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Random Quote: HAM AND EGGS - A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.
I stopped by HMY in north Palm Beach this afternoon to look at the new Riviera 43 express. I had typed up a long description but all my text was lost when I tried to run the spell check.
So here's the short version.
Very very nice cruising boat. Not so hot as a fishing boat.
1) It lacks any decent fishbox space. Apparently Riviera is aware of the issue and they are redesigning the fishbox storage.
2) Very little tackle storage space. This could also be corrected by removing the optional helmdeck ice maker and changing the storage configuration under the mezanine bench seat. I love the mezanine seat!
3) No sufficient usable rod storage for a fishing rig whore like me.
The broker was very knowledgeable and nice. He said that with the IPS 600 engines this boat cruises at 28kt burning 32-34 GPH. He said the top end was 32-33kt.
Base Price = $658K
As shown Price = $887K
This is the full beam 2nd stateroom under the helm deck (courtesy of the IPS configuration. There's a full size berth and a twin size berth. All those cushions on the full size berth make up the "sunpad" that sits up on the bow area.
Nice looking boat. Reminds me of a Tiara. I like the IPS system and space. Tiara on my dock has them and it handles around the dock like a dream. Only Q I would have is what the boat feels like in rough water. With all that weight in the stern is that a noticeable issue. Changes the weight distribution as compared to a traditional inboard configuration.
Viking is coming out with a 3 stateroom 42 foot IPS Boat. That is going to be very interesting.
I'm also very intrigued by the new Viking 42 IPS. I'm also watching the progress of the cold molded Freedom 56 triple IPS with baited breath (no pun intended). 3 SR in a 42 and 4 SR in a 56 footer! It will be interesting to see how all of these new pod boats perform in the water, but they sure are fun to watch on paper!
Great pics!
Though a nice looking boat it's not designed with fishing in mind. The wheel mounted on the center line is strange! Don't expect to go out alone without line handlers while docking!
great boat and yea im guessing she is a demo boat so i wouldnt judge how well she is rigged as a fishing boat as yet plus im sure the owener could rig her anyway they want within reason. add a nice marlin tower and she will be good to go. one thing though how do u put a fighting chair?
Riviera has a version with a tower so that should solve the rod holder issue, put 3 in each gunnel and 4 up each tower leg.
The visibility on that boat does look like it sucks. The frame structure is too large, the rake on the wind screen although looks slick, puts the top frame section of the wind screen in the line of vision of a tall person.
They need to get the engines out of the area where the fish box is suppose to go and get rid of the mezzanine seats. The boat is too small for that. Remove the seat and put in a tackle and bait prep stations.
I don’t understand what’s going through these “fishing boat” builders heads. Yes IPS is nice but you can also install engines in the conventional locations and run a shaft back to the IPS drive. That will leave the plenty of room under the cockpit for a fish box.
And they need a fish box. A real insulated under deck fish box.
Like this:
And tackle stations and cockpit freezers like what's in the process of being built here:
Riviera is just now thinking about how to put in a fish box. That's funny.
It looks like they built a cruiser that they are trying to also market to the fishing crowd. Ain't gonna happen. Anyone serious about bluewater fishing isn't going to spend $887,000.00 plus another 80K on a tower for that boat.
If Riviera wants to hire me as a consultant I'm sure I can straighten them out and shown them what Americans need in a fishing machine.
.... the rake on the wind screen although looks slick, puts the top frame section of the wind screen in the line of vision of a tall person.
If by tall person you mean someone 6'8"+ then the top frame of the windshield might start to impede their line of sight. It was a complete total non issue for me (5'11"). However I agree that the frame structure along the side windows on the helm deck is a bit on the fat side.
Quote:
I don’t understand what’s going through these “fishing boat” builders heads. Yes IPS is nice but you can also install engines in the conventional locations and run a shaft back to the IPS drive. That will leave the plenty of room under the cockpit for a fish box.
As I mentioned from the very beginning of this message thread, this boat is clearly not targeted at the hardcore fishin' peeps. Some people see a great advantage at having a full beam 2nd stateroom under the helm deck which this IPS config allows. If Riviera was able to figure out how to make the cockpit deck fishboxes of reasonable size, than the other issues are fairly easily addressed and this could make a nice boat for someone who is looking for a stylish cruise/fish boat.
No doubt about it, the Riviera is a pretty boat and gives you a lot of interesting features. I've got a 38' Tiara Open, pretty close to a direct competitor to the Riviera 42. We use the boat about 60/40 family cruising vs. fishing and we have been very pleased with it's abilities in both functions. The Riviera clearly gives you a real second stateroom, but the pictures make it seem as if you have to give up some roominess in the main salon. My Tiara's arrangement has the same queen forward, galley and nice roomy convertible dinette to starboard, and a pullman lounge/berth to port. Plenty roomy for one couple and two smallish kids, but a little too cosy for two couples (though there are privacy curtains around the pullman berth). It is very satisfactory four four fishermen on an overnight trip. I like my bridgedeck layout a little better as well. But if you were routinely traveling with two couples, or parents plus 2 teenaged kids that second stateroom sure would be nice. Plus, I imagine the pod power is a little more efficient overall.
While I'm genuinely intrigued by the pod designs now coming out, I worry about their fragility in a grounding. Here in SW FL, bumping the bottom occasionally is pretty much a fact of life. With the cutbacks on dredging and maintenance in the passes and along the ICW in southwest FL, you can easily bump even in mid channel. Got to wonder how the pods are going to fare vs. shafts and wheels. Having a set of props repaired is usually a grand or so, shafts can set you back $5 - 6K. Pods? Not sure but I'd bet more.
Still, I'm thinking my next boat might well be the new 42 IPS that Viking is working on. 3 full SR's on a 42 sure is tempting!
No doubt about it, the Riviera is a pretty boat and gives you a lot of interesting features. I've got a 38' Tiara Open, pretty close to a direct competitor to the Riviera 42. We use the boat about 60/40 family cruising vs. fishing and we have been very pleased with it's abilities in both functions. The Riviera clearly gives you a real second stateroom, but the pictures make it seem as if you have to give up some roominess in the main salon. My Tiara's arrangement has the same queen forward, galley and nice roomy convertible dinette to starboard, and a pullman lounge/berth to port.
It sounds like you've got a 'Plan B' Tiara 38. The Tiara 38 'plan B' has the same layout as the Pursuit 38 which is still our favorite express in this size range. Sweet boat!
Photos of new 2009 Riviera 43 Express IPS
