Here's
something to look forward to! Remember the Aquarama? The ultimate
Italian motorboat, first created during the 1950's by a guy
called Carlo Riva who was almost as famous as the folks he sold
his boats to? People like Sean Connery, Peter Sellers, Brigitte
Bardot, Dino de Laurentiis, and Richard Burton.
Well, Riva's
back! With all the class and pizzazz new owner, the Ferretti Group,
can muster. Capt. Bill Pike spent a few days in Italy just before
Christmas, test-driving the new Rivarama, a 44-foot speedster
with a level of detailing and finish he describes as "transcendent."
Riva’s PR person, Petra Proksch (shown above, left), went
along for the ride.
Performance
wasn't bad, either, thanks to a matched set of 700-hp MAN
diesels, a couple of dual-speed ZF transmissions, and sporty temperatures
that prompted Floridian Pike to comment, "The Alps'r
kinda chilly `round Christmas time, ain't they."
Look for Pike's
story on the frost-bite test of the Rivarama in the April issue
of Power & Motoryacht.