David Lockwood•10 May 2013

REVIEW

Riviera 565 SUV

Name: Riviera 565 SUV
Brand: Riviera

New flagship sports-utility vessel provides first-class travel and a stage for all pursuits

LIKES

- The SUV concept is all about utility and user-friendliness

- Big cockpit for the Australian way of boating

- Great saloon layout and aft galley

- Full-beam stateroom is a benchmark for pod boats

- Performance is great with twin IPS 900s

- Riviera has strong financial backing

NOT SO MUCH

- Longevity of the IPS 900 pod drives is unknown

- Big beamy boat demands a lot of marina docking space

- No watermaker

OVERVIEW

- Customer driven maxi off-roader

The new Riviera 565 SUV follows the 445 SUV that ushered in the Sports Utility Vessel (SUV) concept for Riviera last year. But unlike that smaller sister ship, this flagship was conceived entirely due to one customer’s demands. After owning many boats over the years, the seasoned Riviera owner sought a step up from his 5000 Sport Yacht with Zeus pod drives. He got a big step up…

The resulting single-level SUV is a boat with immense -- but manageable -- volume and a snappy look that will command attention in a big-city raft up as much as when running hard at sea. Based on the same platform as the Rivera 53 Enclosed Flybridge, but new from the gunwale up, the 565 SUV has been conceived to do a bit of everything really very well.

Without the flying bridge and staircase, the boat is particularly well-suited to today’s footloose retirees who prefer to spend their time on the one open-plan waterfront level. But unlike Riviera’s Sport Yacht Series, the SUVs distinguish themselves by their offshore pedigree. After all, they are based on the flybridge boats designed and built for coastal cruising.

An avid cruising buff, the Melbourne-based owner of this 565 SUV wanted a dual-purpose boat to get away with mates and, at other times, escape with his wife in five-star luxury. The ‘custom’ four high-backed Pompanette helm chairs fronting the windscreen offer four boating buddies the same first-class cruising comfort as the skipper and co-pilot. The accommodation, which we’ll get to, has also been modified with social boating in mind. Yet the standard full-beam stateroom was the clincher for the owners.

After a considered build period, and our test drive, the eager owners took delivery of their new 565 SUV. They headed north from the Gold Coast as far as they could before returning mid-May. This boat was to be the centrepiece for the Riviera Festival from May 23-26. Indeed, the SUVs have attracted considerable attention, says Stephen Milne, Director of Brand and Marketing at Riviera, with 11 sales of 445 SUVs at the time of writing.

We’re told SUV customers tend to be keen cruising folk, even ex-Grand Banks owners, who appreciate the boats’ practicality, utility and that one-level living. The enlarged accommodation plan is another hook, as is the Australian design and feel. But you can’t ignore the attention to detail on this 565 SUV.

One-year after Rodney Longhurst bought Riviera and freed the boat builder from the shackles of receivership, he’s been driving quality. Riviera isn’t chasing numbers or volume, such is the market, rather, it’s all about quality, personalisation and, as you see here, semi-custom or bespoke boats built especially for brand-loyal owners.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

- Quality foremost, not just price

This 565 SUV is very much one-man’s boat. There are those aforesaid quadruple helm seats, for example, but also a four-bunk ‘tournament’ cabin layout in the bow where a VIP island berth would otherwise exist. The idea is to cruise and hunker down with mates and you’ll be hard pressed to find a more convivial cruising conveyance.

With optional extended Stamoid cover with corner clears, and enlarged custom double barbecue concealed under the lunch table, the cockpit has a lot of sway, too. During the day, this outdoor stage will be the centre for all manner of activities from fishing and swimming to lunching and laughing with good company.

The boat had an upgraded hydraulic swim platform for easy tender dispatch and an outdoor remote for the separate zoned sound system. Add some loose chairs and you can see this boat pleasing everyone as it swings on the anchor following a passage to some ideal locale.

Power is the new standard pairing of twin IPS 900s (D11 700hp engines) in place of the initial tripe IPS 600s (435hp engines). As we found with the Riviera 53 Enclosed Flybridge, the bigger pod drives and props on the twin 900s make the world of difference and a better boat.

