A Walkthrough Of Riva’s Star Of 2020 – The Riva 88′ Folgore.
Riva is a name steeped in rich history and traditions within the luxury motor yacht realm since the 50s. It is no wonder that the designers from Riva ups the ante with each and every yacht built -going bigger, going faster, sporting a sleeker and elegant timeless design, having better comfort or crafted with the latest state of the art technology. In the case of the recent Riva debut from La Spezia, monikered Folgore – which is Italian for lightning, the Riva 88′ Folgore checks all of the above.
The Riva 88′ Folgore is a sport-flybridge yacht of Riva’s sportfly range conceived through a collaboration between Officina Italiana Design (the firm that designs the entire Riva range), which is headed by Mauro Micheli and Sergio Baretta, the Product Strategy Committee, which is led by Piero Ferrari and Ferretti Group’s Engineering Department.
The Riva 88′ Folgore will be the second Riva to carry the new Officina Italiana Design lines. The completely new hull window design is suggestive of a black brushstroke along the silver side of the yacht, rising towards the deck meeting an original and innovative hull-deck coupling system. The stern area makes ample space for a steel-edged air intake. The Riva 88′ Folgore employs the use of composite materials in achieving performance efficiency. The superstructure is reinforced with carbon fibre and it is developed in such a way to compensate for embracing heavy materials such as marble, crystal glass and stainless steel.
The Riva 88′ Folgore carries with it a perfect balance between the past and present, where materials such as the iconic mahogany and steel detailing are matched up with the modern carbon fibre elements, typical of the Riva yachts in recent years. The Riva 88′ Folgore is designed to be aesthetically stunning yet functional, as can be seen from the various elements which includes the navigation lights which are housed in polished stainless steel, the walkway handrails which are made out of carbon fibre and steel, the innovative windscreen manufactured with spherical crystals that create a slight counter-curvature and an optional glass roof in the superstructure, that opens both ways towards the stern or the bow in allowing fresh air in either when cruising or at anchor.
At the stern, the Riva 88′ Folgore delivers a comprehensively redesigned stern concept, with a rear door that swings open parallel to the waterline to create either a 6 square meters beach club or submerged for launching and recovering the tender. The garage houses a Williams SportJet 395 and a jet ski.
Moving up through two sets of teak side steps leads to the large 22 square meters multifunctional cockpit area. The first Riva 88′ Folgore unit is decked out with a huge dining area with a sofa which could be transformed into a sunpad via an up-down mechanism that raises and lowers the polished mahogany tabletop. Portside to the cockpit is a service unit with a storage compartment, an ice-maker and either a fridge or a third command station for stern mooring operations. On the starboard side is the stairs to the sport-fly (outer) and a mobile bar with a Stone by Florim marble top that opens electrically and two stools. The crew quarters can be accessed through a companion hatch under the stairway, as well as from the galley on the lower deck.
At the 23 square meters bow, the first unit is fitted with a large C-shaped sofa with a coffee table which swings open to reveal a big storage area. Further up front on the deckhouse is a sunpad with an integrated sun hood that can be opened by an electro hydraulic mechanism – suitable for up to four people. The entire area can be covered with awnings.
Up on top is the 20 square meters sport-fly area offering more relaxation space. It houses a big sunpad plus sofa in the stern with another sofa with a coffee table and pouf on the port side, and yet another sofa on the starboard side. The helm station is centrally positioned in the bow, with a pivoting backrest shared by the sofa. The entire flybridge area can be covered with awnings.
The interior of the Riva 88′ Folgore starts through the glass doors of the cockpit, with the main deck area divided into 3 main sections – the lounge, dining and helm station areas. With nearly 2 meters of ceiling height coupled with an open space lounge concept and large and ample windows all round, the main deck offers uninterrupted views of the sea contributing to the unparalleled comfort.
On the starboard side of the lounge area sits a big ice-coloured Poliform sofa which faces a cabinet with a TV of up to 55 inches in size. A grey Poliform coffee table completes out the lounge furnishing. Further up portside is the dining area which is furnished with an eight seater dining outfit made out of tinted glass with a stainless steel base. The big table is further flanked by grey Minotti chairs with charcoal-coloured backrests.Enter your text here …
At the bow of the main deck, starboard side sits the helm station with two adjustable-height leather seats. The helm station is separated from the lounge and dining area by a full-height tinted glass partition, which further amplifies the pleasure of privacy. The Captain can also enter and leave the helm station through a starboard side door of the helm station without having to pass through the lounge and dining area.
The lower deck features a layout of four cabins with the highlight being a full-beam owners’ suite situated in the centre of the yacht. A VIP cabin with double bed and two wardrobes sits in the bow while on the port side is another VIP cabin with a wardrobe and convertible twin beds. A double cabin with a wardrobe and twin beds fills the starboard side. All cabins have their own bathrooms with the starboard cabin’s bathroom doubling as a day head. The theme of the main deck continues through to the lower deck where mirrored surfaces dominate all of the cabins. The use of wood, leather, fabric and colours are cleverly infused to the walls clad with tinted mirrors and widescreen TV.
There are options of 3 different layouts to choose from for the 20 square meters owners suite. The standard option has two walk-in closets with the smallest bathroom amongst the three. The optional version A, which is what the first unit opted for has a large bathroom and a walk-in closet with a vanity table accompanied by a leather and aluminium Living Divani chair. The furnishings are rounded out by several pieces of freestanding furniture chosen by the owner, including a Poliform brown leather chair, a black-painted steel Frank coffee table by B&B Italia, and a silver armchair by Minotti. The cabin is entered by means of three white marble steps, while the floor, shower and basin top in the owner’s bathroom are finished in white and gold polished Calacatta marble. The optional version B offers the possibility of two bathrooms with separate services and a single central shower in addition to the walk-in wardrobe.
The Riva 88′ Folgore comes with two options in powering the yacht. The standard option is a pair of MTU 16V 2000 M96 engines rated 2,435 mhp which enables the yacht to a top speed of 36 knots and a cruising speed of 30 knots. The first unit is fitted with more more performance, having the option of a pair of MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines rated 2,638 mhp that generates a top speed of 39 knots and a cruising speed of 33 knots. She is also fitted with Humphree stabilising fins and has the option to be fitted with the Seakeeper SK26 gyroscopic stabiliser for enhanced comfort at anchor.
As for the tech installations, the Riva 88′ Folgore is fitted with Xenta electro hydraulic steering gear, a LOOP integrated dashboard with three 19-inch touchscreen displays, a manoeuvring joystick and a Dynamic Positioning System for easy manoeuvrability and control.