Magnum 53, the First True Open Sport Yacht
In 1976 Apeco sold Magnum Marine to Marquis Filippo Theodoli and his wife Katrin, who had been convinced for years of the possibilities extractable from the yard’s racers. Boats, in their view, ideal for the Mediterranean spirit, if properly converted. The company is turned upside down, and with it the production line, giving light to the myth of the Magnums, boats that, from now on, will be the emblem of a new era, the era of High Performance Luxury Yachts. Boats that are excellent, luxurious, very fast and, most importantly, able to be operated by the owner himself, without the need for a crew. Among them, one model stands out, the first true Power Yacht, the Magnum 53′. The year is 1977, and a future legend among Classic Boats is born.
Magnum 53′ – Historical Background
The success of the Magnums is quickly stated, and is rooted in a brilliant insight by Theodoli who, while traveling in the States, saw the racing Magnums and realized how much potential could be extracted from them in the Mediterranean. Deep V-shaped hulls that are incredibly fast, full of unused space, and leadable by the owner himself. By adding suitable interiors, improving their reliability and safety, they would be ideal for moving between islands, or reaching them from the Riviera. Thus was born the idea of the Open Sport Yacht, large Power Boats and island vacations in the Mediterranean. The 53′ is the first in the series, a monster of power, featuring a very wide beam, diesel engine and twin double cabins. It would be launched in 1977 to resounding success.
Exterior
At the time of her launch, there is no other boat like her in the world. The hull is huge by standards (16 meters), the beam very wide and the deep V-shaped hull fully recalls its offshore origin. All this, wrapped in luxury and comfort, with a cockpit and cabin as never seen before, goodness of foresight from Katrin, not only co-owner but also designer of the brand. Interior spaces are immediately distinguishable into two areas, bow and stern. There is no middle ground. A huge cockpit reaches midships, where it merges with the helm station, protected by a curved windshield. Beyond is just the bow, a very long momentum, ideal as a sundeck when not in motion.
The living spaces in the cockpit, designed by Katrin Theodoli, take full advantage of the generosity of the surfaces, creating sophisticated, luxurious and carefully designed areas where there is no shortage of lockers, refrigerators and bar inserts. The cockpit thus welcomes with a huge full-beam C-shaped sofa overlooking large empty spaces that can be furnished when at anchor, or intended to remain clear, welcoming guests and facilitating movement. Toward the middle of the boat, a three-seat settee serves the wheelhouse, flanked to starboard by an additional settee, back to the broadside. Also here, we find access to the underdeck, where livable and equally “glamorous” interiors for the time come to life.
Magnum 53′ – Interior
Recognizing the primary need for livability and functionality, the interiors designed by Katrin Theodoli revolve around these main concepts, making the Magnum 53′ capable of meeting the needs of an extended vacation, even beyond the weekend. Below decks thus find space for double double cabins with private bathrooms, a living area and galley, soon making her one of the most sought-after boats of the Mediterranean summer.
Data Sheet
| Length Over All (LOA) | 16.13 m |
| Baglio Massimo (Bmax) | 4.80 m |
| Fishing | 1.32 m |
| Displacement | 20 t |
| Motorization Available in Origin | A) 2x Diesel GM 8V92TI 640 HP
B) 2x Diesel GM 16V92TI 1200 HP |
| Maximum Speed | 33 / 43 kn |
| Fuel Tank | 3,785 lt. |
| Fresh Water Tank | 1,135 l. |
| Construction site | Magnum Marine |
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Discover Classic Boats from previous articles
Here are all the other great Classic Boats. If you have one and would like to tell us about it, please email us at deluise@panamaeditore.it
- Baglietto Elba, the dawn of the Italian series motoryacht (11.3m)
- Riva 25 Sport Fisherman, history of an Italian-American classic (7.5m)
- Boston Whaler Outrage 21, the Classic Boat that conquered Italy (6.5m)
- Grand Banks 42, from fishing boat to cruiser par excellence (12.7m)
- Italcraft X-44, the elegant cult fisherman of ’68 (14m)
- Mochi Craft Super 8M, the Italian way to sport cruising (8.4m)
- Italcantieri Bora 103, when the Italian state built pleasure boats (10m)
- Concorde 27 Spot Fisherman, the weekender for all that conquered Italy (8.2 m)
- Breaking the 50-knot wall: Italcraft Drago, the record boat (13m)
- Polaris & Super Polaris, the legendary 1960s cruisers by Cantieri di Pisa (13m)
- Chris Craft Super Catalina 28, the 1970s weekender that conquered the Belpaese (8.6 m)
- Baglietto Ischia, this 1960s cruiser is a timeless Italian legend (16m)
- Baja 370 ES, the American ’90s 53-knot (11.2 m) bolide
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