Elsewhere, seasoned boaters will appreciate the logic behind the owner’s chosen factory options and the customisations. They are the product of experience and revolve around food storage, power requirements and water (though a desalinator was lacking).

As with all good cruising boats, refrigeration was upgraded. There was an under-lounge 24/240V eutectic in the cockpit and a second fridge (and sink) opposite, in addition to the nest of drawer fridges and freezers in the galley. Together, this bodes well for long-term cruising, especially if the fish are biting.

Optional port and starboard cockpit docking stations with joysticks add to the user friendliness of this big SUV. Yet unlike the towering 53 Enclosed Flybridge, the 565 isn’t overwhelming. The high-aspect windscreen and saloon windows assist vision at the indoor helm, while windage (and anchoring scope) has been reduced by the lack of flybridge structure.

On the electrical front, the boat had an upgraded 5000W inverter with additional house batteries and standard 30A and 10A (in the event of no 30 amp Shorepower) 24V chargers. There were underwater lights and other neat things like a redundant water pump, filtered drinking water, and separate washer and dryer.

The triple 15in Raymarine HybridTouch screens were a nice touch for all navigation functions, while a FLIR night-vision camera will reveal the speed bumps ahead at night.

The interior was upgraded with high-gloss cherrywood joinery and luxe Macrosuede upholstery. Soft furnishings and galleyware packages helped create a very complete factory-rolled boat.

Then there are the customisations: a transom lounge, the special barbecue, cockpit storage bins, drain grooves on the solid galley counters, step lights programmed into night mode on the CAN-bus switching, stainless clips (no press studs) on all external covers, and so on. You only “get” these things after owning lots of boats and knowing what works for you.

The bottom line was $1,900,556 as tested for the 565 SUV, up from a base price of $1,695,000, but that’s the dream answered. There was nothing left wanting for serious coastal cruising, except that watermaker for real autonomy. The tender on the tail was coming.

DECK LAYOUT

- Maxi multipurpose platform

The hydraulic extended swim platform will not only tote the tender -- and a decent one with its 400kg lift capacity -- but make dispatching the shore party a snap. It’s also deep enough to plonk a folding chair, sit and do lunch or double as a fishing platform.

The custom aft lounge recessed into the transom will be coveted for lunch and calm-weather cruising. It’s exciting sitting here, with wind in your hair and plenty of surrounding water action.

The flush cockpit hatches, toe kicks for fishing support, and hawsepipes with big cleats, fresh and saltwater deck washes, are all good bluewater stuff. Underfloor were new lined storage bins either side of the central bilge access hatch. These bins are big enough for storing all manner of watersports gear and rate as a good substitute for the usual lazarette on shaft-drive boats. There’s storage in the barbecue base, too.

While the custom Kenyon electric barbecue under the lunch table is central to the boat’s intent, the 565 SUV’s mezzanine seating is hard to ignore. Tucked under the hardtop overhang and behind side clears, alongside the opening awning window back into the boat’s aft galley, the raised portside lounge is a great place to sit and watch the world drift by. Perfect for the cocktail hour for up to three. Drink holders and the Fusion stereo remote are nearby.

Moulded steps and wide side decks backed by supportive rails make the bow another destination, rather than just an anchoring spot. Of course, there’s no tender or davit up front to block the lower-helm vision and, therefore, you get plenty of flat foredeck for toasting those sunsets when the bow calls. A recessed Muir windlass and twin lockers will take care of reef anchoring duties, too. Should you prefer hardcore fishing, the 565 SUV can be geared for it.

With optional silver trim panels on the hardtop that breaks up what would otherwise be a big white expanse of fibreglass, this is a nicer looking boat than the Sport Yachts and better connected thanks to the deep glazing and opening rear windows in the saloon. We also noted a drop-in ladder for accessing the hardtop for servicing and cleaning duties.

SALOON LIVING

- Lots of glass, views and comfort

The awning window and opening saloon door usher you inside and frame broad views while sitting at the boat’s dinette and lounges raised one step up and forward of the aft galley, which is the engine room of the saloon and indoor/outdoor living areas. The U-shaped space will work well in a seaway, with potholders noted on the Miele induction three-burner cooktop, an LG convection combi microwave oven, big sinks, solid counters with small fiddle rails, and good overhead cupboard space.

