General presentation
🚤 Riva Ariston, This iconic 6.52-metre runabout, built in 1963, is the ultimate symbol of the golden age of Italian yachting. Unit in collector's condition, French flag, visible in Corsica.
Key features
📏 Length: 6.52 m | Width: 2.16 m | Draught: 0.80 m
⚙️ Engine: Chrysler GM V8 - 177 bhp - Shaft line
⏱️ Engine hours: 100 h since complete refurbishment
⛽ Fuel: Petrol | 🧭 Navigation category: B
Options and equipment
✔️ Varnished mahogany shell in exceptional condition
✔️ Concealed retractable bath ladder
✔️ Manual windlass
✔️ Removable table
Care and maintenance
🛠️ Last launch in 2021. Fully refitted with only 100 hours of sailing since the complete refit. Work carried out with supporting invoices.
Our analysis
Aesthetics & general condition
🪵 This 1963 Riva Ariston belongs to the very closed category of classic collectible runabouts, whose value lies as much in aesthetics as in authenticity. The varnished mahogany hull is advertised in exceptional condition, a fundamental criterion for this type of unit.
The lines are pure, balanced and instantly recognisable, emblematic of the Riva style of the 60s. The overhauled original fittings, the discreet integration of modern equipment and the absence of haphazard alterations all bear witness to a boat that respects its original spirit.
Visually, this is not an old boat being put back into circulation, but a coherent, homogeneous sailing collection.
Engines and technology
⚙️ The boat is equipped with its original Chrysler GM V8 engine developing 177 bhp. The key point is the complete overhaul of the mechanicals.
The refit includes a new engine block, a new set of pistons and cylinder heads and a completely overhauled set of original Riva fittings. With only 100 hours of operation since the refurbishment and invoices available, the mechanics can reasonably be considered as almost new, while remaining strictly in line with the original configuration.
On a collector's boat, the engine hours should be read post-refit, and not in relation to the year of construction. The last launch, in 2021, simply implies a reasoned restart, which is the usual and expected procedure for this type of heritage boat.
Price positioning analysis
📊 The market for authentic 1960s Riva Aristons is very specific and highly segmented. The value depends mainly on three criteria: authenticity, the condition of the wood and the quality of the mechanical refit.
Low-range units often have tired wood and old or non-compliant mechanics. The mid-range market consists of partially restored boats in fair condition. The top end of the market includes authentic boats, with remarkable woodwork, full mechanical refit and available documentation.
Given the exceptional condition of the hull, the complete renovation of the mechanicals, the low level of use since the refit and the presence of invoices, this Riva Ariston is clearly positioned in the top of the market. Its price should be analysed according to the standards of vintage Rivas, not those of classic runabouts.
RivieraBroker analysis & advice
📌 This Riva Ariston is aimed at an enlightened amateur or collector, looking above all for a heritage piece, rather than a boat for intensive use.
💡 It makes perfect sense for occasional pleasure, image and conservation, with reasoned use and maintenance entrusted to professionals in woodworking and antique mechanics.
⚖️ This is neither a charter boat nor a utility tool, but a sailing collector's item. Provided it is acquired at the right price and meticulously maintained, it can be a stable asset, offering the rare privilege of sailing on an icon of nautical history.
