Yachting world mourns death of Carlo Riva

Riva has announced that Carlo Riva passed away on Monday 10^th March in his hometown of Sarnico. He was 95 years old.

Carlo Riva is regarded by many as a pioneer of the era that brought Italian design to the world stage.

Albert Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group said “Carlo Riva has left us, the greatest of them all. The world has lost a brilliant creator of boats, a master of style, a giant in Italy’s industrial business history. To me, this is a personal loss of a master, an example of brilliance, of commitment and of dedication to work”

“Carlo Riva taught us all the meaning of vision, creativity and passion. His vision and inexhaustible innovative energy make him the leading personality in the 20^th-century yachting world, a man whose extraordinary creations have already become legends. Carlo Riva’s boats will always be the finest in the world, a source of inspiration to all of us who feel a strong sense of responsibility for the stewardship of and for taking forward into the future the leading brand in world yachting.”

Mr Riva was born in Sarnico on 24^th February 1922 and joined the family business very young. In 1954 he opened his shipyard, where he began to create unique pleasure boating products, including the first fibreglass boat in 1969.

Riva boats became a status symbol in the 50s and 60s, due to models like Ariston, described as “strong and pure like a thoroughbred horse” by Carlo Riva; Tritone, the first twin-engine boat; Sebino, the boat that began standard production; Florida, a tribute to the state itself; and Aquarama, the boat credited with making Riva ‘the foremost and [most] iconic boatyard in the yachting world’.

Carlo Riva’s classic boat, Aquarama, was first produced in 1962, and remained in production well into the 90s, with the final production #784 still on display in Sarnico’s boatyard museum.

Riva announced that Carlo Riva died peacefully in his home, and released a statement that said “Farewell Mr Riva, and enjoy the sea in your last voyage towards the horizon”.