Riviera celebrates 5000th boat

Owners of multiple Rivieras, Peter and Denise Haig, had the honour of unveiling the signed six by two metre banner marking Riviera’s 5000th boat launch.

Peter and Denise travelled from Sydney to join 180 Riviera owners as they became part of Australia’s maritime history at the special gala dinner celebration held at the company’s manufacturing facility on Queensland’s Gold Coast on November 2.

Peter, who currently owns a 51 Open Flybridge, said it was an honour to be invited to participate in the event.

"When we unveiled the banner with all of the Riviera staff’s signatures and messages on it, we felt incredibly proud to be Riviera owners. The comments on the banner show just how dedicated and passionate the team at Riviera are to building the best, and it was great to be a part of that," Mr Haig said.

"It was very emotional watching the first Riviera model, the 38 MKI, roll down the driveway because my very first Riviera was the model straight after that, the 38 MKII, so it brought back a lot of memories.

"It made me realise how lucky I have been over the years to be able to own five Rivieras, and the strength of the brand is testament in that first 38, which 32 years later is still going strong.

The 5000th Riviera boat to be launched was a 445 SUV. 

This whole new series of boats was released in August this year and already six of these new models have been sold to owners in the United States and Australia. The SUV concept draws its DNA from Riviera’s Flybridge, Sport Yacht and Offshore Express series and is a true bridge between them all.

The Riviera 38 MKI’s Brisbane owners, Scott and Michele White, are new to the Riviera family having purchased their 38 only six weeks ago.

Mr White said it was a very proud moment when their Riviera rolled down the driveway with spotlights shining on her hull, showing off her classic lines.

"When we saw this boat for sale, it was exactly what we were looking for. It had to pass survey, which it did with flying colours. It is mechanically and structurally sound, and inside is perfect. The shape is timeless and we felt humbled and proud when Riviera approached us about displaying our boat at the 5000th Riviera celebration.

"It is our first Riviera and to see her at the gala dinner was a surreal moment for us and something we haven’t experienced before.

Riviera CEO, Wes Moxey, said the launch of Riviera’s 5000th boat was a very memorable and momentous occasion.

"It was very moving to see the first Riviera model and the 5000th Riviera side by side, and to share this moment with more than so many Riviera owners was one of the most rewarding experiences in my entire career," Mr Moxey said.

"When you look back over 32 years of Riviera and the launching of 72 individual models, the most popular of which we built 288 boats, the launch of the 5000th Riviera is a major milestone in the Riviera history books," Mr Moxey added.

For more information, please go to www.riviera.com.au