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The Riviera 4600 Sport Yacht is an exclusive luxury yacht built on the other side of the world. The Riviera shipyard on Australia’s Gold Coast has the same legendary international allure as car brands like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Connoisseurs know that the Riviera brand stands for quality and comfort of the very highest level. Riviera has launched 6,000 yachts over the past 40 years and is now gaining popularity in Europe. We tested the 4600 for you – read our findings below!
Australian yachts in Roermond
Some 60% of all Rivieras are exported, mostly to the United States. But BestBoats in Roermond is now the brand’s dealer for Northern and Western Europe and Rivieras are spotted remarkably often in that region. With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury boat trade, the company has clients at home and abroad who appreciate these exclusive top-of-the-range yachts and will gladly travel to Roermond for them. And Best Boats has an excellent reputation regarding their outstanding customer service – as does Riviera when it comes to uncompromising quality. “A Riviera is really something special,” says Arie Drenth, owner of Best Boats. “These yachts are so solid that they are approved for CE design category B, so suitable for waves up to four metres high and wind force 8. You feel safe on a Riviera.”
More precious than gold
But this Riviera is not just about safety. Stepping aboard you sense straightaway that you are on a maximum comfort, top-class yacht. Everything is executed to the highest standards. When you see the designation 4600, you might think of a 46-footer, but the Riviera we tested is 15.31 metres long. That’s 51 feet, so 5 feet longer than you expect. This model also has more volume than earlier models due to a higher freeboard. ‘Platinum’ refers to the hardtop’s colour of platinum grey, but it is also a sign of quality. After all, platinum is prized more highly than gold – there is nothing better.
All aboard for a short guided tour
The swim platform can be lowered hydraulically and is strong enough to take a 300-pound dinghy. The dinghy garage opens electronically, has a special deep section for storing longboards plus plenty of room for lots of other fun stuff. The entrance to the aft deck is to starboard. Under the stairs is the valve with the bunker connections. Opposite is a blind staircase where you find neat contacts for the shore power cables. The 4600 has gangways along the saloon that are wide enough to walk forward safely. There are railings all around the yacht sturdy enough to withstand the pull of Australian storms on its nearly 20-ton weight. The foredeck features a large three-person sunbed with adjustable back. And the anchor facilities are perfect with a deep anchor locker, a strong anchor winch and a flushing system to keep the anchor clean.
Prestige
Looking at the construction, you can see that this boat is a rock-solid build. Every detail exudes dependability. On the aft deck is a gleaming stainless-steel frontage that is not only robust, but also beautiful to look at. Their sophisticated design is what sets Riviera yachts apart from other luxury production vessels. Open the door, lower the window and you have a spacious open boat. Adding to this sense of ease and space are no fewer than three electric opening hatches: a large one in the saloon and two smaller ones near the aft deck. The beautiful, streamlined cover for closing off the aft deck is specially made for our northern regions (in Australia, fly screens are installed instead of a cover). The Nordic package, specially created for Europe, combines a Webasto diesel heater with triple air conditioning.
Galley and dining area
Beautiful flame-finished burr walnut wood surfaces create a feeling of luxury. All the woodwork is painted in a high-gloss finish. This can be risky because high gloss shows every imperfection, but there are no flaws to be found here. On the port side is a beautiful galley with Corian countertops, two electric burners, a sink, a combi oven and plenty of room to store kitchen utensils. On the starboard side is a double stainless-steel refrigerator. Further forward you can dine in style on the U-shaped banquettes and folding wooden table. A television is concealed under the windshield at the front. When you want darkness, there are roller blinds for all the glass surfaces.
Cockpit and sleeping accommodation
The steering area on the port side has two fantastic Recaro helm seats. Two large Garmin screens on the dashboard give you full control and all the information you need. The steering wheel is adjustable with a good 320-degree view. The rear view is slightly obstructed by a cabinet above the refrigerator but the camera system more than compensates for that. Below deck is the front VIP guest cabin with a large French bed and plenty of closet space. On the port side is a compact cabin with a bunkbed for two, but you could also transform this space into an office. The magnificent owner’s cabin is aft and runs the entire width of the boat. It has its own spacious wet room with a vacuum toilet, a type of toilet that uses less water than others and is easy to keep clean. The owner’s cabin also features a comfortable couch and plenty of closet space in addition to a king-size bed. The ceiling height is slightly reduced above the bed but there’s still plenty of space.
Practical individual controls
Each cabin has individual temperature control and you can control the audio from anywhere on board, even from the front or aft deck. Another practical feature is remote control for all onboard lighting. And of course all the yacht’s indoor lights are fitted with dimmers. The aft deck features a large L-shaped bench and a beautifully designed adjustable triangular table with stainless steel cup holders. Opposite is an outdoor grill and a wet bar, so you can have your BBQ with cold drinks to hand. Another highly practical feature is that you can use the IPS joystick to moor the boat from the aft deck where you have the best visibility and can easily grab a mooring line.
IPS engines
The teak-covered hatch on the aft deck opens on to the engine room. The standard 4600 comes with two Volvo-Penta 480-hp six-cylinder diesel engines with IPS 650 drives. The boat we tested has two 600-hp eight-cylinder engines with IPS 800 drives. That means that the 600 hp engines achieve the performance you’d expect of 800 hp engines. The forward-facing IPS drives use less fuel, are quieter and mean you can accelerate harder.
So how do the engines perform? Every Riviera is tested before delivery for four days at full throttle. That’s not what we do. We start out quietly. Even though the day of the test is very windy, you can keep the boat perfectly under control and manoeuvre smoothly with the joystick. While the branches on the trees around us dance in the wind, we shoot smoothly across the water at a top speed of 31.7 knots (60 km/h). On this yacht, you always have 100% control. Manoeuvring is child’s play, even in the stormy conditions we could put the boat back on a tight mooring without damage.
Conclusion
This Riviera 4600 is a sport yacht that excels on the water in every aspect. Not only are the fundamentals sound but every detail is perfectly executed. You probably won’t find a better yacht in the 50-footer category.
The price is on request but is well over a million euros. It includes all possible options, VAT and delivery in the Netherlands – part of the comprehensive and excellent service you’d expect for a top yacht in the mini-superyacht category.
Is the Riviera 4600 your dream yacht? BestBoats has been working with Riviera Yachts since 2017 to make these beautiful yachts available to enthusiasts in Northern and Western Europe. Contact them for more information. And don’t forget to look at the manufacturer’s website.
If the Riviera 4600 is not what you are looking for, you can find boats in all shapes and sizes on botentekoop.nl. Your next boat is sure to be among them!
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