the bow. Let’s be honest – it also just looks cool. However, it’s in the aft section where things immediately appear different. The aft end of the boat is open and flat, and reminiscent of a yacht support vessel, albeit in miniature – there’s no swim platform with stairs to a cockpit and a main deck here, just an open aft end that leads straight to a lower-deck aft saloon-cum-beach club, but more on that later. That’s by design, and is all part of the BGX63’s raison d’être – getting boaters out on the water, close to the water, and into the water. This model comes with a concealed crane in the hull that has been patented by Bluegame’s parent company Sanlorenzo, and used to great effect on many of its models. The crane is not only functional, it serves a secondary purpose by giving these boats an easily identifiable aesthetic appeal with a curved arch in their aft section that’s quickly becoming the builder’s hallmark.
Joachim Howard is the recently appointed country sales manager for Simpson Marine/ Sanlorenzo Australia and says, “The BGX63 is perfectly suited to the Australian market given the success of the closely connected Sanlorenzo SX series, notably the SX76 and SX88, which have been popular in this region. “This yacht is an extension of those groundbreaking and unconventional designs, just in a smaller package, which will appeal to owner-operators, of which Australia has many.” Howard also sees the focus on outdoor space that’s low to the water as a natural fit for this market. “The Australian market has an active and adventurous boating culture, and the ability to carry a healthy water-sports inventory is important,” he asserts. “We typically see multi-generational families boating together and this yacht is perfect for an energetic family. Australians love activity-based yachting, and the enormous beach-club deck is well suited.” That space consists of the aforementioned hydraulic swim platform, which can hold and launch a Williams 325 tender, then a large area forward that’s equally good for dancing or toy stowage. Howard reports it is a 30- knot vessel on the pins thanks to twin Volvo Penta IPS 1200s, and cruises happily at 25 knots. “It handles exceptionally well, and the large freeboard contributes significantly to its seaworthiness,” he says. “I’ve been on the boat inside and outside Sydney Heads, and the guys who brought it up from Botany Bay in a poor sea state were impressed with the performance.” At slower speeds, the boat is easily manoeuvrable via a Volvo Penta joystick, making docking a breeze even for the relatively uninitiated. The engines are reached via a hydraulic hatch in the cockpit and access is quite good, both to the powerplants and all other key points of service.
What you get with the Bluegame BGX63 is a thoughtfully designed vessel that will check a lot of boxes for a lot of Australian boaters. She has admirable space for work, play and rest matched with performance bona fides that should attract a crowd of serious boaters. It’s a recipe that could very well kick off a new era of Down Under dolce vita.