Yacht Walkthrough: 88′ Riva Motoryacht [BEL SOGNO]

I’m Drew Offerdahl with Denison Yachting and today we’re here in North Miami Beach, onboard BEL SOGNO, a 2016 Riva 88 Florida. BEL SOGNO is a convertible coupe with a four stateroom, three head layout and an absolutely amazing main deck. So we have a lot to cover today but before we start our walkthrough, there’s three main features I want to touch on.

The first is performance. Not only is BEL SOGNO sleek but she’s also very fast for an 88-footer with V-drives. With over 5200 total horsepower, she has a top speed of over 40 knots and a 35 knot cruise.

Her second key feature which is also her most notable is the patented convertible top. Using a Penta graft mechanism two pairs of carbon-fiber arms lift the hardtop and conceal it in the foredeck, converting her from a coupe into the largest open yacht in her class.

The third feature worth noting that makes her truly unique is the custom ice white paint job. It’s more aesthetically pleasing than the standard Riva moon grey and it also absorbs less heat.

Today’s walkthrough has us starting on her teak covered hydraulic swim platform. This teak beach drops into the water not only making for a great swim platform but also allows for the deployment of the tenders from her garage. Below the waterline are eight blue underwater lights, two at the transom and three down each side of the hull. In the garage, you’ll find an Aquascan jet tender and jet ski. These are deployed by a custom remote which controls the winch system and the swim platform. To port is a swim ladder which deploys hydraulically. Concealed beneath the stairs are shore power and water hookups as well as a starboard side passerelle.

From here let’s take a look at the aft deck. Centerline is a large sunpad with a grab rail rounding the aft section. Directly in front is molded seating. Continuing centerline and forward brings us to an in-deck hatch for the engine room. Powering this 88 Riva are a pair of upgraded MTU 16 V M96 engines. Each engine generates 2638 horsepower. These MTU diesels give her a cruise speed of 35 knots and an exhilarating top speed of over 40 knots. Rather than surface drives, BEL SOGNO achieves her performance with V-drives which offers some key advantages including increased reliability, reduced maintenance and improved maneuverability.

Just aft of the engines are twin Mitsubishi AMG gyro stabilizers which offer a closed cooling system which requires no raw water and no scheduled maintenance. On the starboard side is an entertainment station. It features a grilling sink with ice-maker and refrigerator below.

Opposite to port is a cockpit docking station. Forward is access to the crew quarters which we can’t show you right now because they’re being used for storage currently. There are two crew quarters – one with bunks and another with a single berth and washer and dryer.

Let’s head back up onto the main deck and take a look at the cockpit. On the port side is a spacious alfresco dining area with a teak table that can expand to make this space suitable for eight adults. Centerline is an all-weather TV and to starboard is a settee. There’s an additional lounging space on the port side of the helm. This brings us to the helm which is equipped with the Furuno navigation system. At the top are MTU displays on either side of the radar indicator. Just below this are 17 inch displays for the Naviop monitoring system as well as her plotter, radar and depth sounder. Below and to port is the synoptic panel. Centre line is the Furuno autopilot control and multifunction display. To starboard are your ZF marine throttles and hydraulic bow and stern thruster controls. Lastly, there are four buttons which control the convertible top.

Currently covering the entire cockpit is a convertible hardtop that transforms this sporty coupe into a summer paradise. This top raises electrically and pivots back and forth between the foredeck and the cockpit. A custom touch added by her owner are the removable inserts that enclosed the top of the cockpit. This keeps out rain and spray when underway. The custom inserts came at no small price. It was around $80,000 for this addition.

Forward of the helm is the foredeck. The bow is accessible on both port and starboard via walk around side decks. When in the coupe configuration, this area functions as a U-shaped settee with waterproof speakers and a teak sole. This space can also be shaded by the convertible top when in the intermediate position. The sporty profile on this 88 Florida is undeniably Riva. Originally inspired by automotive design, the lines are both aggressive and elegant. Just one look at the freezes down the side of the hull is enough to know that this yacht means business.

Seven steps down and we land in the salon which has almost seven feet of headroom and is a great escape after a long day in the sun. The lower deck is kept cool by a 108000 BTU super tropical AC system. On the starboard side is an L-shaped sofa with coffee table. There’s also a 46 inch LCD TV across the companionway. The galley is to port which features an open bar for two guests. On the aft bulkhead is a side-by-side fridge and freezer. Here we have a GE microwave, Miley cooktop and oven, sink and a dishwasher.

From here let’s step aft, down three steps to the master stateroom. The master features an ensuite head on the portside with an enclosed shower stall. Forward in the companionway are three more staterooms. To port is a guest stateroom with a queen berth and ensuite head. The second guest stateroom is to starboard with twin berths in an ensuite that also acts as the dayhead. Forward in the bow is the VIP with an island queen berth and ensuite head.

On behalf of the Denison team and myself, thank you so much for joining us on today’s walkthrough of BEL SOGNO. If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact me anytime.