Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht Series II Review (2025 Edition) by Aquaholic

On Deck

Riviera’s 72 Sports Motor Yacht Series II takes the original 72 and gives it a refresh based on feedback from owners. Riviera has sold over 30 of these in the last few years and that owner input feeds into the Series II updates. This is an Australian built boat and a key choice on this boat is the lack of a fixed bathing platform. This owner set it up with fishing in mind and wanted the entire aft end left open so a platform does not get in the way. Riviera still offers options. You can spec a lift platform, or a retracting platform that lowers into the water and creates three steps down, which suits swimming. Tender storage sits elsewhere, so the aft platform is not essential for tender handling on this setup.

The aft cockpit stays open as a proper working and play zone. Riviera sections the boat: the open aft area is the yard where people fish, dive, and mess about with water sports. Fishing features include a live bait well, large draining storage voids that can take ice for fish, fold out rope bins, twin transom doors, rod holders, and substantial outriggers that power out for fishing and can also power down for bridge clearance. Aft amenities include grills, a sink, tackle boxes for gear, and a large fridge. Speakers sit around the exterior as part of the audio system.

Forward of the cockpit is the raised, sheltered inside outside porch area with privacy from slightly opaque glazing. Side tables fold out for dining on both sides. Roll up or drop down enclosure sections let you open it up or close it in. A large lift up window links the porch to the galley and salon, so food and drinks can pass through without fuss. Refrigeration is extensive here too, with multiple fridges, a central bin, and a sink. A door closes off the steps down to the crew and engine spaces.

Side deck access is helped by a large side door from the salon, useful for ventilation and for moving forward without a detour. Fuel fillers sit on deck with percentage readouts so you can see fill level as you pump, without doing litre maths in your head.

At the bow, the foredeck can carry a tender on a central cradle. Sightlines remain because the windscreen sits higher up. Riviera adds a practical ladder drop system and non slip steps so you can reach the windscreen for cleaning, wiper blades, and maintenance. Canopy tracks run around deck areas, with lockers that hold the canopy gear. A hatch sits above the forward cabin. The anchor handling station sits forward, and the anchor itself is an Ultra anchor described as a serious bit of kit. Deck lights line the side decks, and bimini pole sockets let you rig shade over the bow seating. There is a sense that one of the bow elements folds out into a sunbed, as noted in the walkaround. Engine vents sit inboard so spray tends to throw outboard rather than into the vents.

The Series II changes focus on a lighten and brighten approach rather than a full redesign. High gloss walnut features here, with options for matte finish or a lighter oak. Areas that previously carried more wood get a painted finish to reduce visual weight. The main living space that used to feel like two separate zones now links into one larger area with new furniture that creates a comfortable salon arrangement.

The galley has a pantry, dishwasher, hob area, sink, overhead storage for crockery, and plenty of drawers. The general theme is storage and get at able access, with many panels designed to come away so you can reach systems behind. A large exterior side door beside the galley lets you step straight out onto the side deck, then forward toward a bow seating area.

The interior dining table unfolds to about twice its size. A TV rises from a low position via a lift mechanism so it comes up to eye level when you want it. Steps lead up to the upper deck area. Refrigeration stands out throughout the interior, including convertible fridge freezer drawers where you set the temperature to suit.

There are repeated CZone control points. One sits at the helm, and another display sits in the interior so you can reach systems without going back to the helm. Air conditioning controls appear in multiple locations for the same reason.

Riviera also supplies a colossal handbook that includes standard operating info plus detailed wiring diagrams and plumbing diagrams, alongside a separate quick start book for basics. It reads like belt and braces documentation for long term ownership and fault finding.

Owner's Cabin

The owner cabin sits aft. In standard form it is a generous space, with an option to go full beam by deleting cabin four and relocating the owner ensuite into that space. On this layout the owner cabin still has a strong sense of volume and finish.

Storage includes wardrobes, shelving, drawers under the main unit, and a safe inside the wardrobe. A dressing table sits in the cabin, with a lifting top and a mirror on the underside. Overhead lockers run along the cabin sides, and the painted finish continues to keep the space brighter. A large window gives a standout view and adds light.

The owner ensuite sits to one side on this layout. A pocket door closes it off. There is a glass panel that can frost electrically via a button, intended to let light through when clear and give privacy when frosted. The shower is a rainfall type with a wand shower as well. The basin uses the newer Riviera basin setup noted elsewhere, and the toilet sits in the same compartment. Access traps appear in the floor, consistent with the boat’s service access theme.

Guest Accommodation

The forward VIP cabin has the same Series II lighten up approach, with painted finishes replacing some of the heavier wood areas. Storage is extensive, with lockers along the cabin and practical shelving. Riviera uses pull out panel sections that let you reach wiring and plumbing behind the visible joinery. The VIP ensuite includes a separate shower and toilet, plus the updated basin design.

