Price range [k €]
LOA [m]
Riva Yachts
Price from
on request
Price from
351,050€
Price from
621,150€
Price from
825,000€
Price from
2,283,200€
Price from
3,505,300€
Price from
3,534,550€
The shipyard of Riva Yachts
The historic Riva production yard, located in Sarnico near Bergamo, was founded in 1842 on Lake Iseo and remains at the heart of the brand’s legacy. This site has been where Riva’s renowned wooden hulls and modern yachts ranging from 27 to 66 feet are born. The facility, named La Plancia, was personally designed by Carlo Riva. A remarkable architectural gem, it is visible from across the lake, listed as a protected building, and treasured as an environmental heritage site.
The shipyard spans 36,000 sqm, with 17,000 sqm of indoor space, featuring 10 moorings, 2 jib cranes, 4 painting cabins, and a 50-ton trolley for yacht transportation and handling. The La Spezia production facility, established in 2004, plays a vital role as a strategic and industrial hub for Riva, enhancing the brand’s production capacity. Serving as the group’s center of excellence for technical, logistical, and commercial operations in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, it offers 13,000 sqm of indoor facilities. Geared towards implementing cutting-edge production techniques and building the largest models from 76 to 110 feet, it stands as the Ferretti Group’s primary center for yacht testing, launching, and delivery.
The Ancona yard, sprawling across nearly 80,000 sqm, is among Europe’s largest shipbuilding facilities. It is home to the Riva Superyachts division’s engineering and design team, collaborating closely with designer Mauro Micheli and Officina Italiana Design. This yard is responsible for crafting the steel and aluminum Riva 50m, which has received numerous accolades, including the “Outstanding Exterior Motor Yacht” award at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards 2020.
Available models
| Model | Length |
| Riva Iseo | 8.2 m |
| Riva Aquariva Super | 10.1 m |
| Riva Rivamare | 11.9 m |
| Riva Dolceriva | 14.9 m |
| Riva 56′ Rivale | 17.3 m |
| Riva 66′ Ribelle | 20.7 m |
| Riva 68’ Diable | 20.7 m |
Riva Yachts brand history
The remarkable Riva journey commenced in 1842 when a young shipwright named Pietro Riva reconstructed a fishing fleet devastated by a storm on Lake Iseo. This marked the beginning of the Riva legacy and the birth of its distinctive expertise. Pietro founded a shipyard in Sarnico, where he introduced Riva’s initial creations, already known for their unique elegance and character.
The company’s reputation flourished rapidly, and under Pietro’s son Ernesto’s guidance, the focus shifted to boats powered by internal combustion engines, serving both passengers and cargo. After World War I, Serafino Riva transformed the company into a renowned brand that would shape yachting history. Production transitioned from transport vessels to motorboats, a burgeoning market at the time. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Riva’s racing yachts dominated national and international competitions, setting records and achieving victories.
The 1950s saw Carlo Riva’s ascent to fame, as his passion and talent elevated the brand to an icon of design and lifestyle. Amidst the Italian industrial revolution, Carlo, known as “L’Ingegnere,” capitalized on the prevailing focus on speed to craft dynamic wooden designs. His collaboration with designer and architect Giorgio Barilani began in 1956, culminating in the launch of the iconic Aquarama in November 1962. This vessel, equipped with two Chris-Craft 185 hp engines reaching speeds up to 40 knots, became an instant classic symbolizing Riva’s essence. In 1969, the company ventured into fiberglass vessels, introducing the Bahia Mar 20′ day cruiser and the Sport Fisherman 25′ cabin cruiser as its initial models. Over the following three decades, additional models like the St. Tropez and the Superamerica emerged. Despite the rise of fiberglass boats, Riva continued crafting wooden runabouts until 1996, when the last Aquarama Special, no. 784, was completed.
Disenchanted with industrial unrest, Carlo Riva sold the company to US-based Whittaker in September 1969. He retained his position as Chairman and General Manager until July 1971, passing the leadership to his brother-in-law Gino Gervasoni, his partner since 1950. The Riva family era concluded in 1989 when the British group Vickers acquired the company. In 1991, the Riva brand introduced the 58′ Bahamas, designed by Mauro Micheli.
Riva Yachts in Ferretti Group
Joining the Ferretti Group in May 2000 revitalized Riva as a symbol of exquisite Italian yachting craftsmanship. The group’s Engineering department and designer Mauro Micheli, co-founder of Officina Italiana Design with Sergio Beretta, played pivotal roles in this revival. The same year, Riva launched Aquariva, a 33-foot vessel embodying the brand’s DNA and paving the way for future innovations. In 2012, the Ferretti Group announced Shandong Heavy Industry Group (Weichai Group) of China as its majority shareholder, ensuring Riva’s continued success with long-term resources and projects.
The establishment of the Riva Superyachts division in 2014 marked the brand’s return to the megayacht sector. Inspired by Carlo Riva’s ambition and innovation, this endeavor to create Riva steel and aluminum displacement superyachts drew from his exploration of new horizons with the renowned Caravelle and Atlantic series megayachts in the 1960s and 1970s. Riva stands as a true boating legend and a symbol of style in yachting, revered even by staunch sailing enthusiasts who typically eschew motor yachts. This admiration is particularly evident for the traditional “old Riva” mahogany runabouts, with the rarest becoming prized auction items. While Riva upholds tradition and heritage with care, a clear distinction exists between the boats crafted by the original Riva and the modern models produced by Ferretti Riva.