I want to start this by asking you a simple question: What is the true cost of luxury?
I’m not talking about the price tag—though we’ll get to that. I’m talking about the emotional toll, the design debt, and the sheer effort required to take something already magnificent and force it to become perfect.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Today, we're pulling back the curtain on a 37.6-meter Italian yacht that was, frankly, a performance legend from the moment it hit the water. It was built for blistering speed, clad in sleek aluminum, and ready to carve through the Mediterranean. But despite its jaw-dropping top speed of 31 knots, its owners faced a crushing reality: the original design was a relic. It lacked the one thing modern yachting demands: light.
So, they did the unthinkable. They took this flawless, high-speed hull—this beautiful, expensive artifact—and they literally took power tools to its sides. They cut massive, illegal-looking holes into the aluminum, risking its entire structural integrity and classification, all to let the sun in.
This is the story of the M/Y A2 (originally known as Madhuri), a truly unique custom creation from Eurocraft Cantieri Navali, and the six-month, high-stakes refit that transformed it from a performance-first shell into a Peter Marino-designed palace of light and stability. Prepare for a level of detail you won’t find anywhere else.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part I: The Genesis of Speed—Meet Eurocraft Cantieri Navali
Before we get to the yacht itself, you need to understand the people who built the skeleton. This is where the foundation of the story lies—in the rugged, industrial heart of Vado Ligure, Italy.
When I think of Eurocraft Cantieri Navali, I don't picture the mega-shipyards like Feadship or Lürssen. I picture a highly skilled workshop—a custom tailor for the sea. Established back in 1989, Eurocraft didn't initially focus on building massive luxury superyachts under its own banner. For years, they were the silent powerhouse, the technical experts specializing in building high-quality hulls and superstructures for other, larger European builders. They were the people who knew aluminum and steel better than anyone.
Around the year 2000, sensing the explosive growth of the superyacht market, the shipyard’s owners made a pivotal decision: they merged their various operations and focused their decades of material expertise squarely on creating custom luxury vessels under the Eurocraft name. This move signaled a commitment to bespoke excellence, shifting them from subcontractors to full-fledged creators of dreams.
What makes Eurocraft special is their versatility. Unlike some builders who only work in fiberglass, Eurocraft specialized in aluminum (like the A2), steel (for their expedition yachts like the Baron Trenck), and even composites. They have this unique blend of Italian design flair coupled with almost industrial-grade structural knowledge. They are, in essence, a boutique yard capable of tackling immense, complex technical challenges.
And in 2008, the culmination of this expertise delivered the A2.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part II: The Original Beast—Understanding the 36M Open
The A2, which launched under the name Madhuri, was conceived as a purely performance-oriented machine. In the yachting world, she falls into the rare category of a "Sport/Open Motor Yacht." This isn't your slow, stable displacement vessel designed for leisurely, trans-oceanic voyages. No, this boat was designed for speed and style, for getting from Monaco to Sardinia in time for lunch.
The Raw Specifications of a High-Speed Marvel
| Specification | Detail | Significance |
Length Overall (LOA) | 37.6 meters (123 feet) | A comfortable superyacht size, but on the small end for high speed. |
Gross Tonnage (GT) | 217 GT | Indicates a relatively slender, sleek profile focused on speed over volume. |
Hull Material | Aluminum | Lightweight, crucial for reaching high speeds; challenging to modify later. |
Hull Type | Planing Hull | Designed to lift out of the water at speed, reducing drag and increasing velocity. |
Propulsion | 2 x MTU (up to 2500 hp each) | Extremely powerful engines needed to push a 123-foot yacht to 30+ knots. |
Top Speed | 31 Knots (approx. 35 mph) | A phenomenal speed for a yacht of this size; well above the segment average. |
Cruising Speed | 28 Knots | Maintains high efficiency at a high speed. |
Flag State | Malta | Popular flag for superyachts, offering regulatory and VAT advantages. |
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
When you look at those numbers, especially the 31-knot top speed, you realize what Eurocraft achieved. This was a pocket rocket disguised as a superyacht. The original design, managed largely in-house by Eurocraft’s naval architecture department, was focused entirely on hull efficiency and power delivery.
