Riviera 43 Open Flybridge: Fishing Boat Review

Where better to test the new Seakeeper 5 stabiliser, designed especially for boats from 30-50 feet in length, than aboard this latest Riviera 43 Flybridge, smack bang in the middle of the Gold Coast Seaway, in 25-30 knots? Yup, we did that. Read on…

OVERVIEW
- Riviera’s entry-level Flybridge has an upgrade
In the modern boatbuilding era, Riviera is a technophile. It’s been quick to embrace pod drives, jumped on joysticks, press the buttons of the latest CAN-bus digital switching, install touch-screen Raymarine electronics with Bluetooth connectivity, and, increasingly, make space for today’s new must-have — the computer-controlled gyroscropic stabiliser from Seakeeper.

The Riviera 43 is one of the longest-serving pod-driven boats in the fleet and now the entry-level flybridge offering. The boat comes with a pair of Volvo Penta IPS 600s built around 435hp engines. The D6 diesels are linked to articulating pod drives and connected to joystick docking. We also had the new Seakeeper 5 fitted to our test boat. The stabiliser is designed for cruisers in the 30-50 feet fleet and brings gyro, once the preserve of superyachts, back down the pleasure-boat line.

As we drove it, this was a special Riv on a special mission. Fully loaded for game fishing, with everything including a Reelax chair, the 43 Flybridge was heading to a waterfront home in Tahiti. While that conjures up images of lapping waves. gently swaying palms and local nymphs portrayed by Gaugin, the reality is that there is some pretty decent weather on the outer reefs, especially in the tropical storm season.

The SeaKeeper 5 was to fitted to quell the rock-and-roll that goes hand-in-glove with game fishing from a 43 footer, especially when trolling beam-on along the edge of the outer reef buffeted by tradewinds. To get the inside running about how this impressive gyroscopic gadgetry performs, we enlisted the help of Glenn Frettingham, the Managing Director of Twin Disc, who imports SeaKeeper and can provide the answers off the cuff.

Our interview with Glenn was conducted offshore, on the Gold Coast Seaway, in the middle of that bar, while side on, in pretty heavy seas. We basically did everything you shouldn't do to see this gyro strut its stuff and transform the Riviera 43 Flybridge into a boat with the kind of inherent stability you would expect for a hull twice its size.

It was also enlightening getting back aboard the Riviera 43 Flybridge, now the entry-level flybridge boat from the yard, which I first tested back in mid-2010. There have been some sneaky upgrades happening in the background that till now have been kept under wraps.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- A very special semi-custom Riviera 43 for Tahiti
You get a lot of gear on your standard Riviera 43 Flybridge Open with a base price of $957,500. As tested, 43 #51 with a boatload of game gear and the very latest technological enhancements was probably the biggest ticket 43 on the market.

This test boat, built to CE standards for French Polynesia, had a lot of gear. Heading the list was the Seakeeper 5, which costs about $65K supplied and installed by Riviera and required relocation of the Onan 9.5kW genset.

Electronics comprised two 16in Garmin screens with CHIRP transducer, autopilot and radar, plus there were solar panels to allow trickle charging of the boat on its mooring. There were also substantial anchoring upgrades, upgraded bollard mounts for offshore mooring, and a whole pile of furnishing upgrades, with a bunk fitout in the aft cabin.

For fishing, this boat has white Reelax 6.5m outriggers and a shotgun centre rigger, plus a 130lb heavy-tackle Reelax fighting chair, and the transom live-bait tank instead of barbecue option. There were extra heavy-duty rod holders, saloon ceiling rod storage, and more.

The drive-away price of $1,109,900 was for a semi-custom 43 Flybridge built to the owners exact needs backed by Riviera aftersales support even in Tahiti. But for most folk, the 43, Riviera’s entry-level flybridge boat, is now a million-dollar rig. Thankfully, the fit and finish are commensurate with the ticket.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION
- Big cockpit, new saloon, aft galley, and sleeps seven
The 43’s saloon layout now shares that of the increasingly popular 445 SUV sister ship. They both share the same hull, but the SUV came after the Flybridge model. The galley on both boats is now positioned aft to port and runs virtually the full saloon length, longitudinally, as per the SUV.

The area otherwise devoted to the lower helm on the SUV has bar stools on this flybridge boat. It could be construed as an afterthought, but bar stool seating is big on boats in America and, sitting here, you could imagine yourself with a drink in hand après fishing, or bowl of cereal before heading out.

Opposite the galley is one big C-shaped lounge and dinette that was optioned as an impromptu pullout double bed. As per this writer’s original test, the Riviera 43 can sleep up to seven people (if you must) in its two cabin and two bathroom layout. This would be achieved by sleeping three in the aft cabin, two up front, and retracting the saloon bed and/or with a possible flybridge bed option.

Accommodation-wise, this boat sure gains from its aft engine and IPS installation. Although there isn't full headroom, the enlarged aft cabin is full width — quite an achievement on a boat of this calibre — with a transverse double bed that can be split into singles (as per this test boat) for sleeping more crew.

