World's Coolest Boats

[MapisM]

Riva Aquarama (Special)

LOL, as if the base, Lungo and Super would be shabby boats...
Anyhow, I see your Special and raise you the #278 one-off V12.
How's that for the coolest among the cool?
Even if not a Special, btw....

 

[vas]

LOL, as if the base, Lungo and Super would be shabby boats...
Anyhow, I see your Special and raise you the #278 one-off V12.
How's that for the coolest among the cool?
Even if not a Special, btw....

is that the one with the Ferrari engines P?

 

[MapisM]

Nope, Lambos.
Custom built by Carlo Riva for Ferruccio, no less.

 

[vas]

doh, yep read the story seen the pics, thought it was ferrari though...

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

LOL, as if the base, Lungo and Super would be shabby boats...
Anyhow, I see your Special and raise you the #278 one-off V12.
How's that for the coolest among the cool?
Even if not a Special, btw....

All of the runabout Rivas are special with some being more special to others.
Even though the range was born from an inspiration to the early-mid twentieth century wooden runabout Chris Crafts.

The #278 you mention is possibly the most special of them all.

 

[Portofino]

Nope, Lambos.
Custom built by Carlo Riva for Ferruccio, no less.

Rivas make “ special “ lake boats .Agreed .Sorry I didn’t realise the scope of the question by the OP was open to other than normal seagoing type motorboats and for some reason I excluded lake boats .

If it’s motors this boat blows that 2 x 4.0 L V12 Lamborghini powered “ lake boat quite literally into the weeds .


Commissioned by the then king of Saudi , hence the family name .
A one off based on the 45 with triple yes three iirc in excess of 12-16 L each iirc ? Isotto frachini engines .From aircraft .
Not sure of the exact configuration but easily could have been large V s .
Isotta Fraschini - Wikipedia

Fuel bill / running costs obviously being a none issue to then principle .
It’s still alive today crushing the W coast of Italy .Might have had a sensible repower me thinks .

 

[MapisM]

Rivas make “ special “ lake boats. Agreed.
Sorry I didn’t realise the scope of the question by the OP was open to other than normal seagoing type motorboats and for some reason I excluded lake boats.

If it’s motors this boat blows that 2 x 4.0 L V12 Lamborghini powered “ lake boat quite literally into the weeds.

If calling them "lake boats" is a subtle attempt to dismiss Rivas, it's a bit laughable.
Aquaramas are cool because they are cool, even when standing still, period.
And #278 is cool squared because it was built for Ferruccio Lamborghini with his custom engines, regardless of her speed.

Now, would I buy one, aiming at fast bluewater cruising? 'Course not, nobody in his right mind would.
But this thread is about cool boats, and speed has very little to see with that, if anything at all.
Not to mention that if speed would be the coolness trigger, not only Rivas, but also Itamas wouldn't even deserve to be mentioned.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

To be fair the Riva runabouts are seaworthy boats more then many people think.
Carlo Riva competed in the London to Monaco race placing second overall and first in his class back in 1972.
So they are not bad as people think they are.
I also remember doing the usual Sunday local cruise in the eighties (Malta to the islands) in force four wind sea about one meter wave, and an Aquarama in head seas over took us, me on a Sunseeker 27 Monterey and seemed to be taking it full of grace looking all the grace that she has when standing still.

 

[Scarron]

This one looks to be coping just fine.

 

[mattnj]

serious bit of kit...

 

[mainshiptom]

Elling E4 would be my choice!

 

[MapisM]

serious bit of kit...

Indeed. Shame that her second life as a pleasure yacht ended for good just a couple of weeks ago, in a US boatyard where she was demolished.

On the same tackle, the last time I heard of the similar but much larger an (imho) even more impressive transat record breaking vessel called Destriero, she was sitting in a German yard, waiting for someone willing to throw an outrageous amount of money at an extensive refit, potentially building the ultimate 70m superyacht. But I'm not holding my breath...