The twin MTU engines, delivering nearly 5,000 horsepower combined, were the heart of this beast. They ensured that A2 wasn't just fast—she was significantly faster than most of her peers in the 35m-40m range, cruising a full 10 knots above the average.
But here’s the rub, and this is where the story truly begins: while the exterior and the engineering were cutting-edge for 2008, the interior experience was stuck in the past.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part III: The Owner’s Dilemma—When Speed Isn’t Enough
Imagine buying a Formula 1 car but needing it to have the plush, serene interior of a Rolls-Royce. That was essentially the challenge facing the new owners of A2 in 2018.
Ten years after her launch, the high-performance design, while exhilarating, brought with it certain compromises in luxury and livability—compromises that modern superyacht buyers simply won’t accept.
I’ve studied hundreds of yacht designs, and the most common complaint with older, custom performance yachts like the original A2 (then Madhuri) is the lack of connection between the interior and the sea. The original layout was described as "very traditional," meaning:
Small, Dark Windows: To maintain structural integrity at high speeds, performance hulls typically feature small portlights, or sometimes none at all, along the lower deck. The interiors were dim, relying on artificial light.
Choppy Layouts: The cabins and salons were often compartmentalized to manage noise and vibration, creating a closed, non-flow environment.
Basic Amenities: While luxurious for 2008, features like integrated stabilization (zero-speed) were often absent, meaning that even when anchored, the yacht would rock, diminishing the enjoyment of life onboard.
The owner’s brief was crystal clear, and it went against every instinct of the yacht’s original build: "I want a lot of light, big windows, three comfortable bedrooms and one big open space on the main deck."
That brief meant they had to sacrifice the "flawless" nature of the 2008 build and tear it apart. The challenge was immense: how do you introduce huge swathes of glass and light into a high-stress, all-aluminum hull designed for maximum speed, without turning it into a soggy submarine?
And they demanded it be done in six months.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part IV: The Six-Month Miracle—Tommaso Spadolini and Peter Marino’s Dream Team
A yacht refit is often more challenging than a new build. You’re working against the existing structure, fighting the ghosts of previous engineering decisions. A major structural, aesthetic, and technological refit usually takes a year or more. The A2 team had just half that time.
The owner, who purchased the yacht in early 2018, immediately engaged the ultimate Italian-American design synergy:
Tommaso Spadolini (Italy): The legendary Florentine designer was brought in to lead the project, focusing on naval architecture, exterior modifications, and the overall general arrangement. Spadolini’s job was to figure out how to change the structure and layout to meet the light-and-space brief while ensuring the yacht remained safe, certified, and fast.
Peter Marino (USA): The globally celebrated New York architect, famous for designing luxury homes and flagship stores for brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton, was tasked with the interior décor. Marino had previously worked on the owner’s residences, so he was the perfect choice to inject personalized, residential-grade luxury into the marine environment.
This wasn't just a lick of paint and new cushions. This was a total interior re-invention that required tearing out the original bones.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
The Architect’s Mandate: Structural Sacrifices
Spadolini’s biggest challenge was that demand for "big windows." He had to:
Cut the Hull: Opening up the hull to create new, large portlights was a massive structural undertaking. Aluminum hulls are incredibly rigid and specialized. Cutting into them requires complex re-engineering, re-welding, and internal reinforcement to maintain stiffness and prevent fatigue fractures—especially on a high-speed planing hull.
Recertification: Every structural modification had to be surveyed and signed off by the classification society (likely Lloyd’s Register or RINA, as the yacht carries RINA class). This process ensures the vessel is still seaworthy and safe. The six-month deadline meant this certification process had to run concurrently and perfectly with the construction.
Revising the General Arrangement (GA): The entire internal flow of the yacht was changed. The previous, four-stateroom setup was reconfigured into three magnificent, light-filled cabins to prioritize space and luxury for the owner’s family.
This move—cutting new windows into the hull—is the central, high-risk, high-reward element of the A2 refit. It’s what allowed the yacht to transition from a fast boat to a truly luxurious home on the water.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part V: Technical Triumph—Stabilization, Silence, and Seakeeper
The refit wasn't just about aesthetics; it was a profound engineering upgrade to address the core problem of a performance yacht: comfort at rest.
