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Outside, flaps over the stern cleats are elegant and practical, as are the twin liferaft lockers inset into the quarters—exactly where you would want them. The little folding shade over the foredeck sunbed put me in mind of a baby stroller hood, but it will probably remind you of your 1933 Duesenberg. Our optional mini-bimini top seemed to have come from the same design school. It might struggle to provide much in the way of shade, but it looked nice. And I liked the transom "doors," too—simple molded panels that slide shut to reveal the Riva name on the transom in polished stainless steel.
While the SportRiva's hull is more than three feet longer than the open-topped Rivale's, the extra length is aft of the engine-room bulkhead to support the added weight of the flying bridge. With no need for a lower dinette, however, the SportRiva's guest cabins have been placed farther forward, to make space for a surprisingly comfortable midships crew cabin, accessed via the galley. The galley itself is spacious and practical, and although buried out of sight of the saloon, it is open to the air and not at all claustrophobic.
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The SportRiva 56 is lucky with her inheritance: The hull shape she shares with the Rivale is deep-sectioned with a fine entry and 15 degrees of deadrise at the stern. Her only engines (there is no optional power) are MAN V8s of 900-hp each mated to V-drive gearboxes, with propeller tunnels to reduce the shaft angle. These compact and torquey motors, in their tightly packed but well-organized engine room, pushed our boat to a top speed of nearly 36 mph. Her captain confessed that she had been achieving 39.1 mph until the propellers came into contact with a hard bit of Sardinia during the boat's pre-show VIP launch. Oops.
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Riva SportRiva 56 |
The weather was kind and the waves barely a foot or two, but luckily there were enough big wakes around off Cannes to confirm that this capable hull provides a commendably soft upwind ride—noticeably better than the 63 Vertigo's which I tested last year, even allowing for the speed difference. The trim tabs provide effective attitude control, either for coping with crosswind heel or for bringing the bow down to iron out a chop. The hull is happy downwind, too, and a low planing speed of 17 mph will be useful in more challenging conditions when you want to maintain some momentum without hitting the waves too hard.
Perhaps due to the long-keel effect of the propeller tunnels, the SportRiva really doesn't like turning corners. I would estimate her turning radius at 300 to 400 yards. Together with her somewhat leisurely acceleration—maybe due to the prop damage—this is hardly the sort of driving experience you expect from a boat with the word sport in her name, especially a boat with such a competent hull.
But that was the only negative in a thoroughly enjoyable test. Whether you want a luxurious dayboat or a great-looking cruiser, the 56 will fit the bill. As a concept, the open-flying-bridge hybrid works brilliantly, and the quality and detailing are everything you would expect of a Riva. But perhaps the best thing is that this 56 is, apparently, just the first in a whole new range of SportRivas. Personally, I can't wait for the next one.
For more information on Riva, including contact information, click here.
SPOTLIGHT ON: Cockpit Layout
The cockpit layout shouldn't work, but it does. The dinette is on a raised section over the tender garage, with walkways on each side. The curved flying-bridge ladder, which passes through the middle of the radar mast, descends more or less into the middle of the rear-facing seat. Under the ladder steps, set into the seat molding, is the cockpit bar with a sink and barbecue. It sounds like a mess, but it looks great, and as long as you're not the one being stepped on by people coming downstairs, it works. Bravo!—A.H.
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This article originally appeared in the February 2008
issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
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