 

[MapisM]

This one looks to be coping just fine.

Carlo Riva had that photo in his office in Sarnico, and used it to pretend that the boat was great because she kept dry all the happy family inside her.
What the pic doesn't tell is whether they needed a chiropractor or not after hitting that wave, though...

Regardless, this doesn't detract from being one of the coolest boats of all time.
But among the list of reasons why the list of celebrities spotted on Aquaramas would be longer than this whole thread, I don't think it would be fair to include seakeeping.

 

[Portofino]

Carlo Riva had that photo in his office in Sarnico, and used it to pretend that the boat was great because she kept dry all the happy family inside her.
What the pic doesn't tell is whether they needed a chiropractor or not after hitting that wave, though...

Regardless, this doesn't detract from being one of the coolest boats of all time.
But among the list of reasons why the list of celebrities spotted on Aquaramas would be longer than this whole thread, I don't think it would be fair to include seakeeping.

An Office by a lake by any chance ?

Not having a dig just being accurate on the conception , gestation and seemingly birth of the thing .LAKE .
Agree they ( originals ) are cool boats .

I have seen later modern irritations esp its spiritual successor the Aqua Riva . flounder in waves and soak the occupants in head seas + wind .Spray whipping round and blown back in .Partly due to slowing too much , not effectively out running it if you see what i mean .Partly due to the low freeboard .

Doesn’t make them un beautiful or any less desirable in St Tropez or Monaco.


^^^ no white horses not even windy , note the spray .

Not a deep V .



The modern dare I say it Ferretti ones are a bit hit + miss .
The Riva Rama 44 a true classic sea boat , deep V rolla props etc - runs well .Even in waves occupants dry .
The next up the Rivali 52 is a shocker .A slammer , you can’t really open up the 1360 MAN s for fear of the slamming .Any waves you are soon down between 20-30 knots .Or suffer very bruised feet if stood up .

Of course Carlo had nothing to do with them .

The rest of the 80s / 90 s stuff is also very good .
But as said you definitely need to try before buying a modern Riva even thought the brand / image in that poster on Carlos office is in the back of your mind . Brand is still very strong in the Med money hot spots .

Ferretti haven’t trashed the Itama legendary seakeeping yet .Arguably amongst hard fans a very loyal bunch diluted it a bit but they all are still deep V ( above 20 degree definition) and mid mounted machinery for balance + recognisable style.
Riva , ( mid sizes ) Pershing ( except the massive ) and Itama all made on the same line in the Forli factory.

Thats partly why in my view the Itama 38 , from 79 edges the others because the modern irritation the 40/45/45s is still in production under Ferretti group .Not. Really lost much over the decades .
Where as the Riva , the classic lake boat has long ceased production and it’s spiritual successor is ….hmmm how can I say this ?
“ Different “ Still beautiful etc .

 

[Wansworth]

Reminds me of the fast boats that took holiday makers out from harbour wall at Littlehampton?

 

[Offshore57]

And Looe, back in the day..........

 

[superheat6k]

Ok so I am now slightly biased, but the Far Eastern made Trawler Yachts are just beautiful, certainly cool, and have such fantastic lines, so I would nominate Chung Hwa Boats (CHB) 34 / 36; Corvette 32 (UK built); and last but not least the Grand Banks. After all there are ~ 3,000 of these boats right around the Word, including the lowly Corvette which extends from the Pacific coast of Canada, to Japan.

 

[sorabain]

I'd start with a Sunseeker Apache 45. It's a cool and obtainable boat.
After that, maybe the Chris Craft Stinger 390x from Miami Vice.

 

[Jegs]

Rapsody 55

 

[R400]

Don’t have to be mega cash
Levi Corsair
Shakespear clubman ( puppet on a chain movie)
Fjordling 17 (preferably with 200 plus on the back)
SunSeeker Mustang 20
Fairey(take your pick)
love this thread more please