Cantieri Magazzù has used the 2026 Cannes Yachting Festival to give the new MX-15 Explorer its world premiere, extending the Sicilian yard’s luxury Maxi-RIB range with a more functional and adventure-oriented interpretation. The model keeps the brand’s grand-touring character while adding greater protection, flexible interior planning and equipment intended for owners who use their boat for more than short coastal runs.
The Cannes display boat is fitted with twin Volvo Penta D6 480hp diesel engines and an enlarged aft sunpad, while the hull uses a double-step configuration developed to combine performance, stability and comfort. Magazzù is also showing a dedicated hardtop installation for a LIND electric surfboard, turning a normally awkward piece of water-sports equipment into part of the yacht’s planned storage solution.
A more protective Explorer layout
The most visible change is the vertical wraparound windscreen, which gives the helm more shelter than the yard’s more open Gran Turismo arrangements. Magazzù says the idea is not to create an extreme expedition boat, but to broaden the ways owners can use the platform while keeping the styling and finish associated with the brand.
That approach is carried below deck, where layouts, materials and furniture can be developed around an owner’s intended use rather than one fixed interior package. For a high-end Maxi-RIB, this degree of customisation can make the difference between a fast dayboat and a yacht capable of supporting longer weekends away.
Twin D6 diesels power the Cannes boat
The premiere example uses two Volvo Penta D6 engines rated at 480hp each in a diesel sterndrive installation. Magazzù pairs that machinery with its stepped hull geometry, aiming for the fast response expected from the range without making ride comfort secondary.
The yard has not reduced the project to a horsepower headline, because the Explorer concept is also about protection and storage. Owners comparing propulsion choices should therefore look at the complete package, including fuel capacity, cruising speed, service access and how much deck space remains available after technical equipment is installed.
LIND surfboard storage becomes part of the hardtop
Magazzù’s collaboration with LIND Surf is one of the more unusual details of the launch, with the electric surfboard carried directly above the hardtop. The modular board, battery and jet can be assembled without tools, allowing the system to be moved and stored without occupying the main social areas of the deck.
Integrating a water toy at the design stage is a small but useful example of how yacht layouts are changing as owners carry more equipment. Storage that keeps toys accessible without compromising seating or circulation can add more day-to-day value than simply increasing the number of optional accessories.
Cannes puts the new model in front of buyers
The MX-15 Explorer is being shown at the Vieux Port during the Cannes Yachting Festival from 8 to 13 September 2026. Its world premiere gives Magazzù a direct comparison point against other performance tenders, dayboats and Maxi-RIBs in one of the strongest European markets for this type of yacht.
For Luxury Yacht Guide, the model is notable because it sits squarely inside the sub-24-metre performance segment where buyers increasingly expect both speed and genuine cruising usability. The production versions that follow will show how far owners choose to push the Explorer side of the brief through custom interiors and equipment.
