Riviera 53 Enclosed Flybridge

This boat is born out of two years of research and design undertaken after extensive feedback from, amongst others, current Riviera owners in the United States, Europe, and New Zealand and back home in Australia. The goal was to arrive at a boat that represents the pinnacle in standards of performance, accommodation, design and standard fittings. They could well be there!

Those options being fitted at the time of review were over and above those previous. Raymarine’s 4kW 72nm open array radar along with a 60cm satellite dome for Foxtel television reception started the list.

Then a 220lph watermaker was going under the deck along with an AIS (Automatic Identification System) system and also a Raymarine ST-20 wind system and a stand-alone depth system with a specific screen at the helm and in the master stateroom. This lifted the sale price of the boat a further $48,000.

A rear-facing lounge forms the aft bulkhead for the saloon and it has plenty of seat space at its foot on the raised saloon level deck to alleviate the need to clutter the area with movable furniture.

It was good to see the manufacturer hadn’t forgotten the hunter gatherer either; there is good foot under access around the deck in the cockpit liner which is one of the very basics required for anglers in a good fishing boat.

The aft portside saloon wall hosts a docking control station which compliments another remote from the helm, on the starboard side in the aft of the fly bridge.

Daring to be different, the cockpit liner is rebated at the aft corners to allow open access to the hawse rather than have to feed the lines down through the coaming.

The aft wall of the saloon hosts part of the U-shaped galley which has enough room for two chefs to work their wonders from within.

The cooktop is positioned so the chef is looking astern over the cockpit and a cooktop ventilator in the ceiling above may be brought into play should the full glass and polished stainless-steel fold-up window be closed to the elements.

The sink is in the other side of the module and there seems to be refrigerated drawers no matter where one looks. A large drawer-style dishwasher is also installed here.

A wide entry door completes this section which, when opened, up gives that flow-through effect from the saloon to the galley and outside to the cockpit -- very spacious indeed.

Opposite the galley, on the starboard side, a bar cabinet forms part of the exotic timber layout that features the stair case to the enclosed flybridge.

Typically in this general area we find the electrical heart of the boat; circuit breakers, switches and gauges that usually occupy at least one and often two stained glass panels that take up valuable wall cupboard space. This 53 has entered further into the digital age and all that space has been saved by the inclusion of the CZone AFL 10-A which, being near flush mounted, does it all on a compact LCD touch screen.

Moving forward in the saloon a large C-shaped lounge on the portside is complemented with a dining table whilst a corresponding lounge opposite makes for seating for around twelve people with ease. The flat screen television ejects out of the forward bulkhead and large flat surfaces behind and opposite are upholstered, providing a place for books and magazines and other knick knacks that accumulate onboard.

The saloon has panoramic views all around even when seated due to the low-set window sills designed with that in mind.

The two large toughened glass panes at the forward end of the saloon are directly above the companion way stairs leading below. This throws a lot of natural light down there making for an open and airy passageway.

On the starboard side of the companionway a bunkroom holds two while straight ahead a double bed guest stateroom in the bow is complemented by an ensuite, shared by others aboard.

Another short companionway heads down and aft and a large cupboard each side of the stairs may be optioned up for a washing machine and cloths drier.

One ends up in a full-beam master stateroom featuring a king-size bed. The lower side walls are festooned with cupboards and draws and above the bench top the upholstered lining hosts elongated fixed windows with a round opening port hole each side for natural ventilation.

On the starboard side of the bed in the aft wall a door leads to a walk-in robe and a corresponding door opposite takes one into a spacious ensuite bathroom.

The aft wall of this stateroom is the bulkhead between it and the engine room.

Heading up into the enclosed flybridge the wall of the stairwell features an elongated hatch behind which a bi-fold hatch unfolds to lock the flybridge separate from the saloon.

The starboard side of the bridge features a galley with sink and bottle rack in its top whilst stowage and refrigeration is accessed through its front. The aft end of this module features a docking control station hidden under another hatch and when there the skipper has a good uninterrupted view along the length of the starboard side.

The aft end of the bridge is closed off with removable clears and a bench seat may have its backrest swung for either looking astern or used as part of the lounge for the dining table fitted here.

The helm station is situated on the port side of the front of the bridge and another Pompanette chair is installed amidships next to that for the skipper. Along the starboard wall a three-seater lounge is installed for those wanting to keep the crew company on a long run.

A large sunroof may be retracted for natural ventilation and as with the view below in the saloon, that above is panoramic with low cut sills on all the window panes.

Installed in a forward corner of the engine room is Cummins Onan EQD 17.5kW genset along with a 1.2kW inverter to run the ice maker and entertainment system when there is no generator or shorepower available.

The fuel filtration system was easily accessible, mounted on the forward bulkhead and we must say this is one of the easiest engine rooms to get around in. With the deck lifted on hydraulic rams then disconnected, the engines would be easily removed for major work if need be.

Air-conditioning condensers are fitted in the various cabins on this boat and they vent through wooden pelmets situated in the top of the surrounding walls. This allows for a more even distribution of cooler air without uncomfortable chill spots in these areas.

The hull is constructed with independent compartments and is of infused construction with a core in the bottom and topsides. The keel, chines and engine room surrounds are solid GRP for maximum protection against penetration and there is a water-tight collision bulkhead forward.

The helm station was fitted out with the latest in Raymarine electronics including a thermal imaging camera which provides startling results day or night with an effective operating range. Two of their C-140 multifunction screens were fitted and rather than go into their functionality and how they integrate with the other electronics on the boat we would rather cover this in a stand-alone story; it was that impressive!

This boat is big on user-friendly space. Uncluttered, it has more than enough ‘behind hatch’ stowage to load it up with supplies for extended travel and live-aboard in the lap of luxury.

The entertainment areas are also copious allowing all on board to spread out both in the saloon and flybridge should you need your own personal space.

And the finish throughout is impeccable!