With the 44 metre long "Magic", Vitters has delivered a high-board masterpiece that impresses with its calm and plenty of space. The sporty Reichel/Pugh design was created according to the precise ideas of an experienced sailor and is looking for a new owner for 45 million euros.
"Magic" is the answer to a biographical development that many owners are familiar with. "Our family grew and we had to accommodate more generations on board," reveals the Belgian owner openly during our tour of the interior.
As a result, Vitters created the 44-metre Slup as a comfortable family yacht with a focus on safety, spaciousness and serenity, but without sacrificing the sporty side of sailing. The owner did not want to sacrifice performance on the wind at any price. He has been overjoyed with his 32.60 metre "Anomaly" (ex-"Ribelle"), which was also built by Vitters, in recent years and has also regularly competed in superyacht regattas.
The hull shape determined the structure, not the interior
He originally had his eye on Perini Navi's 42-metre E-volution series, but after the shipyard's economic turbulence, he changed his mind and switched to talks with Royal Huisman and Vitters. The fact that Vitters was unexpectedly able to offer a construction slot that had just become available was fate and the starting signal for "Magic". Vitters launches 44 metres.
The concept began with the exterior design - exactly as the customer had requested. It was not the interior that was to dictate the shape - as is so often the case in yacht building - but the efficient hull lines that provided the structure. The Reichel/Pugh design office created the powerful hull with a high freeboard, gently rising chines towards the stern and only then defined the elegant superstructure. If you look closely, you will recognise design parallels to Bentley models in the deckhouse profile. The grey metallic paint and the orange waterline in the style of a racing car also illustrate the owner's passion for sports cars and fast yachts.
1,098 square metres of cloth on the wind
The appearance of the 251-tonne displacement aluminium slip is dominated by a high-performance rig. Southern Spars laminated the mast and boom from carbon, EC6 cables are used as shrouds and staging. The 3Di laminates from North Sails provide 1,098 square metres on the wind and 1,684 square metres on rough courses for fun steering. Powerful hydraulic Harken winches take up sheets and halyards. Captain Barnie Smith is happy about the uncomplicated setting and reefing of the sails thanks to the furling boom. The mainsail is hoisted to the masthead at a height of 62 metres in just a few minutes and, of course, at the touch of a button. Reckmann-Furler take care of the headsails, either staysail, genoa or code zero.
When the sails are up, "Magic" accelerates to 10 knots SOG at 8 knots TWS and a half-wind course, according to the experienced skipper. When the sails are up, the Vitters newbuild manages 15 knots with the same strong true wind. The helm stations in the open aft cockpit have been consistently designed for easy operation of all on-board systems. All sails can be set or trimmed at the touch of a finger or with a separate remote control - a set-up that allows the owner to sail his "Magic" alone.
The owner hates disturbing noises on board
The shipyard engineers integrated solutions that harmonise performance technology with family-friendliness. The "Submarine" anchors disappear invisibly into two underwater compartments in the hull and keep the foredeck free of chains, anchor winches and hawsers. This is not only aesthetically impressive, but also minimises tripping hazards for guests of all ages. "The loads on sheets and halyards are enormous on yachts of this size, which is why the client placed great importance on not having any 'kill zones' on the ship," explains Barnie Smith.
If there is no wind, a 435-kilowatt MAN "Magic" diesel engine pushes ahead without being acoustically conspicuous. "We invested a lot of time and money in the best possible insulation," reveals the owner.
I don't like being bothered by disturbing noises."
To match this, a peak-shaving battery system with 700 volts operates in the engine room, which smoothes load peaks, reduces diesel consumption and supplies the family yacht with energy for up to eight hours in whisper-quiet operation. Perfect for quiet nights at anchor.
High ceilings in the lounge
The designers realised the desired comfort above all through the impressive interior volume of 308 gross tonnes. Originally, a lift keel solution was planned, but in favour of more generous living space and a majestic-looking deck saloon, the owner ultimately opted for a fixed keel with a draught of 4.50 metres. The saloon itself is also a statement thanks to the German yacht glass company Tilse. High, open ceilings, a spectacular glass skylight strip along the entire superstructure and all-round windows provide the best views of the sea and the rigging.
The light-flooded saloon with its large dining area on the port side and sofa group opposite merges seamlessly into the guest cockpit behind it, turning both areas into a single, oversized space. The positioning of the dining tables opposite each other, one inside and one outside, is no coincidence, but a deliberate composition of balance, order and symmetry.
Vitters delivers a townhouse on the water
The idea of peace and relaxation continues below deck. British studio Design Unlimited and Belgium-based Pieter Laureys created an interior that is more modern townhouse than classic yacht: warm wood, natural flooring, leather-covered wall and ceiling panels plus grey varnish that visually ties in with the exterior paintwork. Bronze accents and Bottocino marble in the en-suite bathrooms of the cabins create an elegant ambience without appearing bulky.
The selected stone is denser and lighter than traditional types of marble and therefore fits perfectly into the concept of a performance cruiser, which, with a displacement of 251 tonnes, is not one of the flyweights in this size segment, mind you. Just for comparison: the "Path" of the same length and laminated by Baltic, also a family-oriented performance cruiser, goes on a voyage around the world with 171 tonnes, which is 70 tonnes less.
A nursery for the grandchildren
The four guest cabins are located directly forward and aft of the saloon and are clearly structured. One of them was designed as a children's room with bunk beds - a loving detail for the grandchildren, which is why this yacht was built in the first place. The dream place on the lower deck is the owner's suite in the stern, which extends across the entire width.
On entering the room, two small staircases lead around a central island armoire. The ceiling takes up the technical requirements of the deck saloon above with a sculptural wave form and transforms it into a design element. A cosy office is hidden behind the bed on the starboard side, while the shipyard has placed the bathroom opposite, in which the warm tone of the Bottocino marble harmonises with finely ribbed wooden fronts and bronze fittings.
The crew is part of the on-board family
It is remarkable that the crew of "Magic" live on an equal footing with the guests. The rooms in the foredeck are furnished with the same woods, colours and textiles as the guest areas - this fits in with the owner's conviction that the crew are part of the on-board family. With space for ten guests and seven crew members, a large tender garage and a stern that opens out onto a spacious beach platform, "Magic" is more of a floating home than a status object.
One of the bittersweet twists in this story is that its owner will not end up spending the time on board that he dreamed of at the beginning of the project. During the four-year construction period, his family grew faster than the general plan envisaged. When the 44-metre Vitters was finally launched, the focus was already on a larger motor yacht, which is now the new family flagship. "Magic" itself is for sale at Burgess for 45 million euros. She is new, ready to go and just waiting for an owner who will sail around the world with her full of vigour.
Technical data Vitters "Magic"
- Overall length: 44.30 m
- Width: 9.70 m
- Draught: 4.50 m
- Displacement (empty): 251 t
- Gross Tons: 308
- Material: Aluminium
- Rig: Southern Spars, Carbon, EC6
- Sail: North Sails 3Di
- Sail area: 1,098 m2, 1,684 m2
- Engine: MAN
- Engine power: 435 kW
- Generators: 2 x Zenoro, 2 x 55 kW
- Speed (max. engine): 12 kn
- Fuel: 20,700 litres
- Construction: Reichel/Pugh
- Exterior design: Reichel/Pugh
- Interior design: Design Unlimited, P. Laureys
- Class: Lloyd's Register
- Shipyard: Vitters, 2025
- Broker: Burgess
- Price: 45 million euros
Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT
