Being cooped up this past month and bingeing on Top Gear re-runs has left many of us yearning for the simple pleasure of roaming the seas, finding a secluded bay and letting the good times roll.
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Sure, you could whine about it. Or you could wine about it. Wet a line about it.
You could do what at least eight others have done to date, which is pre-order a new Riviera 78 Motor Yacht and hatch an escape route as soon as we're "unlocked".
When Riviera revealed designs for the classy new class of motor yacht in May this year, the design team was already well advanced with building the first 78.
Conceptual planning had begun in 2019 after feedback from a number of highly experienced owners.
International superyacht designer Luca Vallebona was commissioned to assist with the aesthetics, resulting in the blueprints for a highly sophisticated passage-maker that should comfortably deliver a combination of family cruising and entertaining.
While offered with either an enclosed or open bridge deck, the 78 steps away from the traditional open-cockpit format found across Riviera's other flybridge ranges, with the upper decks extending through to the stern.
From some perspectives it looks slightly blocky in my view - perhaps a tad too much superstructure height in relation to freeboard.
Before deciding though, we'll wait to see the final product in the flesh next year.
Riviera Australia owner Rodney Longhurst describes the 78 as "timeless and contemporary", and his words are reflected in the premium fabrics and leathers that will be used extensively throughout, combined with a painted finish to walls and headliners.
Owners can personalise their yacht from the beginning of the build, determining furniture placement, colours and fabrics and how they wish to utilise the living space.
The saloon may include dining and lounge spaces or simply serve as the grand lounge, with dining then concentrated on the semi-enclosed aft deck.
The galley features twin ovens, four-burner hob, comprehensive refrigeration and a mass of storage.
A timber staircase sweeps down to the accommodation deck with its four staterooms and three bathrooms.
The master suite is amidships, offering an electrically adjustable king-size bed and extended his-and-hers en-suite.
The flybridge looks to be a masterpiece of form and function, hours having been spent optimising the ergonomics of the helm station and ensuring that guests in the two adjacent helm seats are every bit as comfy as the skipper.
Building this 24-metre monument is no small task either, considering each vessel will comprise more than 180 moulded parts, many requiring multiple moulds.
From hatches, barbecue units, wet bar units and more, everything is 3D CAD designed then cut with military precision.
Three huge cranes, working in unison, were required to lift the deck mould off the hull plug, before rolling it upright. Lamination of Hull No.1 then began.
The hull is solid fibreglass to 200 millimetres above the chines.
From there, the laminate includes a foam core.
The deck is also cored to reduce weight while maintaining strength.
Bulkheads and even the crew quarters and master en-suite were bonded inside at an early stage.
These elements are usually included with the deck and headliner, however the 78 has been designed with more than a single headliner as one of many weight-saving and structural decisions.
Most of the electric cabling - which is kilometres in length - was installed as team members worked on the hull. Again, wiring is usually installed with the headliner and connections completed after the deck is joined to the hull. This new method gave the team extra working space.
Engine options range from twin MAN V12 1550hp diesels to a mid-range 1800hp package and herculean 2000hp powerplants. They connect to vee-drive gearboxes and oil-filled shafts, and will be fed by a 10,200-litre fuel capacity.
Safety fast for this skipper
With boats slowly coming out of hibernation, here's a timely tale about marine safety equipment from no less than former Olympic and America's Cup helmsman Nev Wittey.
Two years ago, Nev and his crew were sailing his 55-foot yacht from Sydney to the Whitsundays when it slammed into a sandbar near Port Macquarie at night. Nev, having been sound asleep, staggered on deck to find three crew overboard and another nursing an injured back.
"I would hate to think what would have happened if everyone hadn't been wearing lifejackets, as they wouldn't have had time to get them on. It's exactly why there's a rule that after sunset lifejackets must be worn," Nev says.
Knowing he had to alert authorities, Nev found his grab bag containing hand-held radios, a knife, torches, spare battery pack and mobile phone charger, some snacks, glow sticks and ink dye.
He then deployed his emergency beacon (EPIRB) and sent a mayday call.
"In so many cases an EPIRB would be difficult to reach. It should always be in an easily accessible position inside the companionway," he adds. "The bottom line is that while you mightn't think something like this can happen to you, it can and it might.
"Now, whenever I climb aboard an unfamiliar boat, the first thing I ask is, 'where are the lifejackets and where is the EPIRB?'."
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