Yacht Class n°21 (juin-juil-août 2020)

RIVA – FERRETTI Group

Until 2016, in Ferretti Group, units over 40 metres were designed and built by CRN in Ancona. This was without counting on the will of the famous Riva to play in the big league with the means it has always been full of. So was born this 50 metre in collaboration with Officina Italiana Design. And what a yacht ! She is classic and modern, luxurious and ergonomic, born under the sign of elegance.

Written by: Alain Brousse – Photos: All rights reserved

It is difficult to find a wider range than Riva’s : thirteen models from the 8.24 metre Iseo runabout to the flybridge 110 Dolcevita. But when it comes to the conquest of market, the famous brand has made no secret of its ambition : to gain a foothold in the big unit segment with a 50 metre, unveiled in 2018, that piqued everyone’s curiosity, starting with that of the specialized press, including ourselves. Going from a 34 metre (Dolcevita 110) to a 50-metre was barely a gamble for Riva’s long standing design studio : Officina Italiana Design. Actually, its directors, Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta, have been working for Riva since the beginning of the third millennium and have drawn no less than thirteen models. Let’s add that the design work is under supervision of Riva’s Strategic Product Committee. Ferretti Group’s Sales Director Stefano de Vivo, we interviewed in Yacht Class n° 20, even evoked models flirting with 100 metres. Let’s face it, Riva thinks big ! And always with a metallic grey “dress”, the brand’s trademark.

Three outdoor dining areas for gastronomy

To see this 50 metre, docked stern-to at the last Monaco Yacht Show, we could not resist taking the gangway to discover her habitable volumes. This attraction arose from our survey of her freeboard and superstructures, which immediately showed us that space is not counted there. It remained to be seen how it was processed, although we could only expect the best from Micheli and Beretta… And actually, the beginning of the visit propelled us into a contemporary universe with a striking surface area : almost 60 m2 just for the living room, its huge sofa ready to accommodate ten guests, and the dining area, barely isolated by two columns and a base cabinet. Its glass table and leather armchairs can accommodate a dozen guests. This deck also has on each side sliding windows opening outwards, on the sea. As the photos show, it features an upscale luxury decoration based on varnished mahogany, a wood we are no longer used to on this type of unit, but dear to Riva. Processed in a modern way, it is completely justified. 

The pleasure to live outdoors

After the internal dining area, let’s discover the upper deck terrace and its table for fourteen people. Its 70 m2 teak surface area also accommodates two lounge areas and deckchairs. But let’s not forget that this 50-metre is a four-deck, and it is on the 75 m2 flybridge that we found the third outdoor dining area and also two similar opposite lounges, deckchairs to meet the wishes of yachting enthusiasts and offers a relaxation area with two opposite settees and a large sunbed. The technical area is located slightly below. The stern is also intended to be convivial. To this end, the transom opens up, overlapping the swim platform, while the starboard side door opens up to launch the tender and creates a second terrace. There, a small lounge and a bar are at the disposal of the guests to enliven this beach club. Further investigation of the lower deck led us to the engine room and its two large German MTU V84000 M63, each developing 1 360 hp and propelling this 50-metre vessel at 15.5 knots. Her range at 14 knots would be 3 000 miles. Note that this unit remains under the “strategic” 500 GT mark, which is an asset.

An 80m2 splendid master !

Indeed, forward of the main deck is the 80 m2 royal master suite, which offers first an office, and then the sleeping area. We are bound to recognize that this immense bright cabin is, in some way, a highlight of the visit. Modern, with a certain level of luxury, but definitely not flashy, its power of seduction is such that it would be easy to forget to its adjacent TV lounge. Last but not least, the decibel level recorded by yard in the master is worthy of silence : 40 decibels at cruising speed, this is rarely seen ! In terms of finishing, the four guest cabins show the attention given to every detail of every volume on this four-deck yacht. They are nearly equivalent in size : 22 m2, all with an en suite and an independent shower. The crew area is located forward this lower deck, and consists of the main galley, a mess room and four cabins with a total of six berths. The captain has its own cabin next to the wheelhouse. The latter is impressive, starting with the many screens and controls. The prevalence of electronics is a reminder of all of the progress made by engineers in this field. The motto “Everything must be under control” perfectly applies to Riva’s flagship.
How can one remain impassive in front of this yacht named Race corroborating the brand’s know-how for units of this size ? Hats off to the yard, architects and designers, for this model, and why not for bigger ones to come. The wait should not be to long!