Riviera syndication success

Having a luxury yacht berthed at Rushcutters Bay in Sydney Harbour during spring, summer and autumn and then at Hamilton Island during winter sounds like most boaters' dream.

If the boat is question is a Riviera 5800 Sport Yacht to which you have generous access without paying the full costs of buying and maintaining the vessel, it sounds even better.

Welcome to the latest edition to the growing Riviera Syndication scheme which provides all the advantages of ownership without all the costs.

Riviera Syndication managing director John Russell says the scheme has been really popular with Sydneysiders with six of the 10 shares in the boat already sold. Two of the owners are Queenslanders and two are existing owners in the company's first Riviera 5000 Sport Yacht syndicate.

"Owners of this boat get the opportunity to travel with our skipper, Jimmy Thorn, during legs from Sydney to the Gold Coast and the Gold Coast to Hamilton Island and return, which is a tremendous experience to learn about offshore cruising and seamanship," Russell says.

"It is the absolute ultimate way to own a boat, in Sydney in the warmer months and spend time in the Whitsundays during winter each year for the three year life of the program without having to do any other work or organisation."

Russell says Riviera Syndication's sales exceeded all expectations at last year's Sydney International Boat Show and he says he anticipates another successful show this year.

"This year we plan to have a second 5000 Sport Yacht on order at or before the show," he says, "Our Sydney Riviera Syndication manager, Andy Young, has already confirmed four shares in this boat and we plan to launch it at Rushcutters Bay."

"There had been a marked increase in syndication shares this year. We have already contracted 24 shares this year valued at more than $2.8million, so I predict that our 5800 and 5000 Sport Yacht models will do extremely well at the Sydney show."

Guyon Holland, who bought a share in the 5000 Sport Yacht at Rushcutters Bay at last year’s SIBS says being a shareholder had allowed he and his family to enjoy all the benefits of ownership with any of the hassle.

"Friends are always curious as to how it works and I use the analogy of ‘it’s like a cross between a hire car and a hotel room’," Holland says.

"You arrive and everything is ready to go – just bring along your food, clothes, drinks and friends or family. When you come back, tidy up, take your personal belongings with you, remove any rubbish, and then lock up. It is that simple."

Check out Riviera.com.au for more details on its boats, and RivieraSyndication.com.au.