Riviera to the Power of Six
by John Curnow, Editor, Powerboat-World.com 1 Aug 2018 15:00 PDT
An older Riviera model, no longer in production - the 4400 Sport Yacht © John Curnow
It has been just six years since Rodney Longhurst bought Riviera, and empowered his team at their Coomera (Queensland) headquarters. Profitability has returned, and they have also re-opened hitherto closed sections of the factory to build more new boats. There are also technological advancements, like the robot that sprays the varnish onto the über-high gloss work of the new 68/72 Sport Motor Yacht sisters. And then there is the whole 18-model collection that they sell over 110 of a year.
So at a time when many boat builders around the globe have gone through several iterations of ownership, some have perished, and others have flourished once more, like say Sunseeker and Riviera. Yet it was not all the land of milk and honey, and the road back was challenging. The question is then, what have they got to say about it all?
Until the release of the new Sports Motor Yacht line, Riviera was almost exclusively using Volvo Penta IPS powertrains. Does this mean that as the Swedish engine builder expands its IPS offering up to cater for larger craft that the existing V-Drive set up in the still new 68/72 Sport Motor Yacht sisters will get swung around to go to IPS? Stephen Milne, Riviera’s Brand and Communications Director answers, “At this point in time, the existing propulsion package is the power of choice, and I think you’d have to say it works exceptionally well. It is totally proven in larger yachts, and owner feedback to the super-smooth and quiet performance is extremely favourable.”
This is our full written review of the 72 Sport Motor Yacht and our video of taking Hull #1 of Riviera's 68/72 SMY Sisters Offshore is below
Riviera CEO Wes Moxey was pretty clear at a recent industry conference that heading towards and ultimately over the 100-foot mark was not going to happen, even if the bright lights of doing so might seem ultra-attractive. Yet at 68/72 for the new offerings, Riviera is quite close. After Maritimo expanded their footprint in the Coomera boating precinct, they now have the ability to undertake many projects inside the one locale. So what does Riviera see as their plan, especially on the back of the success and strong forward order book for the just on 12 months old 68/72 Sports Motor Yacht line?
“Our clients and owners help shape Riviera’s future. They are the ones that say, ‘We’d love it if you did this, we’d love it if you did that.’ They had a great deal of input into the development of this whole series. Our highly skilled and talented team of designers listen to and consider their requests, and then factor that in to our planning, philosophy and thinking. We do have some other exciting projects we’re going to announce shortly, which we are actively working on here at the factory right now”, said Milne keeping the powder dry in the process.
This is our full written review of the very new 395 SUV and below is our on water review.
“When you consider what we have done in the last six years it is quite astounding. We’ve created the SUV category and launched the 445, 525 and 575 models. The flybridge line has been energised with the new 52 and 57 models. The Sports Motor Yacht line has been created and launched with three models – 39, 68 and 72 and our Sport Yacht range has received the new 4800, 5400 and 6000 models. It is a real credit to our owner Rodney Longhurst, our 600+ team on-site including our 77 apprentices, who are our future master-craftsmen. I think it is both a remarkable story and journey tavelled, when you look back over it.”
This is our full written review of the 4800 Sport Yacht, and the videos are below
Manoeuvring the Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht
Interceptors on the Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht
Indeed they are a lean, mean fighting machine, which is exactly what is required in the modern age of boat building, in order to not only survive now, but be able to even consider planning for the future, and investing therein! “You’ll be hearing some good news soon enough”, was how Milne put it. To my mind, it will certainly all play into being able to use your new Riviera in a way that a much larger yacht cannot achieve, be a wise financial option including trans-shipping your yacht between locales, and also offer the ability to go to places the other bigger yachts can’t, over a four to five year period you could conceivably undertake a round the world tour.
So if the new 68/72 SMY totally redefined the old school Motor Yacht and convertible yacht and in so doing created a new paradigm in the process, then the application of that kind of vision could well mean anything larger will be utterly brilliant.
Having an immense amount of fun with Hull #5 - a 72 SMY
Talking about Riviera’s development strategy, Milne commented, “The blank sheet of paper was certainly the best way to begin the process. Engaging Frank Mulder, who penned some of the fastest superyachts in the world, to do the running surface of the hull form based on our parameters was part of the grand plan. Then we looked at the best available engineering, powertrains, use of space and so on, in order to create a truly unique motor yacht.”
“I watched this vessel evolve from the blank sheet of paper through many iterations, to incorporating all of our designers ideas, as well as those of our owners to then becoming ultimately what it is today. It is the evolution of design and the very process of it that creates something like this, and then people step aboard and are amazed by the fine detail and quality. Then when they have the opportunity to experience the boat running at sea… they are totally in awe of its performance. Superlatives don’t really do justice to what this new Sports motor Yacht design has to offer.”
“We made an entire mock up of the interior of this boat, long before we built an actual boat, so that our design team and prospective owners could have a real, tactile and experiential involvement with it, before making final production decisions. It is a massive investment of both capital and man-hours, but the result is so worthwhile. Only in this way could people say I like the cabin layout, the height of the windows and so on. This in turn meant that Hull#1 was as close to perfect as we could humanly achieve. This absolutely shows the true commitment to perfection that we strive for daily in every new yacht we create.”
Riviera craft have a five-year structural warranty and the standard 12-month version is applicable to other elements, such as gyros and so forth. Many of the Riviera clientele have had multiple boats from the brand, and many are also staunch ambassadors who instil even further confidence in the brand with all of their associates.
To say that the entire staff is passionate is somewhat doing them an injustice. Some have the fortunate role of doing thorough handovers to new clients, but all do their tasks with both skill and dedication. The dealer network also ensures that the family get treated superbly, and I have seen one new owner be serenaded by an impersonator of a late megastar when they came to step on board for the very first time. Opportunities are found to celebrate all things Riviera. There are escorted coastal voyages as well, so that you not only get to use your yacht, you skill up in the process. Then of course there is the annual Festival of Boating, and also that Festival Gala evening! These initiatives are quite unique in the industry.
Of course, the other thing to note is that such a different kind of offering is also finding great sway inside the key markets of the USA and Europe. Europe saw the Sports Motor Yacht Hull #2 last year, and after the Sydney Show, the 72 we tested will be on its way to the USA to allow customers their to see and feel just how and why this yacht is so commendable. “Especially in the US, the guys want a large cockpit, and the ladies are after all the luxurious living amenities. It all feeds off their existing love for our fit and finish, strength, furnishings and so forth. The US market also likes to fish and cruise at some speed, so this offering is well suited. To date 40% of sales have opted for the 68, and 60% for the 72. Thus far, approximately 20% have opted for the 1550s, 50% the 1800s, and 30% the 1900s. As more US sales come into the pipeline I can see the 1900s representing more of the mix.”
“In terms of the SMY concept, it’s about all the amenities you want in a traditional motor yacht, like covered mezzanine, walk around decks, crew cabin, day head accessible from outside, aft galley that tends the mezzanine so well, and a versatile foredeck, enclosed bridge with Juliet deck, and sumptuous accommodations. Then you wrap all of that in a sports look, offering a sporting cockpit, that’s so easy to handle, and you certainly give it sports performance!”
“So we’re not the fish boat you can cruise. We’re the cruise boat that you can dive, fish, paddle or jet ski from, and there is a big difference.”
To take in the whole Riviera Experience, be a part of the annual Riviera Gala. This year the theme was the Caribbean...