NEW BOATS - Riva's new Diva

Is she a diva or trailer trash? You’d be forgiven for scratching your head at the announcement of a new boat from the iconic Italian marque, for this is no ordinary Riva.

Coming in at 27ft, the Riva Iseo has been designed as a day cruiser for both sea and lake, and it manages to fuse both “elegance and ease of transportation” — yes, this Riva is trailerable. But if you think that Riva is going downmarket, you would be mistaken.

She carries the same svelte curves and rakish lines as her siblings, and, like her stablemates, is finished in rich mahogany complete with 20 coats of varnish (so getting her on the trailer might be fun). Moreover, Riva claim the Iseo is the first boat of its kind to be equipped with both ‘infotainment’ and GPS charting built for the iPad, using software that has been developed specifically for the Iseo. Apps will include not only the usual entertainment options, but also the Iseo owner manual.

For the engine installations, a number of options are offered, ranging from diesel and petrol inboards coupled to sterndrives to deliver top speeds between 34kts and 38kts, and a hybrid option that offers Ferretti’s Zero Emission Mode making it ideal for boating on lakes where normal boating is forbidden.

Designed by Officina Italiana Design, in collaboration with the Ferretti Group’s Advanced Yacht Technology centre and Centro Stile, the Iseo certainly looks the part.

“We wanted to create a sophisticated, essential day cruiser, ideal for both lake and sea,” say Officina Italiana founders Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta, “which met all the requirements of comfort and ease of transport, distinguished by her unmistakeable design, stirring emotions and to be appreciated not only by nautical enthusiasts.”

Announced at the start of February, the first Iseos are due to launch this summer. But if you want one, you’d better get in quick — Riva reports that several orders have already been received. — Tim Thomas