Riviera took pride of place at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with the Americas Premiere of its flagship 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition and hosting the inaugural Americas owners Festival of Boating.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the Riviera family and more than 1,100 people have enjoyed exclusive festive events around Australia and across the Tasman in New Zealand. Whatever the theme, and there were a few, it’s all about catching up with friends and family and enjoying the special bond of Riviera ownership.
Experience Magazine caught up with Riviera owners around Australia and in New Zealand to hear about their Christmas events and plans for summer.
Queensland – R Marine Crawley
5400 Sport Yacht owner Chris Hack attended the R Marine Crawley Christmas event at Runaway Bay where they transformed their signature office and service facility into a charming country-inspired venue to welcome over 100 Riviera owners for the evening. Chris said the country and western themed event was fantastic.
“They put on a really good spread, the music was excellent, and we had quality drinks. There were also prizes for the best dressed. It was good to catch up with a really sociable crowd and the dealership staff were very engaging.
“We certainly enjoyed ourselves and appreciate that they put this on for us. Last year we had a Mexican theme – we’ve been to quite a few R Marine Crawley events and have really enjoyed watching Ben build the dealership, which has been amazing.”
The event wasn’t just about bringing the Riviera family together, it was also an opportunity to make a difference. Through generous donations, thousands of dollars were raised to support the vital community work of the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation.
South Australia – R Marine South Australia
You could say that Rod Rebbeck really got into the Christmas spirit of giving. He just took delivery of his new 585 SUV in November, after bringing it home from the Gold Coast, and then kindly lent his new pride and joy to R Marine South Australia for their Christmas event that brought over 60 Riviera owners together for their celebrations.
“Riviera asked if I would lend them the boat for the evening and it had a lot of people go through for a look. They all thought it was very nice!
“The whole event was great. The food was really good, plenty of canapes and drinks, and the weather was great.
“It was just a wonderful chance for everyone to toast a fun-filled summer of boating, and I am really looking forward to enjoying our new 585 next year.”
Victoria – R Marine Jacksons
Neil and Pamela Searle have just taken delivery of their new 505 SUV, Glasscutter, after a 12-year break, so it was perfect timing to meet new and old friends at the R Marine Jacksons Christmas event at Melbourne City Marina that brought more than 100 Riviera owners together for a festive celebration.
“Stuey (Principal Stuart Jackson), and his team, do a brilliant job getting all the owners together and we met a lot of new people,” Neil said.
“It was exceptionally well organised and a wonderful compliment to him that we also had Riviera’s owner Rodney Longhurst and his sons, Riviera CFO/COO Richard Appleby and Peter Welch Riviera Dealer Relationship Manager attend the function. Rodney addressed everyone, reflecting on the year 2024 and the achievements made by his team.”
Neil said some of the owners arrived on their yachts on the Friday night, headed to a local restaurant and then had a quiet Saturday before the night’s function.
“They had comedian Lehmo (Anthony Lehmann) who had a general chat and told a few jokes and there was also a roving magician who entertained the adults and the kids. There were also some fantastic prizes supplied by various sponsors of the night. It was just a great event.”
Western Australia – R Marine Perth
Stephen Marley took ownership of his 5400 Sport Yacht just the day before R Marine Perth hosted the ultimate exclusive event to mark the opening of the boating season – 68 Riviera and Belize motor yachts rafted-up on the Swan River, attracting almost 600 people and creating a breathtaking spectacle.
“This was my 10th raft-up and it’s always the best one when I get a new yacht. It was time to go and celebrate and have a great day,” Stephen said.
“I love the friendship, chilling out and watching the world go by – and just looking at all the Rivieras out there having a wonderful day. My mate’s got a 5400 as well and he was right next to me. Raft-ups are all about just catching up with friends, talking about boats and spending a day away from work. The music’s good, the company’s good. They’re the things I like – and on a brand-new boat!
“It’s a great way to reconnect with your Riviera mates you don’t see that often and talk about what’s new with Riviera. It was a huge day.”
Sydney Harbour – R Marine Sydney
Couple Michelle O’Neill and Remco Pen really are part of the Riviera family. Their 505 SUV may live in Melbourne, but they purchased it from R Marine Sydney. And ever since, the invitations haven’t stopped.
This year they joined more than 50 Sydney Harbour Riviera owners at Q Station in Sydney for a very festive celebration. Located within a 33-hectare site on the North Head of Manly, Q Station is an enduring part of Sydney’s history, that once served as the Quarantine Station for migrants arriving in Australia. This is a beautiful location on the beach, Remco said.
“The weather was not the greatest but that made absolutely no difference at all,” he said.
“The food was fantastic, it just kept coming and Mary put out games for us all to play, like quoits – that was really one of the highlights.”
Michelle said it was great to catch up with Sydney friends and everyone was well looked after by the staff. “Mary kept us really well informed, as usual, and it was just a very special event.”
Remco said the couple purchased their 505 SUV last April and were very happy with their yacht which “ticked all the boxes”.
