You could say that
Riva reached its zenith in the 1960s. But the Italian boatbuilder has
continued to astound us all with their flowing mahogany creations, right
up until the present day.
It’s true that the love affair between these
iconic boats and the glitterati blossomed throughout ‘la dolce vita’
period in post-war Europe. As the Italians gravitated to Saint-Tropez,
the name Riva became a perpetual mainstay on the party circuit among the
stars and sophisticates who were hitting the happening nightclubs of
Southern France. But building on its heritage, Riva has gone on
convincing us of its credentials, and the new Riva Domino 86 - a steel
and fibreglass beauty - is all the proof we need.
Inside, she looks neat and precise: elm and
gray-lacquered European oak are offset with stitched-leather detailing
and hard, futuristic framing in stainless steel. Light floods in from
all sides through acres of tinted glass. The spacious upper saloon is
fitted with pure white leather sofas and a solid teak table. At one end
there’s a TV with a 65-inch screen that handily doubles up as a mirror.
If you intend to be a Riva owner, then
you’ll probably want to know about the owner’s suite, which is amidships
and behind huge hull windows. It makes for a great retreat from all
that sun-induced madness, with atmospheric views out to sea. There are
comfy, shaded seating areas on the foredeck and in the cockpit, while
the upper helm station guarantees a secluded spot to catch some rays.
The 26-metre coupe yacht displaces a mighty
63 tons but she still has to justify those dashing looks out on the
water. Luckily, the Domino is also fast. With two powerful V16 engines,
you’ll be helming nearly 5,000 horsepower. And because the Riva brand is
as much about tradition as it is about beauty and performance, she has
proper shafts and rudders, so you won’t find any difficult-to-maintain
surface drives tacked on. Not just fast, the Domino 86 delivers on
beauty, style and engineering prowess, too. Floating perfection
guaranteed.
Riva is part of the Ferretti Group. Visit www.riva-yacht.com for details.
