Hull No. 778

Engine No. 172033

Few names, if any, capture the art of living well, wrapped in elegance and quiet luxury, quite like Riva. In the 1950s, Carlo Riva, grandson of a master boatbuilder, took the family boatyard in a new direction. During a trip to the United States, he had fallen in love with the sleek runabouts cruising along the shores of the Hamptons. Built by hand, only a few at a time, his boats soon became a familiar sight on the lakes of Switzerland and Italy, and along the sunny coastlines where the Dolce Vita seemed to have found new moorings far beyond Italy. Among those who chose to sail in a Riva were the Shah of Iran, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, and John F. Kennedy, along with many other icons of taste and refinement, some at the helm themselves, others with a skipper at their side.

The Super Ariston, the most powerful single-engine Riva ever built at the Sarnico yard, was produced in a limited run of just 181 examples. Designed for prestigious powerboat regattas as much as leisurely cruising, this example dates to 1966 and features a mahogany hull with beige upholstery. Originally powered by a 320-hp Riva Crusader Modello engine, which accompanies the boat, it is now fitted with a Volvo Penta OMC 58 198 engine producing approximately 270 horsepower, restored by GP Marine GmbH for Swiss registration and approval in 2024. The boat is accompanied by its import and certification documents, as well as a RAM RIVA Excellence certificate of origin and a trailer.