Riva goes back to 1842 when a young carpenter, Pietro Riva, opened his own shipyard in Sarnico, Italy. The luxury yacht company was passed through generations, always concerned with crafting elegant boats for those who take true pleasure in the small details.
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 In 2000, Riva joined the Ferretti Group, one of the world’s leaders in luxury boats, working to integrate their style with Ferretti's knowledge. With the partnership came new research and ideas, ultimately leading to Riva's collaboration with Australian-born industrial designer Marc Newson in 2010. While the luxury speed boat isn't exactly breaking news, it's still really cool. Newson created the limited edition boat by reinterpreting Riva's classic ‘Aquariva.’ With such a broad range of design experience under his belt (including aircraft, furniture, jewelry, and clothing design), his transition into nautical design was probably an easy one. |
 Choosing to create a unique vessel, Newson used phenolic composite (a wood-like laminate that is textile-based) for the deck and instrument panel. According to Riva, the material "was developed in the first half of the 20th century, and was a precursor to fibreglass." It supposedly maintains the organic feel and aesthetic of wood, while being significantly more durable. Another neat feature is that instead of the standard stainless steel and chrome brass generally associated with small boats, Newson decided to use the more modern and lightweight choice of anodized aluminum. |
 Newson is known to incorporate biomorphism into his designs, which is a style that uses organic lines and patterns, and his preference shows in the way he chose to design the boat using flowing lines in lieu of sharp edges. The decision also helps to give the speed boat a more retro look. When discussing the creative process involved with developing his glamorous new boat for Riva, Marc Newson explains, “So much of my work is about simplification and elimination. Once you’ve done that the design starts to emerge. I wanted to hark back to the time before boats became such complex pieces of machinery.” Only 22 of these sleek vessels were manufactured and sold though Riva dealers, along with the New York-based Gagosian Gallery. With a cruising speed of 41 mph and a maximum speed of 47 mph, this retro beauty looks like it belongs in a classic James Bond flick (Bond girl not included). |
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Thursday, 6 June 2013
Riva Speed Boat
Riva 122 Mythos
Prometheus may have been the fire bringer and Hercules may have slain the Nemean lion and turned it into a fancy hat, but here’s something those mythic heroes never did: Build a 122-foot planing megayacht out of aluminum. That’s exactly the formidable task the mortals at Riva are now undertaking, with their upcoming launch, Mythos. The yacht will be the new flagship of this iconic Ferretti brand, and should well live up to her ambitious name.
Riva’s own Mauro Micheli is heading up the yacht’s design process, in coordination with the employees of Ferretti’s Advanced Yacht Technology center, and Centro Stile Ferrettigroup. Their ultimate aim is to build a sleek, fast yacht that is loaded to the hilt with luxurious amenities, and which offers both exhilarating aesthetic and performance attributes.
Twin 3,510-horsepower MTUs will have the big boat roaring across the ocean at a top speed of 27 knots, and a cruise speed of 25 knots, according to the builder. These speeds match her sleek, but not overly aggressive profile—an exterior aesthetic presence that will definitely impress onlookers with its elegance, but not overwhelm them with overwrought design features.
Up top on the bridge deck, there is a Jacuzzi as well as multiple settees that are perfect for lounging around and drying in the sun after a dip. An adjacent dining area has a table that seems like it should be just the right spot for an icy bucket of bubbly.
The cockpit will feature sunpads and a huge settee that should fit up to ten people, perfect for hosting an elegant (or raucous) alfresco dinner party. Forward of that, the luxurious saloon will be well lit by large windows, which of course also offer excellent views from nearly all vantage points. A forward galley lets a guest or owner handle culinary duties without missing out on the party, but the space can also be accessed via the crew area belowdecks, in case everyone would rather be catered to.
Down below, the owner’s suite and guest cabins will be amidships, while the crew’s quarters, consisting of a captain’s cabin and two crew cabins, keep everybody comfortable, and comfortably separate.
This is a boat that looks like she could do a little bit of something for everyone, and in luxurious style to boot. In short, she just might end up being truly epic.
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