Mercedes SL-style folding roof ups the cool on the Riva 88 Miami
One thing that boats from Lake Iseo have never failed to
do is turn heads; this Italian yard is a by word for glamour and class so with
the new Riva 88 Miami and it’s Mercedes SL-style folding hardtop the cool-o-meter
will probably just explode.
The system – designed and developed in a
joint venture between Ferretti Group and the wizards of hydraulic deck gear
Besenzoni – looks like something you would see on a boat show concept but never a production craft.
At rest, the cockpit roof lies over the seating in the foredeck,
acting as a protective cover. When the mechanism is activated, two
electro-hydraulic arms pop out of the sides of the coach roof and pick up the
hardtop panel, swinging it back into place over the helm station and then
retracting back into their storage slots.
When putting the roof panel back over
the foredeck seating, the arms can be stopped midway through the process so the
roof provides shade for those using the bow seats.
It’s a very clever piece of kit and there
is no better quayside theatre, even if it does beg the question as to how you
shade the helm and keep the bow seats covered at the same time. But let’s not
let practicality get in the way of such a great gadget.
The Miami is based on the hull of the 86
Domino – a coupe model – so below decks the layout is very similar. And,
despite the fact the 88 has a lower saloon, Riva has still managed to include
four cabins below decks, including a full-beam master ensuite.
Of course these rakish
looks would be nothing without power but never fear because there is exactly
5,276hp on tap thanks to a pair of MTU M94 2000s.
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