{"id":131941,"date":"2024-06-13T06:00:10","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T05:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/?post_type=review&p=131941"},"modified":"2024-06-13T06:05:13","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T05:05:13","slug":"riva-82-diva-review-e6m-design-tour-de-force","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/reviews\/aft-cabins\/riva-82-diva-review-e6m-design-tour-de-force","title":{"rendered":"Riva 82 Diva review: This \u20ac6m yacht is a design tour de force"},"content":{"rendered":"

Riva\u2019s marketing people have had so much fun over the years thinking up names for new models that it was only a matter of time before they came up with this one. The Diva is certainly an attention-grabbing performer, as boldly styled as anything in the shipyard\u2019s catalogue, with its katana-blade hull windows and superstructure mouldings that seem to float on top of the tinted glazing of the main deck.<\/p>\n

The beautiful compound curve of the bulwarks around the bow complement the subtle sculpting of the topsides, while those angled, see-through side screens, slender steel struts and an apparent absence of major structural components lend a slightly skeletal effect to the whole, as if it were conceived by AI androids and manufactured on a gigantic 3D printer. But to show it\u2019s not taking itself too seriously it\u2019s topped off with that jaunty, carbon hardtop.<\/p>\n

As a design, it\u2019s a tour de force, and having set out its stall so assertively, the Diva\u2019s interior has a lot to live up to. It doesn\u2019t disappoint. This entire yacht is a statement piece, and as its owner you necessarily become a part of the performance.<\/p>\n

A crumpled dressing gown and comfy slippers will simply not cut it. The Diva demands that your own elegance matches that of your surroundings at all times. It\u2019s not just a matter of dressing for dinner \u2013 on the Diva you\u2019ll be dressing for breakfast.<\/p>\n

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The Diva\u2019s uncompromisingly angular profile is almost skeletal in its appearance<\/p><\/div>\n

But there\u2019s a fine line between cool, rational living spaces and the executive boardroom look, which comes to mind in the raised dining area that dominates the main deck, with its glass balustrade and a marble table, edged \u2013 as if marble were not cold and hard enough already \u2013 with stainless steel.<\/p>\n

Each to their own, of course, and as a styling exercise the interior of the Diva is admirably rigorous, full of uncompromising right-angles and dark, high-gloss reflective surfaces that contrast dramatically with pale carpets and deckhead linings.<\/p>\n

It was no surprise in such a high-concept lifestyle yacht to see that fiddle rails were conspicuous by their absence. Handholds were few, and invariably made of hard, angular stainless steel. On anything other than a calm day the Diva will be a difficult boat to move around on.<\/p>\n

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Fixed but versatile, the foredeck offers elegant seating and lounging space<\/p><\/div>\n

The main deck is intended to impress, and it succeeds in spectacular fashion thanks largely to the windows, which are huge. The aft seating has a self-contained feel thanks to the difference in deck level that separates it from the dining area, which itself commands superb views from its elevated vantage point.<\/p>\n

One reason the main deck layout as a whole succeeds so well is that there\u2019s no galley getting in the way of the sightlines, and if that sliding panel in the forward bulkhead looks a bit like a serving hatch to you then yes, you\u2019re right, the galley is in the wheelhouse. It\u2019s actually not as daft as it sounds, although cooking pasta might steam up the windscreen.<\/p>\n

Article continues below…<\/em><\/p>\n

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The arrangement of the lower deck follows convention with a large and luxurious master cabin amidships, a pair of twin berth cabins, both with ensuite heads, and the VIP up in the bows.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the master that has clearly enjoyed the focus of the design team\u2019s attention, for in spite of its walk-in wardrobe, generously proportioned head and shower compartment and substantial bed, it still offers plenty of floor space for walking around in, with headroom of 7ft 7in (2.31m) over much of it.<\/p>\n

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The Diva\u2019s fold-out cockpit platforms add significantly to the deck area for that all-important beach club vibe<\/p><\/div>\n

The twin cabins are not identical, but there is little to choose between them. Each has a usefully large stowage drawer as well as a hanging locker, a comfortable heads compartment, and they both also have a neat little charging station concealed under the sliding top of the bedside cabinet. The starboard cabin lacks headroom between the beds \u2013 it comes down to just 5ft 8in \u2013 but by way of compensation the beds themselves are slightly wider.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the VIP that has clearly been the loser in the tussle for space down below, being set well forward with its berth mounted necessarily high up in the V of the bow. It\u2019s not lacking in stowage space, and the head and shower compartment is fine. Headroom is 6ft 7in. No-one will complain. But it doesn\u2019t feel much roomier than either of the twins.<\/p>\n

For most owners the deck spaces will provide the Diva\u2019s raison d\u2019\u00eatre. There is quite a choice. The cockpit is laid out as a fairly formal spot for food and drink, with the obligatory glass transom panel to make the most of the view.<\/p>\n

