September 21st, 2021
Riva 88’ Folgore is the new object of desire in the nautical world: incredibly beautiful, futuristic like a spaceship, as fascinating as a legend. While in art there is Stendhal’s Syndrome (i.e. the dizziness you might feel when admiring a work of art of overwhelming beauty), over the next several years in the nautical world people will be talking about the Riva 88’ Folgore Syndrome: such is the dizziness you feel in front of this vessel that has come from the future to enrapture us forever.
Riva 88’ Folgore, heir to one of the brand’s biggest bestsellers, features new elements in its exterior and interior design, ergonomics, and materials used, combining them with the typical and legendary stylistic elements of Riva’s history. At 26.92 m (88.4 ft) long and 6.31 m (20.8 ft) wide, it is the result of the collaboration between Officina Italiana Design, the studio headed by Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta that designs the entire Riva range, the Strategic Product Committee led by Piero Ferrari, and Ferretti Group’s Engineering Department.
Futuristic deck of the Riva 88′ Folgore
Built from composite materials, with carbon fiber reinforcements in the superstructure, Riva 88’ Folgore is entirely focused on efficiency, with a design specifically developed to embrace materials such as marble, crystal glass, and stainless steel without affecting performance. In terms of design, the course set by Officina Italiana Design with the Dolceriva continues: the new design of the hull windows, reminiscent of a black pencil mark along the silver side, rises towards the deck and meets an original and innovative hull-deck coupling system, where the stern area leaves room for a steel-edged air intake. The iconic mahogany and steel detailing, combined with carbon fiber elements, epitomizes the perfect balance between past and present typical of Riva vessels in recent years.
The exterior spaces aim to offer a design that combines aesthetics and function. Riva 88’ Folgore proposes a completely redesigned stern concept, with a rear door that swings open into two different positions: above the waterline to serve as a 6m (20ft 2in) beach club, and submerged for launching and recovering the tender. The garage can accommodate a Williams SportJet 395 and a jet ski.
Spacious salon of the Riva 88′ Folgore
The height of all the interior areas reaches 2m (6.5 ft) and is even higher on the lower deck, a sign of unparalleled comfort. The carefully chosen mix of woods, leathers, and steel characterize the onboard décor on both the main deck and the lower deck spaces. The layout of the lower deck offers the owner four cabins: the full-beam owner’s suite amidships; a VIP cabin in the bow with a double bed and two wardrobes; a port-side VIP cabin with a wardrobe and convertible beds; and a double cabin with a wardrobe and twin beds. All the cabins have their own bathrooms. The starboard cabin’s bathroom also serves as a day head. The owner’s suite measures 20 m2 (65 ft2) and is offered in three different layouts.
Optional version A has one large master bathroom, a walk-in closet and vanity table with a Living Divani leather and aluminum chair. The galley and crew quarters of the 88’ Folgore are both located on the lower deck to guarantee the maximum privacy.
This first Riva 88’ Folgore unit is fitted with twin MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines rated 2638 mhp, for a top speed of 39 knots and cruising speed of 33 knots. The standard propulsion solution is twin MTU 16V 2000 M96 engines rated 2435 mhp.
Riva 88′ Folgore running
The helm station on the main deck is equipped with a Xenta electro-hydraulic steering system with independent rudder handling for sporty turning optimization, and an integrated LOOP bridge developed in collaboration with NAVIOP-SIMRAD, which integrates onboard monitoring with navigation and maneuvering instruments, from which the captain can manage the entire yacht. On this unit, it is supported by three 19’’ touchscreen displays. A maneuvering joystick is also installed, featuring docking mode functionality for easy handling in confined waters, such as sideways-mooring, with lateral movement obtained by the combined action of the main propellers and the proportional bow thruster. In addition, a Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) keeps the yacht in the same position even in strong winds and currents, the perfect solution when preparing to moor or while waiting to refuel or for a bridge to open. The new model is fitted with Humphree dynamic trim interceptors. To provide the maximum comfort at anchor as well, the Seakeeper SK26 gyroscopic stabilizer can also be fitted. What makes this yacht even more unique is the innovative windscreen made of spherical crystals that create a slight counter-curvature, an element destined to become a new Riva signature.