Riviera 47G2 Convertible
By Capt. Patrick Sciacca
In the summer of 2001, I logged 1,000 quite-happy miles onboard PMY’s company boat, Office Ours. She was a sleek-looking 40-foot convertible from Queensland, Australia-based builder Riviera. I fished her in several tournaments, ran her down the East Coast, and had awesome fun just horizon chasing. The boat offered a great ride as well as a home away from home on road trips. At the time Riviera was still a relatively new player in the U.S. market, and that year it sold about 40 convertibles here.
Now it’s 2006, and I’m in Riviera Beach, Florida, once again at the helm of a Riviera, this one the recently revamped 47 Convertible called the 47G2 (Generation 2). And just as this builder’s boats have grown in size over the last several years—its models now range from 33 to 60 feet—so has its market share. In 2005 Riviera sent about 113 convertibles our way, and the 47 has been a big part of that growth.
“It’s been our best seller,” says Scott MacFarland, director of marketing for Riviera Yachts of the Americas, as I sit at one of the 47’s two electrically adjustable Stidd helm seats (an $11,948.50 option) and anxiously await putting the hammer down on the Twin Disc QuickShift throttles. The 47’s flying bridge feels much like the 40’s, albeit with expanded guest seating. There’s a similarly situated starboard-side helm with room in the contoured console for the two MTU LCD engine readouts and an array of electronics, such as the optional Northstar 6000i plotter and radar and Simrad AP26 autopilot and IS12 depthsounder with three repeaters in various locations.
Why the three repeaters? Jim Kaufman, the boat’s owner and also chairman of Riviera of the Americas, is an avid cruiser who often visits the Bahamas, where reefs can mean disaster to the sturdiest boats; even one with a solid-fiberglass hull bottom stiffened with balsa and Divinycell cores above the waterline and a forward collision bulkhead, like the 47. With the repeaters at eye level, above his head, and at the front of the flying bridge, Kaufman can always read depth without taking his eyes off the water. And hopefully he won’t need that collision bulkhead.
After double-checking the depth (how could I not?), I push the single levers forward, and the twin 825-hp MTU Series 60 diesels (a $106,978 upgrade) spool up in a smooth, cadent manner. The 47’s modified-V hull—which was changed from the first-generation 47 to include tunnels for reduced shaft angle and underwater exhausts to keep the boat quiet and reduce smoke in the cockpit—comes up on plane in about eight seconds. Within 27 seconds, the 47, running without tabs deflected, is shooting across the light chop on Lake Worth at 40.9 mph. The diesels, which are matched to a pair of four-blade, 27×37 S&S propellers, turn an acceptable 2320 rpm. When I dial them back to a 2000-rpm cruise, my test boat motors along at 34.4 mph. Her Edson Destroyer wheel feels as solid as the standard hydraulic steering it is attached to.
Sightlines are clean in all directions, and visibility ahead is enhanced with the optional front EZ2CY hard-clear enclosure. There is no warping or distortion when looking off to the sides or where the enclosure wraps around the hardtop. The side and aft enclosures are constructed of softer Strataglass.
The saloon is equally clean and appealing, taking full advantage of the boat’s 16’1” beam and featuring grain-matched, satin-finish cherrywood (teak is an option) accented with high-gloss trim. The fully equipped galley-down, which also features enough stowage under the sole that I can fit my 5’7” frame in it comfortably, sports the same cherrywood and standard Corian countertops. It all complements the blue leather L-shape lounge and dinette seating; it’s a truly nautical feel that’s carried below to the three staterooms.
Space is abundant in the 131-square-foot cockpit that can be rigged for entertaining or fishing. (Kaufman even had an outlet installed behind a stowage area on the saloon bulkhead so he could plug in his barbecue.) But with the in-transom livewell, two in-deck fishboxes, and an in-cockpit bait freezer all standard, she’s almost ready for tournament time. I’d add some double-spreader outriggers, at least six in-gunwale rod holders, electric teaser reels and rocket launchers on the flying bridge, and a cockpit fighting chair or bolster. I might even lose the swim platform. Kaufman is a diver, so he had scuba-tank mounts placed in the roomy lazarette along with mounted boxes to hold spare props and prop parts.
One place where space is tight is in the engine room, which reminded me of the 40. Like the 40, the 47’s ER offers limited 4’5” headroom, and outboard access to the starboard engine is tough with the Glendinning Cablemaster forward of the engine and a battery bank aft. Inboard access to both powerplants is adequate, with 16 inches between them. This engine room, however, does have a diamond-like luster.
The Riviera 47G2 possesses a lot of the positive attributes I admired in the 40, but also displays the builder’s progressive nature. Riviera took a 47-foot convertible (Generation 1) that was a success on the water and in the marketplace, and felt it could make the boat better. I never had the chance to test the first-generation version, but I can say the 47G2 is a dual-purpose boat that should appeal to both the family cruiser and offshore angler. She’s sure-footed underway and has round-trip-canyon and Bahamas range with room to spare. She’s also a looker with a sleek, low profile similar to the builder’s 40-footer. If these are attributes you’re looking for in your next boat, the 47’s worth taking for a ride. And chances are, if you do, you won’t want to stop until you’ve tried running after a few horizons yourself. At Ballast Point Yachts, we have plenty of used yachts for sale like this one at discounted prices.
