RIVA AQUARAMA: CELEBRATING L’ICONA

Alberto Galassi, Ferretti Group’s CEO succinctly describes the prestige of the Riva Aquarama in two sentences: “There are no limits to the beauty of the Aquarama, how perfect it looks and how timeless.

You could have an eighty-meter yacht, but people will always look at the Aquarama first.” This is absolutely true. If there’s a Riva runabout in the marina, it’s going to draw more attention than any 250-million-dollar superyacht. You don’t just look at a Riva Aquarama, you feel it, somewhere in your chest. It’s a feeling of excitement, like spotting a movie star in the same Paris restaurant or catching a glimpse of a Countach rounding the Fairmont’s hairpin in Monte Carlo. In fact, the Lamborghini analogy fits perfectly here; what stirs the senses more, a new Urus, or a 1968 Miura P400SV?

Icon: Of the about 760 completed Aquaramas made in the Sarnico shipyard, Riva experts estimate around 650 are still in existence, which only adds to the boat’s legendary status.

A PIECE OF THE DREAM

Written by one of the most respected authors in yachting, Mr Michael Verdon, the new book published by Assouline follows the history of the Aquarama, from Carlo Riva’s dream, to its ascension to boating icon. The glossy pages pay their respects to Riva’s mahogany bodied, chrome detailed runabout with its signature robin’s egg-blue and cream upholstery. It’s a heady combination of wood, leather and petrol that reflected ‘la dolce vita’ optimism the Mediterranean of the 60s. The Aquarama’s charm enjoyed a mythical status and was beloved the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Gunter Sachs and Monaco’s royal family.

Out of the 760 Aquaramas crafted at Sarnico, Riva experts estimate 650 are still in existence. Facts like these only add to the boat’s status, and telling the story in print brings to life the Aquarama’s dolce vita charm. To match its subject, the book is presented in a luxury mahogany box that is crafted to express the beauty of the Aquarama’s  hull. This special edition offers owners, collectors and enthusiasts alike a piece of the Riva dream.