Roche Harbor Rendezvous celebrates the Riviera family
The setting sun offers a special glow to the spectacular setting at Roche Harbor for 38 Riviera motor yachts.
The US West Coast’s summer season began in memorable style for the owners of 38 luxury Riviera motor yachts who attended the annual Roche Harbor Rendezvous, hosted by Sun Country Marine.
Set amid the Pacific Northwest’s most picturesque cruising grounds, the San Juan Islands provided a spectacular backdrop for four days of shared cruising stories, technical insights and the easy friendships that define the Riviera family.
For Marti McCurdy, owner of a 5400 Sport Yacht, ‘Wicked Woman’, the Rendezvous was another reminder of why she chose Riviera after a long search for the right motor yacht. It was also a chance to familiarise herself with the region before setting off to cruise there solo. Originally from California, Marti spent more than two years considering her acquisition before settling on the 5400 Platinum.
“I had some boating experience, but not on a yacht of this size, and one of my requirements was that I had to be able to operate it without a crew,” says Marti. “Riviera has done an outstanding job with the smart technology aboard, the CZone, gyro and everything else. It provides the features that allow me to manage solo. It’s also what Riviera has done to build a high-quality blue-water yacht. This is not just about looking gorgeous. I’ve been in difficult 10- to 12-foot seas, and that gyro rode that thing out like nobody’s business. Riviera has designed this yacht for the open water environment.”
“It’s also what Riviera has done to build a high-quality blue-water yacht.
This is not just about looking gorgeous”
Marti McCurdy
Top: Riviera owners and family gather for a weekend of fun and learning. Bottom: Some of the Riviera motor yachts together at Roche Harbor marina.
Not surprisingly, one of Marti’s highlights during the Rendezvous was the technical speakers from Sun Country Marine and those flown out from Australia by Riviera. “Jack Gleadhill gave a presentation about what boat-owner maintenance should look like. He went through this fabulous presentation that gave everyone insight into what’s going on in the engine room and what to look for. There were four other excellent sessions covering Sentinel remote monitoring, power management, CZone, Garmin system operation and even solar power, which were all very insightful.
“This was my first Rendezvous and first event with Riviera. Sun Country’s ability to pull the group together was great. There was a wide variety of people there who didn’t know each other, and Sun Country brought them together really well. There was dancing, karaoke and great fun games to break the ice and bring everyone together.”
“There was a wide variety of people there who didn’t know each other,
and Sun Country brought them together really well. ”
Marti McCurdy
Technical sessions were well attended, as were fun activities or simply relaxing on the lawns. .
That same sense of connection was felt by Gary and Linda Feldman, aboard their Riviera 6000 Sport Yacht, ‘Vivere’. Already experienced Riviera owners, the Feldmans have a new Riviera 6200 Sport Yacht currently being built. Their progression through the Riviera range reflects a strong loyalty to the brand and a deep appreciation for the design, performance and lifestyle that Riviera ownership offers.
“We hardly miss a Rendezvous,” says Linda. “We enjoy them so much! It’s interesting to visit with people, everyone is very friendly, and it’s fun to see all the different Rivieras and what people have done with them. There is a lot of camaraderie, and it’s very well organised in terms of making it a fun weekend.”
“We hardly miss a Rendezvous. We enjoy them so much!”
Linda Feldman
Owners take pride in generations of Riviera motor yachts.
Across the weekend, the marina was alive with conversation as owners moved between yachts, compared experiences and celebrated the pleasure of boating together. “There were golf tournaments, putting, a number of activities on the docks. We’re not golfers, but we did the eating and drinking part, with the two very nice dinners. There was always someone on the dock to talk to. It was great fun.”
Gary was also keen on the technical sessions. “On the Saturday morning there were a series of courses universal to all Riviera owners. They were excellent. The top people involved in designing, building and maintaining the systems on Rivieras were there,” says Gary.
“We’re in the process of building a new Riviera 6200, hull number seven. One of the things that was excellent for Linda and me was having Riviera personnel there. We had a number of modifications we wanted and Riviera’s Manufacturing Director, Kyle Davison came onto our current boat with his computer. He was able to redesign things and determine whether it was possible to make the variations we wanted without affecting the structural integrity of the boat. It was an ideal opportunity for us while we were in the process of building. The timing worked perfectly.”
Whether it was relaxing, dining or dancing, there were activities for everyone at the Roche Harbor Rendezvous.
“It’s all very user-friendly and very thoughfully laid out.
You feel like it’s a home. ”
Linda Feldman
Linda says the Riviera 6000 is built not only for blue-water cruising, but also for comfort. “From my perspective, it’s about how well it works in terms of living aboard and how well the layout works. The ensuite bathrooms are designed to be effective, especially when you have company aboard. The galley has a number of refrigerators and freezers. The oven is also a microwave and a toaster. We can do all our cooking here, and the grill outside works very well. It’s all very user-friendly and very thoughtfully laid out. You feel like it’s a home,” she says.
“Riviera is known for a quality build,” adds Gary. “And we have been extremely impressed with the fit, finish and quality compared with others we have been on. They have really excelled in the design and quality of materials and the way they put those materials together. Riviera are attuned to their owners, and the quality of the yachts they produce has really excelled.”
“Riviera is known for a quality build…we have been extremely impressed with the fit,
finish and quality compared with others we have been on.”
Gary Feldman