A day heads sits aft of the VIP, again with shower and the updated basin. A door links this day heads as an ensuite for cabin three. Cabin three has good headroom through most of the space, with only a small reduction at the aft end that still works when seated in bed. It has a wardrobe with access panels, AV equipment, and extra storage overhead. The bed system powers across on floor tracks to convert between two single berths and a double arrangement, sliding over a bedside table and revealing a second bedside table as it moves. The cabin then connects directly into the shared heads.

Storage continues outside the cabins too. A ladder leads to a large suitcase stowage zone, aimed at the real world problem of where bags go after guests arrive. Drawers sit in the centre of this space, which looks odd at first glance but makes use of otherwise dead volume that belongs to cabin four.

Cabin four sits further aft. Riviera changed this cabin from the old bunk bed arrangement. The second berth no longer runs above the lower berth along the cabin length. Riviera rotated the upper berth position and set it to disappear into a side recess, freeing up access to the drawers that sit lower down. A pocket door slides shut. There is a wardrobe plus additional storage via a trap hatch with more space beneath. Cabin four does not have its own ensuite and uses the day heads, with the practical advice to lock both doors.

Crew Accommodation

There is a lower area which can be used as a crew space, but most examples of this boat run owner operated rather than with permanent crew. The space still has value as overflow accommodation, or as a handy berth for a temporary steward/ess on a short trip.

Access is from the porch via a door and steps, and there is also a route back into the engine space from here. The area includes laundry facilities, with small stays on doors to stop them flapping when open. A heads and shower sits down here. The shower arrangement converts the compartment into a wet room, with a lift up fitting that stows away. This setup also helps day to day use because people can come straight in from swimming or the beach, rinse off, and use the toilet without traipsing through the main interior. A microwave is here too, placed for quick access.

Engine room access comes two ways. You can enter from the crew area, or directly from the cockpit via lift up steps that expose a straight route down, useful for servicing and oil changes without walking through the interior.

The machinery space has a generator forward and another generator aft, plus twin MAN V12 engines on Vdrives rated at 2,000 horsepower each. Reported performance figures include over 30 knots, with 34 knots cited as maximum speed. Suggested cruise is 29 knots, with an estimated range of about 450 nautical miles at that speed. At lower speeds around 8 to 10 knots, range could exceed 1,000 miles.

Wiring and switching appear neat and accessible, with manual access available in case of CZone control issues and full standing headroom. Shore power lead handling has a dedicated coiling bin that powers in and coils into place to ease handling. Engine room has vents, air conditioning systems racked out, and camera system hardware that links to the displays at the helm and upper helm, with cameras dotted around the boat.

There are fittings intended to close off part of the machinery space for long distance cruising so you can come down and check systems while guarding off an area.  

The Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht Series II is in a space where ownership planning counts. Most examples are owner operated, and the boat is clearly set up for that. Access is the recurring theme. You can reach the engine room directly from the cockpit or via the lower deck, and service panels run throughout the boat so systems work does not turn into a joinery job.

Riviera supports long term ownership with unusually detailed documentation. Alongside the quick start guide, the full manuals include wiring and plumbing diagrams. That matters when the boat changes hands or when a yard needs answers quickly.

Running costs follow familiar ground for a 70-foot performance yacht. A sensible planning figure sits around 10% of the boat’s value per year, covering fuel, berthing, insurance, maintenance, and routine servicing. Actual spend depends on speed, cruising area, and how hard the boat is worked.

With twin 2,000 horsepower MAN V12s, fuel use is tied directly to pace. Fast cruising in the high twenties costs money, but the boat will also slow right down and stretch its legs properly when range matters. That flexibility is useful for owners who mix quick hops with longer passages.

While looking at the 72 Series II is also worth looking at it's first iteration, the Riviera 72 Sports Yacht Series I. The Series II update to the Riviera 72 keeps the same hull, proportions, and overall concept as Series I, but the biggest changes are in the living spaces, so take a look at YachtBuyer's Riviera 72 Sports Yacht Series I vs Series II for side by side photos and deck plans.

Two rivals worth considering in this sector are the Horizon V77S and the Maritimo M70.

Riviera’s 72 Sports Motor Yacht Series II takes a proven platform with over 30 boats sold and applies owner feedback through targeted upgrades rather than a full rethink. The big story is practical use: an open aft cockpit as a yard for fishing and water sports, a raised porch that can enclose or open to the salon via a lift up window, and heavy duty systems access everywhere you look. Interior updates lean on painted finishes to lift the spaces, with options for walnut gloss, matte, or lighter oak. Accommodation covers a forward VIP with ensuite, a convertible twin to double guest cabin with a clever sliding berth, a fourth cabin that borrows space through smart joinery choices, and an owner cabin aft with an optional full beam upgrade path. Machinery includes twin 2,000 horsepower MAN V12s on V drives, twin generators, strong service access, and quoted numbers of 34 knots top speed, 29 knots cruise, and about 450 nautical miles range at cruise.