Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition (2022-)

Brief Summary

Riviera’s 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition is an eye-catching express yacht that the company says lives up to her bluewater heritage and has the amenities one would want in a premium offering.

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	57' 3" 17.46 m
Beam	16' 4.88 m
Dry Weight	54,596 lbs. 24,752 kg
Tested Weight	58,657 lbs. 26,606.36 kg
Draft	4' 9" 1.38 m
Bridge Clearance	16' 7" 5.05 m
Fuel Capacity	793 gallons 3,000 L
Water Capacity	211 gallons 800 L
Total Weight	58,657 lbs. 26,606.36 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Load	3 persons; 436 gal. fuel; 105 gal. water; 50 lbs. gear
Climate	75 deg.; 62 humid.; winds: 0-10; seas: 1-2

Engine Options

Tested Engine	2 x 725-hp Volvo Penta IPS950
Std. Power	2 x 725-hp Volvo Penta D11 IPS950

Report by Eric Colby

Mission Statement

Riviera tells us the 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition provides the best value in terms of accommodations and amenities for the price. The 6000 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition costs a million dollars more while the 4800 has only two staterooms, a forward master and a mid-cabin with limited headroom. She also maintains Riviera’s core value of providing the features an owner wants but not a bunch of frivolous bells and whistles.

Riviera Yachts 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition Main Features

• Upgraded graphics with contrasting colors
• Waterfall countertops in galley
• Hydraulic swim platform
• Opera window links salon to aft deck
• Cockpit bar with grill
• Full-beam master stateroom
• Tender Garage

Riviera Yachts 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition Features Inspection

The Stern. Let’s start with the swim platform that spans the boat’s beam and is 3’4” (1.02 m) deep fore to aft. It’s hydraulic and lowers with the push of a button. When the platform is in the up position, there’s a stout boarding ladder under a hatch to port. Push a button to open the garage that is designed to hold a Williams 325 jet tender.

The Aft Deck. Stairs on each side lead from the platform up to stainless-steel gates that open to the aft deck. The metallurgy on the gates that are built in-house is first class with clean welds. A hatch in the starboard passageway opens a panel of switches including the ones that lower the platform and open the garage and to port there’s a freshwater shower. Headroom in the area is 7’6” (2.29 m) and there’s even an opening sunroof.

The aft lounge measures 67” (170.18 cm) wide by 23” (58.42 cm) fore to aft. The bottom cushion is hinged and it opens to reveal storage including a clip for a boat hook Lockers outboard on each side have dedicated fender racks. Forward to starboard, an L-shaped lounge wraps around a high-gloss walnut table that can be lowered and topped with a custom-made cushion to create an extra berth or playpen for the kids. Continuing the upgrade package, the teak deck has platinum caulking.

Opposite, the aft deck bar has a refrigerator and ice maker underneath and up top are a Kenyon grille and griddle with a sink forward. The underside of the hatch is finished in a heat shield and it’s equipped with an automatic shutoff switch.

The Bow. Three 7” (17.78 cm) steps lead up to the 11 1/2” (29.21 cm)-wide side decks. The bulwarks come up 9 ½” (24.13 cm) and the stainless-steel rail tops out at 25” (63.5 cm) tall. The fuel and water fills are in inboard lockers on the side decks. Forward on the trunk cabin is a lounge that measures 8’4” (2.54 m) long and 5’2” (1.57 m) wide and has ratcheting headrests that lock into four positions for chaise-style lounging. Outboard on each side are cupholders and rails and the track and zippers are for a storm cover.

The Muir windlass is on top of the deck with an Ultra 77-lb. (35 kg) stainless-steel anchor and 300’ (70 m) of chain rode. Cleats are on each side of the bow with chafing guards. The port hatch opens to reveal the handle and remote for the windlass plus the fresh and raw-water washdowns. The rode locker is to starboard and it’s deep enough to accommodate fenders.

Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition Salon

As we head indoors, it’s a 9” (22.86 cm) step up and the door is 25” (63.5 cm) wide and 6’3” (1.91 m) tall. Riviera’s signature opera window opens alongside, linking the aft deck to the galley. It secures with a latch in the overhead and headroom is 6’6” (1.98 m).

