It’s one of the most highly anticipated events on the annual boating calendar and R Marine Perth’s
exceptional December Raft-Up last year has to be seen to be believed.
65 Riviera luxury motor yachts anchored in Matilda Bay, Swan River for R Marine Perth’s Annual Raft-Up event
The exclusive event is one of the biggest on the Western Australian boating calendar and marks the start to the summer and festive season each year
R Marine Perth’s impressive summer 2022 raft-up saw 65 gleaming Riviera luxury motor yachts take their position in Matilda Bay, Swan River, for a day that some owners look forward to all year.
The exclusive event, and one of the biggest on the West Australian boating calendar, is an opportunity for new Riviera owners to meet like-minded people, and for owners to catch up with friends.
“I’d been looking forward to it all year,” says Deborah Allpike, speaking from her and husband John’s Riviera 50 Enclosed Flybridge Bon Voyage. “I told my friends two months before: save the date! It was the best day out I’ve had in a very long time. We haven’t had a boat for two years and just managed to secure this Riviera so I’m the happiest girl in the world right now. This is our third Riviera.”
Securely rafted together in a large semi-circle, in perfect weather, people enjoyed stepping from yacht to yacht for a chat.
"I’d been looking forward to it all year. I told my friends two months before: save the date!'
DEBORAH ALLPIKE, OWNER BON VOYAGE
“It knits the Riviera family together,” says John. “The feeling of camaraderie, seeing people you haven’t seen in maybe a year, or meeting new friends, it’s just fabulous – there’s nothing else like it. It was an enormous raft-up with 65 Rivieras and so well organised with Ryan Lloyd [the dealer principal at R Marine Perth] and his crew getting everyone in, fenders out and roped up quickly; hats off to them.”
It was the first raft-up for newcomers to the Riviera family, Simon and Lydia Winter on their 43 Flybridge Tonic. “What a cracking day. We didn’t know what to expect and didn’t realise what 65 Rivieras together rafted looks like, and it’s amazing. The speed with which Ryan’s crew rafted us all up was incredible. I think the first half of the day we were on the back of our Riviera and the second half we spent walking from boat to boat saying g’day. Everyone was happy for you to come onboard and swap stories; check out the work they’d done,” says Simon.
Owner’s guests were ferried to and from the shore on a large, luxury tender, meaning they were able to join the day at their convenience. Floating pontoons provided an alternate way for owners and guests to enjoy the day which was packed with entertainment – the semi-circle providing an excellent amphitheatre for a central Riviera 54 Enclosed Flybridge hosting a solo guitarist followed by an off-season cray boat-cum-party boat with a band.
“It was fabulous; I couldn’t believe how the Riviera team was so organised. They had these guys swooping about on flight boards as a demonstration, it was great to have them scooting around. And then this big cray boat backs in with a band on the back! It was fabulous, tons of entertainment and then we made our own. I guess the crux is that it was so social, and we met so many other owners. The next time we go to Rottnest we’ll see half a dozen Rivieras there and we’ll know them, so it was really great. I’ve been raving about the day, and rightly so,” says Simon.
"It knits the Riviera family together. The feeling of camaraderie, seeing people you haven’t seen in maybe a year, or meeting new friends, it’s just fabulous – there’s nothing else like it."
JOHN ALLPIKE, OWNER BON VOYAGE
Anthony Yewers and his wife Lee-Anne on their 505 SUV, Berry Sweet, concur. “It was just awesome. We met a heap of people with the same boat and interest in Riviera, on the same wavelength, and in a beautiful place on the Swan River. We were just up from the city, so you could see the skyline. People were so excited and happy for us on a new Riviera. They were pumped, I was pumped, I know we’ve got a really good boat!”
For this farming family, it was a special opportunity to meet new friends and in a new environment. “We don’t get to do a lot outside of the farm and work, so we’ll be doing this again. We’re going to do all the events the Riviera guys here put on. This is our first Riviera, but it won’t be our last.”
As for Ryan Lloyd, [R Marine Perth’s dealer principal] says the team was proud to have hosted R Marine Perth’s biggest and most successful raft-up yet. “It must be one of the best boating experiences I have been involved in, a major event for the Riviera community of Perth and growing bigger and better every year! It was a pleasure to see so many Riviera owners having a superb day on the water,” says Ryan. “The feedback following the event has been amazing; it’s great to hear that the next raft-up is already so eagerly anticipated. With more new Riviera owners constantly joining us as their new boats arrive, we’re looking forward to our next amazing Riviera raft-up this December. We’re also grateful for all of our sponsors – Club Marine being our major sponsor of this event.”
A MEMORABLE DAY THOROUGHLY ENJOYED BY ALL – TAKE A LOOK AT THE R MARINE PERTH RAFT-UP SOCIAL GALLERY:
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