Riva Yacht: Goddess of Yachting

'The yachting world can be divided into two eras: before and after Carlo. Riva is the only yachting brand everyone knows, even if they couldn't care less about yachting. Riva is simply more than just boats,' boasted CEO of Ferretti Group, Alberto Galassi recently.

The story of Riva began in 1860, by the picturesque Lake Iseo, located between Milan and Venice. There, under cypress trees and amid ancient villages, where the road to Sarnico gently curves alongside the lake, lies Tesone – the building where the Riva brothers founded their small boatbuilding business, all the way back in 1842. There, Carlo Riva let his business and artistic spirit fly freely, writing the first words in the history of the industry we now call yachting.

This dreamer and idealist, this hard worker and perfectionist pushed himself above and beyond, knowing that was the only way to create something truly special. Inspired by American yachting magazines, chromed Cadillac cars, and slender, fast boats mentioned in the works of F. S. Fitzgerald, Riva managed to capture the spirit of the moment like a painter does, and turned it into eternity.

In the 1950s and 1960s, when the world economy was enjoying an unprecedented boom, a new world was coming to life in the area between Portofino and Cannes – old money met nouveau riche, both hungry for life, adventure, and beauty. Under the banner of dolce vita, the yachting industry and the entire country discovered their passion for speed.

Carlo Riva brought together two defining passions of postwar Italy, automobiles and boating, translating them into elegant poetry in wood. He understood that his boats needed to be as precise as Swiss watches, as finely tailored as bespoke English suits, and, above all, visually striking. Riva became the first luxury brand in the marine industry where functionality was no longer the sole priority, as its forward thinking design perfectly matched the taste of the global jet set.

An enduring connection with Federico Fellini's cinematic masterpiece La Dolce Vita deepened Riva's ties to the film industry. The brand won over stars like Anita Ekberg, who owned a Tritone, and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who used a Junior as a tender for their yacht, while Brigitte Bardot famously posed aboard her Florida.

Directors embraced Riva's visual allure in classics such as Some Like It Hot and Mambo, while Sophia Loren and Clark Gable glided aboard one in It Started in Naples, set against the backdrop of Capri. If one were to draw a parallel, perhaps only James Bond's famous Aston Martin DB5 has achieved a comparable status on the silver screen.

With his next creation, Carlo Riva secured the brand's place in nautical history. Launched in 1962 under the slogan 'Sun, Sea and Joie de Vivre,' the Aquarama became a benchmark for motorboat design. That same year marked the arrival of the Ferrari 250 GTO, a compelling reminder of how brilliant creators like Carlo Riva and Enzo Ferrari shared a common philosophy.

The Aquarama has been described in many ways, as the Queen of the French Riviera or the Stradivari of the boating world, always associated with symbols of exceptional quality and beauty. Yet comparisons were unnecessary. The Aquarama is simply, unmistakably a Riva: pure hedonism embodied in a boat of timeless design, crafted in polished mahogany.

Several years later, in 1969, Carlo Riva once again proved his genius, creating their first fiberglass model. Today, as part of the Ferretti Group, Riva is just one of a handful of international brands that can boast a full catalog of models ranging from 8 to 90 meters. From Riva Iseo to superyachts, all models share some very specific features, like impeccable details and timeless design.

In this year of its anniversary, Riva has given itself a most beautiful present – a limited-edition model (all 18 units have already been sold!), the Riva Anniversario. This model is history turned present (and future), a mahogany diva ready to set sail for high society, embodying the quality Carlo Riva described as 'beautiful and different, immediately recognizable as a Riva.'

Complimenti, maestro – yachting would not be the same without you...