The owner insisted on a level of comfort associated with much larger, full-displacement vessels. For the A2, this meant tackling the natural tendency of a light, fast hull to roll, especially when anchored in swell.
The Seakeeper Solution
The team installed two Seakeeper gyro stabilizers. This is a non-trivial installation. These are massive, rapidly spinning internal flywheels designed to create powerful gyroscopic forces that counteract the rolling motion of the sea.
I find this technical detail fascinating, because it speaks directly to the pursuit of absolute comfort. One of these stabilizers was specifically located under the owner’s suite. Installing mechanical devices that generate significant kinetic energy directly beneath the primary sleeping quarters requires meticulous planning to control sound and vibration. Spadolini confirmed that careful monitoring of sound levels was a critical part of the process, ensuring the stabilisers made the sea feel still, without disturbing the serenity of the owner’s retreat.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Crew and Service Optimization
The refit also dramatically improved crew efficiency, a detail often overlooked but vital for a seamless luxury experience.
The old galley (kitchen) was replaced with a modern one featuring an external gull-wing door. This is a genius move: it gives the crew direct, discreet access to the side decks without having to traverse the guest areas, keeping service pathways completely separate.
Dedicated service access, including a service staircase, was implemented for the galley, captain’s cabin, crew mess, and laundry.
The old A2 accommodated 8 guests, often in smaller twins. The new configuration dedicates all that space to three supremely comfortable, large en-suite cabins, maximizing the sense of space and light.
The 123-foot Italian yacht
Part VI: The Interior Revolution—Peter Marino's Residential Masterpiece
If Tommaso Spadolini was the structural magician, Peter Marino was the aesthetic revolutionary. Marino’s brief was to create a residential feel—something comfortable, textured, and deeply personal. He achieved this by implementing an intensely detailed, high-contrast design concept that truly separates A2 from its superyacht peers.
Contrasting Textures and Timeless Materials
Marino’s philosophy for the A2 interior was to juxtapose materials and colors to create visual interest:
Light vs. Dark: He worked with a core theme of contrasting light and dark tones. Dark, rich woods like glossy Macassar and rosewood were paired against large areas of white satin-finish paint, limed teak, and various shades of white upholstery.
The Power of Texture: This wasn't just about color; it was about touch. Marino utilized embossed, painted French leather wall coverings, rough straw marquetry, and textured leather furniture. It creates an environment that constantly engages the eye and the hand.
Bronze Accents: Antiqued bronze light controls, bronze-handled furniture, and bronze detailing were used throughout, giving the interior a sophisticated, period-correct metallic border that references classic yachting while feeling entirely contemporary.
A Tour of the New Layout
The new configuration maximizes every square foot, delivering on that "open space" request:
The Main Deck Salon: The old, segmented layout was replaced by a continuous, bright, open-plan space with a full-width entrance. Clean-lined furniture draws the eye forward to the formal dining area, which features striking, glossy rosewood joinery—a perfect backdrop for dramatic art pieces (like an Anselm Reyle mixed-media work reportedly used to set the tone).
The Owner’s Suite: Located on the lower deck, this full-beam retreat is a study in quiet luxury. Marino chose multiple shades of white and bronze to create a "retreat" feel. Crucially, the four new hull windows flood the room with natural light, something almost unheard of on the original performance yacht. The suite also features a separate dressing room and a marble-lined bathroom clad in Roman Classico travertine stone.
The VIP Cabin: This cabin is a masterpiece of privacy. It’s located forward on the lower deck and, uniquely, has its own dedicated staircase from the main deck. This ensures VIP guests have a sense of separation and ultimate privacy, a feature typically only found on much larger superyachts.
The Upper Deck Lounge: This was designed specifically as a secondary, highly flexible relaxation space. It’s located aft of the new bridge and features dark palm wood joinery, neutral upholstery, and a dedicated leather desk for those moments when work calls—or perhaps just for writing postcards with a view.
The end result is an interior that feels less like a boat and more like a floating, art-filled Manhattan penthouse.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part VII: The Performance Redux—A New Kind of Fast Luxury
When you combine a 31-knot top speed with zero-speed stabilization, you get a yacht that satisfies two fundamentally opposing desires: the need for exhilarating speed and the need for absolute serenity. The A2 is now the rare vessel that can outrun a storm and then sit perfectly still in a calm anchorage.
