- Founded
- 1842
- Headquarters
- Sarnico, Italy
- Shipyard location
- Same as headquarters
- Official website
- https://www.riva-yacht.com
Brand Overview
Italian builder of luxury motor yachts, founded at Sarnico on Lake Iseo and a Ferretti Group brand.
Overview written fromriva-yacht.comread 8/31/2026
YachtCodex Analysis
AI-generatedAn independent reading of this builder written by AI. Unlike the specifications and descriptions elsewhere on this page, it is interpretation rather than a sourced fact — treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
What this builder is
Riva is a storied Italian motor yacht builder, part of the Ferretti Group, known for blending classic Italian design heritage with modern performance boats ranging from compact day cruisers to large flybridge yachts and superyachts. It occupies a premium/luxury niche in the market, distinguished by its long design legacy (dating to the 19th century) and strong association with 'Made in Italy' craftsmanship and style, setting it apart from more purely performance- or volume-focused competitors.
Who sails them
Riva owners are typically affluent private buyers seeking a stylish, high-end motor yacht for day cruising or coastal holidays in the Mediterranean and similar boating destinations, often with a small family or friend group aboard rather than large charter parties. Larger flybridge and superyacht models attract experienced owners or those with professional crew, while smaller open models like the Iseo or Rivamare appeal to owner-drivers wanting a stylish tender or weekend boat.
Signature models
The Aquariva (and its modern successor Aquariva Special New) is one of Riva's most iconic and recognizable models, symbolizing the brand's classic wooden-runabout heritage in a modern fiberglass form. The 130' Bellissima and 54Metri represent the top of the range as flagship superyachts, while models like the 90'/96' Argo and 88' Folgore serve as popular larger flybridge and sportfly offerings defining the current lineup.
Strengths
Riva is widely credited with distinctive, timeless Italian styling, high-quality craftsmanship and finish, and strong brand prestige and resale value tied to its long heritage dating back to the 1840s.
Considerations
As a prestige brand within the larger Ferretti Group, Riva yachts command a premium price relative to comparable performance, and buyers are paying significantly for design heritage and brand cachet rather than pure functional differentiation from sister brands.
Analysis generated 8/31/2026
Part of
Also in the catalogue
Where they build
The building sites this yard publishes, in its own order.
Sarnico
Sarnico, Italy
Builds 8.2–20.7 m
Where the brand began, on Lake Iseo -- the wooden runabouts were built here and the new Rivas still are
La Spezia
La Spezia, Italy
Builds 23.2–39.6 m
Ferretti Group's technical, logistical and commercial hub for the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian coast, refurbished in 2024
Ancona
Ancona, Italy
Builds 50–90 m
The Superyachts Division -- 76,945 sq m and one of Europe's largest yachting production hubs
Fleet at a Glance
Calculated from the models in the YachtCodex catalog, not from the builder's claims.
- Models in catalog
- 18
- Length range
- 8.24–54.83 m
- Hull forms
- Motor Monohull 18
- Cabins
- 0–5
Models by this brand
18 models
102' Corsaro Super
LOA: 30.24 m
112' Dolcevita Super New
LOA: 34.38 m
130' Bellissima
LOA: 40 m
54METRI
LOA: 54.83 m
58' Capri New
LOA: 17.27 m
66' Ribelle
LOA: 20.67 m
68' Diable
LOA: 20.67 m
76' Bahamas Super
LOA: 23.32 m
76' Perseo Super
LOA: 23.25 m
82' Diva
LOA: 25.29 m
88' Folgore
LOA: 26.92 m
90' Argo
LOA: 28.49 m
96' Argo Super
LOA: 28.79 m
Aquariva Special New
LOA: 10.07 m
Dolceriva
LOA: 14.92 m
El-Iseo
LOA: 8.35 m
Iseo Super
LOA: 8.24 m
Rivamare
LOA: 11.88 m
History
In 1842, on Lake Iseo, the young shipwright Pietro Riva repaired the fishing boats wrecked by a storm, earned the respect of the locals and opened his yard at Sarnico. His son Ernesto fitted the first internal-combustion engines and built large boats to carry goods and passengers on the lake; after the First World War Serafino Riva turned production to motorboats, whose racing versions set records through the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1950s and 1960s Carlo Riva turned boat design into an art form with a series of wooden models -- Giorgio Barilani joined as designer in 1956 and the Aquarama, the legend, was created in 1962 -- and in 1969 the yard built its first fibreglass boats, the Bahia Mar 20' and Sport Fisherman 25'; wooden runabouts continued until the last Aquarama Special, number 784, in 1996. Carlo Riva sold the yard to the American firm Whittaker in September 1969 and stayed until 1971, and the family's involvement ended when Gino Gervasoni left in 1989. In 1991 the 58' Bahamas was the first boat by Mauro Micheli, and in May 2000 Riva was acquired by Ferretti Group; the first Aquariva followed soon after, and Officina Italiana Design, founded by Micheli and Sergio Beretta, designs the entire fleet.
History written fromriva-yacht.com/en-us/History· The Riva legendread 9/22/2026