Superyacht
RIVA DOLCEVITA: LIVING THE GOOD LIFE
When it came to naming its latest motor yacht, Riva needed something timeless and catchy that reflected the 33-metre’s Italian style, natural elegance and carefree attitude, and so it was named Dolcevita.
With Riva, it’s all about lifestyle, luxury and quality. Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor all owned Rivas, with current enthusiasts including Elton John, Sean Connery and George Clooney. Riva is one of the most glamorous brands on the planet. It’s up there with Tiffany & Co, Gucci and Ferrari, and in many ways, each of Riva’s premiers has these elements of high fashion and high performance.
LA DOLCE VITA
For the name of its latest 33-metre motor yacht, Riva chose a phrase that quite literally means ‘the good life’ – Dolcevita. And with a world debut that took place at the Yacht Club de Monaco last year in the presence of Albert II, Prince of Monaco she has lived up to her name from the start. Of course, Yachts was invited on board too and here’s what we thought of the new flagship of the fiberglass fleet.
PLACE OF LEGENDS
For the premiere of the 110’ Dolcevita, Riva singled out the Grand Prix Historique that takes place biannually in Monaco two weeks before the F1 circus comes to town. For motorsport enthusiasts, the Ferraris, Alfas and Maseratis sliding sideways around the Principality’s classic Formula One circuit are seen as pure machines, placing style on an equal level as all-out performance. This was the perfect event to reveal the Dolcevita: a meeting place of legends, a world of dreams, embodying the idea of a carefree and magnificent era, representing the perfect synthesis of tradition and modernity.
The 110’ Dolcevita stands apart from her sisters, and is in many ways a link to the larger craft of Riva’s Superyacht Division.
The main salon features a polished dark wood ceiling with a stainless steel surround that stretches along the entire length of the lounge.
TIMELESS STYLE
Inspired by the success of the 100’ Corsaro, the flagship 110’ Dolcevita has remained faithful to the style of the popular flybridge line. However, there are plenty of new details on board, with an emphasis on aesthetic forms and functionality. The design of the 33-metre yacht was handled by the Ferretti Group’s engineering department in collaboration with long-time (award-winning) partners Officina Italiana Design. Under the guidance of co-founders Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta, the studio has managed to combine the unmistakable style of ‘Made in Italy’, with cutting-edge technology, reliability and excellent seaworthiness. Even at this size, the Dolcevita is instantly recognisable as a Riva, with the sleek, purposeful family lines running through every yacht that leaves the shipyard.
Even so, the 110’ Dolcevita stands apart from her sisters, and is in many ways a link to the larger craft of Riva’s Superyacht Division. Style wise, the flybridge (an essential aspect of any luxury yacht) is elegantly integrated into the superstructure, with subtle, sporty lines gently arcing from the bow to stern, creating a feeling of continuity and solidity.
The gunmetal superstructure is distinguished by extensive tinted glazing, in which there are practically no seams or pillars. Chrome-plated inserts emphasise the luxury side of Riva, as do the low-profile railings found on every bulwark and stairway.
It’s only the liberal use of wood that reminds you that you’re on a yacht and not in the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
BEACH CLUB
The need for a beach club near the water is a given with any Riva, however, for the Dolcevita, the shipyard has gone for a subtle aft style, which doesn’t in any way alter the sportiness of the hull. As on the Corsaro, the 110’ Dolcevita has a patented submersible transom. This system allows the garage door to fold down 90 degrees, creating the beach club that’s level with the ocean.
It also allows the swim platform to be lowered and raised hydraulically, allowing you to flood the garage with water to help launch the tender. The garage itself is huge and can happily accommodate a 5.7-metre Williams Dieseljet and a PWC.
COCKPIT
A quick climb up the transom stairs leads you into one of the most spacious cockpits in the 33-metre sector. Sitting on the U-shaped sofa, you look over the glass-top table at a vast entertainment space, which even when it’s filled with loose furniture, still has plenty of room for mingling. Although Riva’s quality is evident here, it’s not until you step through the cockpit doors that the Dolcevita really starts living up to its name.
Wide passageways and high bulwarks with chunky handrails are typical design traits of Ferretti’s Group Product Strategy Committee and Engineering Department.
MAIN SALON
The 110’s lounge is more of an art instillation than a place to relax. It’s like sitting in a glass cube surrounded by steel edging. It’s only the liberal use of wood that reminds you that you’re on a yacht and not in the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Floor-to-ceiling windows allow guests the opportunity to enjoy magnificent sea views, while the sea itself is reflected in the dark wood polished ceiling. The glazing is also heavily tinted, but even so, the interior is literally saturated with natural light.