There’s a dishwasher and, between the galley and wetbar cabinet opposite, four fridge drawers and two freezer drawers. The solid counter at the wetbar is expansive and perfect for serving buffet lunches, breakfasts and dinners with a crowd aboard. The pop-up saloon TV on a swivel brackets lives here, too.

All the electric switching is C-Zone CAN-bus with preset modes such as: all lights, all saloon lights, cruising, deck away, entertaining and (shut down) service mode. It also includes water, black water and fuel gauges.

The all-new windscreen and deep side windows on the ‘house’ superstructure create a terrific lounging area in the forward saloon. The L-shaped lounge ahead of the galley seats four before a dinette and, with the twin helm seats swivelled, another two. The settee opposite can seat three and double as a seaberth.

Swivel all the twin high-backed Pompanette seats and a party of a dozen could be seated with each other and enjoying the big views out the windows, dining on less-than-perfect days, or settling into a movie. Ventilation comes via sliding saloon windows and manual sunroofs with insect and shade screens.

Meanwhile, the hard-wearing Amtico flooring, high-gloss cherry joinery and Macrosuede upholstery provide style, comfort and practicality. The second 565 SUV will have satin light-oak joinery as standard for a more contemporary effect. But the choice of finishes is almost endless these days.

ACCOMMODATION

- Sleeps eight-plus in three cabins with twin en suites

As with the 53 Enclosed Flybridge, the 565 SUV has a three-cabin/two bathroom accommodation plan. Dressed in smart bedding, the third cabin doesn’t compromise. Its bunks are adult-length, there are hanging lockers and more drawers than you’d normally expect, ledges for personal effects, and a separate (optional) television and air-con controller.

Ordinarily, guests are treated to a queen-sized island bed in the bow, his and her hanging lockers and there are GPOs, while the mirrored bedhead, fabric feature panels, and ducted air-con creates a clean feel. Smart bedding and separate AV gear added to the luxe factor of the VIP cabin.

However, this 565 SUV had the so-called tournament layout with four adult-sized bunks up front. This way, the boat can sleep eight below decks and another couple in the saloon. Otherwise, in standard accommodation guise, it’s a great layout for an extended family at holiday time.

Of course, the owners get the royal treatment in the full-beam stateroom back aft and down a few steps -- it’s a two-level accommodation plan -- that signifies the boat’s huge volume. There’s headroom around the king-sized bed, panorama windows with optional opening portlights for natural cross-flow ventilation, a nest of drawers and a cedar-line walk-in wardrobe with special shoe-rack.

Owners also get a two-seater lounge to port, a big screen TV fitted flush into the joinery, and a bookcase. Generator noise is barely audible and, with a great big aft en suite with five-star shower, owners really can live aboard. A washer/dryer and linen press in the companionway add to the self-sufficiency.

The new bathroom model, introduced on the 53 Enclosed Flybridge, is has designer touches such as backlit faux marble splashback, mini mixers and pencil shower rose, oversized shower, teak accents, porcelain sink, and the latest Vacuflush heads. There’s also natural ventilation, while the extractor fan is finally acceptably quiet. The vanity has been up-sized and the interior as a whole is just plainly accommodating.

MECHANICAL AND HULL

- Twin D11s and time-proven hull layup

The new standard twin D11 10.8-litre installation puts the engines further forward than the previous compact triple 5.5-litre six-cylinder diesels. The bigger and better engines are now mounted abreast in what would otherwise be the boat’s lazarette and are linking to pods with jack shafts.

You can easily trounce between the engines, find the sea strainers (with clear inspection panels), check the fuel filters, look for leaks, and cast your eye over the generator. Riviera has gone to some effort to keep the water out, too, using a double seal and deep gutter around the cockpit hatches and cockpit sole. A new dorade engine vent and temperature-controlled Delta T fans aid ventilation.

Thankfully there’s an internal servicing hatch under the aft-galley floor should you need to enter the engine room at sea. As it was, machinery items such as the generator, air-con units, battery charger and so on are dotted about the place. Such was the remaining room -- and near full headroom – that custom storage options are possible.

