Fort Lauderdale's annual boat show has long held a firm place at the top of the global marine industry's calendar, but the 2025 edition looks set to outshine its predecessors. Running from 29 October to 2 November, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) covers nearly 36 hectares of exhibition space, with more than 1,300 boats on display, 1,000 exhibitors from 52 countries, and an anticipated crowd of over 100,000 visitors. From watersports equipment and sunglasses through to the grandest superyachts afloat, FLIBS delivers the full spectrum of the boating world.
Commanding particular attention this year is Gold Coast-based Australian boatbuilder Riviera. The company will bring twelve motor yachts across five distinct lines to FLIBS 2025, including three America's premieres, making it Riviera's largest-ever United States display. Underpinning that achievement is a world-record shipment of 15 yachts dispatched from Brisbane to Florida in September, a logistical feat that speaks to the scale of Riviera's global ambition.
Last year's 65th anniversary edition of FLIBS set a formidable benchmark. Stormy opening conditions did nothing to dent attendance, with more than 100,000 people passing through the gates. Close to 100 new boats made their debuts, and the Superyacht Village drew widespread attention with vessels including the Mangusta Oceano 44, AMARYLLIS, and MARGUERITE. Electric and hybrid propulsion systems from brands such as Axopar, Evoy, and Candela generated considerable interest, reflecting a broader industry shift. The show's seminar series reinforced that theme, pointing to a younger generation of yacht owners seeking sustainable technology, flexible layouts, and family-oriented designs. Those priorities are expected to grow more prominent in 2025, and Riviera's focus on innovation, comfort, and blue-water performance places the brand squarely in that conversation.
The story behind Riviera's FLIBS presence is as compelling as the boats themselves. In September, 15 luxury motor yachts were craned aboard a single cargo vessel at the Port of Brisbane, ranging from 43 to 72 feet in length and carrying values between $1.6 million and $6.8 million. Following a 34-day ocean passage, the fleet arrived in Florida ahead of the show. The operation is believed to be the largest number of yachts ever loaded onto a single cargo ship anywhere in the world. Riviera's owner, Rodney Longhurst, described it as a proud milestone:
“It’s an amazing sight, seeing these luxury motor yachts being lifted into the air and onto the ship. This is a proud achievement for our highly skilled team that create our world class motor yachts, right here in Queensland.”
The achievement also shines a light on Australia's boating industry more broadly, a sector that now generates more than $10 billion annually and employs over 35,000 people.
Among the three America's premieres, the Riviera 4300 Sports Express is generating particular anticipation. Longhurst is forthright about what he believes the model offers:
“Amazingly versatile. You get so much with the Sports Express.”
The 4300 features a boarding platform that lowers to become a sea deck, a fully equipped alfresco barbecue centre, and a sports deck versatile enough to serve as both a lounging area and a dining space, complete with its own television and air conditioning. Below deck, a master stateroom, guest cabin, and full galley combine to create a genuine home afloat. Twin Volvo Penta IPS 600 or 650 engines push the boat beyond 30 knots with joystick manoeuvrability.
The other two premieres are the Riviera 64 and 72 Sports Motor Yacht Series II models, both representing a considered evolution from their Series I predecessors, shaped by owner feedback gathered from around the world. As Longhurst put it, "Feedback from our worldwide family of owners has helped our team of engineers and designers to undertake a holistic refinement approach throughout both these yachts." Both models feature walk-around decks, a foredeck lounge, an all-weather alfresco deck, and a fully enclosed flybridge reached by an internal staircase. Accommodation spans three to four staterooms with options for four bathrooms and a full-beam master suite, and each yacht pairs sports performance with long-range blue-water capability. Longhurst places them in what he calls "a league of their own."
Those three premieres sit within a twelve-boat display spanning the full breadth of what Riviera builds. The Sport Yacht Platinum Edition range includes the 4600, 5400, 6000, and 6800 models, each built around single-level living, seamless indoor-outdoor flow, and refined styling. The SUV line stretches from 39 to 64 feet, with the 505 and 585 among those on show, blending the blue-water credentials of the Sports Motor Yacht with the practicality of a single-level cockpit. Rounding out the fleet are the Belize Motor Yachts: the 54 and 66 Daybridge, which bring retro-inspired design together with contemporary luxury and advanced propulsion systems. Each line has its own character, yet all carry the hallmarks that Longhurst describes as the company's DNA:
“Our motor yachts are sought after around the world for their blue-water heritage, supreme luxury and built-to-last quality.”
Running alongside the boat display, the Riviera Festival of Boating returns for another year. Over four days, Riviera owners will be invited to join workshops covering navigation, offshore seamanship, radar, weather, power management, and annual maintenance. A dedicated ladies' skippers programme also features on the schedule, alongside social events celebrating a community that now numbers more than 6,200 owners worldwide. For Longhurst, the festival is an expression of what the company stands for beyond the build quality of its boats:
“The Fort Lauderdale show gives our team the opportunity to demonstrate the amazing ease of boating that we have created, which is now being enjoyed by more than 6,200 Riviera owners around the world.”
Fort Lauderdale is frequently described as the boating capital of the world, and the annual show generates an estimated $1.7 billion in economic impact. Set against that scale, Riviera's expanded presence amounts to more than a strong trade showing. It is a statement of intent from one of the Southern Hemisphere's most accomplished boatbuilders. Longhurst summed it up directly:
“Our spectacular display, the largest for Riviera in the Americas, will provide the opportunity for visitors to fully appreciate the exceptional quality of our range; the finest yachts we have built over the past 45 years and all in one convenient location.”
From the record-breaking September shipment out of Brisbane to the triple America's premieres on Florida's waterfront, Riviera's 2025 Fort Lauderdale campaign marks a genuine high point in the company's history and a vivid demonstration of what Australian craftsmanship can achieve on the world stage.
