Riviera Offshore 3000 Series II

Riviera Marine, Australia's biggest boatbuilder, exports around 75% of its production run which, at last call, was nudging 400 units a year. Its eight fleet-footed cruisers, ranging from 30-48ft, are as big a hit on the American market as Aussie actors at the Academy Awards. No, bigger... Crowe and Kidman missed out this year.

A new 58ft flagship, due for release at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show at the end of this month, will provide a further shot in the arm for Riviera. Influenced by world demands, the new 58 promises a lot of good stuff, including international flair.

Yet the subject of this story is the least successful export. The 3000 Offshore is the most parochial Riviera money can buy, a true blue cruiser designed for converting trailerboat and first-time skippers into big-boat owners.

To this end, the 3000 Offshore is unique in several key areas. Whereas most 30-footers made for export or imported have sterndrive motors, the 3000 Offshore comes with shaftdrives. The hull has sleek lines - what the company calls Express styling - but with a dinky-di cockpit for the Australian way of life.

Since the release of the 3000 Offshore in Sydney in June 2000, the dealer at Rushcutters Bay has trotted out some 30 boats. The factory is up to hull number 110.

A big hit on the east coast, the 3000 comes in at half the price of 40ft sportsboats, yet it can carry six to eight people to Darling Harbour for seafood platters and sundowners. It represents value buying and promises low maintenance.

Best of all, the boat is easy to slip in and out of its pen and escape for the day or the weekend.

But despite these attributes, some would-be buyers have wanted more horsepower, more onboard power and a better canopy arrangement. Answering the call from local boaties, Riviera has released the much-improved 3000 Offshore Series II. Hull number 101 made for an interesting comparison to the last Riviera 3000 I set foot on, stamped hull Number 3.

HEY, TRUE BLUE
Originally, the Riviera 3000 Offshore had twin 200hp Volvo diesel motors for a 27-28kt top speed. Being an entry-level cruiser, the 200s were just fine for most folk. The new Series II still comes with these motors as standard, but there is now an upgrade available to twin 285hp Volvo EDCs.

With a new, improved supercharger system that's less noisy than those on the earlier Volvo engines and a turbocharger to boot, the twin 285hp diesel engines take the Riviera 3000 Offshore to 33-34kt. Aqualift exhausts, in lieu of the Volvo proprietary brand, ensure quiet operation, a signature feature of Rivieras.

Another big change is to the canopy arrangement. The Riviera 3000 lacked a targa arch from which an aftermarket canopy could be supported, which meant things such as GPS and radio aerials had to be mounted on the foredeck - none too pretty.

With a new, fully-moulded targa, the Riviera 3000 Offshore is a sharp looker. The canopy lines, even with clears fitted, match the raked hull lines. There is at least 190cm of headroom beneath the canopy, allowing space to stand and drive. The targa arch also carries aerials, stereo speaker, horn and navigation lights.

The moulded helm platform has undergone a structural change and is now mounted on a rubber gasket to reduce vibration and noise. The twin underfloor cockpit lockers have been ditched and the fuel tank moved forward, thereby creating a big lazarette where you can store a teak table and chairs, outboard and deflated ducky.

Marine vinyl on the outdoor lounge and helmseat has been upgraded. There is a better-sealed transom door which, though lacking a gasket on the testboat, has a moulded lip to keep the wash outboard. The boarding platform is 30cm deeper, allowing room to lie along its length or sit and wet a line, and there is an integrated swim ladder.

Less obvious, the rubbing strip has been capped with a stainless-steel band for longer life and less wear than rubber or plastic numbers, and there are new Riviera above-deck horn cleats in place of hawsepipes. Significantly, the helmseat is a stylish two-person lounge on which a couple can now drive arm-in-arm. Previously, it had armrests that prevented honeymooners from cruising up close.

The excellent gas barbecue for the cockpit is no longer standard issue and a 12V Engel cockpit fridge is also an option. Add these items, along with a canvas pack and electronics, to the must-have options list.

Collectively, these refinements produce a better 3000 Offshore. But the icing on the cake - if not the main attraction once dinner is done - is surely the styling changes to the interior.

INDOOR APARTMENT
While some 30ft American sportscruisers have more accommodation, thanks to the compact nature of sterndrive motors, this shaftdriven 30-footer probably does what most people want from their boats. Big on dayboating space, it has the facilities to entertain a crowd, and a luxurious interior for two people.

The dinette can be converted into a three-quarter double berth if more beds are needed but, hey, a boat for two is what more and more people - including empty-nesters and pre-bub professional couples - want these days.

