Angela A turns heads wherever she docks.
Neal Klar sits in the plush leather helm seat of his new Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht and looks out over the foredeck.
“My previous boats had flat foredecks with no side or bow rails,” says Neal.
“When we were at anchor my wife, Angela, would take a beach towel and lay it out across the foredeck. Today, the Riviera’s foredeck has so many entertainment and relaxation options for her and our friends.”
The luxurious helm of Neal Klar’s Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht is a world away from the rugged open flybridges of his previous yachts.
The new Sports Motor Yacht is a world away from Neal’s previous boating experience.
“I’ve been around boats since I could walk,” he explains.
His father, born in Miami, Florida, in the US south east, loved fishing and young Neal quickly caught the bug.
Neal caught his first blue marlin at age nine and then was forever hooked on offshore fishing. His father owned several boats throughout Neal’s formative years, ranging from 24 feet up to 52 feet long. In each, Neal carefully watched his father closely, learning how to undertake maintenance, cleaning and boat handling with expert precision.
Outriggers set, Angela A cruises towards the ocean and a day’s fishing.
“My previous boats were all ‘hard core’ offshore fishing boats,” he says.
“Wind-in-the-hair high speed and noisy convertibles designed to get to the fishing grounds fast...”
Neal Klar
After his father downsized from larger boats 22 years ago, Neal decided he was ready for boat ownership and struck out to find his first. It was the first of six sport fishing machines, all of which were previously owned boats. Buying used created an easier path financially and allowed him to tinker with each to customise them however he saw fit.
The family moved north to the state of Virginia and the pleasure in boating and fishing continued.
“My previous boats were all ‘hard core’ offshore fishing boats,” he says.
“Wind-in-the-hair high speed and noisy convertibles designed to get to the fishing grounds fast and begin trolling for the big pelagics such as blue and white marlin and tuna.”
The pristine engine room of the Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht.
“It was a great learning experience. Everything from maintaining and repairing an engine to rewiring pumps and electronics. I find working on boats somewhat therapeutic and really enjoy studying how each system works. I sometimes enjoy working on boats as much as I do running them.
“The boat I kept the longest was my second boat, a 42-footer. She had a couple similarities to the Riviera SUV; single level, large cockpit, but no hardtop. She was equipped with a tuna tower. There was a centre helm that was so far back it was almost in the cockpit so I could run her as well as fish.”
“The downside was that I had to stand up the whole three-hour trip going to and coming from the fishing grounds and that became challenging.”
Over time, Neal felt the need for a flybridge for visibility and for the additional interior volume that the design allows.
Neal Klar – thrilled with the quality of his new Riviera.
All of Neal’s previous boats have been named “Wired Up” based on the dual meaning of being “wired” to a fish and his job as an orthodontist. He followed his father’s footsteps in vocation as well as hobbies and the two practised together until his father’s retirement.
He wanted Angela to name the new Riviera.
“So she is called Angel A. It obviously comes from her name but with a twist. She is the first of identical twins. Apparently the ‘evil’ twin,” Neal said jokingly. “Angel A can be interpreted as the first angel – the devil.”
“Something about Riviera’s design and build quality struck a chord with me. That these yachts could be fished and be a great cruiser.”
Neal Klar
Recently, Neal and Angela began to think more about cruising than fishing.
Neal started noticing advantages of cruising-oriented boats and enjoyed spending time aboard them at boat shows. Panoramic views, multiple areas for entertaining, including the bow, all showed a lot of potential. Give up fishing? No way! There must be a hybrid that can do both equally well.
“But nothing like that exists in the US,” says Neal.
“I was not contemplating a new boat when we went to the Miami Boat Show,” Neal says.
“In fact, I was very happy with my 2018 convertible. She was in the yard having her hull painted a beautiful blue. Then I had a chat with a Riviera representative. He was a fisherman, too. So, we related. He showed me a 58 Sports Motor Yacht. She is a beautiful yacht, so well-engineered and fitted out but did not feel quite right for me. Nevertheless, something about Riviera’s design and build quality struck a chord with me. That these yachts could be fished and be a great cruiser.
“I came home and decided to look around the Riviera website. I came across the 64 Sports Motor Yacht. Centre helm, shaft drives and all the comforts that Riviera does so well.”
Left: Happy family relaxing on the foredeck lounge of Angela A. Above right: Working a fish. Lower right: fishing with friends.
“Another wonderful change I noticed after we took delivery was Angela’s enthusiasm when I did runs from our home to Florida. Angela rarely joined me. Now she won’t miss a trip.”
Neal Klar
Neal was delighted with the service support offered by Riviera.
“I have been thrilled with the quality of the yacht, and the follow-up service to any issues that did arise. Some of my father’s ‘new boats’ had pages of items that had to be addressed after delivery. I had one page with a handful of items I wanted attended to when I took delivery. A team from Riviera flew up to Virginia within a week after I travelled up from Florida to address those items. Nick and Nicole are fabulous!!”
“Another wonderful change I noticed after we took delivery was Angela’s enthusiasm when I did runs from our home to Florida. Angela rarely joined me. Now she won’t miss a trip.
“On a recent four-day trip from Florida we went through a lot of wind and rain. It would have been rather uncomfortable aboard all my previous yachts. But here we were in air-conditioned comfort, sipping coffee and making phone calls.
Left: A proud young man after catching his first white marlin. Right: Working the fish with Angela in support.
“My 14-year-old son caught his first white marlin on our first summer with the Riviera.”
Neal Klar
“I am also very impressed with the Sports Motor Yacht’s fish-ability. We can open her up and create nearly double the cockpit size using the large swim platform. My 14-year-old son caught his first white marlin on our first summer with the Riviera. Everyone enjoyed the warm water wetting their feet while standing on the platform trolling.
The bridge deck controls work perfectly for fishing, docking and cruising.
“I was a little concerned not having the same control system I had on my other boats, but the Twin Disc Express Joystick System is phenomenal and allowed me to spin around on the feisty marlin without missing a beat. Using the joystick to fish and dock the boat has quickly become second nature.
“The aft helm station while trolling has proven to be very usable.
The biggest problem now is there are no projects to do.
“I am so used to having a list of items to address. Now I have none. Just normal maintenance. How boring!” Neal jokingly says.
A week of cruising includes exploring the picturesque Chesapeake Bay.
“Shortly we’ll be entering the first offshore tournament in the new yacht. Then the next test will be a tuna tournament also coming up. It is a fun, local tournament with over 100 boats entered. I have finished in the top two a couple of times in that tournament so we will see how it goes with the new Riviera.
“Then we have our week-long annual cruise with the yachting division that typically explores the Chesapeake Bay, and surrounding areas.”
This year the group will be travelling to two of the best fishing marinas on the east coast.
“I already have some of the yachting division members lining up to go with me offshore if the weather permits,” says Neal.
The new Riviera is proving to be a true hybrid indeed.
