Riviera launches flagship 72

Riviera has launched its most advanced and refined craft ever. The new 72 Sports Motor Yacht officially debuted at the recent 2018 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS).

The company’s largest production craft to date, the Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht is based on the 68 launched in 2017. Boatsales’ late editor, David Lockwood, called that then flagship Riviera’s magnum opus, labelling it: “Riviera’s best boat ever, and a whole new calibre of luxury motor yacht.”

The new 72 builds on the new systems and attention to refinement pioneered in the 68 but delivers additional cockpit, flybridge and mezzanine space and the choice of Classic or Grand Presidential accommodation suites with three or four staterooms.

Riviera says pricing will start from around $4.48m.

“Superior offshore and extended cruising capabilities” are promised along with the security that the vessel’s build exceeds CE Category B certification, says Riviera. This certification approves boats operating offshore with “winds to 40 knots and significant seas to 13 feet”.

Riviera says the new 72 Sports Motor Yacht is the result of more than two years of development including significant consultation with “highly experienced Riviera owners from around the world”.

"All of the owners we spoke with were seeking a new style of motor yacht," said Riviera owner, Rodney Longhurst.

"Their dream was a blue-water yacht that combines speed and sport fishing and other water sports capabilities with the confidence of high bulwark side decks, a foredeck entertainment centre, fully enclosed flybridge with internal stairs, a covered mezzanine dining area and ultra-luxurious interiors," Longhurst stated.

"This new Sports Motor Yacht comprehensively delivers on their brief," he said.

Riviera has already delivered four of the 68/72 pairing and is holding orders for another 13. It can produce around eight of the super-sized craft each year.

Building on the 68

Like the 68, the 72 features a Mulder Design hull, but the new vessel’s cockpit is 31% larger

At the forward end of that oversized cockpit there is an amenity centre with barbecue et al and the elevated mezzanine (also larger than the 68’s) includes a large under-cover dining area. This is in-turn connected with the central U-shape gourmet galley on the main deck via a stainless steel framed door and large awning window

A door on the port side of the mezzanine leads to a staircase down to the day head and shower. Adjacent to the day head is a utility room or optional crew cabin with direct access to the engine room.

The 72 also features a foredeck lounge with seating for eight accessed by generous decks protected by high bulwarks. The deck can also include a 550kg hydraulic davit and custom Williams tender which stows atop the entertaining area.

Riviera says the 72 Sports Motor Yacht galley is generous and well-equipped for long stays on board “featuring premium appliances including a four-burner induction cooktop with pot-keepers, rangehood, a large convection microwave oven and a dishwasher as well as four drawer fridges and two freezers”.

The saloon features a large lounge to port and, to starboard, a leather dinette that seats up to eight people. A watertight pantograph door on the port side leads to the side deck, allowing quick and easy access to mooring lines and the foredeck and the timber staircase provides direct internal access to the flybridge and its state-of-the-art helm station.

Guests can relax here on lounges across the entire starboard side facing the helm, skipper and an entertainment unit. There is also a fold-out double bed secreted under the aft lounge.

To the rear of the flybridge is more alfresco seating with a dining area and L-shape seating, wet bar and the like. Engine controls, a stainless steel wheel and joystick controls are built into the aft end of the wet bar. A second joystick is mounted on the starboard side for mooring duties.

A choice of quarters

The Riviera 72 Sport Motor Yacht’s accommodation deck offers two stateroom options as noted both featuring three bathrooms. The three-cabin Presidential layout with full-beam master stateroom is the most luxurious.

This positions an ensuite in the starboard fore quarter and private sitting area on the starboard side of the main suite which Riviera says can “serve as an informal workstation, make-up bureau or breakfast retreat”.

Both Classic and Presidential options’ main cabins feature a king-size bed, a feature headboard and bedside tables with and ample storage underneath. Full his and her wardrobes are also featured.

The 72’s forward stateroom includes a walk-around queen-size bed with storage beneath and a private ensuite. In the three-cabin layout, the port cabin aft features twin single beds which can, at the touch of a button, form a double as the inboard bed slides across.

Smart engineering

Utilising the latest in digital systems, many of the 72’s onboard systems can be controlled via smartphone or tablet. Twin Onan generators provide electrical power

Engineering is a highlight of the Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht, however. The craft is replete with systems designed to cater for long periods at sea – befitting this vessel’s long-range cruising brief.

Main power is provided by twin MAN V12 turbo-diesels rated at 1800 or 1900hp. Twin Disc remote-mounted Quickshift gearboxes integrate with Express Joystick controls and V-drives channel power to Aquamet 22 Sea Torque oil-filled shafts and Veem five-axis CNC-cut propellers.

Riviera is claiming a cruising range of 650nm at 20kt for the 72 when equipped with the 1900hp MANs. Top speed for the vessel is an impressive 35kt. At displacement speeds, the passage range is in excess of 2900nm.

Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht specifications
Length overall (incl. swim platform and bow roller): 23.68 m 78' 3"
Lh to ISO8666 22.02 m 72' 3"
Beam (incl. gunwale): 6.00 m 19’ 8"
Maximum draft (incl. props): 1.86 m 6' 1"
Dry weight (approx.): 47,000 kg 103,600 lb
Fuel capacity: 9,000 litres 2,378 US gal
Water capacity: 1,000 litres 264 US gal
Holding tank capacity: 600 litres 159 US gal
Cabins: (Classic) 4, (Grand Presidential) 3
Bathrooms: 3
Sleeping capacity: (Classic) 8 persons; (Grand Presidential) 6 persons
Bridge clearance: 6.45 m 21' 2"
Engines: MAN V12 1900 x 2 1,397 kW 1,900 hp each
Generators: Onan 27.5 kW; Onan back-up 13.5 kW