60 years of MBS

“Vous êtes le premier à tirer des ficelles dans la mer” (“You are the first to pull strings in the sea”). Thus, wrote Prince Rainier III of Monaco to Carlo Riva when he saw the first two floating pontoons in the beautiful bay of Port Hercules. It was 1959 and the "nautical pioneer" chose Monte-Carlo as a showcase for his shining mahogany motorboats, creating the second Riva station, the Monaco Boat Service, now lead by his daughter Lia. "I always get excited when I think of those years and the trust and respect that Monseigneur placed in me, giving me blank paper to build the pontoons", said the nautical entrepreneur of Sarnico, much loved by the Monegasques and the Grimaldi family. In 2005 Prince Albert II of Monaco, president of the Yacht Club, awarded him with the prestigious title of “Personnalité de la Mer”, plaque placed next to the legendary navigator Tabarly and to King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Carlo Riva will not attend the inauguration of the new headquarter of the historic Yacht Club of Monaco of which he is a historic partner. Not to be a snob, but simply for age reasons: at 92, the fatigues begin to be felt. But it will be the lounge dedicated to the Aquarama to talk about him, of his rêve d’acajoux, the dreams in mahogany that agitate the desires of the shipowners of the whole planet. Speechless is the feeling that usually people have when it comes to enter the gallery of Quai Antoine 1er built in 1962 and dug under the fortress of Grimaldi Palace to accommodate 100 boats. The hands of the clock moved forward, new yachts and new designs were born, but for Riva’s mahoganies time stopped. "The greatness of a nautical brand, capable of keeping up with times and meeting the challenges imposed by the market, lies in continuous research and innovation, never getting tired of experimenting to get the best, always and in any case", concludes Carlo Riva that has always loved this work philosophy.

18 April 2019

1982

On the cover of the Rivarama Magazine the Riva Monaco Boat Service pontoons at Port Canto, Cannes
18 April 2019

1983

Valentina, Chiara and Arianna Ferrarese on board of the Monte Carlo Offshorer
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1984

The Monte Carlo Offshorer in the years of its sensational success
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1985

The Black Corsair on the cover of the 1985 Monaco Boat Service catalogue
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1986

Rivas deserve care and attention. The restoration department of the Monaco Boat Service
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1987

Aquarama and Aqaurama Special. Time has come to a standstill for the classics
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1988

H.R.H. Prince Albert visits the Riva shipyard with Gerard Brianti and Patrizio Ferrarese
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1989

The Ferrari red is reflected on the water, while the Riva Ferrari flies over it
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1990

Claudia Schiffer and Carlo Riva.
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1991

Mauro Micheli’s first Riva: the Bahamas
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1992

The Monaco Boat Service staff on the pontoons
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1993

Return of the Monaco Boat Service crew to “Port Hercules” after a race organized by Monaco Yacht Club
English
Monaco Boat Service