True icons adapt to the spirit of the times, yet retain their magic. This is certainly true of Riva’s 54Metri, which is a modern superyacht yet unmistakably a product of the Officina Italiana Design drawing board. BOOTE EXCLUSIV was given the opportunity to visit the Signora, albeit in a different way to planned.
The setting could hardly be more kitsch. Off the cliffs of Amalfi, the ‘Sairu’ rocks gently on the waves of the bright-blue Mediterranean. The balconies are open, and the pool water glistens in the sun. Other Riva classics are moored within sight. The previous evening, a celebration was held on the hotel beach at Borgo Santandrea in honour of the 54.84-metre-long flagship, attended by many owners and VIPs. Now the journalists are ready to board the tenders for the short crossing. But then the long-planned visit comes to an abrupt end. The owner had left her hotel suite in a hurry during the night and is now ill on board. Understandably, she would rather have some peace and quiet than have guests around her.
The idea for the 54Metri came from a customer
The disappointment quickly fades from their faces; within minutes, the Ferretti Group team organises a brand-new Riva 76 Perseo Super, ushers the guests into the cockpit and brings them close to the star – at least from the outside. At the sight of it, one is reminded of what the new CEO, Stassi Anastassov, said when he described the creation of Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta – chief designer and CEO of Officina Italia Design – as a masterpiece and referred to the brand’s founder: “Carlo would be proud of us.” The 54Metri belongs to a Riva enthusiast and owner, but it wasn’t his idea.
The impetus did not come from a client who wanted a larger yacht whilst remaining loyal to a particular brand family, rather than turning to other brands within the Ferretti Group such as CRN or Custom Line. Rather, the concept for a superyacht emerged from within the company itself; the 54 was intended to expand the fleet’s upper end – with design and construction undertaken on a speculative basis. “When we presented the project to the owner, it was already under construction. He fell in love with it straight away,” says Vittorio Blengini, sales manager of the Custom division. The 54 was deliberately designed as a semi-custom model “to ensure a delivery every year”.
When we presented this project to one of our Riva owners, it was still under construction. He fell in love with the design straight away.”
Rivas who are actually called Rivas
So the procedure is clear: Riva determines the exterior and the interior. The profile, which ensures consistency with the model range, is controlled 100 per cent. “Our job is to deliver Rivas that are truly Rivas,” emphasises Blengini. The details can, of course, be customised, he assures us. “When it comes to the interior, we advise the customer in collaboration with our experts,” adds Alessio Schirru, Sales Manager at Riva Yachts, “but we would also be happy to work with their own designer.”
The decision to develop a new Riva over 50 metres long was also driven by technical considerations; it was not possible to retrofit an SCR system onto the old 50-metre platform. “To be allowed to sail in the strictly regulated ECA1 areas, every vessel must now have such an exhaust gas cleaning system on board,” explains Schirru. “That’s why we wanted to offer a new product – sportier, sleeker and with more power.”
With her MTU engines, the “Sairu” achieves a top speed of just over 18 knots and can cover 3,800 nautical miles at a speed of 10 knots, thus offering transatlantic range. In addition, the designers and the shipyard aimed for a shallow draught – 2.20 metres in this case – which is important for the US market and its preference for the Bahamas. The engineers achieved this partly thanks to a compact stabilisation system featuring four electric fins instead of the usual two. In terms of styling, the model continues the Riva Sportfly range, which includes the 100’ Corsaro, the 110’ Dolcevita, the 130’ Bellissima and the 82’ Diva. Unlike the 50Metri, which was made of steel and aluminium, took the form of a classic ‘Navetta’ and was delivered three times between 2018 and 2023, the 54Metri is the first Riva to be welded entirely from aluminium.
A 3D performance
From the outside, the 54Metri has remained true to its heritage and exudes confidence. “The faceted, metallic surface of the hull makes the yacht look like a sculpture. It looks like a work of art,” say Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta. The exterior colour scheme in ‘Moon Grey’, ‘London Grey’ and black was also their idea: ‘Colour is an integral part of the design and not something that is added as an afterthought.’ Whilst alternative shades are conceivable, they would have to “take into account the yacht’s compositional logic, its proportions and its size”. Together with the black deckhouse and the windscreen, which curves towards the stern, the metallic paintwork enhances the three-dimensional appearance. This, along with the window line that slopes sharply down from the bulwark, has now become an iconic feature of all Rivas.