The Myth of the Aluminum Hull
I often hear people worry that a yacht refit of this magnitude compromises the vessel's original character. On the contrary, the A2 refit didn't just preserve its character; it amplified it.
The aluminum structure, initially valued for its lightweight speed profile, proved robust enough to handle the massive structural surgery required to install the windows and stabilizers. This speaks volumes about Eurocraft's original build quality.
The fast cruising speed of 28 knots means that the range, while modest compared to an explorer yacht, is highly effective. With a range of around 700 nautical miles, she can comfortably leap between the French Riviera, Corsica, Sardinia, and the Italian coast without constantly refueling. For the Med lifestyle she was designed for, that speed is range itself.
The 2018 refit was so successful and groundbreaking that the yacht was recognized globally, highlighting the seamless blending of high performance with Peter Marino’s high-end residential luxury. She became a case study in how a dated but structurally sound hull can be completely reborn.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part VIII: The Financial & Logistical Chess Game
Let's briefly touch on the reality of a project like this. A 37-meter yacht is already a multi-million-dollar asset. The refit, especially one involving structural changes, new certification, and bespoke, designer-sourced luxury materials (think Ingrid Donat furniture and Anselm Reyle art), would represent a massive secondary investment—likely running into the millions of euros.
The logistical challenge of managing such a complex build in just six months, using two world-renowned design teams (one architectural, one interior) and a focused shipyard like C.A.R.M. in Lavagna, demanded military-level precision. Every marble slab, every textile swatch, and every custom piece of joinery had to arrive on time and be integrated perfectly into a moving, three-dimensional puzzle.
This is where I, as a yacht enthusiast, feel the deepest satisfaction. It’s not just the money; it’s the human element—the coordination of dozens of specialized artisans and engineers working against the clock, fueled by the owner's singular vision.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part IX: Life Aboard the Reimagined A2
So, what does this all mean for the people who actually get to live on this vessel?
The A2 is no longer just a high-performance status symbol; it’s a bespoke, floating sanctuary.
When the owner specified that he wanted space for his daughter and wanted a layout tailored to family life, the designers didn't just shuffle walls; they created functional zones:
Family Movie Nights: The upper deck lounge, separate from the formal main salon, is perfectly positioned for relaxed family time, perhaps equipped with a state-of-the-art AV system, allowing for quiet reading or high-octane movie nights.
Al Fresco Living: While the hull was cut open below, the decks above were optimized for seamless outdoor connection. The main deck aft provides a perfect spot for shaded dining, transitioning effortlessly into the luxurious interior.
The Quiet Escape: The addition of the Seakeeper stabilizers means the most mundane moments—a quiet breakfast in the owner’s suite, or an afternoon nap—are no longer interrupted by the persistent rocking of the waves. True luxury is often silence and stability.
This yacht perfectly encapsulates the modern trend: performance must be backed up by unparalleled comfort and highly customized residential design. The A2 is a masterclass in proving that the soul of an older boat can be reborn, not just refurbished.
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| The 123-foot Italian yacht |
Part X: The Final Verdict on the A2 Yacht
The true testament to the success of the A2 refit is simple, conversational, and deeply personal. After the frantic, six-month race against time was over, the owner and his family took delivery and spent their August vacation cruising the beautiful waters of Corsica and Sardinia.
The designers, Tommaso Spadolini, recounted the final feedback: "They said it was the best family holiday they had ever had, which is music to a designer’s ears!"
That, for me, is the entire story in a single sentence. All the technical diagrams, the aluminum welding, the marble sourcing, the six-month panic—it all distilled down into a moment of pure, unadulterated family happiness on the water.
The A2 is more than just a 37.6-meter Eurocraft open yacht; it is a monument to the power of design vision and the capability of Italian craftsmanship. It’s the yacht that was literally broken open to be filled with light and reborn as the ultimate expression of personal luxury. It’s proof that sometimes, the only way forward is to grab the saw and completely rewrite the book.
The next time you see a sleek, powerful yacht carving across the waves, remember the A2—the quiet masterpiece that proved high speed and high style don’t have to be mutually exclusive.