Building on a legend
In 1842, Pietro Riva traveled from Laglio, on the banks of Lake Como, Italy to Sarnico, on Lake Iseo,
to fix a series of storm damaged boats that everybody else had given up on.
A daunting feat, but Pietro was up to the task.
Soon, he was attracting attention as a miracle worker.
But with his talents, he didn't want to just put boats back together - he wanted to build boats that nobody had ever seen before.
Build them he did and Riva's rich heritage was officially launched.
In the 1880's Ernesto Riva, one of Pietro's sons, took over the Riva yard.
While maintaining the tradition of impeccable quality and craftsmanship, he added another dimension to the Riva product: innovation.
He began by fitting piston engines to his boats for the first time and built boats to carry passengers and cargo.
It was Serafino Riva's turn at the helm next.
Under his direction, he stopped producing passengers and cargo boats, launching Riva into the embryonic power racing boating scene.
On the deck of his beloved racing boat, he was able, in 1912, to achieve a speed of 24 km per hour.
A daunting feat, but Pietro was up to the task.
Soon, he was attracting attention as a miracle worker.
But with his talents, he didn't want to just put boats back together - he wanted to build boats that nobody had ever seen before.
Build them he did and Riva's rich heritage was officially launched.
In the 1880's Ernesto Riva, one of Pietro's sons, took over the Riva yard.
While maintaining the tradition of impeccable quality and craftsmanship, he added another dimension to the Riva product: innovation.
He began by fitting piston engines to his boats for the first time and built boats to carry passengers and cargo.
It was Serafino Riva's turn at the helm next.
Under his direction, he stopped producing passengers and cargo boats, launching Riva into the embryonic power racing boating scene.
On the deck of his beloved racing boat, he was able, in 1912, to achieve a speed of 24 km per hour.
Serafino's competitive ambitions drove Riva to a series of successes in national and international motor
boating competitions between the first and second world wars.
Not content to remain solely in this role, Riva increased its line to include boats built for pleasure as well.
It was to be still, another turning point.
By the 1950s, the Riva name, under the leadership of Carlo Riva, became a worldwide symbol of quality, elegance, speed and status.
With Riva's uncompromising quality and superior materials, this renowned name became the only choice of kings and queens, emperors, princess and sultans, actors and sportsmen, matinee idols, the international jet set and business tycoons worldwide.
Famous names included Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Prince Ranier, Aristotle Onassis, Peter Sellers and many others of equal stature.
Today, celebrities, well-known businessmen, entrepreneurs, fashion stylists and the jet set are still unable to resist the magnetism of a Riva.
If you can afford the best, why not experience the best.
Not content to remain solely in this role, Riva increased its line to include boats built for pleasure as well.
It was to be still, another turning point.
By the 1950s, the Riva name, under the leadership of Carlo Riva, became a worldwide symbol of quality, elegance, speed and status.
With Riva's uncompromising quality and superior materials, this renowned name became the only choice of kings and queens, emperors, princess and sultans, actors and sportsmen, matinee idols, the international jet set and business tycoons worldwide.
Famous names included Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Prince Ranier, Aristotle Onassis, Peter Sellers and many others of equal stature.
Today, celebrities, well-known businessmen, entrepreneurs, fashion stylists and the jet set are still unable to resist the magnetism of a Riva.
If you can afford the best, why not experience the best.