Riva 82 Diva Yacht Review

A funny thing happened to me in the middle of last year. Namely, by some strange twist of fate I have not yet fully reconciled, I went from being a serious journalist, chiefly focused on writing articles for respectable publications such as this one, to being an influencer (@theyachtfella on Instagram if you’re interested). And while I’ve had dozens of videos go viral in the past several months, the one that is going absolutely haywire as I write this article is one I shot while sea trialing the Riva 82 Diva in Cannes this past fall. The funny thing is though, it was not the primary video I shot onboard that day that I thought might go viral. Nor was it the second. Which is to say, there is a lot of sizzle to this boat, and some real steak, too.

No, the viral video I shot was out the large starboard-side window in the full-beam master. At 27 knots the whitewater blasted up and back looking like white cotton candy—the aesthetics of the shot are immaculate. The video then pans to the island king sized berth and the stateroom’s plush and customizable upholstery. The Instagram comment section is alive with followers wondering how the boat could be so quiet at such a clip. The answer is a serious focus on sound insulation throughout the boat, as well as the decision to put the head aft between the pillows and the engine room. The entire setup makes for the perfect location to take an epic boat nap—which as we all know, is the best kind of nap.

The video I shot that day that I suspected might go viral (but which actually flopped) was of the passageway that connects the master to the forward VIP. That passageway, done in highly glossed and richly grained wenge, had such a sheen to it as to almost feel like the world’s most luxurious funhouse, bending reflections in delightfully grotesque ways. That mahogany is seen throughout the yacht’s interior, including in the two further guest rooms, as well as the salon and lower helm. Matte wood is also available, but a big Riva demands high gloss, in my humble opinion. That salon is open concept, with a waist-high partition separating the aft seating area from the amidships dining table. The lower helm is … well, it’s a little odd. Rather inexplicably, it shares a space with the galley. I mean like the captain could fry some chicken cutlets while steering the boat. Some of the other journalists onboard snickered at the arrangement, but honestly even at 83 feet and with the four staterooms, this is still really a dayboat. Most meals won’t be cooked onboard but instead farmed out to the various glitzy dockside establishments of the Hamptons, Miami, and the Riviera, so the galley placement is forgivable, if amusing. A significant portion of visibility at this helm is blocked aft by the staircase leading to the flybridge though, so I’d be running this boat from up top whenever possible.

The last video I shot that day that I thought would entertain the masses was of me manning that upper helm while the official Cannes Yachting Festival photographer hovered just off our bow while running at 27.5 knots. It was probably even more epic than the nap I had earlier imagined taking. Reported top speed is 29 knots, but fully loaded with more than a dozen guests and crew, and full fuel, 27.5 was the top hop I saw. Cruise with the twin 1,800-horsepower MAN V12s is 26 knots. I’d love to see a boat with such slick, low-profile lines as this one crack 30 knots, though as of press time there are no plans for bigger engines. The MANs are housed in a smallish but workable engine room that offered access to all work points. It’s not somewhere I imagine most owners of this boat will be spending much time though.

As I finished my sea trial in France and turned back to port, I vacated the wheel and made my way to the bow lounge where I sat down and took in the glamorous boat show on approach. I have to admit, I felt a little bit like a movie star. It’s no wonder they named this yacht Diva.

Riva 82 Diva Specifications:

LOA: 83’
Beam: 20’
Draft: 6’ 8”
Displ.: 180,000 lb.
Fuel: 1,690 gal.
Water: 291 gal.
Power: 2/1,800-hp MAN V12
Cruise Speed: 26 knots
Top Speed: 29 knots
Price: $6.5 million

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This article originally appeared in the March 2024 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/cruisers/riva-82-diva-yacht-review