With their slender mahogany hulls, they have become the most famous motorboats of the Mediterranean. Here is the legend of a star of the seas which continues fueling the dreams of sailors and landsmen alike.
« Look, a Riva…! » exclaims a man strolling on the port of Saint Tropez. The man, ice cream in hand, does not look like a naval architecture expert. But the silhouette of the small motor craft leaves no doubt: patiently varnished mahogany, shiny chrome, finely adjusted leather trimmings on even the smallest parts of the interior… the admired object is a little floating jewel. One even wonders how the owner dares using it at sea, it might wear or get tarnished in salt water…
Nothing or almost nothing destined the Riva ship yard to produce these mythical motorboats coveted by crowned heads and movie stars over several decades. The legend was born on the Italian lake of Iseo between Milan and Verona. At the end of the 19th century, the modest family-run ship yard which has just opened in the small town of Sarnico builds fishing boats, transport barges and steam boats… All sharing the same flawless craftsmanship. The times of leisure and mass consumption have not come yet. In 1907, Ernesto Riva, the patriarch, dies accidentally. As usage had it at the time, his son Serafino takes the helm of the family company. He soon takes production on a path gaining increasing popularity with the advent of outboard engines: motorboat racing.
A born racer, he personally takes care of testing many of the prototypes produced by the family company. His son Carlo, although still very young, discovers the pleasures of boating, the humming of engines and most of all the attention to detail which makes a difference, for speed requires flawless quality of construction. Any structural flaw can result in tragedy. The shipwrights of the Cantiere Riva have patiently honed their craft to perfection. From the 1920′s, the Riva motorboats get increasingly noticed. Riva garners numerous racing victories in both speed and endurance events. Speed is intoxicating but motorboating fans have their eyes set on the other side of the Atlantic, on the United States. Chris-Craft motorboats are enjoying their heyday. After hours gazing at the colorful magazine ads of the small American motorboats, Carlo starts doodling sketches on the magazines and catalogs he can get his hands on. The virus takes him, so much so that father and son soon clash about the future of the company. Serafino agrees to rent part of the family estate —the vegetable garden of his wife— to his son to let him « daydream » by himself and build machines having more to do with heresy than with serious ship building. In fact, a revolution is under way. When Carlo takes the helm of the Cantiere Riva in 1950 at the age of 28, after his father fell ill, he understands that the notoriety Riva has built winning races can be put to use.
Two years later, the dreamer packs his suitcase and leaves for the Unites States to try and understand the secrets behind the success of the Chris-Craft motorboats. He wins a first contract which allows Riva to become the only boats in Europe to be equipped with the famous Chris-Craft engines. The story goes that when he meets the Christ-Craft executives, his budget allows him to buy only six engines. He makes them believe that current Italian regulations do not allow him to import more than six. They have a deal on the very next day! His trip also confirms a hint which will prove crucial for the small Italian ship builder. Economic success can only be achieved through the construction of series of similar models. The company will no longer produce costly prototypes which serve only to boost the image of the company. « We have had to convince craftsmen and shipwrights who had been in the business for decades that assembling pre-cut plywood parts was the modern method to build boats! Before that each boat was one of a kind! », exclaims 87 years old Carlo Riva.
The young boss manages to convince his employees thanks to his extreme attention to quality. For Carlo, building several copies of the same model means finding the world’s finest woods —from Gabon to Ivory Coast by way of Honduras—, let the timber age for years in the hangars of Sarnico, apply 24 layers of varnish (one a day!), produce one’s own chrome plated parts, and to endlessly improve details of each model to reach more than perfect overall quality.
He is well advised as results exceed his hopes. The « births » of new Riva models become international-scale events. The Sebino (1952), Florida (1952), Tritone (1953), l’Ariston (1953) or l’Aquarama (1962)… become mythical motorboats. Each of these models came as the fruit of long consideration of the expectations of owners and the evolution of tastes. Designers draw their inspiration from the best there is at the time. The panoramic windshields are inspired by Cadillac cars and the seats from the deckchairs seen outside the villas of the Riviera. With passing years the boats get longer for improved seaworthiness. « In the beginning I would get congratulations for the quality of our boats but people expressed doubts about their ability to navigate at sea, recounts Carlo Riva. We have proved them wrong. »
Riva then becomes one of the most sought for luxury brands. In 1957, Riva convinces the princes of Monaco to have a gallery excavated under their palace to make room for their mechanics and boats during winter. These hidden maintenance, servicing, repair and consumer service workshops will be the best in the world.
« During his career Carlo Riva has always been obsessed with two things, says Ferrucio Rossi, the current CEO of Riva. Extreme attention to detail and the use of the most innovative techniques and materials to shorten production times ». In 1970, during one of his observation trips to the US, Carlo Riva discovers the revolutionary technique of polyester: white, sleek and allowing to produce one-piece hulls from a single mold. The fiber/resin combination comes as the complete opposite of his old production principles. A year later he sells the ship yard to Whittaker, a US company. From then on he will only take care of the 4095 classic Riva motorboats. « We still see him on a regular basis, says Ferruccio Rossi. His vision of the market is still as incredible as ever. » In a few years time, the company changed hands several times, it thus became part of Rolls-Royce before joining the Ferretti Group. Riva produced over 50 models accommodating the constant changes in tastes and fashion. Wealthy people want ever larger, roomier and faster motorboats. What used to be very complex to produce with wooden hulls becomes almost easy with polyester. Riva will then produce to meet the desires of their privileged clientele. « We build to last, underlines Ferruccio Rossi. For that, we have to maintain the level of quality which has always been the trademark of Riva. When we launch a new model, we test it for a year before starting production. We have improved our offer —the largest Riva is 35 meters long— but we kept production on a small scale. » The « plastic » boats have not wiped out memories of their elders. Riva fans are looking for and restoring the first polyester series. « It accounts for nearly 10% of our activity », explains Rossi. Proof that the legend is still very much alive.
By Julien Pfyffer / Océan 71
