Riva 68' Diable

• LOA: 20.67 m (67 ft 10 in)
• Beam: 5.29 m
• Light displacement: approx 38 tonnes
• Engines: twin MAN V12, 1,550 to 1,650 hp
• Top speed: approx 40 knots
• Range: approx 260 nautical miles
• Accommodation: three en suite guest cabins plus crew cabin
• Type: open sport yacht, designed by Officina Italiana Design

An open yacht in a flybridge world

Most yachts of this size add a flybridge for extra deck space, and the Diable deliberately does without one. It keeps a low single-level profile that reads as a scaled-up runabout. At 20.67 metres overall with a 5.29 metre beam, it has the volume of a cruiser and the stance of a sports boat. That choice defines where it sits in the range. Buyers who want a big Riva without a tall profile have few other options in the fleet.

The Diable slots between Riva's compact models and its larger flybridge yachts. It suits an owner who wants overnight accommodation without the height and mass of a taller yacht. The open layout keeps sightlines long and the centre of gravity low. It is a driver's boat before it is an entertainer. The owner is expected to spend time at the wheel and not simply hand it to a captain.

Devil in the detail

Officina Italiana Design drew the Diable with a long bonnet-like foredeck and a dark glazed band running down the hull side. The superstructure is kept low and raked so the boat looks fast standing still. A large sunroof opens most of the coupe to the sky. The styling quotes the classic Rivas while working at a much larger scale. Seen side on, the long foredeck and low screen are pure Riva grammar.

Carbon fibre is used in the hard top and structure to keep weight down where it matters. Stainless steel and lacquered surfaces carry the Riva finish across the exterior. The transom folds down into a broad bathing platform close to the water. Every surface is worked to look engineered more than decorated. The dark glazing and pale deck give the boat a strong graphic identity on the water.

A twenty-metre open yacht that drives like an overgrown runabout.

Three cabins under a low deck

Below deck the Diable holds three en suite guest cabins plus a crew cabin aft. The full-beam central cabin serves as the owner's suite, lit by the glazed band in the hull side. Materials follow the wider Riva palette of wood and stone. The finish aims at a yacht standard, not a sportsboat one. Guests get proper cabins with private bathrooms, which is unusual on a boat this sporting.

The main deck stays open and social, flowing from the helm through a saloon to the cockpit. Glass drops the barrier between inside and out. A galley and dining area serve day use and longer stays alike. The single level makes the whole deck feel larger than its footprint. Sliding glass and a low bulwark keep the sea in view from almost anywhere aboard.

MAN V12 muscle

The Diable is driven by twin MAN V12 diesels rated between 1,550 and 1,650 hp depending on specification. Riva quotes a top speed around 40 knots, which is fast for a yacht of this length and weight. Light displacement sits near 38 tonnes, helped by the carbon in the build. Range is a coastal figure in the region of 260 nautical miles. This is a boat for fast hops between harbours and not for long open crossings.

The hull is a deep-vee planing form tuned for pace and grip. It is set up to cover coastal distances quickly and return the same day. Handling is meant to feel direct for a boat of this size. The Diable is engineered around speed more than economy. Owners tend to run it hard on short legs and berth it each night.

For the owner who skips the flybridge

The Diable appeals to buyers who want a large Riva without the tall look of a flybridge yacht. It reads as sporting and discreet, which suits Mediterranean owners who prize line over volume. Many will run it with light crew for day trips and short cruises. It reflects a taste for shape over sheer entertaining space. The Diable reads as a connoisseur's choice within the Riva range.

In the market it competes with open coupes from other Italian and northern European yards. Riva sells it on styling and the strength of the name. Its speed and low profile give it a clear character among rivals. For the right owner it is the sharpest way to own twenty metres of Riva. Its relative rarity on the water adds to the appeal for that buyer.

Design

• Exterior: Officina Italiana Design (Mauro Micheli)
• Interior: Officina Italiana Design
• Naval architecture: Ferretti Group Engineering Department

Who it is for: An owner who wants a large, fast Riva with overnight cabins but none of the height or bulk of a flybridge yacht.