On board the Magnum 63 Fury with Tommaso Spadolini, refitted to sail between legend and innovation
by Tommaso Spadolini 27 Feb 2024 19:48 AEDT
In the most exclusive segment of the yachting sector, there are two very distinct, but also complementary, trends: on the one side, increasingly futuristic projects come into being while, on the other, some icons that deserve to be restored are brought back to life and returned to their former splendour, possibly with an injection of new technologies.
This is what led an Italian shipowner, who also owns other yachts, to discover a splendid vessel, a Magnum 63, at the bottom of a warehouse where it had been stored for over ten years. It was the last of the series, produced by the US shipyard in 1992.
In addition to boats, the new owner is also passionate about vintage cars, and when they asked Tommaso Spadolini to refit the yacht, they insisted on having it painted with the colours of the legendary Ford GT40, which in the 1960s challenged Ferrari in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race - and won.
"The boat was in excellent condition despite the many years spent in storage," says Tommaso Spadolini. "But the work required to bring it back to sea has been considerable: the professional contribution of the shipyard C.A.R.M. and the commitment of its owner Marco Poerino certainly deserve to be mentioned. The owner (and their children) are very tall and substantial changes were necessary in the internal and external common spaces. Thus, in addition to some laminate rolling operations on the bottom, the interiors and engine room were completely renovated. We then eliminated an ugly handrail to revive the clearness of the original Pininfarina lines."
The sportiest character ever
The Magnum 63 is one of the most iconic models of the US shipyard Magnum Marine. The yacht has an overall length of 19.20 metres and a maximum beam of 5.20 metres. Its deep V-shaped hull and Arneson surface propeller transmission were the distinguishing features of this model, which is proud of its true offshore origins: despite its size, it can boast of a record victory at the Miami-Nassau race in 1976.
"This Magnum 63 had been equipped with GM engines smaller than the MTU V12 units we had decided to install," explains Tommaso Spadolini. "So the engine room and also the sundeck above were lower than the original project which inspired us; we raised them by about 20 cm. In addition, we have also provided for raising the rollbar slightly, to adapt it to the owner's needs. We decided to keep the Arneson transmissions, but they were sent to the US for a complete overhaul."
With the new engine consisting of a pair of MTU 12V2000 units (2,000 hp each), the Magnum 63 Fury, launched in the summer of 2022, has exceeded a top speed of 55 knots, while the cruising speed stands at around 40 knots. Obviously, the downsizing of the engine room was completed by totally overhauling the entire system, and even the bridge was completely renovated, with the final design closer to the original.
Revolutionised interiors
"An important intervention concerned the interiors," recalls Tommaso Spadolini. "Here, the owner wanted two spacious cabins with a 205 cm-long bed in the master cabin. This forced us to sacrifice the crew cabin that was in the bow and replace it with a locker for fenders and lines, using part of that space to expand the owner's cabin, which is completed by a large bathroom. Guests are welcome in the second cabin, with a French-style bed and another good-sized bathroom (with separate shower). This was a complex intervention, which led us to removing some non-structural bulkheads and proceed with replacing all the furniture."
"Another original element belowdecks is in the owner's decision to not have a dinette preferring a large galley instead," continues Tommaso Spadolini. "Therefore, the generous outdoor cockpit has become the common area which, using the rollbar with a protective bimini, can also be enjoyed when the weather is not at its best. The large galley is to the left of the staircase, while to the right is the crew room, also larger in size than the original."
After its second sailing season, the owner's satisfaction is always absolute - and it could not be otherwise, as this transformation has brought back to sea an authentic nautical icon such as the Magnum 63. But Fury's refitting has done more, with an injection of technology and original solutions that are respectful of its history.