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A cut-out in the leading edge of the flybridge hard top eases access to the forward sunpad<\/p><\/div>\n

If you want to enjoy some down time closer to the water, there\u2019s a sunpad on the roof of the tender garage, flanked by a pair of fold-out terraces in the quarters which are big enough to take a couple of folding chairs. The sunbathing area forward is pretty substantial and would be very tempting with its sun awning rigged. But it\u2019s probably the flybridge that will prove the most popular gathering spot on a sunny afternoon.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s got everything \u2013 a bar, sofas and loungers, with plenty of shade courtesy of the hardtop. This has a cool cutaway in its forward edge to make it easier to access the sunpad without bending down, but take care when stepping off \u2013 any wobbles and you could get a nasty crack on the side of the head.<\/p>\n

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The midships master suite is the Diva\u2019s centrepiece in every sense<\/p><\/div>\n

Underlining the style of the Diva as a sophisticated platform for elegant idleness, all of the furnishings up on the flybridge are dedicated to time in port or at anchor. Only the two-seat bench at the helm faces forward. As we have seen in the interior, offshore cruising is not what this yacht has been designed for.<\/p>\n

The shipyard offers a choice of power plants, but there is not much in it \u2013 either the 1,800hp MAN V12s in our test boat, at last autumn\u2019s Cannes boat show, or the slightly more pokey 1,900hp versions.<\/p>\n

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The dining area is a couple of steps above the aft section of the saloon, with its laidback seating and vast TV<\/p><\/div>\n

There are two ways down to the engineroom. One involves a steep ladder down from a hatch in the cockpit, the other is through the crew quarters, which are reached down an even steeper ladder from the starboard sidedeck door.<\/p>\n

Once down there, access isn\u2019t bad. The engines are mounted on V-drive transmissions, and it also helps that the ladder from the deck can be swivelled out of the way.<\/p>\n

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The forward VIP has good headroom but doesn\u2019t feel that spacious<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Riva claims a top speed of 29 knots with these engines, and we managed 28 with a pretty full fuel load, a tender, and the usual boat show crowd on board.<\/p>\n

Even big Rivas tend to deliver in the performance department, and the Diva proved very rewarding to drive with a satisfying angle of heel in hard turns even with the Humphree trim system in auto mode, and positive acceleration and handling. It was a pleasantly flat morning, just what the designers had in mind, and the medium-V hull thumped gently through any wake.<\/p>\n

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The port guest suite is supplemented by another one to starboard<\/p><\/div>\n

We took the opportunity to measure sound levels in the master cabin at 22 knots. The meter registered 65dB(A). Quality is as much a Riva selling point as high-end design, and this creditable figure served to reinforce the impression we had already formed of the Diva\u2019s solid build and robust fit-out. It doesn\u2019t have to be a boat solely for entertaining and relaxation on sunny days.<\/p>\n

With the addition of a few extra fiddles and handrails, you could take on more challenging cruises too.<\/p>\n

Riva 82 Diva specifications<\/h2>\n

Length:<\/strong> 83ft 0in (25.29m)
\nBeam:<\/strong> 19ft 11in (6.08m)
\nDraft:<\/strong> 6ft 9in (2.05m)
\nDisplacement (light):<\/strong> 68 tonnes
\nEngines:<\/strong> 2 x 1,800hp MAN V12
\nFuel:<\/strong> 6,400 litres
\nWater:<\/strong> 1,100 litres
\nMaximum speed:<\/strong> 28 knots
\nCruising speed:<\/strong> 22 knots
\nContact:<\/strong> Ventura Yachts<\/p>\n

Riva 82 Diva costs & options<\/h2>\n

Price:<\/strong> from \u20ac6.385 million ex VAT
\nSeakeeper gyro:<\/strong> \u20ac128,000
\nSternthruster:<\/strong> \u20ac21,000
\nUnderwater lights:<\/strong> \u20ac43,000
\nWatermaker:<\/strong> \u20ac16,000
\nElectric saloon doors:<\/strong> \u20ac24,000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Riva\u2019s marketing people have had so much fun over the years thinking up names for new models that it was only a matter of time before they came up with this one. The Diva is certainly an attention-grabbing performer, as boldly styled as anything in the shipyard\u2019s catalogue, with its katana-blade hull windows and superstructure […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":405,"featured_media":131959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[1620,1593],"review_manufacturer":[98],"review_category":[48],"review_type":[],"review_award":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/131941"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/review"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/405"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131941"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/131941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131961,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/131941\/revisions\/131961"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131941"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=131941"},{"taxonomy":"review_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_category?post=131941"},{"taxonomy":"review_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_type?post=131941"},{"taxonomy":"review_award","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_award?post=131941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}