Riva: Restoration, trade, boat service - Hidden beauties

That's roughly how the prince must have felt when, after long and arduous endeavours, he got over the thorny hedge of the enchanted castle and finally stood before the sleeping princess. That's pretty much how you feel when you enter an unadorned and inconspicuous warehouse in the outskirts of Berlin, which used to house the apple washing plant of the local agricultural co-operative in GDR times.

Behind the metal gate, you suddenly find yourself in the centre of a land of milk and honey for lovers of the Riva brand.

Around 30 boats of different sizes, ages and in every conceivable state of preservation are waiting for a prince to kiss them awake or for an owner to bring them to life with a turn of the ignition key. When you consider that only 4,200 of these precious wooden boats were built and that around 2,000 of them are still in existence worldwide, it becomes clear what a treasure trove of ideas and money is stored here.

It is the warehouse and at the same time the shipyard of the company Boat Lounge in Berlin. Since 2006, its owner Norman Bauer has been offering an all-round service for classic Riva boats on. Of course, he also sells new Riva boats. But his heart is set on the classics.

"My favourite boats are the ones that are in very poor condition," he says as he and his staff inspect the progress of an engine overhaul. "We buy them up and the restoration is then completely in our hands. We can hand over a boat like this to a new owner with a clear conscience."

In recent years, the company has become the largest restoration company for classic Riva boats in Germany.

But that's not all. With his office in the Classic Remise in the centre of Berlin, the hangar in the surrounding area and an associated transport company, he offers sales, charter, transport, storage and maintenance from a single source. Whatever the request, the owner only needs to hand over the keys and Norman Bauer and his team will take care of the rest.

In individual cases, this means that the boat is collected from the jetty by Boat Lounge staff, taken to the workshop or winter storage and launched again in the spring. Of course, this also applies if a major engine inspection or other repair is required that cannot be carried out in the water.

The service also extends to other areas. If you don't want to do without your Riva on holiday, Norman Bauers Boat Lounge is the right place for you. Transport to the south of France or Lake Garda is no problem. Even a hotel with a suitable berth can be organised on request.

This means that the owner can set off on their trip with their family without any stress and will find their "treasure" already at their holiday destination. All the necessary formalities and applications are taken care of for them, so that their boating holiday begins as soon as they arrive. For reasons of quality and safety, Norman Bauer only uses his own staff and not third parties or subcontractors.

"Just as the Riva is a special boat that you might only buy once in a lifetime, we also want to offer a special service that is possibly unique in this form," he emphasises. "The most valuable asset of many of our customers is time, and we help them to enjoy this asset as effectively and relaxed as possible with their Riva."

For those who are still reluctant to embark on such an adventure alone, the Boat Lounge offers the "Riva Owners Meeting" to familiarise themselves and test the waters. This summer, it's off to Lake Garda. Around 15 of these mahogany legends from all over Germany will be transported to northern Italy to embark on fantastic tours of Italy's largest lake under the expert guidance of Norman Bauer.

"There's hardly anything better than returning to the starting point of the tour at dusk after an extensive Italian meal on one of the islands of Lake Garda with its Riva," says Norman Bauer with shining eyes and is already looking forward to the summer.

This enthusiasm seems to be bearing fruit. He currently looks after almost 60 boats and is already planning to expand his capacity with an additional 1600 square metre hall.

Info: Boat Lounge Wiebestrasse 36-37,
10553 Berlin, Tel. 030/34 50 69 96,
Fax 030/34 50 69 96 10