PLATINUM BY DESIGN
Sydney's International Boat Show was the ideal place to experience Riviera motor yachts. The prolific builder brought an impressive armada, allowing the relative scale of their most popular models – the towering flybridge cruisers – to be measured against their in-vogue Sports Yachts, comprising the 4800, 5400 and 6000 models. These single-level compact yachts embody much of what the modern boater seeks, so revamping them with the latest materials and systems made a lot of sense, explained company owner Rodney Longhurst as we overlooked his yard's latest creations.
Topsides are decked in grey livery, all the way down to cool-grey teak deck caulking; the businesslike styling suited the bustling backdrop of Sydney’s CBD. However, these boats were built for serious offshore voyaging, are reviewed with this in mind and taken to sea by yours truly.
With three to choose from and limited editorial space, I've reported on one in detail and the others compared to it. I took an in-depth look at the 4800, as it came with more changes to merit the new name of 4800 Series II. The 63-foot 6000 – a superyacht in many ways– includes crew quarters with full height engine room access; while the 4800 has wider appeal given its manageability and affordability. Slotting in-between, the 5400 comes with three large cabins and a second saloon space.
SPORTS CRUISER MERITS
Sports cruisers offer the versatility and performance ideal for coastal blasting or
