Altered Universe

In the Southern Hemisphere, we find another

Gold Coast and another take on the convertible.

By Marilyn Mower

I looked at the words printed on the itinerary and shook my head. Perhaps it was jetlag; it was the third leg of a trip that had taken me halfway around the world to learn about boatbuilding and boating in the Southern Hemisphere. I pointed to the words. “Arrive Gold Coast‚“ on the sheet of paper. “This can’t be right, I live on the Gold Coast,” I said to my host and seatmate Stephen Milne, director of brand and communications, who had accompanied me on this jaunt since Auckland.
“Yes, Gold Coast,” he said over the roar of the engines.
“But the Gold Coast is the strip along the ocean of elegant mansions, shabby chic beach communities and glitzy high-rises.”
“Yes, that’s Gold Coast.”
Seeing my confusion, he pointed out the window. That only made it worse. We were descending in the direction of a narrow strip of land between the ocean and a waterway. In the distance were beautiful beaches and shiny modern high-rises.
“My Gold Coast; Queensland, Australia,” he said. “Welcome to the home of Riviera Yachts.”

Specifications

LOA: 58’ 2”
Beam: 16’ 2”
Draft: 4’ 6”
Dry Weight: 48,060 lbs.
Power: 3 x Volvo IPS600 @ 435 hp
or 2x Cat C-18 @ 715 hp
Fuel/Water: 978/227 U.S. gals
Top/Cruising Speed: 33/25 knots

Contact

Riviera Yachts
Coomera, Queensland, Australia
Riviera.com.au

This Gold Coast, not unlike southern California is a narrow coastal plain between mountains and the Pacific. Yet, because of prevailing easterlies, the land is lush and green. Crosshatched with almost 300 miles of canals and rivers, his Gold Coast’s waterways are equal to that of Ft. Lauderdale. Two rivers descending toward the sea long ago dug a channel to the ocean, creating a huge estuary behind the wide dune. Like the Intracoastal Waterway, it creates a marine highway.
With about 330 days of sunshine annually, it hosts Australia’s largest recreational boat building industry. The Gold Coast Marine Precinct in Coomera is a world-class hub and base for around 65 marine companies. Next door is the commercial center of the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise where Miami Beach-style skyscrapers tower above a vibrant beach.
Like my Gold Coast, it is a 20th century phenomenon. Unlike South Florida, the Aussies seem to have kept a great deal of their waterfront accessible to the public. Even Riviera’s waterfront factory maintains public docks and a restaurant. After lunch with Riviera’s American-born CEO John Anderson, I learned that about the only thing that’s kept under wraps here is the design department.
Riviera offers lots of options; only the envelope is sacrosanct. Case in point is Riviera’s 51 Series II flybridge. Not only is it available open or enclosed with an internal staircase or an exterior ladder, Riviera has also created hull molds to accommodate either triple Volvo IPS drives or twin Caterpillar or MTU diesels with conventional shafts. While Hatteras invented the convertible sportfisherman concept, Riviera has exploited the livability of the form. Australians seem to love the luxury of cruising up high in the climate controlled comfort of an enclosed flybridge and then, when they get where they are going, it’s all about the cockpit and open plan saloon, which in most models, can open 75 percent of its aft bulkhead to the cockpit. The presence of fish boxes, bait tank, rod holders, rocket launchers, and tackle storage confirm the nature of the beast.
At Runaway Bay we boarded a new 51 enclosed with triple IPS 600s, the prototype for this layout and power package. Dealers and yard captains were still learning what it could do. With an eye to late afternoon storm clouds building offshore, one of the things this boat was going to do was keep us all dry. At idle or harbor speed when the joystick is in play, only the two wing engines are engaged. At 600 rpm, the boat nosed around its dockmates at 4.6 knots. Clear of the harbor, Capt. Andy shoved the throttles fully forward. Mentally, I prepared to be tipped backwards, my forward vision obscured by the bow jerking upward. Ah, the wonder of pod drives: Their vectored thrust eliminates most of that and the 51 was on plane at 15 knots. Wide open, the boat was running nearly flat at 33.8 knots burning 65.8 gallons per hour. Andy slowed the boat to his favorite cruising speed (25 knots/47gph) and handed over the helm.
The IPS drives are a perfect match for the lifestyle afforded by an enclosed flybridge; they are exceptionally quiet and provide extra room—in this case for a separate equipment room. The redesign moves the console forward and adds a secondary helm overlooking the cockpit for fishing and easy docking. This leaves plenty of room for a plush L-shaped lounge facing a high-low table and a service bar. A sliding hatch closes off the stairway for safety or to preserve night vision.
The staircase descends to the saloon right at the cockpit door and facing seating. A bar incorporating storage utilizes the space under the stairs. Forward, surrounded by windows is a dining area. The galley, two steps down, is a triumph of space planning. I was especially taken by its stowage capacity and by the placement of freshwater tank gauges and the watermaker switch here. The passageway to the staterooms descends three more steps with the ensuite master stateroom on starboard opposite a bunk stateroom; the VIP is forward. Instructing Andy to put the boat through turns and cross its own wake, I went below to check the availability of handholds and sturdiness of door and drawer fittings. It looks as if the skipper has gone mad, but in a calm sea, it’s the only way to find out if you and your stuff can get tossed about and how loud the living quarters are at fast cruise.
Andy had a curious look on his face when I finally reappeared on the bridge with my smart phone in hand instead of a notebook and gear.
“I have apps for inclination, speed, trim, direction, rate of turn and decibels. I even have the Navionics charts for Australia on my Al Capone (mobile). Now let’s chuck a uey (take a u-turn) and go have some stubbies (short beers). Oh, and Aussie Slang, there’s an app for that, too.”