Riviera celebrates 15 years of easy boating with Volvo Penta IPS

Australia’s largest luxury motor yacht builder Riviera has reached a milestone with Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System (IPS), reflecting the global popularity of this innovative marine drive option among motor yacht owners.

Since the launch of IPS in 2005, Volvo Penta has delivered more than 30,000 units to the international marine industry.

After embracing the innovation of IPS in 2006 and adopting the market-leading technology for the company’s luxury motor yachts, Riviera has installed its 2,200th IPS unit that today are available on selected models from the Flybridge, Sport Yacht and SUV collection. IPS is also available on the new 50 Sports Motor yacht.

This represents a significant number of the units produced by Volvo Penta, affirming the strength of the partnership with Riviera.

The benefits of Volvo Penta IPS for Riviera motor yachts are extended cruising range, higher cruise speed, lower fuel consumption, lower noise levels, the Dynamic Positioning System that maintains a yacht’s location at idle and the convenience of joystick docking which has made boating so much easier, particularly manoeuvring in close quarters.

One-hand joystick operation reduces the need for bow thrusters and the more complicated shift, throttle and steering wheel combinations when docking. There is also improved performance including a tighter turning circle.

Volvo Penta IPS comprises twin counter-rotating propellers that face forward in order to optimise performance by cutting through undisturbed water. The propellers are positioned well under the hull to eliminate the risk of air intrusion and cavitation, even in sharp turns and under full acceleration.

The propeller thrust is parallel with the hull to provide powerful and smooth acceleration and cruising performance.

Steerable pods point the entire thrust in the desired direction. This provides a course-stable power and tight turning capabilities with perfect grip and predictable handling across the speed range.

Longer cruising range

Volvo Penta IPS can provide significant improvements to cruising range and top speed, while also offering up to 50 per cent lower recognised noise and up to a 30 per cent reduction in fuel consumption. IPS also delivers up to a 30 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

The Dynamic Positioning System takes manoeuvrability a step further by keeping the motor yacht at idle within a very limited area, while still maintaining heading. This is ideal for waiting at the fuel dock, for a bridge or lock to open, or to allow the crew to prepare the fenders and lines for docking.

Volvo Penta’s sophisticated Electronic Vessel Control (EVC) system uses twin high-precision GPS receivers to determine the yacht’s position and heading. EVC software then processes this data into steering angles, gear shifts and throttle positions to maintain the motor yacht at a standstill.

For an avid fisherman like New Zealander Larry Binns, the Volvo Penta IPS in his Riviera 57 Enclosed Flybridge provides more manoeuvrability than the traditional shaft-drive he has previously owned.

The 57 is Larry’s fourth Riviera, purchased in 2017 through Riviera dealer representative R Marine Flagship. His experience with the traditional shaft-driven models includes two Riviera 43 models, and a 51 Flybridge.

2000 hours in three years

Larry has enjoyed 2000 hours of boating since then, mostly with his wife Kerry and their teenage son.

The Binns family is based in Auckland and they set out each January for game fishing in the Bay of Islands, approximately 125 nautical miles to the north.

“We do four or five months of game fishing, usually over three-day weekends,” said Larry.

“My father was a boatbuilder and I was a boatbuilder in my early days, so we knew what we wanted and had the 57 highly optioned for fishing. This Riviera now is the ultimate boat for me personally.”

Larry was initially apprehensive about moving to pod drives after owning and enjoying so many shaft drives, but now he would never go back.

“All my other boats were shaft-drive which we thought were best for catching marlin, but the Volvo Penta IPS has changed all that because it’s so much more manoeuvrable. If Kerry has a marlin hooked up, now I can control the boat and lead in the fish at the same time.”

Fuel efficiency on the home run

The fuel efficiency of the IPS system appeals to Larry, who likes to open the throttle heading homeward after a day’s fishing. His Riviera 57 Enclosed Flybridge usually carries extra weight with fishing gear and additional passengers on board.

Larry utilises the fuel efficiency to cruise home at up to 25 knots, which he says provides a very economic burn rate compared to his previous yacht and gets him home faster.

At the other end of the scale, Larry finds live baiting a breeze with the IPS system, as he is able to slow his 57 to a controlled speed of just 2 knots.

“The auto pilot can still steer her in a straight line even with one engine going at 2 knots,” he said.

Larry Bins is one of many Riviera owners who have embraced larger motor yachts due to the inclusion of the Volvo Penta IPS drive system. With a joystick control that can be located in multiple steering points on the yacht, they are easier to operate than traditional shaft drives.

Riviera has responded by releasing an extensive range of IPS-powered motor yachts that elevate the efficiency of design and the luxurious inclusions found in Rivieras today.

“Our goal is to offer the best drive and propulsion options for each model and Volvo Penta IPS has given us the flexibility to achieve this,” said Riviera owner Rodney Longhurst.

“The performance and quality of the drive systems align with the principles of engineering excellence shared by the Riviera team.”

Support from a global dealer network

Riviera motor yacht owners enjoy the support of Volvo Penta’s global service dealer network of more than 3500 dealers in 150 countries which complements the existing support of Riviera’s dealer representatives located across six continents.

Volvo Penta IPS are manufactured in the company’s state-of-the-art production facility in Sweden. From Riviera, they come with a five-year transferrable limited hours warranty covering all engine drives and electronics when factory fitted with a glass cockpit. Volvo Penta also provides additional owner support through the 24-hour Yacht Series Support service.

Volvo Penta IPS is a fully integrated system from the glass cockpit screens at the helm to the drive and propellers. From an engineering perspective, this means Volvo Penta IPS is a complete end-to-end system.

With Volvo Penta IPS, Riviera owners have one contact for every part of the propulsion system of their motor yacht.

“Volvo Penta is proud of its continued partnership with Riviera and we congratulate the company on the milestone they have achieved with the IPS system,” said Martin Skoglund, head of Volvo Penta Oceania.

“With 2200 units now being enjoyed by Riviera motor yacht owners around the world, this represents a significant portion of the 30,000 Volvo Penta IPS systems we have delivered globally since 2005.

“Our partnership with Riviera is strong, supported by the dedication to quality that each of our companies enjoy. We look forward to an exciting future as we build on the significant advances that we have seen in our IPS technology over the past 15 years.”

Volvo Penta IPS employs twin counter-rotating propellers that face forward to optimise performance by cutting through undisturbed water.

Among the Riviera motor yachts that employ the Volvo Penta IPS power and drive systems are (clockwise from top left) the 54 Enclosed Flybridge, the 50 Sports Motor Yacht, the 395 SUV and the 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition. The 50 SMY also has the option of shaft drive.

Martin Skoglund, head of Volvo Penta Oceania, describes the partnership with Riviera as a dedication to quality.

Riviera’s engineering team ensures each IPS unit installed into Riviera motor yachts meets the exacting standards of the manufacturer.