With the side-by-side transverse single beds and a third single bed mounted longitudinally before a panorama window, you can sleep three in the aft cabin. Opening portlights offer natural cross-flow ventilation, but they're alarmed so you can't drive away with them open.

The forward cabin is more than likely the owner's retreat, with a double island bed as per most Rivieras. Meanwhile, the two bathrooms are of trademark proportions, with separate shower stalls, plenty of powerpoints, extractor fan, and natural ventilation. With this twin cabin and twin bathroom layout, the 43 appeals to families and the SUV with this same floor-plan has been a big hit in places like South Aussie.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
- Full floor lift with gyro taking centre stage
Released in 2010, the 43 was Riviera’s first Flybridge model designed from the keel-up for IPS pod drives. The collaboration with Volvo Penta started in 2009. The hull has 17 degrees of deadrise at the transom, but it doesn’t have a keel in accord with Volvo Penta’s design team wishes at the time.

Riviera has said previously that it went to extra effort making the 43 aft-engine hatch and installation watertight. Engine access is via a push-button electric cockpit lift, with a separate hatch into the adjoining utility space for day inspection.

Our Seakeeper 5 was mounted forward in the engine room with the generator moved to across to starboard, reducing outboard access there to some degree. The Racor fuel filters were easily accessible on the forward bulkhead (dual filters fitted for this Tahiti boat), the engine venting system had washable membranes, and there are internal sea strainers in the IPS 600s. This Tahiti rig had an oil-change system fitted, back-up freshwater pump, underwater lights, cockpit joystick for short-handed fishing, and more.

As the rear-mounted engines take up the usual lazarette space, Riviera uses twin floor lockers with gulper pumps, side lockers and tackle drawers for storage. The mezzanine cockpit seating is a feature added after the boat evolved from the previous 41.There is a also fridge in the spacious cockpit, which is well suited to recreational fishing. With comforts such as forward sunpad and swim platform fitted, family pursuits are considered, too. There was no barbecue, but in Tahiti it’s more about fish salads and cocktails.

The electrical system now includes twin engine-start and house battery chargers, full digital C-Zone switching and an inverter for the AV and TVs. The 460 litres of water will do a family or crew of four splashing it about and using the Vacuflush toilets for four days or so.

Air conditioning is standard, but upgraded on this tropical boat. Refrigeration was found in two galley drawers (one is a freezer), the cockpit fridge, and the optional fridge on the bridge.

The Riviera 43 now comes with 2000 litres of fuel as standard, an increase over the earlier boats with 1800 litres and optional 300 litre long-range tank. With the Tahitian drop-offs nearby, there was certainly plenty of juice for trolling up something for ‘kokoda’ aka raw-fish salad.

THE SEAKEEPER 5
- Game-changing gyro technology
Much of what made this 43 revisit so special owes thanks to the Seakeeper 5, a truly transformative piece of American-made engineering. This wild bit of gear turned the otherwise ugly situation that we created just for testing into a pleasantly eye-opening and redefining boating experience.

Bringing age-old gyroscopic technology into the digital age, the Seakeeper uses superfast computer processing to adjust and dampen roll. The aim is a 70-90 per cent roll reduction and with this installation on the Riviera 43 we achieved a maximum of 80 per cent roll reduction.

The 5 takes about 50 minutes to fully spool-up and 35 minutes to stabilisation, so turn it on when you first come aboard. Operating power is 1500-2000W maximum. The 5 runs off the 240V power sourced from the boat’s generator, which can also run the air-con at the same time.

The unit doesn’t need to be installed on the centreline and can be mounted in multiple installations anywhere from midships back. The 5 weighs a not inconsequential 358kg. Spooled-up, the 5 spins its internal centrifugal core weight at 10,700rpm to produce 13,089nm of anti-roll torque. By my calculations that is almost 1335kg of force. A rugby team in a scrum machine!

When operational, the unit creates a slight humming noise listed as 70-72dB when one metre away during operation. You can’t really hear it over the generator, but might when you turn that off and the gyro takes some hours to unspool. A trifling matter given the advantages and, well, you might get so used to the stabilisation you sleep with the generator running and gyro on.

The Seakeeper 5 would certainly open up some overnight options in otherwise rocky locations and make those lousy nights bearable. For more details on this unit read our expanded review that includes feedback from a professional gameboat skipper after a long season of marlin fishing aboard a 54-footer with a 5 gyro. More at Seakeeper 5 review.

ON THE WATER
- Super stable and user-friendly
After much babble and banter we had our Seakeeper 5 spooled up, the engines warm and the ropes cast. What could we expect to experience by way of stabilisation?

"In these conditions at zero speed in beam-on waves we’re expecting somewhere in the order of 80 per cent roll reduction and 15 degree roll angles," said Frettingham from the engine room, alongside the compact 5, before he leapt out and we closed the hatch.

