Thirty-eight luxury Riviera motor yachts converged on Washington State's San Juan Islands for the annual Roche Harbor Rendezvous, hosted by Sun Country Marine, as the US West Coast's summer boating season swung into gear.
The four-day gathering brought Riviera owners together for cruising stories, technical sessions and social activities, set against one of the Pacific Northwest's most picturesque cruising grounds.
Among those attending was Marti McCurdy, owner of a 5400 Sport Yacht named "Wicked Woman". Originally from California, Marti spent more than two years weighing up her purchase before settling on the 5400 Platinum, with the ability to operate the yacht solo a key requirement.
"I had some boating experience, but not on a yacht of this size, and one of my requirements was that I had to be able to operate it without a crew," she says. "Riviera has done an outstanding job with the smart technology aboard, the CZone, gyro and everything else. It provides the features that allow me to manage solo."
She also pointed to the yacht's handling in rough conditions. "I've been in difficult 10- to 12-foot seas, and that gyro rode that thing out like nobody's business. Riviera has designed this yacht for the open water environment."
The Rendezvous programme included technical presentations from Sun Country Marine staff and specialists flown in from Australia by Riviera, covering boat-owner maintenance, Sentinel remote monitoring, power management, CZone systems, Garmin operation and solar power. Marti singled out a session from Jack Gleadhill on maintenance as a highlight, and praised Sun Country Marine for bringing together a diverse group of owners through social events including dancing, karaoke and ice-breaker games.
"This was my first Rendezvous and first event with Riviera," she says. "There was a wide variety of people there who didn't know each other, and Sun Country brought them together really well."
Also attending were Gary and Linda Feldman, aboard their Riviera 6000 Sport Yacht "Vivere". The couple, experienced Riviera owners, currently have a new Riviera 6200 Sport Yacht under construction, hull number seven.
"We hardly miss a Rendezvous," says Linda. "We enjoy them so much! It's interesting to visit with people, everyone is very friendly, and it's fun to see all the different Rivieras and what people have done with them. There is a lot of camaraderie, and it's very well organised in terms of making it a fun weekend."
For Gary, the weekend doubled as a practical opportunity to progress their new build. "We had a number of modifications we wanted and Riviera's Manufacturing Director, Kyle Davison came onto our current boat with his computer. He was able to redesign things and determine whether it was possible to make the variations we wanted without affecting the structural integrity of the boat. It was an ideal opportunity for us while we were in the process of building. The timing worked perfectly."
Linda highlighted the liveability of the 6000. "From my perspective, it's about how well it works in terms of living aboard and how well the layout works. The ensuite bathrooms are designed to be effective, especially when you have company aboard. The galley has a number of refrigerators and freezers. The oven is also a microwave and a toaster. We can do all our cooking here, and the grill outside works very well. It's all very user-friendly and very thoughtfully laid out. You feel like it's a home."
Gary added: "Riviera is known for a quality build. And we have been extremely impressed with the fit, finish and quality compared with others we have been on. They have really excelled in the design and quality of materials and the way they put those materials together. Riviera are attuned to their owners, and the quality of the yachts they produce has really excelled."
