This week saw the 130-foot charter yacht MAGIC arrive in Belfast, Maine, USA to start a comprehensive refit at Front Street Shipyard. The vessel’s owners commissioned Setzer Yacht Architects, motor yacht MAGIC’s original design team, to complete the redesign. Front Street Shipyard will incorporate major design changes into the vessel’s exterior spaces over the upcoming months.
130ft charter yacht MAGIC at Front Street Shipyard - Photo by Billy Black
As the ninth refit project over 24 meters to be awarded to Front Street Shipyard in the past two years, luxury yacht MAGIC is one of the first superyachts to be hauled out using the yard’s newly acquired 485-ton hoist. In addition to the hoist, Front Street Shipyard has expanded its facilities and reinforced its capabilities significantly during the past year to accommodate refit projects and new constructions of MAGIC yacht’s size and scope. Front Street Shipyard is currently one of the only East Coast yacht repair facilities that can accommodate a vessel of MAGIC’s size in a climate-controlled building.
“Front Street Shipyard will be an excellent home for this project,” said Ward Setzer, principal at Setzer Yacht Architects. “They have the facilities, expertise, experience, and now the lifting capacity required to successfully complete very large refits. We are confident in their ability to exceed our client’s expectations.”
Several major design changes are planned for MAGIC yacht’s refit, the most significant of which will be to the flybridge, where the deck layout has been re-configured to accommodate additional seating, a forward 5-person spa, an outdoor cinema, re-designed arch, mast, and hardtop structures, and an added day head.
“Having worked closely with Setzer Yacht Architects on several major builds and refits in the past decade, I’m looking forward to partnering with them again on our largest collaboration to date,” said JB Turner, president of Front Street Shipyard. “Ward Setzer has a unique ability among designers to envision the finished yacht, and translate that vision effectively to the build team.”
Setzer Yacht Architects’ design plans for charter yacht MAGIC also include the bow deck, where new seating areas with interchangeable dining and sun lounging configurations will be installed. Lastly, a hydraulically powered beach club transformer, custom made in stainless steel, will be fitted to the yacht’s transom. This will drastically increase the size of the swim platform, while also serving as a “sport deck,” extendable passarelle, dive platform, swim ladder, and jet-ski dock.
The result will be a yacht that fits the new owners’ lifestyle and usage requirements, but that is also updated to meet current trends in the charter and resale markets.
