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Riviera’s class of 46

Big enough to pack in a lot of accommodations but still easily handled by a couple, Riviera’s three new 46-foot motor yacht offerings are sure to be popular.

Written by Ron Parker

29 January 2025

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Remember when you were a kid at the ice cream shop, when all the flavours sounded wonderful? It was hard to pick one because you knew they all were good, but which was the best?

That’s kind of how I felt when I found out that Riviera recently came out with not one, not two, but three new 46-footers. This is going to be a tough choice. Luckily, I was able to get on all three boats, hoping to differentiate them to help you choose the yacht best suited to your type of boating.

The Riviera 465 SUV and Riviera 46 Sports Motor Yacht (SMY) are sisters; they have the same hull and basic configuration. The Riviera 4600 Sport Yacht (SY) is more of a sharp-looking cousin with a completely different hull and layout. All three are around 50 feet (15.24 metres) in length overall, are driven by Volvo Penta IPS pod drives, have three cabins and two heads, and are packed with features and accommodations sure to please a wide variety of boaters.

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A flybridge that shines

I’ll start with the biggest and baddest of the bunch, the 46 SMY. This boat has all the cool features of the 465 SUV but with one major difference: a large, open flybridge. Riviera’s heritage is steeped in flybridge motor yachts, and the 46 SMY pays homage to those great boats but adds modern touches like an internal staircase that really make this new boat shine.

The flybridge is spacious, delivering over 144 square feet of living space. In addition to the two plush Pompanette adjustable helm seats, there’s a comfortable lounge ahead of the helm with a drop-down table, drink holders and stereo speakers. I like this set-up because the helmsperson can easily communicate with people hanging in the skylounge, and if children are on board, they’re in your sight.

This area is great for drinks and appetisers or lunch on the go, and a wet bar and fridge add convenience. The back cushion on the port lounge is perfectly angled to watch the scenery while underway or curl up with a book and relax. Lower the lounge table and add the filler cushion to create a bed ideal for stargazing.

The entire flybridge is covered by a hardtop with hatches for access and fresh air, and is surrounded by clears for great visibility. Air-conditioning vents face both the helm chairs and forward toward the lounge, and worked well on the 29-degree day of our sea trial, but rolling up the clears to let the breeze in felt great.

Driving with the air flowing through is exhilarating and fun, and this flybridge, which can be opened, differentiates the 46 SMY from the other two 46s.

Both the 46 SMY and 465 SUV have similar deck layouts, but in the SUV the helm is in the main saloon to starboard. Twin helm seats and controls replace a second inside lounge in that area on the SMY.

 

Variety of accommodations

Below deck, both the 46 SMY and 465 SUV have the primary stateroom forward with an island berth and ensuite head. The other two staterooms under the main saloon have standing headroom at their entrances that lowers a bit at the beds.

Hull windows keep the staterooms light, and there is nearly a metre above the beds, making them cosy and not claustrophobic. These staterooms can be configured with twin bunks, or one or both can be a double cabin, which gives you excellent versatility and no bunk beds.

Alternatively, the 4600 SY features a full-beam owner’s cabin under the saloon with an ensuite head, in addition to a VIP stateroom forward that features a double island berth and head access.

The third port twin bed stateroom can be optioned on the 4600 SY as a lower-deck lounge. Either way, you get two substantial double staterooms and twin pullman beds or the open lounge, which could be used for sleeping when needed.

Options for entertaining

All three models have fully appointed galleys aft of the saloon featuring solid surface countertops, stainless-steel sinks, fridges, freezers, dishwashers and storage. Glass and stainless doors and an awning window connect the galley to the cockpit. Each has a semi-enclosed aft seating area with a table ideal for alfresco dining or lounging.

This mezzanine lounge area under the hardtop on all three models can be enclosed with clears and climate-controlled, although the 4600 SY lends itself more to being open.

On the 4600 SY, there’s a lounge opposite a vented electric BBQ, wet bar, fridge and ice-maker. The 46 SMY and 465 SUV feature a mezzanine lounge connected by steps to an open cockpit, perfect for fishing or entertaining. At 5.6 square metres, the cockpit has room to fish with rod- holders and an optional lighted, windowed, recirculating bait tank. An electric BBQ, wet bar, fridge and ice-maker are great for entertaining.

Twin transom doors connect the swim platform. The 4600 SY has a stairwell leading to the aft deck and another to the port-side deck that leads to the foredeck. A hydraulic lift capable of carrying a substantial RIB on the swim platform is available on all three models. Forward, they all have centreline sunpads with bolstered backrests and drink-holders.

Performance and versatility

I was only able to drive one of these three boats, the Riviera 46 SMY, but observed the 4600 SY as she ran with us. The 4600 SY was fast and nimble as we manoeuvred the yachts side by side, and looked stylish with her deep-V bow cleanly slicing through the short chop.

Aboard the 46 SMY, optional Volvo Penta D11 IPS 950s pushed us smoothly and rapidly as we jockeyed up alongside the 4600 SY. All controls were in easy reach of the helm, including the throttles and joystick, twin Garmin MFDs, C-Zone, engine monitors, Muir windlass remote, stereo controls and a compass. With only 6 degrees maximum bowrise, I could see over the bow fine, even from the aft position helm.

After cruising alongside the 4600 SY for some photos, I peeled off, leaning the 46 SMY gently into some tight turns. An optional Seakeeper 6 was running during testing, which may have helped the Riviera feel solid and comfortable even when turning at speed.

Our peak speed was 34.5 knots, and at a comfortable fast cruise of 29 knots, we used 224 litres per hour, delivering a calculated range of 291 nautical miles based on 90 percent of fuel capacity. Another sweet spot seemed to be around 1,900 rpm, where we cruised at 20.6 knots at 160 litres per hour delivering a similar range capable of long cruises and lake crossings of 290 miles and demonstrating the efficiency of IPS.

The performance and versatility of all three of Riviera’s 46-footers make choosing one tough.

If driving from an open flybridge and that extra room on top matters, the 46 SMY really delivers. If, perhaps, you prefer to all be on the same level when underway, or if you keep your yacht on a dock at home and there are bridges to be navigated, the 465 SUV and 4600 SY may be more suited for bridge clearance.

The other major differences other than styling are whether you need an open cockpit for fishing/entertaining, and your preference of stateroom configurations. The good news is that, just like when you were a kid in the ice-cream shop, you can’t really go wrong with any one of Riviera’s 46-foot flavours. Of course, you could also opt for a taste of all three, but if that’s beyond your reach, you just have to pick the one that looks the best to you.

 

rivieraaustralia.com

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