The Diva model introduced a unique feature to the range: a stern that opens via two large flaps. The 54Metri takes this concept to the next level, as the cockpit features two additional folding balconies, further expanding this living space. “The only beach club with four balconies,” emphasise the studio directors.
"At this beach club, guests alternate between sunbathing and relaxing in the shade, between swimming in the sea and relaxing in the pool."
Balconies remain open, water remains in the pools
The 54 spans four decks, with the lower three connected by a lift. A classic layout accommodates ten guests across four cabins plus the master cabin on the forward main deck, which is well ventilated even without air conditioning thanks to large hull windows. Visitors get the best impression when they board the yacht via the 5-square-metre platform. A sort of walkway leads to the 42.5-square-metre beach club, which the retractable bulwarks extend by a further 20 square metres.
The 4-by-2-metre pool in the centre is lined with white ceramic tiles. The heated swimming pool can usually remain full whilst the boat is underway, so there is no need to drain and refill it, at least for short journeys. Six steps lead up to the cockpit, which spans 45 square metres plus two balconies, each measuring 6.6 square metres. Guests are welcome to use these terraces, which seem to float above the water, even whilst the Riva 54Metri is en route to the next anchorage.
As is customary on a superyacht, guests and crew follow separate routes on the flagship. From the saloon, the route leads first to a pantry and then to the galley or to the service areas on the upper deck, and on to the crew quarters in the ship’s hold. From the aft cockpit on the upper deck, two walkways lead to the lobby and, opposite, to a lounge in front of the wheelhouse. From the galley, which supplies the skylounge, the crew can also reach the sun deck bar via a service staircase. Guests use the aft staircase. With an area of over 100 square metres, the sun deck serves as a party terrace; the jacuzzi provides a way to cool off and can remain filled whilst the yacht is underway. Here too, Officina Italiana Design has bespoke-designed virtually everything; the sofas and sun loungers are colour-coordinated to match the hull.
The owner lives and works on his Riva
One of the most innovative features of the large Riva is the bow lounge on the upper deck. Alongside the central C-shaped sofa, there are two hinged sun loungers on either side. When the seating is raised, a technical storage compartment is revealed. This is used for launching the tender and toys (a Williams 625 and two jet skis) and also serves as a navigation mast. High on the owners’ wish list was a stable internet connection; after all, they also wanted to use the yacht as a ‘boat office’. That is why the Riva 54Metri features an infrastructure that combines conventional TV satellite aerials with Starlink satellite broadband systems and is also OneWeb-compatible – a prerequisite for high transmission speeds, signal stability and reliable global coverage.
A firewall platform protects the on-board networks, data and systems from unauthorised access. This high standard of the on-board network also forms the basis for the home automation and entertainment system developed by Videoworks. Guests use intuitive user interfaces and iPads to control the lighting and select music or videos. In addition, the TV screens display real-time images from the external cameras and nautical charts. Peace and quiet are essential for a comfortable life on board. The vibration and sound insulation measures include floating floors, furniture completely decoupled from the aluminium structure, and viscoelastic coatings in areas prone to vibration.
"We have sold four units since the project began. We have already started building the fifth one."
The 54Metri is being built at the superyacht division’s headquarters in Ancona, where the CRNs are constructed and the Ferretti Group can process its order book. “We have sold four units since the project began,” announces Blengini. The next available vessel is number five, due for delivery in summer 2028: “We have already started building it.” A 70Metri is due to be launched at the end of 2028, with handover taking place in early 2029. Fancy a go? A week on the ‘Sairu’ costs from 350,000 euros with Boatsters Black.
Technical Specifications: Riva 54Metri
- Overall length: 54.84 m
- Length (waterline): 52.14 m
- Width: 9.18 m
- Draught: 2.20 m
- Displacement: 446 t
- Gross tonnage: 499 GT
- Material: aluminium
- Engines: MTU 12V
- Engine power: 2 x 1,432 kW
- Speed (max.): 18.5 kn
- Speed (cruising): 14 kn
- Range @ 11 kn: 3,600 sm
- Generators: Zenoro, 2 x 118 kW
- Stabilisers: Naiad
- Navigation: Navcom
- Guests: 10
- Design: Ferretti Group, OID
- Exterior design: Officina Italiana Design
- Interior design: Officina Italiana Design
- Class: Lloyd 100 A1 SSC
- Shipyard: Riva
Uske Berndt
Editor News & Panorama