Riviera 46 SMY: A Full Review of the Luxury Cruiser
The Riviera 46 Sports Motoryacht scratches a lot of itches in an expertly dialed-in package that leaves little to criticize.
The Palm Beach International Boat Show is one of my personal favorites. It’s not too big, it’s not too small, and it offers easy accessibility to the surrounding town in a way that sets it apart from nearly every other major show. In that sense, it was the perfect venue for the Riviera 46 Sports Motoryacht to makes its American debut. This is a mid-sized cruiser that is as versatile as she is well-thought-out—a solidly built entry from the much-admired heavyweight of Australian boatbuilding.
The Riviera 46 is the baby in a line of Sports Motoryachts (SMYs) that also includes a 50, 58, 64, 68, and 72. These yachts are ostensibly convertibles, but not really. I have fond memories of once reeling in sailfish after sailfish aboard a Riviera 51 in Costa Rica, but these aren’t tournament-fishing boats. However, they are well equipped for some bottom bashing, as the Aussies call it colloquially. This is, thanks to a very workable cockpit that has an in-transom livewell and beefily hinged tuna doors to either side. Any catches can be cleaned and grilled at the sink and barbecue forward and to port, while the same space to starboard has a drop-in freezer and an icemaker. A large hydraulic swim platform acts as an extension of the cockpit space when at anchor and enjoying water sports and can easily hold and launch a tender for when island hopping is on the agenda.
Know Your Customers
Forward of the cockpit is an alfresco mezzanine deck that can either be enclosed in Isinglass or left open. A folding teak dining table to port services a bench, while a mirroring bench to starboard is also at play. The latter lounge space abuts a fold-up window accessing the aft galley, so it’s the best place to sit if you want to be first up when the appetizers start coming out. That aft galley is a nearly ubiquitous design on boats in this size and class these days, but it was the Australians who popularized the laid-back, functional, and versatile layout. The alfresco mezzanine design creates a well-protected indoor-outdoor space good for socializing either underway or on the hook, and it also effectively adds about 30 percent more space to the main salon. It’s an ingenious design touch that shows how well Riviera understands the layouts on its SMY series and also how its customers use the boats. The builder is well-known for seeking out client feedback and taking it seriously when penning new models, and this mezzanine deck is a good example of the fruits of that labor.
The 46 SMY’s salon benefits from having the helm on the flybridge—a staple of the range—in that it feels larger than it has any right to be. Wood options are either walnut or oak in high-gloss or satin—choose wisely, as there is wood seemingly everywhere in the space. That aforementioned galley has a counter running along the aft bulkhead offering ample prep space. There is an induction cooktop to starboard and a sink forward. It’s a relatively spartan galley but one with everything you need to whip up something delicious, and the fit and finish, from the way the cabinets softly close to the smart grooves that run along the interior edge of the counter, is high quality. A second indoor dining settee is forward and to port to handle dinner duties during especially inclement weather.
On the Fly
The Riviera 46 SMY is built on the same platform as the builder’s popular 465 SUV, which is an express cruiser model. What sets the SMY apart is its flybridge, which really opens the boat up for entertaining, with an entire extra deck. The SMY will also appeal to captains who prefer to drive from up top, either for the sightlines or for the chance to get some respite from their guests. The flybridge is accessed via a sturdy interior staircase in the aft of the salon, a grippy climb that will be safe even in a seaway. Up top the helm features twin Pompanette captain’s chairs, Volvo Penta controls, Garmin screens, and an elegant C-Zone system that does wonders to reduce dashboard clutter. A forward lounge area is perhaps the best place to be on the boat when underway and converts into a berth if needed. If someone is sleeping up top, the flybridge can be fully enclosed by Isinglass. There is also a hardtop overhead providing shade, which is supported by thick aluminum tubes crafted with expert welding. It’s details like this that show how much experience Riviera has accumulated in its workforce at its sprawling yard in Queensland, Australia. Notably, the builder fosters one of the industry’s strongest apprentice programs, helping to bring local youths up through the ranks to become expert boatbuilders, and sometimes company leaders.
Fast and Efficient
With the optional 725-hp Volvo Penta IPS 950s, the Riviera 46 can hit a respectably zippy 34-knot top end with an efficient fast cruise of about 29 knots. At that pace, she burns 59 gallons per hour. Less powerful 600-hp Volvo Penta IPS 800s come standard. Either propulsion package will reside in an engine room with solid 360-degree access to all major service points and a reliable 13.5-kW Onan generator forward. Fire-resistant, transverse, GRP fuel tanks can hold up to 660 gallons, while water capacity is 132 gallons.
Riviera added sound and vibration dampeners around the engine room to make the 46’s ride as quiet as possible, a trait that will likely be appreciated most down below on the accommodations level. At 46 feet, 11 inches length overall, the SMY is just a tad too small for a full-beam amidships master, but the forepeak master layout should do just fine. Twin overhead hatches offer good natural light that really opens the space, and an ensuite head with enough room for American elbows is a real asset. Mirroring guest staterooms with twin berths are amidships, and benefit greatly from the not insignificant hullside glazing that fills them with natural light. The two cabins share a dayhead. Besides the convertible berth on the flybridge, both the salon and mezzanine also have convertible berths, meaning this boat can easily handle a large overnight crowd so long as nobody is too picky.
The sleeping arrangements are a good microcosm for this 46 and the Australian boating ethos in general. The emphasis here is to put forward a well-designed vessel that can get you out on the water enjoying nature while spending time with friends and family—and do it all in a package that isn’t gaudy but leaves nothing to be desired. There’s good reason I left Palm Beach having this Riviera 46 SMY marked down in my notes as one of my very favorite boats at one of my very favorite shows.
-by Kevin Koenig
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