Research 2020 - Riviera Boats - 54 Sedan

If the legendary wooden boats of our past had kept evolving, how might they look today?

Belize could well offer some insights.

We sense they may have stayed with a lower profile than many of today's offerings. Not just for beauty's sake, but because the more tall and top-heavy a boat, the more ungainly and susceptible to windage.

The trick is to have a sweet sheer line and profile without it stealing room below decks. On the Belize, the sheer remains fairly flat until gently rising toward the bow.

But in this case, even good looks can be deceiving; the Belize actually delivers greater space— in the sizing of beds, heads, showers, in fact all living areas— than similar-sized production counterparts.

It's a testimony to very experienced thinking, artful computer-aided design and stronger, less bulky miracle materials. But there are more differences: Unusually for a motor yacht today, the Belize sheer is really the top edge of a substantial and shippy bulwark— instead of a token toe rail— for more secure side access and drier passage-making.

This bulwark is in turn capped with a shaped teak rail (left natural, but available with four coats of gloss, if desired).

Set atop the cap rail is a beautifully electro-polished array of stainless stanchions (32mm rather than 25mm) carrying two horizontal rails that wrap right around the boat, to almost halfway along the cockpit.

The top rail isn't the usual 25 or 30mm pipe, but a 60mm X 40mm elliptical shape that, as the hand falls upon it, feels as substantial as the reassuring traditional teak handrail of days gone by — without the vulnerability and maintenance.
Draft: 4 ft. 1 in.
Beam: 16 ft. 10 in.
Fuel tank capacity: 793
Water tank capacity: 185
Holding tank capacity: 92
Standard features:
Specifications
Length Overall (inc. swim platform & bow roller) 18.20 m 59' 9"
Beam (inc. gunwale) 5.13 m 16' 10"
Maximum Draft (inc. props) 1.25 m 4' 1"
Dry Weight (approx., depends on engines & options) 30,200 kg 66,580 lbs
Fuel Capacity 3,000 L 793 US gal
Water Capacity 700 L 185 US gal
Holding Tank Capacity 350 L 92 US gal
Sleeping Capacity 6 adults
Cabins 3
Bathrooms 2
Engine Option - Volvo Penta D11 - IPS950 x 2 533 kW 725 hp each
Range 304 nm at 21.1 knt
Generator Brand Onan EQD
Generator Output 17.5 kW 60 Hz


A More Gracious Time and Place
As the cradle of our civilization, Europe still— quite deservedly— influences our design sensibility. Even so, we tend to take it with a grain of salt.

We try to cherry-pick and adapt ideas to suit different cruising distances, light levels and lifestyles, in many locations.

The Belize designers have struck a keen-eyed balance between European panache and Australian practicality.

Throughout any Belize yacht, fabric panel walls, leather, weatherproof leatherette and passages of wood grain are used in a contemporary palette to create a warm and inviting ambiance, and to contribute to excellent acoustics.

Two pack polyurethane finishes accent and protect key surfaces in the galley, on door panels and other key joinery interludes.

High luster is not, by any means, the answer to every decor decision; a number of Belize interior surfaces are quite muted. Satin varnish, for instance, is evident throughout the saloon, galley, helm, companionway and forward cabin threshold.

Galley bench tops offer a choice of natural solid surface materials.

The Miele name badges the induction cook top, combination oven, and microwave.

The AC/DC Vitrifrigo system provides two capacious chiller drawers and a separate freezer drawer.

The dual bowl sink is served by award-winning German Grohe tapware.

Right across from the galley, on the starboard side is the true heart of the saloon; a large L-shaped seating area that does double duty as lounge and dinette. (Or triple duty, with its clever purpose-built storage for crockery, glassware and charts tucked under.)

The saloon's opening side windows allow for natural ventilation, but when the temperature calls for it, you can waft a good 24,000 BTU's of air conditioning through saloon, galley and helm areas.


Below Decks, Above Standard
But it is full-sized beds and roomy staterooms that fill the Belize down below.

Rarely seen on a motor yacht of this style and size, the master stateroom extends the full beam of the boat. Its large queen-size mattress a very cosseting eight inches thick, with storage under its baseboard.

Rising at your command is a 24-inch TV/DVD.

Either side of this cabin space are twin cedar-lined hanging and drawer spaces and, on each side, opening port lights for cross ventilation, backed up by 16,000 BTU's of air conditioning— split with the en-suite head.

In there, teak floors are satin varnished, with non-slip finish in the large frameless glass shower stall, with elegant Grohe fittings again providing the tapware and shower fittings.


In It's Elements
Time spent on a luxury machine such as the Belize 54 is as much an outdoors experience — maybe more so — than it is an indoor one.

A lot of attention has been devoted to making the most of that experience.

A huge sunpad sprawls along the center line of the forward deck, drink holders and music controls right alongside.

Going aft, the swim platform's center section raises and lowers hydraulically (its teak decking standard, by the way).

This grants easy access to the transom's electric 'garage' door and space for a three-meter tender and outboard that can be easily loaded by the built-in electric winch.

Above the garage, there's another hatch that lifts to reveal the electric BBQ and sink, with helpful LED lighting in the raised hood overhead.

Backed up to that, in the cockpit is a rear lounge with good storage under, and a folding, multi-use hi-lo table.

More storage again (you can't have too much) is provided by the wet bar with fridge and icemaker console and its adjacent mezzanine seat (replaced with the stair ladder on the 54 Flybridge).

To the port side, an unusual, and most welcome feature: a cozy corner breakfast bar with folding stools.

By sunset, of course, it serves nicely as an ideal spot for drinking in the view.