Boat test for the 2004 Riviera 51 Sportfisherman with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2004 Riviera 51 Sportfisherman.
 
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HOME  >  BOAT TESTS  >  2004 RIVIERA 51 SPORTFISHERMAN
 BOAT TEST: 2004 Riviera 51 Sportfisherman
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Handholds (or lack thereof) were not an issue in the flat-calm waters that prevailed during our speed trials on Lake Worth, where we recorded a top speed that was just shy of 32 knots. What impressed me more was her balance: The 51 planed effortlessly at around 1400 rpm and rode steadily at near constant trim all the way up to WOT. At 2000 rpm her Frank Mulder-designed hull form makes better than half a nautical mile per gallon, delivering an impressive 500-NM range from her optional 1,000-gallon fuel capacity.

Outside the Palm Beach inlet, we ran a series of tight high-speed turns in two-foot swells, and I found her handling to be stable and predictable. At lower speeds I felt a tendency to oversteer, probably due to the yacht’s deep forefoot. But maneuverability in tight quarters was superb, thanks to the standard 8-hp bow thruster and control offered by the Twin Disc Power Commander electronic controls, which offer an innovative trolling mode that can reduce propeller rpm almost to zero while holding the engine at idle speed.

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

While sea conditions on our test day didn’t put the Riviera to the ultimate test, my inspection convinced me that her reputation for toughness is well deserved. Among world-class sportfishing yachts, she sets a high standard.

Riviera Yachts USA
(561) 721-4100

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 Photo Gallery
This article originally appeared in the March 2004 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
BOAT SPECIFICATIONS
Boat Type: Sportfisherman
Base Price: $886,714
Standard Power: 2/700-hp Caterpillar C12 diesel inboards
Optional Power: 2/800-hp Caterpillar 3406E diesel inboards; 2/825-hp MTU Series 60 diesel inboards
Length Overall (LOA): 58'6"
Beam: 16'1"
Draft: 4'7"
Weight: 45,200 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 713 gal.
Water Capacity: 227 gal.
Standard Equipment: 17.5-kW Onan genset w/hushbox, 46,000-Btu Cruisair reverse-cycle A/C, 8-hp bow thruster, Simrad autopilot and sounder, GRP hardtop, transom door, refrigerated baitwell, high-gloss varnished interior joinery, leather or Ultraleather upholstery
Test Engines: 2/825-hp MTU Series 60 diesel inboards
Transmissions / Ratio: Twin Disc/1.48:1
Props: S&S Ultrafast 26x30 4-blade Nibral
Steering: SeaStar hydraulic
Controls: Twin Disc EC-251 Power Commander
Optional Equipment On Test Boat: Simrad electronics package with 2/15-inch color displays, radar, sounder, and GPS plotter; blue hull sides above waterline; flying bridge A/C; extra 248-gal. fuel tank; Pipewelders tower; Pompanette fighting chair; Strataglass bridge enclosure
Price As Tested: $1,173,000
Conditions: temperature: 75º; humidity: 80%; wind: 5-10 mph; seas: calm; load: 360 gal. fuel, 227 gal. water, 2 persons, 50 lbs gear. Speeds are two-way averages measured w/Stalker radar gun. GPH from MTU electronic display. Range: 90% of advertised fuel capacity. Decibels measured on A scale. 65 dB is the level of normal conversation. All measurements taken with trim tabs fully retracted.
PMY BOAT TEST EXTRAS 
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Internal Boat Layout: Diagram
 
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