“We’re taking it north next year up to Sydney, will probably stop off at the factory to get it anti-fouled and serviced at their Aftermarket facility then end up at Keppel Bay where there are 13 amazing islands at the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef.
“On the way we will stop in at Pittwater for a few months and enjoy cruising there and doing an event or two with the R Marine Sydney team. We really are a part of the national Riviera family.”
And to further prove the point, the couple, also keen sailors, were up in the Whitsunday Islands when they received a text from R Marine Jacksons Dealer Principal Stuart Jackson asking if they would like to attend the dealerships’ functions as part of their Whitsundays Cruise 2024.
“They asked if we would like to join them for dinner and a few other events. We haven’t stopped partying since we got our Riviera,” Remco said. “Everyone just makes you feel so welcome.”
Queensland – R Marine Jones
“We really had the best time – it was wonderful.”
Lynda Montgomery, and her husband Peter, headed out to Jumpinpin on North Stradbroke Island for the R Marine Jones’ Christmas lunch celebration.
The couple took the opportunity to enjoy their newly purchased 4600 Platinum Edition Sport Yacht and join 14 other Rivieras and 60 owners and friends.
“We cruised up to Jumpinpin on the Friday night, had a lot of fun, and then stayed on the Saturday night following the lunch as well before heading off on Sunday morning.
“It is the most we have stayed out on her since we took delivery of Rapunzel.”
Lynda said meeting other owners and seeing their yachts was fantastic, with excellent catering and plenty of fun hosted by the R Marine Jones team.
“Some of the Riviera guys dressed up in inflatable reindeer costumes and raced up and down the beach – in the pouring rain. It was so funny.
“We also won the best dressed dinghy using lots of red tinsel, so that was fun as well.”
Lynda said the couple was looking forward now to a trip next month to Kooringal on Moreton Island also organised by R Marine Jones.
“We will have three nights away and there are already 35 yachts confirmed, we just can’t wait to go out again and have fun with all the other Riviera owners. We just love R Marine Jones. They are wonderful.”
Click the play button to enjoy the 2024 Sydney-Pittwater Christmas party highlights.
New South Wales – Pittwater – R Marine Sydney
Tim and Elizabeth Lakos loved the R Marine Sydney-Pittwater Christmas party aboard the Pearl Pontoon at Towlers Bay that brought over 40 Riviera owners together for this very Pittwater celebration.
“The whole event was great, we met some new people and made some new friends, which is always a highlight. We also enjoyed seeing the new Riviera 46 Sports Motor Yacht. We have a 45 Open Flybridge at the moment; it’s our third Riviera and certainly won’t be our last.”
Tim said poor weather didn’t dampen enthusiasm with rain clearing up for the afternoon. He said the party was “just a great event all round”.
“We have been to a few Riviera Sydney functions and they are always very well done with very generous catering. It’s fantastic to have contact with the Riv boys, to know what they are thinking and to let them know what we are after. It’s a great relationship.”
Tim said another highlight was watching his wife step up to the microphone and sing with the musician.
“Elizabeth loves music, and she is not a bad singer – she gets better with a few drinks – she sang an Eagles song. That’s a highlight, just having fun.
“Riviera makes a real effort for what we call the Riviera family and that’s wonderful. We are lifelong boaties and it is just great to have that family there.”
New Zealand – Auckland – R Marine Flagship
Mike Toogood, who owns a 6000 Sport Yacht and is eagerly waiting for December 18 and the delivery of a new 72 Sports Motor Yacht, said the R Marine Flagship Christmas function in Auckland that brought more than 120 Riviera owners together was an opportunity to catch up.
“The highlight is really meeting up again with Riviera owners we have met at other functions and on the water, and also to meet some new people, which we did. We also catch up with Dean and Suzie (Dealer Principal of R Marine Flagship Dean Horgan) and the rest of their team – with a few beers and wines.
“It’s a good, social, very relaxed event with a whole bunch of like-minded people.”
“The fact that we fly up from Hawkes Bay for the occasion speaks volumes really. We just enjoy that whole boating scene of Riviera. They do a great job, put on a good show and this year we were at Sails Restaurant, which offers quality food and service, a really smart establishment.
“We also caught up with Sarah (Riviera’s Decor and Interior Stylist Sarah Mathias) who has been very helpful, assisting us doing all the colour selections for our new yacht.”
Mike said after the delivery of the 72 Sports Motor Yacht from Coomera, they were going to take it down to Sydney for New Year’s Eve and then spend a week with family around the harbour.
“Then we will look for a weather window to bring it back across the Tasman via Lord Howe Island, round the top and down the east coast. That’s the plan.”
MORE RIVIERA NEWS
Riviera took pride of place at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with the Americas Premiere of its flagship 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition and hosting the inaugural Americas owners Festival of Boating.
“We are very appreciative of our global dealership network, and we thank them all for their commitment and dedication to our yacht owners.”
Riviera has won a prestigious international award for its innovative Academy of Excellence apprentice training program.
With 68 sparkling Riviera motor yachts rafting together in a horse-shoe shape on a perfect summer day on the water in Perth, an exceptional afternoon of fun and celebration was assured.