Most of the salon is occupied by sofa and table space that, thanks to their low profile designs, allow an almost unrestricted view out, no matter where you’re sitting. In fact, the flat screen TV is the tallest item in the lounge and even that only comes up half way up the glazing.
Diners have their own little area at the forward part of the salon, and we like its informal attitude. Many 33-metre yachts have grand dining tables with elaborate chandeliers, not so the Dolcevita; it’s more of a “grab a cucumber sandwich and an orange juice,” than a five-course
meal affair.
Fifty-fifty: As the 110’s hardtop covers half of the flybridge, guests have the option of spending their time lying in the sun, or sitting in the shade.
OWNER’S SUITE
In a change to the normal layout, the galley can be found starboard, with the Owner’s suite found at the end of the port-side lobby. This full beam apartment has a light and dark colourway, with white the prominent colour. Thanks to the considerable hull glazing, it is filled with the same natural light as the main salon. It’s a very modern looking space, with copious amounts of storage but minimal furnishings to keep the overall ambience open and airy.
BELOW DECKS
Heading back into the port side lobby, we take the staircase down to the lower deck accommodation. Here guests can choose between four cabins, which have been finished in the same light and dark colourway as the Owner’s suite. Polished rosewood inserts add the Riva class to the cabins. This tropical, exotic wood has shades ranging from brick-red to chocolate-brown, and makes a beautiful veneer with exquisite patterns of dark veins, the design of which depends on the direction of planning.
Riva has taken the crew layout straight from a superyacht General Arrangement. The crew quarters and service areas are all located in the 110’s bow, with direct access up to the captain’s lair, the Raised Pilot House.
FLYBRIDGE
On the 110’, all stairways lead to the flybridge, with access from the cockpit and the wheelhouse. The second helm is of course found forward along with seating for a front-row view of the horizon. In the shadow of the hardtop is a bar with a grill, refrigerator and sink. Opposite it is a dinette with a spacious U-shaped sofa and two tables, which can be combined into one large dining area. Up above, the composite hardtop features asymmetric glass inserts, which allow varying degrees of light to spread across the diners below.
Aft is the sofa/sunpad, which has enough space for all the Riva’s guests to enjoy. It’s a versatile space, perfect for sunbathing during the day before transforming into a mingling space for large parties as soon as all the freestanding furniture is removed.
BOW WOW WOW
Thanks to its raised location, the bow deck area is almost a continuation of the flybride. In fact, a port side passage connects both areas (starboard steps also lead from the main deck to the bow) making access seamless. Here, there is a C-shape sofa at the base of the wheelhouse windscreen with a large sunpad forward. The pads also cover the Jacuzzi and a PWC garage. Bimini tops can also be erected, which help make the bow area one of the most private outdoor areas on board.
PERFORMANCE
Powering the 110’ are a pair of MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines. These big turbo diesels produce 2,638 horsepower each, giving the Riva a top speed of 26 knots and a cruise speed of 23 knots. Fill the fuel tanks to the brim and the Riva has enough gas to cover 430 nautical miles – pretty good for a beast with 32 cylinders.
“These big turbo diesels produce 2,638 horsepower each, giving the Riva a top speed of 26 knots.”
| RIVA 110’ DOLCEVITA SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| LOA: | 33.53m |
| Beam: | 7.27m |
| Draught: | 1.99m |
| Displacement: | 142t |
| Engines: | 2x MTU 16V 2000 M96L |
| Power: | 2638 hp |
| Max speed: | 26 kn |
| Cruise speed: | 23 kn |
| Range: | @cruise 430nm |
| Fuel: | 15,300 ltr |
| Water: | 3000 ltr |
| Body Material: | Fiberglass |
| Passengers (guests + crew): | 20 |
| Certification: | RINA Class Certificate for Pleasure Yachts, |
| Certification: | C X HULL, • MACH, Y, Unrestricted Navigation |
| Shipyard: | Riva, Sarnico, Italy |
CONCLUSION
Riva has put all of its years of knowledge and experience into creating the 110’ Dolcevita. It boasts the perfect mix of comfort, luxury and performance and it’s all wrapped up in that sleek, spacious hull. Detailing, quality and finish are all world class, and with the perfect amount of equipment, it makes you question whether you would ever need to upscale to a bigger yacht. Living the good life? Most definitely.
