Just in time for the Easter long weekend, long-time Riviera owners Terrie and Mark took delivery of their new Riviera 58 Sports Motor Yacht. Handed over by Simon Don, the occasion represents both a continuation of their loyalty to the brand and an exciting step forward into a new era of luxury boating.

Read the interview below to discover their journey with Riviera, what drew them to the 58 Sports Motor Yacht, and their impressions after taking to the water.

You’ve owned multiple Rivieras. Can you tell us about your journey with the brand and what originally drew you in?

We appreciate the quality, detail, robustness, sales experience and service experience of Riviera and the unmatchable experience of the Riviera family.

How has your boating lifestyle evolved over time, and how does this new 58 Sports Motor Yacht reflect where you’re at now?

We have evolved from having our Children and their friends onboard, to having Grandchildren and extended family onboard. We have found our Riviera’s ideal for hosting family and charity events, rafting up with friends or taking to Sydney Harbour. Now with larger extended family, we need more space on board,, so we have gone back to a flybridge.

What were the key factors that led you to choose this model, and did anything in particular stand out during your decision-making process?

The 58 Sports Motor Yacht ticks every box for us, with the walk-in wardrobe, full laundry, flexible bunk stateroom with ability to make it a double bed, extra bathroom, huge alfresco, large cockpit and massive foredeck lounges. Further, the 3 extra day or overnight beds on the foredeck, helm and alfresco give us so much flexibility.

The ability to have the handcrafted solid timber table that easily folds out from the lounge in the saloon, means we have lots of space for entertaining and Grandkids, with the ability to use the alfresco and / or flybridge aft table for dining.

The 58 Sports Motor Yacht has so many discrete areas for guests, with the flybridge aft lounge and foredeck perfect at sunrise and sunset. There are five discrete areas with lounges, giving you so much versatility.

Having completed the maiden voyage from the Riviera factory, the Humphree fins and inceptors, which we oversized for the boat were outstanding. Zero roll and no pitch, as we trimmed the bow down with the Humphree system. It was smooth and quiet, negating the sea state.

After our initial 2 boats and having the water blaster on our previous Riviera 575 SUV, we use to say that the first option you select, as it makes washing the boat so easy, but the Humphree is now number 1 box we would tick. The fuel economy was so much better as well.

Oh, the heated towel rail in the Master was an option we had to have after seeing it on a 64 SMY. It will come into its own in winter.

When you first stepped aboard your new yacht, what was your immediate impression was there a moment that really stuck with you?

The first impression was the quality, the finish and the carpet we picked for the saloon, stairs and staterooms. We didn’t have carpet on the stairs in the last Riviera and we decided to change this time and the durable carpet we selected and gives the boat a great finish

How would you compare the space, layout, and overall design to your previous boats, and what do you appreciate most about it?

Our last boat the 575 SUV, had the best, biggest and most functional saloon in the Riviera range and the optimal placement of the TV meant that 13 adults could comfortably watch a game of football or have drinks. The 58 SMY is similar, and with the saloon table folding away we achieve a similar outcome. The Master on the 58SMY is huge, with full King bed, lounge, lots of storage and the trademark walk in wardrobe.

With the foredeck massive three lounges, two alfresco lounges and two flybridge lounges, the 58 SMY give you so many options for summer and winter, regardless of the weather.

We added two air-conditioning ducts in the alfresco, so we have the ability to cool and heat if needed.

Can you talk us through your delivery and handover experience how did the process feel from your perspective?

We were fortunate to have Simon Don looking after our sale process. Simon is honest and great to deal with and that was such a refreshing experience. Simon and Shane Crookshanks made multiple trips to the boat in the final build stages doing checks and doing their own sea trials, which ensured we had a boat that was ready at handover. Simon was also great and took the time during the handover at the Riviera factory and at Pittwater. We engaged Riviera experienced Skipper Leigh Trevaskis to bring the boat down the coast to Sydney with family and friends. Leigh was meticulous doing checks and also assisting with setting up the Garmin system and Humphree stabilisers. We learnt so much from Leigh and his drone capabilities saw us getting video and pictures which were truly remarkable.

In Pittwater, Simon and Shane organised a Garmin and Volvo handover and also went through the Riviera handover checklist, ensuring we were competent in all aspects of the boat. The Garmin handover is thoroughly recommended with Ethan, and so too the Volvo handover and sea trial with Alex from OceanTec.

Now that you’ve spent some time on the water, how has the performance and handling met your expectations?

The 58 SMY is the quietest flybridge we have ever owned, it’s so stable as well. We never had any spray or water on the deck, let alone on the windscreen, even with a 25–28-knot south westerly wind and chop. Never experienced that before. This is a tribute to the Riviera experience and design.

I highly recommend the Humphree system, which activates over 4 knots automatically or at anchor or mooring. When we launched the drone way offshore, Leigh had us activate stern anchor mode on the Humphree, and we were able to launch the drone and retrieve it so easily.

What does your ideal day on the boat look like, and who do you most enjoy sharing that experience with?

Ideal boat day is being able to relax and have every modern convenience. We have all we need for a raft up, day at a marina, day at sea or a day alone. Starlink also means we have constant communication and entertainment, so that is another box that should be ticked in the build list.

Do you have a favourite boating destination in NSW, and are there any trips you’re especially looking forward to on this new boat?

We are fortunate to be based on the Hawkesbury, arguably the best waterway in the World, so much to explore, so many safe and secluded spots and so many beaches. We are spoilt in Australia with this extensive National Park and scenic beauty.

We love travelling down to Sydney, where Castle Rock at Clontarf, Quarantine Beach, Balmoral and Darling Harbour are favoured spots.

How do you see yourself using the yacht over the next few years, more entertaining, extended cruising, or a mix of everything?

Definitely entertaining, would love a cruise to the Whitsundays during Winter, so that is on bucket list!

Looking back across all your Rivieras, what are the things the brand consistently gets right for you?

The quality, the reliability, the versatility, the trade-in / resale value and the overall Riviera experience are second to none, with a very wide margin to anything else.
If you are not buying a Riviera, you have to speak to us to explain why!

Finally, what has been your most memorable moment onboard so far, and how would you sum up the boat in a few words?

We have only had our boat for 10 days!, but the Humphree stabilisers massively exceeded our expectations and the quality of the mattresses on the beds. You have to ensure you look closely at mattress selection; which we did successfully on this boat and our previous Riveria.