"We’re going to do a run stabilised and then unstabilised and we can do that at the press of a button [on the dash]," Frettingham added before we departed Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast, zoomed down the Broadwater at mid-20 knots cruise, and tackled the snotty bar conditions.

Previous testing of this boat with full fuel and water and these IPS 600s resulted in a 29.4 knot top speed at 3630rpm and 300nm-plus range (based on an extra 100lt of fuel on that first test boat with long-range tank). This test boat was carrying a fair bit more weight than standard.

According to the Riviera data, at either 23 knots at 3200rpm or 26 knots at 3400rpm you will get a 342nm cruising range. A 300nm-plus range exists at 17.5 knots. You will see more than 500nm at 6-7 knots delivery or trolling speed. So the sea state will have a lot of bearing on how fast you go. Think 300nm range regardless.

Speed wasn’t an issue in the 25-30 knot test conditions, which necessitated a nice steady cruise. Of course, there was some ambient spray blown about. But unlike my earlier tests with this boat, the new Riviera 43 Flybridge seemed amazingly stable thanks to the gyro in its belly.

Evidently, this test boat’s seasoned skipper and owner Teiva Leroi is thrilled. The local Tahitian has been enjoying the boating lifestyle since he was 10 years of age, learning the ropes from his father, and dreaming of upgrading to a luxury motor yacht to share with his growing family.

 "I decided last year to go to Palm Beach International Boat Show in Florida to see a 54-foot boat in which I was very interested, and took a good look around. I saw lots of other boats but when I saw the Riviera 43, I fell in love instantly," he says.

"It’s a perfect size and not too big for our requirements — two staterooms, a double bed and three single beds (amidships), with the possibility of sleeping more in the saloon and the flybridge.

"Then I discovered the Volvo Penta IPS – the joystick and the small draft of the yacht. I thought this is perfect to use with my wife and our three-year-old baby, and the daughter we are expecting [at the end of February 2016].

"The 43 is so easy to skipper, it’s not necessary for us to take a skipper out with us if we just want to cruise as a family."

VERDICT
- Seaway test for the Seakeeper reveals seaworthiness
It was in the middle of the Gold Coast Seaway, on a run-out tide, in mid-20 knots of wind and a nearing a couple of metres of spilling swell, that we passed our judgement on this Riviera 43 Flybridge rig. This was done with offshore fishing in mind and the Seakeeper 5’s $65K installation on the line.

To use the modern vernacular: OMG. The moment we switched off the gyro and sat beam-on, the boat rolled like a cruise ship. Up and down. Side to side. Hold on. Everyone was yelling: "Turn it back on." Down in the saloon, the horizon was at 45 degrees, the empty bottles in the sink were rolling, and it wasn’t very pleasant at all.

A flick of the switch, a couple of waves of waiting, and we were back on virtual terra firma. The pitching was still evident but the roll was quelled to a massive degree. Safety on deck, comfort for cruising, and fishability are all greatly improved. You can read more about this impressive gyro on our sites at our dedicated Seakeeper 5 review.

The only problem is that there’s no turning back. You get used to the motion or lack thereof so very quickly. Suddenly, being at sea doesn’t have quite the white-knuckle requirement it did previously. The gyro is not for all boats, but those spending time offshore will benefit. The Riviera 43 Flybridge was an improved performer thanks to the Seakeeper 5 and a doubly comfortable family flybridge cruiser in the modern Riviera mould.

LIKES
>> The Seakeeper 5 dampens roll for incredible stability
>> A nice sized Riv to own, operate and maintain
>> Generous cockpit with a decent fishing fitout
>> Saloon layout mods include improved galley
>> Sleeps seven in a 43 footer
>> Fit and finish is excellent

NOT SO MUCH
>> Engine room obviously tighter with the Seakeeper in situ
>> Seakeeper 5 is a $65K factory-fitted addition on this boat
>> Even this base model Riviera Flybridge is around a million-dollars these days

Specifications: Riviera 43 Open Flybridge with IPS
Price as Tested: $1,109,900 for semi-custom boat built to CE for French Polynesia with twin Volvo Penta IPS 600s engines and options including factory-fitted Seakeeper 5 gyro, Garmin electronics, game chair, game poles, upgrade engineering, AV systems, upgraded air-con, underwater lights, optional interior and lots more
Priced From: $957,500 w/ twin Volvo Penta IPS 600s engines
Material: GRP hull, cored decks and hardtop
Type: Moderate to deep-vee monohull designed in cahoots with Volvo Penta
Length overall: 14.46m
Hull length: 13.61m
Beam: 4.57m
Draft: 1.13m
Weight: 14,200kg dry w/ std motors
Berths: 7
Fuel: 2000lt
Water: 460lt
Holding tank: 150lt
Make/model: 2 x Volvo Penta IPS600s
Type: Six-cylinder four-stroke D6 common-rail diesel
Rated HP: 435
Displacement: 5.5lt
Drives: IPS w/ T2 props

Supplied by:
The Riviera Group, 50 Waterway Drive, Coomera, Qld, 4209, (07) 5501 0000, www.riviera.com.au.