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Miami Herald April 17, 1997
FROM THUNDERBOAT ROW COME YACHTS FOR THE RICH AND ROYAL
With a press of a button, the twin Caterpillars roar to life, rumbling in a low engine growl that sounds like a cross between a jet engine and a train. Technician Fernando Godinez nudges the stainless steel throttle forward. The 1,350-horsepower engines settle into a hypnotic purr without so much as a rattle anywhere on board the glistening performance boat just launched at Magnum Marine for pianist Victor Borge, a longtime client. It is Borge's fourth Magnum and one of only seven 56-footers built at the North Miami Beach plant, which turns out designer boats capable of speeds up to 70 mph for the mega-rich. Run by the first lady of Thunderboat Row, Katrin Theodoli, the only woman CEO of the performance boat industry, Magnum is the boat of choice for the world's richest families. Loyal clients include King Juan Carlos of Spain, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the Emir of Kuwait and several members of the royal family in Saudi Arabia, to name a few. Letters adorning the lobby of the nondescript plant read like a who's who of the world's rich and famous. ``It's quality from the bottom up, from the stern to the bow,'' said Borge who visits the factory frequently for a peek at his new boat. ``When it's rough, nothing is better built. It doesn't fall apart. It doesn't rattle. It's a perfect boat.'' Beamier and heftier than the muscle boats glamorized on Miami Vice, weighing in at a hefty 65,000 pounds, the deep-V hulls are made on the premises by craftsmen using a closely guarded laminating technique that remains a trade secret. The hulls, just under 16 feet wide, are four to six inches thick and are made from a combination of fiberglass, carbon fiber and kevlar, the same material used by the military to make castings for missiles. The hulls are so strong, one client recently hit a sunken barrel at 60 miles per hour without even a scratch, although the propellers were destroyed. ``We are criticized for overbuilding these hulls, but the fact is there has never been a Magnum that hit something and sank,'' Theodoli said. ``For me, safety is No. 1. I wouldn't go on a boat if I do not feel safe.'' Magnums are handcrafted in two factories staffed by 70 employees selected for their expertise. Every year, the company turns out between 10 and 20 custom-made yachts, for which their owners pay in cash. The Magnum line ranges from the $100,000 Magnum 27, the first boat turned out by founder Don Aronow in 1966, to the $5 million-plus 70-footer now under construction and scheduled to hit the water next year. The $1 million Magnum 56 model, unveiled at the 1996 Miami Boat Show, is capable of zooming at 70 mph, with a cruising speed of 55 miles per hour. That means Bimini is a mere 45 minutes away; the Exumas can be reached in 3-1/2 hours. With a 1,000-gallon fuel tank, the super yachts have a 500-mile range. All this in a boat that offers all the amenities of a waterfront condominium. Every one of the boats goes through extensive sea trials before they are turned over to their owners, and all systems are tested at sea -- from surround-sound stereo systems to the microwave. The Magnum 56, designed by Hermes, is no exception to the company's emphasis on comfort and luxury. The yacht features two staterooms, a living room, a galley and two complete heads. There is seven feet of headroom below decks, and all the amenities of a luxury hotel, including fingertip air conditioning and lighting controls in the master bedroom. Designer fabrics, silk drapes, handcrafted windshields and portholes and marble and ceramic counters are standard on the Magnum 56. If a crew is needed, there are also separate quarters in the bow with a separate head. On deck, the designers developed a package that includes an ice maker, refrigerator and bar with a wrap-around sofa that seats 10. The hi-tech cockpit developed by designer Paolo Martin features a dazzling array of equipment, from a GPS (global positioning system) and radar, to a variety of controls including an anchor lift, allowing the captain to lift and weigh anchor without leaving the helm. Backup systems include a cockpit panel with two gauges and alarms for every function of the engine, and alternate steering and bilge systems in case of emergency. That attention to detail is a signature of the company, which dates back to the 1960s. Don Aronow, the founder of Thunderboat Row, built the first in the Magnum line, developing mid-size high performance boats ranging from 27 to 38 feet. The Theodolis turned the boats into mega-yachts when they took over in the 1970s, using the 27 design as the model for the comfortable 50s, 60s and 70s. There are even plans for a 90-footer in the works. Katrin Theodoli has managed the company full-time since her husband, Filippo Theodoli, died of cancer in 1990, and it has been under her direction that the company has captured 80 percent of the overseas market in Europe and the Middle East. She's so careful about quality that when she noticed a paint chip on a wheel on Victor Borge's new boat, she ordered it replaced, one of a short list of final adjustments before the boat is released this month. Magnum tries to personalize each yacht, offering owners options ranging from more than two dozen color schemes and an array of interior designs developed by such internationally renowned designers as Hermes and Pininfarina, who made the Ferrari famous. Magnum is currently working on a design for a Turkish businessman who wants gray suede panels, a first for the company, and red couches installed inside, a pattern developed by his own private designer from Paris. That boat is scheduled for delivery this spring. So loyal are customers who buy the custom-made performance boats that Theodoli regularly receives letters, calls even photos and oil paintings of Magnums from around the world. It's not unusual for customers to drop in on the company to meet the staff and share stories about their yachts. One customer, a European multimillionaire, was so anxious to receive his new Magnum that he had it airlifted overseas. Rather than having the powerboat shipped to Europe, which takes about three weeks, the secret client paid $150,000 to have it flown aboard a former Soviet military craft from Miami International Airport to Nice, France. The Magnum, which barely fit into the plane, arrived the same day. ``It's wonderful to see the enthusiasm and passion my clients have for this boat,'' Theodoli said. ``It takes time and I have to do it right. I want to build the best boat in the world.'' |