Bluegame BG74 Review (2025 Edition) by Aquaholic

On Deck

The BG74 is a 22.6m (74ft) open-style yacht that wears its intentions on its sleeve - if you like being outside, this is your sort of place. Boarding is via the wide bathing platform, which has a neat cassette passerelle. It’s a clever bit of kit - it can extend straight out as a walkway, tilt up to form steps to a quay, or drop down into the water if you fancy a swim without the dignified ladder routine.

Part of the platform can also drop into the water to launch a tender, and there’s a removable handrail for climbing back aboard - handy when you’ve had more fun than grace. Tender options are generous: a Williams TurboJet 285 can be stowed across the beam, or a beefier Williams SportJet 395 lengthways. A built-in crane hides in plain sight, swivelling out to lift the tender without disturbing the clean deck lines.

The aft beach club is right at water level - perfect for scattering a few toys, or just lounging close enough to dip your toes. From here, rather than heading up into the saloon as on most boats, you step down into it. That simple switch keeps you visually and socially linked to the outside world, even in the shade.

Forward from the beach club, a large cockpit stretches across the beam. Removable Strata Glass-style panels and a drop-down transom section mean you can close it all up for a cosy evening or roll it entirely away for full exposure. There’s a bar with fridge, bin and storage, deep, squashy upholstery, and a folding dining table that doubles in size. The aft sunpads can be angled for lounging or dropped flat, with walkways down either side.

Side doors amidships make dockside boarding easy, and the guardrails are big, solid and colour-matched so they don’t spoil the lines. The bow is another social zone - a height-adjustable table surrounded by sunpads that could turn into a party island without much encouragement.

Steps from the cockpit lead up to the upper deck, where more sunbathing space shares the roofline with the satellite domes, radars, antennas, horns and the sliding louvre roof over the helm. It’s all very accessible, with the feel of a proper open sports yacht scaled up to 74ft.

Stepping inside from the beach club feels almost like you’ve brought the outside with you. The saloon is light-filled due to large hull windows and the connection to the aft deck means you’re never far from the action.

The dining area sits forward of the saloon, with table options to suit how you like to host - formal sit-down meals or more casual grazing. Slide the glass doors shut for a snug evening, or keep them open to let the breeze through.

The galley, just aft, has all the practical gear - refrigeration, dishwasher and a hob with a built-in downdraft extractor that rises like something from a Bond film. Storage is neatly integrated, and the mix of pale ceiling panels with warmer wood accents gives the space some texture and depth.

Forward from here, the passageway leads to the sleeping accommodation, with laundry facilities tucked in along the way. The owner of this boat opted for a washer-dryer combo, but there’s space for separate units if you prefer.

Owner's Cabin

The owner’s suite claims the bow and makes the most of it. Wardrobes line both sides, there’s AV kit ready to go, and the design blends light panels overhead with wood accents to stop it feeling clinical. The ensuite is larger than the guest bathrooms, with a big basin, rainfall shower and a quality finish that feels just right - smart, but not overdone.

Guest Accommodation

Two guest cabins sit amidships, each with twin berths. These can be fixed as singles or set up to slide together into a double, depending on how you spec the boat. Both have wardrobes and hull windows.

The port guest cabin has its own ensuite with shower, basin and toilet. The starboard cabin’s ensuite doubles as the day head via an extra door from the passageway - closed at night for ensuite privacy, open in the day for communal use.

Crew Accommodation

While the BG74 is usually owner-operated, there is a small crew cabin forward, accessed through its own hatch. Two bunks are fitted, but in reality it’s more of an occasional skipper’s cabin or a handy spot for an extra guest. There’s also a private toilet down here.

Machinery access is very belt and braces - a small inspection hatch for quick checks, or the whole aft deck section lifts hydraulically when you need to get right in there.

This boat has the top power option - twin Volvo Penta IPS1350s at 1000hp each. IPS 1200s (900hp) are available, but these bigger units give around 30 knots flat out, with a sweet spot in the mid-20s for cruising. At that pace, you’re looking at a range of roughly 300 nautical miles.

The engines drive through pods mounted aft, with the tops visible in the machinery space. The generator lives to starboard, and service items like water pumps are easy to get at.

The wheelhouse is well thought out - triple Garmin multifunction displays, real carbon-fibre dash, joystick control alongside conventional throttles, and hard buttons for the must-have functions like horn, wipers and lights. The roof section above slides open, and there’s even a wine cooler tucked in by the helm seating.

One of the key choices here is between the BG74 and her sibling, the BGX73. Side by side, they look like family - but the BGX73 has a cabin-first approach with more enclosed living space. But the BG74 is unapologetically about the outdoors. If you want year-round comfort and big interior volume, the BGX73 makes sense. If you want to spend most of your time in open-air lounges, cockpits and beach clubs, the BG74 nails it.

In running terms, she’s a 22.6m yacht with twin IPS 1350s - so expect the usual service regime for engines, drives, generator and air con, plus crane and passerelle maintenance. Upholstery, enclosure panels and exterior finishes will need regular care, especially given how much of this boat’s appeal comes from those exposed areas.

For alternatives, the wallywhy100 takes a single-level, coupé-style approach, running twin IPS 1350s for a 27 knot top speed, 24 knots cruise and about 340nm range, while the Absolute Navetta 75 leans towards a more traditional, high-volume layout with 25 knots at the top end and around 783nm at 8 knots.

The Bluegame BG74 takes the idea of an open sports yacht and scales it up without losing the intimacy or the fun. She’s fast enough to make a dash between anchorages, comfortable enough for long lunches at the quay, and clever enough to switch from fully open to snug and sheltered without spoiling her lines. For anyone who loves being outdoors but still wants a practical, easy-to-run yacht with a bit of Italian flair, she’s the right kind of trouble.