Riviera 51 Sportfisherman
By George L. Petrie
Aussies, by and large, are a tough lot, so it comes as no surprise that the yachts they build are just as tough. A day aboard the new Riviera 51 confirmed that expectation for me. Inside and out, she’s built to take the punishment of hard-core fishing or venturing to distant shores. But she’s far from Spartan. Quite the opposite, in fact, as she boasts a spacious saloon, fully equipped galley, three comfortable staterooms, and two heads, all catering to her owner’s comfort and relaxation. What did come as a nice surprise, however, was learning that so many of the features on our test boat were standard.
Take the engine room, a well-laid-out space dominated by twin 825-hp MTU diesels crouched on either side of the centerline. Mounted near the forward bulkhead astride the centerline was the standard 17.5-kW Onan genset and hushbox, flanked by a holding tank and macerator pumps to port and two standard Cruisair A/C units on the starboard side.
Though at first the engine room felt cramped (with barely kneeling headroom for my 6’2″ frame and just an inch or two of clearance between the top of the engines and the overhead), I quickly found that I could easily reach all necessary access points. Dipsticks for both engines were inboard, and the engine-mounted fuel filters were on the aft ends of the blocks, where they’re easier to get to. From here, I could also reach the dual Racors on the aft bulkhead as well as the cooling-water inlets and strainers that flank the centerline. There was even room to snake around in front of the engines and access the outboard sides if necessary. For major engine work, removable panels above each engine provide access from the saloon.
In contrast to the engine room’s close quarters, the Riviera’s 12′x9′ cockpit seemed big as all outdoors. Along the forward bulkhead is a top-loading refrigerated cooler to port and a sink on centerline. Both are concealed beneath gas-assisted lids that lower to form a smooth countertop and are handy to the built-in tackle locker in the bulkhead above. I also noticed the transom livewell, a 2’8″x1’4″ aquarium with a clear panel facing into the cockpit. Not as visible, but equally impressive, was the 1’10″x4’9″x1’6″ removable fishbox beneath two gas-assisted hatches in the sole.
To keep gear neat, dry, and secure, Riviera rims the cockpit with six built-in locking cabinets beneath the coaming. For bulkier stuff, like fenders, there’s a pair of 2′x2′ gas-assisted hatches in the sole (outboard of the fishbox) that afford access to a stowage area in the lazarette. This space also allows access to the steering gear, which I was pleased to see mounted on a platform separate from the stowage area to minimize the chance of anything getting tangled in the mechanism. The rudders are equipped with locking pins, a signature Riviera feature. In the event of a steering gear failure, both rudders can be manually locked in the straight-ahead position, allowing the boat to be steered home on engines alone. This may seem like a small detail, but it’s an example of the seagoing savvy built into the 51.
Riviera Yachts’ vice president, Scott Lizza, pointed out a host of other construction features that lend support to the yacht’s reputation for toughness. For starters, there’s a collision bulkhead in the bow to protect the hull’s watertight integrity. In addition, if the hull should strike a submerged object, the lower forward portion is filled with closed-cell foam to help it stay afloat.
Of course, it would take a sizeable impact to breach the solid-fiberglass laminates that extend up from her keel to the waterline. And to keep the hull and deck firmly joined, that critical joint is triply secure: bonded with epoxy adhesive, through-bolted, and then tabbed with fiberglass. Internally, the yacht’s backbone is a quartet of deep, foam-cored longitudinal stringers, with steel-capped engine beds. As for transverse strength, several watertight partial bulkheads run athwartship to support her bottom.
In counterpoint to her hard-core construction features, the 51 offers a spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed interior. But even though she’s fully endowed with first-rate amenities and finished with premium joinery and upholstery, her interior is not fussy. She’s built to be enjoyed, not fretted over. Let me explain.
The saloon and dinette blend seamlessly into a single, large, open space, with settees on opposing sides that define each area but still allow guests to converse and maintain eye contact. Because leather is so plentiful in Australia, customers can choose between Ultraleather and real leather at no extra cost. Both are durable and care-free, but the real leather on our test boat looked to be as indestructible as the yacht itself.
Across from the saloon’s L-shape settee is a cherry cabinet fitted with a U-Line wine rack, ice maker, and pull-out drawers for bottle and glass stowage, all standard. The high-gloss finish on the standard cherry joinery and the inlaid cocktail table alongside the settee was second to none, but beautiful as it was, it was not a finish that I was hesitant to touch. On the contrary, it almost invited you to set down an icy glass and fix a cold drink. The galley, fully equipped with four U-Line under-counter refrigerator drawers, a Sub-Zero freezer, Corian countertops, and Amtico flooring, seemed to also say, “go ahead and use me.”
To be sure, the Riviera’s interior was not the only part of the yacht that beckoned for use. Beneath a cloudless blue Florida sky, we climbed to the flying bridge and brought the MTUs to life. As our captain, Dave Crews, eased the yacht out of her slip, I surveyed the layout of the bridge deck. The helm seat is all the way aft, affording the captain an unobstructed view of action in the cockpit without compromising sightlines forward. And with its roomy settee forward, a full wet bar, and an air-conditioned enclosure, this space is bound to be a favorite with guests while underway. My only complaint is the lack of handholds in the forward seating area and on the underside of the hardtop in the forward area of the bridge.
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.
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.
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.
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. If you are looking for more boats with great reputations, check out our inventory of Carver boats for sale in San Diego.