On the test boat, a Jabsco oil-transfer pump was fitted, while the separate internal pump room behind the stateroom bedhead had water pumps including switchable back-up. The boat’s labelled bilge manifold system is smart.

The single 3500 litre fuel tank is forward of the engine room, roughly on the fulcrum, for the least effect on trim, with a sight gauge and twin (upgraded) Racor fuel filters per engine on the same bulkhead. We also noted twin blackwater tanks for greater holidaying ability, a separate grey-water tank for the showers up front, and low-maintenance batteries.

The upgraded Mastervolt 5000W inverters and twin chargers were easy to access, while the pods have underwater exhausts, and the gas-water splitter on the generator adds to the running comfort.

As for the hull, the bottom is all hand-laid solid fibreglass including the chines, with cored decks and cabin top, independent hull compartments with bilge pumps, a watertight collision bulkhead, and vinylester resin to ward off osmosis. Read standard Riviera tried-and-tested layup.

ON THE WATER

- Less weight means faster again

Given the same hull and engines, it’s worth reflecting on our test of the 53 Enclosed Flybridge. There, as in here, power-to-weight ratio is key. Originally tipping the scales at just 22,300kg with triples, the 53 weighs an extra 600kg with twins but has oodles more torque. This 565 SUV is about 1000kg lighter, so it’s snappier still.

Put the engines into gear and the boat feels responsive. The big Duoprops give a shaft-like feel and great purchase, which will be appreciated running hard down sea and docking the boat. In the turns, the 565 SUV comes around in a shaft-like manner but it is possible to rip it around in a tighter circle once you get the knack.

With the twin IPS 900s, the 53 Enclosed hits 30.7 knots with full 3500 litres of fuel and 750 litres of water. You will get a 400 nautical mile cruising range at 23.1 knots at 2000rpm, according to the supplied data. Now for the 565 SUV… With half fuel and water and four adults, top speed is officially 32 knots at 2420rpm wide-open throttle.

The 2000rpm setting gives 24.4 knots fast cruise for an optimum 477 nautical miles range (0.15nm/l) with 10 per cent of the fuel in reserve. At 1800rpm heavy-weather cruise you’re doing 19.7 knots for a safe range of 453 nautical miles.

VERDICT

- Quiet achiever with first-class travel

Although we just zoomed around the Gold Coast’s Broadwater, the 565 SUV felt willing, powerful and oh-so-easy to command. The upgraded portside dash adds to the intent and, we’re told, is inspired by European cars. Riviera owner Rodney Longhurst has "grown up with that sense of aesthetic".

Those high standards seem to be carried throughout the new 565 SUV, yet looks don’t get in the way of practicality. The very image of this new sports utility vessel cutting a swatch across the water is sure to evoke something in just about everyone. That said, Riviera CEO Wes Moxey reckons the boat could be something of a quiet achiever.

Certainly with the saloon doors closed, when you assume your position in one of those four high-backed helm chairs fronting the deep windscreen, the only thing you’ll hear is the conversation between those riding alongside, sharing in first-class comfort. Who said altruism is dead?

Specifications

Price as tested: $1,900,556 as tested with twin Volvo Penta IPS 900s and options as detailed above including cockpit joysticks, teak-laid decks, special cockpit barbecue, hydraulic swim platform, cabin AVs, dinette double berth, dishwasher, opening stateroom portlights, awning, upholstery upgrade, extensive Raymarine electronics and loads more.

Priced from: $1,695,000

LOA: 18.52m

Hull length to ISO8666: 17.20m

Beam: 5.13m

Draft: 1.30m (max)

Weight: Around 22,300kg (dry w/standard twin IPS 900 engines)

Sleeping: 8+2

Fuel Capacity: 3500 litres

Water Capacity: 750 litres

Holding tanks: 273 litres

Grey water: 250 litres

Engines: Twin 700hp Volvo Penta D11 IPS 900 turbocharged, fully electronic, six-cylinder common-rail diesel engines with IPS II drives

Generator: Onan EQD 17.5 kW

Supplied by:

The Riviera Group,

50 Waterway Drive

Coomera, Qld, 4209

Phone (07) 5502 5555

See www.riviera.com.au.

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Riviera 565 SUV

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