Spotlight – Bluegame BGX70

Asia’s first BGX70 arrived in Hong Kong in November courtesy of Simpson Marine. Bluegame only came into the Sanlorenzo fold in 2018, allowing the brand access to Sanlorenzo’s designers at Zuccon International Project – an Italian multi-disciplinary design studio based in Rome that handles the architecture and design of yachts from initial concept to completion. 

If the design element is stronger on the BGX70 than it has been on previous iterations of the Bluegame, it is because of these kinds of collaborations. Second-generation managers Bernardo and Martina Zuccon worked with Bluegame founder Luca Santella to finesse the BGX70 concept which shows a fabulous amount of detail to the use of space. 

Make no mistake, this is a very easy, almost friendly yacht, to be on. The cockpit aft is a mix between a beach club and enclosed space. High bulwarks at the back make sure that high-net-worth owners have the privacy they need and the space covers easily with a canopy. 

I loved the Bluegame boats right from the first moment. They perfectly express the sophisticated understandment of Sanlorenzo yachts in a smaller dimension
– Sanlorenzo executive chairman Massimo Perotti

The whole effect gives an outdoors, yet protected, vibe and flows seamlessly from the split-level saloon which, set lower than the aft deck, gives a strong sense of separation from the elements while taking in all the freshness that comes through from the beach club. This part of the vessel is where the surprises and the originality kick in. 

The whole saloon, sitting as it does right on the waterline, seems somehow counter-intuitive, giving you the uneasy sense that a following swell could easily surge inside and make short work of the designer fittings.

But this is one area where design and naval architecture have worked together to come up with solutions. A hidden scupper across the threshold is designed to drain errant seawater and a solid panel – like a protective transom – can be fitted across the glass doors for further protection. 

Ultimately, the aft saloon is designed as an ideal vantage point for parents to watch their children frolicking in the water and is close enough to keep an eye on the fun, without having to be in the middle of the shrieking. The toys can be lowered with the aid of a crane – invisible since it forms part of the starboard bulwark – which swings out to lower the more heavy-duty tenders and toys. 

Further forward and the master suite has a similar connection with the saloon. It’s spacious, luxurious, runs beam-to-beam, and has good light thanks to expansive glass, but its connection with the outdoors and, ultimately, the water flows easily. 

Upstairs to the carbon-fibre helm and the galley and mezzanine dining areas and there’s no separation between the business end of the vessel, the galley and the guests seated for dinner. There can be few 70-footers where the crew could be welcomed almost as guests but the BGX70 has achieved that easy level of informality without losing any of the stylishness you’d expect from a Sanlorenzo. 

There’s light everywhere at this level and fantastic visibility for owners, their guests and crew alike. With the signature reversed windshield previously only found on war ships and tug boats, but now seen on Sanlorenzo’s SX line as well as Bluegames, the BGX70 has a tough and compact exterior that has a strong flavour of industrial chic. The explorer ethic, strong on Sanlorenzos, is strongly in evidence in this Bluegame. 

In terms of naval architecture, the special design of the hull shape has been tailored to perform in heavy conditions. The boat offers very safe walk-around – perfectly safe for scampering children – and well-conceived mooring areas. It also includes a flip-out joystick on the aft starboard side that is bound to win friends with crew negotiating difficult marina berths. 

There’s a new approach to engine room layout also which means there’s one hatch for easy access to all apparatus on board. Under the hood, the twin Volvo Penta IPS 1,000-hp option can achieve a top speed of just over 29 knots and there’s just over half a tonne of lithium service batteries.

The aft saloon is designed as an ideal vantage point for parents to watch their children frolicking in the water and is close enough to keep an eye on the fun, without having to be in the middle of the shrieking

Bluegame is also making sustainability a selling point and has a three-point approach to innovation in design. Firstly, it sources sustainable products with low environmental impact at source; secondly, it is pursuing research into new sustainable and recyclable materials in conjunction with scientific bodies and universities and: thirdly, the implementation of new models of yachts where the design for manufacturing is outdone by the design for disassembly. 

“From this perspective, we are pursuing a truly circular economy,” Bluegame says. Clearly it’s taken some time for Bluegame to come out from the shadow of its talented parent company, but now it seems to be coming into its own within the Sanlorenzo fold. Sanlorenzo executive chairman Massimo Perotti puts it succinctly when he describes the mutual admiration society that’s grown around the Bluegame. 

“I loved the Bluegame boats right from the first moment,” he says. “They perfectly express the sophisticated understatement of Sanlorenzo yachts in a smaller dimension and share the same values. “Deciding on their entry into the group was simply a natural choice.”

Technical Specifications: BGX 70 

Length overall: 21.86m
Ce certified length: 20.80m
Maximum beam: 5.60m
Draft @ Full load 1.60m
Displacement dry: 40t
Fuel capacity: 4,200l
Fresh water capacity: 1,000l
Engines: 2 X Volvo Penta IPS 1000hp option
Max speed: 28 knots
Cruise speed: 25 knots
Generators: 1 X 22 Kw
Max N° passengers: 16

www.bluegame.it