The 28-metre Benetti motor yacht Mazal is currently undergoing a major, multi-year rebuild at VZ Yacht. Mazal entered the Treviso-based yard for works in 2022 and is expected to be relaunched in summer 2025.
The rebuild involves an exterior and interior redesign by Italian studio Pininfarina, with the new owner requesting that Mazal be optimised for charter. This has resulted in an extension to 33 metres to allow room for a full-beam, side-opening tender garage at the stern.
Giovanni Griggio of PHI Design Lab is acting as project manager, owner's representative and engineer, while the CFD and "structure project" is owed to inNave.
The yacht was bought in "really bad condition", according to Griggio, which resulted in the team having to replace most of the hull. Mazal has also had part of her main deck superstructure and a forward mullion replaced for a slimmer profile.
"When I first went on board Mazal for sea trials I was very impressed. [She had] great navigability, low noise, low fuel consumption and long range," explained the owner. "I had come across an opportunity to convert a real masterpiece of the Italian shipyard industry into something modern but still soulful."
The layout has been entirely reimagined with charter use in mind. This includes a "new convivial area" found on the main deck forward with a Jacuzzi and structural sunbeds; a new exterior staircase connecting the stern cockpit to the flybridge; another sunbathing area, also connected to the flybridge; a new hardtop to "enhance the liveability" of the flybridge guest area.
On the technical side, all systems have been replaced and Mazal has been fitted with bow and stern thrust, zero speed fin stabilisers and hydraulic handling systems from Opac.
Mazal was delivered by Benetti in 1977 and is one of only three models belonging to the Italian yard's 28S series.