For a long time yachts have been the ultimate symbol of prestige. Over recent years, the yacht industry has enjoyed unbridled success and development, leading to newfound luxury and excellence. Thanks to repeated tours de force, Australia has blossomed into a preeminent leader driving the evolution of yacht building. Here are three Australian yacht companies that build some of the finest watercraft the market has to offer. Once you experience the boating pleasure one of these companies provides, you’ll quickly realize that it’s like going from car hire to limo service.
Riviera
Since opening for business in 1980, Riviera has flourished, becoming Australia’s largest luxury boat builder. In order to maintain their position, Riviera relies on a 14 hectare state-of-the-art waterfront facility at Coomera on Queensland’s Gold Coast to produce some of the world’s finest yachts. The Coomera site, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest boat building facility, enables Riviera to design and build boats that have won numerous awards and healthy respect.
At the 2014 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show (biggest in the world), Riviera took home best motor yacht honors for their flagship 565 model of the versatile SUV collection. The prestigious Editor’s Choice award goes to the “best of the best” in production and semi-custom yachts. The sleek and dashing 565 easily vanquished the competition in the 50-59 feet category, further cementing Riviera as Australia’s most-awarded boat-builder and strengthening its reputation as a world-class builder of luxury yachts.
By combining their innovation, passion, and craftsmanship with 21stcentury technologies, they showcase a luxury boat collection that’s unrivaled in terms of performance, quality and refinement. Dedicated to annually investing millions of dollars in technologies and production capabilities, while recruiting top notch designers like world renowned Dutch naval architect Frank Mulder, Riviera sets iconic standards. The company manufactures luxury boats ranging from 36-85 feet in length, across five lines. Half of Riviera’s annual production gets exported to a dealer network covering 30 countries and every continent in the world.
Oceanfast
The premier, world class Australian super yacht builder, Oceanfast offers boaters breathtaking designs, while focusing on providing excellent personal service and manufacturing superiority. With 20 years of yacht building under their belt, Oceanfast has created a fleet of the most distinctive and refined motor yachts in the world.
Oceanfast operates under their parent company Austal Limited, a global leader of aluminum vessels, from design to build. Thanks to this, Oceanfast customers enjoy the benefits of a dedicated customer and product support network, spanning the globe from Europe to Japan and the U.S.A.
Oceanfast currently features their 48 series, based on a design created to seamlessly merge modern styling and unique use of space, while combined with cutting-edge engineering systems and construction specifications. On the water, 48 series boats look just as comfortable cruising a distant shoreline, as they do docked at any of the world’s most renown marinas. Considering its design, manufacture, specs and luxury appointments, the Oceanfast 48 provides more value than any other similar size competing yacht on the market.
Maritimo
Visionary and highly acclaimed boat builder Bill Barry-Cotter finds himself at the heart of Maritimo and its success. One of Australia’s most awarded boat builders Bill Barry-Cotter says “I just love building boats I get a real kick out of it.” His passion, honed and refined by over 40 years of work in the industry, appears on full display in Maritimo’s collection of luxury motor yachts. Bill’s tireless love and enthusiasm for boat building, culminated in the launch of Maritimo. The company now leads the industry in design innovation, outstanding build integrity and engineering par excellence.
The peerless Maritimo collection takes inspiration from the Australian lifestyle and gorgeous coastlines which are distinct to the Land Down Under. Constructed on the balmy Gold Coast of Queensland, each and every boat boasts all the luxury customers demand. Paired with unmatched engineering, Maritimo yachts allow long range voyages and the capacity to withstand violent seas. The end result realizes customer’s dreams where utmost quality and craftsmanship intersects the epitome of marine form and function.
