Riva Boats

Rare and numbered

Riva started building runaboats after the Second World War. Their shape is classical and they were built in wood. They continued to build wooden runabouts until 1973. Then it became too expensive, but there is a second-hand market which is very lively. Their names are extravagant, bold, but not excessive: Acquarama, Tritone, Florida, Ariston, Olympic. The wood with which they are built is smooth and you can feel it. You pay a price for it. They are very expensive to keep to start with and they are impractical (if you put your feet on the wood you slip!) But there is nothing like the roar of their engine to turn you on (and to get the attention of who is around!). They are the most beautiful objects built by a human being that you can see at sea. Of course they are rare and numbered! Brigitte Bardot, Peter Sellers, Reza Pahlavi, Ranieri of Monaco had one. And the legend goes on.

Fabrizio, Italy - 27 April 2001