High flying apprentices launch 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition
A series of gala dinners were held at the 2024 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show to mark a major milestone.
The Riviera display was transformed each night into an elegant dining venue where Riviera owners enjoyed three nights of fun, fabulous food and great entertainment to celebrate the launch of the company’s 6000th motor yacht.
Riviera owners embraced the opportunity to celebrate in style as the company marked the launch of its 6000th motor yacht with a series of gala dinners at 2024 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.
Over three fun-filled nights, owners were treated to some of the finest wines, food and entertainment the Gold Coast has to offer, surrounded by a fleet of Riviera motor yachts, beautifully illuminated under the moonlight.
“The dinners were a sign of the loyalty Riviera shows its owners,’’ Denyse Coughlin, who has her third Riviera – a new Sport Yacht Platinum Edition – on order, said.
“The food was amazing. The entertainment was first rate. We were seated with guests from around the world and it was fascinating to hear everyone’s Riviera story.
“Congratulations to Riviera’s owner Rodney Longhurst. He has built a lovely company culture that is so obvious to see at events like this.’
Enjoy this highlights video of the 6000th motor yacht launch commemorative dinners.
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"We were seated with guests from around the world and it was fascinating to hear everyone’s Riviera story."
DENYSE COUGHLIN
Denyse has attended many boat shows, but for fellow Sydneysider Helen Scarlis this year’s event was her first.
Her husband George had to convince her to accompany him to the 2024 event to inspect the 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition model that they have ordered, which is scheduled for delivery in August.
But after three days at the Boat Show, a tour of the Riviera facility at Coomera, three training courses, and a superb dinner to celebrate Riviera’s 6000the motor yacht, Helen changed her mind.
“I was definitely just along for ride,’’ she said. “But now I really want to be more involved and I’m going to get my boating licence. I did the ladies’ skippers course, a safety course and an emergency course. I even docked the yacht using the joystick.
“It was my very first boat show and as a woman I wasn’t too keen to come along. The tour of Riviera’s facility at Coomera really opened my eyes to how impressive the company is. The staff were fabulously welcoming and informative. They made us feel as if we’d known them for a long, long time.
“It’s encouraging to hear them talk about Riviera with such respect and loyalty. The thing that stood out to me was the exceptional quality of staff across the business – from the apprentices to the salespeople in the R Marine Sydney office. I was blown away.’’
Fabulous entertainment and friendships. The smiling faces of the Riviera family attending the commemorative dinners and after party at Sanctuary Cove say it all. (Click the arrows on the left and right to preview the photos in the sliding gallery)
"It was an amazing event. The entertainment was incredible. We kept the menu and our name tags as mementos. We will absolutely be back next year."
HELEN SCARLIS
Helen and George sold their 4700 Sport Yacht during the COVID-19 pandemic, thinking they could do without it. “We missed our Sport Yacht so much, we had to order a replacement,’’ Helen said. “My husband is a Mercedes man. He would never buy anything else. We think the same way about Riviera. We would never buy anything else.’’
The Sydney-based couple said they normally spend 99 per cent of their boating life on Sydney Harbour, but planned to venture to the Whitsundays when they take delivery of the 5400, which will be called Eleni.
The fun and festivities at the celebration evenings had everyone in the mood to sing and dance.
(Click the arrows on the left and right to preview the photos in the sliding gallery)
It was also the first Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show for Eddie Mele, from Mandurah in Western Australia, and his introduction to the concept of the extended Riviera Family.
“Even though I’d owned two Rivieras in the past, I’d never really had much to do with other Riviera owners,’’ he said.
“R Marine Perth invited us to the 6000th Dinner on the Saturday night and we got to meet Riviera owners, have an amazing dinner with them, and make some new friends. I had mistakenly avoided these events in the past, but I will definitely be making an effort to join in from now on.
“Being here at the show is part of a shared experience that I now have in common with other owners. We are already talking about taking a trip to the Arbrolhos Islands with R Marine Perth and some of the people we met at Sanctuary Cove.’’
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