Riva ’90 Argo

SY64 – Winter 2019-2020

This Italian iconic brand lifts the benchmark and upgrades styling. Its aim: to set new parameters in terms of beauty.

Riva’s latest flybridge generation is further enriched with another precious unit. Following several 100’ launches of the Corsaro and of the 110’ Dolceriva models, time is ripe for the 90’ Argo. The name recalls mythological tales connected with the sea.
“We chose a name from Greek mythology for the new flybridge in the Riva fleet: the Argo was the first ever ship to sail the seas and the famous Argonauts set out in it on their quest to find the Golden Fleece” stated Alberto Galassi CEO at Ferretti Group. “The ancient Greeks were the first to lay out canons of beauty and perfection that are still espoused in creativity and designs today. The 90’ Argo is a flybridge that masterfully combines the spellbinding charm of timeless aesthetics with practicality, stylistic research and technological innovation”.

This yacht stems from the partnership between Officina Italiana Design and Ferretti Group’s Product Strategy Committee and Engineering Department of the same.
The result is one of an elegant looking sleek lined yacht which dissimulates its considerable overall size, it is endowed with striking design features such as full height glazed window like ports along the main deck and the aft lateral structures with thick cut glass surfaces. All of this sports Riva’s true colours thus adding an extra elegant touch which blends well with the on board technology. In this aspect Riva 90’ Argo is second to none. The raised helm controls station together with its LOOP integrated bridge deck developed with Naviop-Simrad is an example of this, just as an E-Steer – an electro-hydraulic steering system by Twindisc featuring Dual Bus and Speed Sensing which is a ‘must have’ in managing the horsepower delivered by a pair of hefty MTU 12V 2000 M96L engines. With a top estimated speed of 26 knots, 90’ Argo is also a fast yacht when considering size and displacement.

More performing speed can be obtained by opting for MTU 16V 2000 M84 engines which deliver 2,218 HP or the M96 ones which deliver 2,435 HP. Top speeds in these two versions are of 28 and 30 knots respectively.
Even if competitions are deeply set into Riva’s DNA, the 90’ Argo wants to astonish the owner with diverse special effects as for instance, the cockpit’s flexibility. As you climb on board you’re immediately welcomed by an inviting attractive space with a fully furnished surface area of 30 square metres featuring a pair of sofas a low central table all of which can double as a lounge area with an ample six square metre sunbathing spot, or a dining area with a seating capacity of eight. Alternatively the area can be set up to cater for the needs of the American market with a bar unit, two stools, two sofas and a coffee table by Paola Lenti. The interiors are accessed through full height sliding glass panels beyond which there’s a spacious 40 square metre lounge with a headroom of over 2.1 metres. It is furnished with a titanium coloured L-shaped Andersen sofa by Minotti, a coffee table by Acerbis and Rivera armchairs by Frag. Acerbis takes the lion’s share in the dining area situated further forward for having initialled an elegant looking cut glass dining table with a chrome base contoured by matching black leather Cassina chairs.

Proceeding further forward beyond the galley and the access to the raised helm controls station on the bridge deck there’s the master suite which runs full beam across covering a surface area of 30 square metres. It is made up of a walk in wardrobe, a large bathroom and a central skylight which brightens up the suite with plenty of natural light. The guests quarters are made up of three VIP double cabins with en-suite bathrooms along the lower deck. The aft double cabin is of 20 square metres and comprises a walk in wardrobe. Still on this same deck there’s the crew zone with two twins each with its own bathroom and a dinette. The master/owner’s suite and guest cabins are enriched with marble lined surfaces. The flybridge is conceived in much the same way as the one in 110’ Dolceriva, which is an infinity deck connecting flybridge, cockpit, and the exterior foredeck area with a private lounge which can be equipped with a dining table on request.
All freestanding furniture on the flybridge is by Roda. And the protecting hardtop which houses an ample skylight barely fill the 46 square metre flybridge. This yacht also features decor and other elements from Casamance, Penelopeoggi, Revè Home, Gentili & Mosconi.

Read all the sea trials of Riva

Text by Daniele Carnevali – Photos by Alberto Cocchi

The sea trial was pubblished in Superyacht 64 – Winter 2019-2020