Major changes include high-gloss European beech joinery, which is lighter and more contemporary than teak, a new timber dinette table that converts to a spare berth, and an inverter pack as standard so you can run the microwave at anchor.

The galley cupboards have been redesigned, the carpet upgraded, and there are sidepockets surrounding the island double berth in the bow. The Riviera range of bedspreads and soft furnishings has improved, too.

Despite the Riviera 3000's profile, there is headroom throughout the open-plan interior. To starboard is a full-sized moulded head that can cater for parties. Amenities include a top-notch Vacuflush loo, handheld or wall-mounted shower rose, shower curtain on slides and Granicoat vanity with beech-framed mirror. A porthole delivers fresh air.

The dinette can seat three people, though it's best with a setting for two. Opposite is the moulded galley, with Granicoat tops, timber cupboards and ample floor space to reheat Robert Carrier's beef bourguignon (made it the other day and full marks). The 12V fridge could just as easily be stocked with lobsters, oysters and champagne.

Buff trim furnishings and 12V lighting combine to produce a welcoming mood. No-one could be offended by the styling and most will go wobbly at the knees before the big island double berth in the bow. A CD player/marine stereo is mounted inside, with room for a television somewhere.

BUILT TO GO PLACES
The engineering is solid enough to undertake serious passages in the 3000 Offshore. A useable fuel capacity of 560lt, with 208lt of water, should handle weekends away or long-range offshore fishing trips.

Like the Caribbean 32 Open, also featured in this issue, the Riviera would lend itself to a half-tower and serious gamefishing fitout. The hand-laid fibreglass hull, with collision bulkhead forward, has composite decks and an inherently low centre of gravity.

The entire cockpit sole lifts on electrically-operated hydraulic struts for access to the Volvos. You also get an electric anchor winch, ground tackle and chain, bowrail to help make the foredeck accessible at sea, and small 12V powered saltwater washdown in the bow and cockpit.

Outdoor seating comprises the double helm bench and an L-shaped lounge to port for three people. The lounge is set around a moulded table, but the two don't convert into a sunpad or outdoor double berth. An amenities centre behind the helm includes a sink and hot and cold water supply, locker big enough for a gas bottle, and an optional cockpit fridge.

Behind the passenger lounge is a moulded storage unit. The grabrail along its leading edge is at the perfect height to work as a handhold when travelling on your feet. Without the moulded seating seen in some American sportscruisers, you have a huge amount of cockpit space for fishing, diving, partying, doing sunset dinners or simply kicking back on a deck chair.

SALTY BEAUTY
You can't fault the helm, where your vision is never really compromised, even when climbing onto the plane. Throttle and wheel fall nicely to hand and the dash, with things such as a stereo remote, trick switch panel and room for flush-mounting two 7in CRT screens, isn't dicky or glitzy.

The upgraded Volvo KAMD 300 EDCs have electronic gear shifts for effortless parking, while the supercharger kicks in on cold starts for cloud-free idle. On the water, the 3000 really does perform better than ever, thanks to the extra horsepower.

Lines adrift, we moseyed out of Rushcutters Bay Marina into the teeth of a 15-20kt northerly, a cursed wind in Sydney because it makes offshore travel uncomfortable and, 90% of the time, it precedes a southerly buster.

Unperturbed, we eased the 3000 onto the plane and shipped some spray across the bow. Later, we learnt to use the Volvos more aggressively. And the more power you apply, the better the ride.

The hull is full up front which, on the upside, gives room for the sumptuous double berth. But it also makes the 3000 Offshore wet. However, don't mistake this for hard riding. In the northerly, the boat did not thump once.

The odd bit of saltwater made it through the canopy zips, and there was some slight blowback of spray at the helm when high-tailing it downwind. But the seating was generally well sheltered by the canopy hanging off the new targa arch.

At 2700 rpm, we trucked along at 20kt, while at 3200rpm and 26kt the boat became noticeably drier. At maximum continuous revs of 3600rpm, we were running around at a neat 30kt. This was previously unattainable with the smaller Volvos and the boat runs better for it.

In fact, the ride reminded me of a custom-made 30ft gameboat that I tested off Cairns last year. It, too, was wet. Yet it was smooth riding and the experienced professional skipper fished just about any weather alongside 40-50 footers with the clear curtains down.

I would rather have the Riviera 3000 than a lot of imported 30ft sportscruisers. Shaftdrives mean you can leave the boat idle for a few months while holidaying OS. And the new Series II model is better on the pegs.

The Rushcutters Bay dealer expects to ship some 14 of the 3000 Offshore Series IIs in the next 12 months. This is Riviera's baby boomer, a little beauty made for dinky-di DINKS, retirees in waterfront apartments and people like you and me.

HIGHS

LOWS