The Galley. Part of the Platinum Edition is the waterfall countertop running down the side of the galley. On the aft side in the bottom area are two Isotherm refrigerated drawers with storage alongside. Outboard to port are the Miele convection/microwave oven with a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher underneath. A hinged cover in the aft outboard corner of the counter opens a Summit two-burner stove that has a Dometic extraction fan overhead. Outboard to port are a stainless-steel sink and purified water spout. In the forward corner is a wastebasket and at the front of the galley are two bar stools. If an owner orders the optional flatware, cups and saucers store overhead and plates have dedicated space in drawers in the base of the forward counter.

Opposite the galley to port, the bar has a Dometic wine chiller, pull-out bottle storage, dedicated stemware racks and a refrigerated drawer. Just ahead is a pull-out freezer and above is the control for the Fusion stereo.

The Salon. In the salon to port is an L-shaped lounge with a high-gloss walnut table. The craftsmanship is noteworthy and it’s all done in-house. The bar stools are to starboard and outboard of them, a 42” (106.68 cm) TV rises out of the bulwark. Forward to port, guests step up 11” (27.94 cm) to an elevated lounge area adjacent to the helm so they can keep the captain company during a long cruise. Overhead, the power sunroof opens and owners have a choice of shade style.

The Helm. Indicative of the 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition’s high-end feel, our test boat had a Recaro high-backed helm seat that featured a diamond pattern, hand-stitching and folding armrests. For added comfort, there’s an angled footrest.

The helm is finished in a matte black alcantara suede upholstery. Up top are two 17” (43.18 cm) Garmin displays that are part of the Volvo Penta glass dash and just aft there’s a tray with a USB plug. To the left of the steering wheel are the air conditioning and accessory switches on the top row. Below are the 7” (17.78 cm) Volvo Penta engine screen, the search light, CZone digital panel, the chain counter for the Muir windlass and the control pad for the optional Seakeeper gyro stabilizer.

To the right of the wheel are the Icom VHF radio and the engine start-stop buttons. Above is the control puck for the Fusion stereo. To starboard working aft, we have the Volvo Penta joystick, digital controls, windshield wiper and washer buttons and the controller for the Garmin screens. Another storage tray abaft the controls could be a good place to chuck car keys and similar items.

Riviera provides a five-year extended warranty on all Volvo Products from the propeller nut to the helm screens and if the company fits any Garmin component at the factory, the warranty extends to that as well.

The windshield is made up of three sections with the outboard panes at 33” (83.82 cm) wide and 53” (134.62 cm) tall while the center span is 60” (152.4 cm) across and 56” (142.24 cm) tall. Each has its own wiper.

Abaft the helm in the bar to port is a locker that contains the remote for the windlass and the start buttons for the generator and the optional watermaker. Just below is a C-Zone digital touch screen. These are throughout the boat and eliminate the traditional distribution panel.

Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition Accommodations Deck

Now let’s head below to the accommodations deck. The lower salon has an atrium-style design that lets the windshield bathe the area in natural light. The master stateroom is aft and has a berth that’s 84” (213.36 cm) long and 76” (193.04 cm) wide. Headroom is 6’3” (1.91 m) and outboard to port is a chaise-style lounge with long hullside window and opening port above. The port has a sensor that sounds an alarm at the helm when opened.  High gloss walnut contrasts with the velvet headboard and there’s a 32” (81.28 cm) TV on the aft bulkhead. Storage is provided in dual hanging lockers plus assorted drawers. To port, the en suite has a vessel sink, Corian sole and countertops, an opening port and a separate shower stall.

Exiting the master, we find a combination washer/dryer to port and storage to starboard. Forward to port, we enter the guest cabin that has over-under bunks that are 77” (195.58 cm) long with a median width of 27” (68.58 cm). The cabin has a hanging locker and a 24” (60.96 cm) TV.

The VIP. Just across the companionway is the head that the guest cabin shares with the VIP. It’s equipped nearly identically to the master head with a teak bench and overhead skylight. The bow stateroom has 6’8” (2.03 m) of headroom and the 74” x 60” (187.96 cm x 152.4 cm) berth on the centerline, a large hanging locker, a 24” (68.58 cm) TV, overhead storage, carpeted steps on each side and four drawers in the base.  Additionally, half of the berth is hinged and lifts up on a gas strut for large-item storage.

Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition Performance

Before we headed out on the water, we checked out the 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition’s engine room. A hatch in the aft deck opens to access it and the rail on the bar is a natural grab at the start of the descent or end of the ascent. There’s good space between the engines and aft the 21.5-kW Onan generator is centrally positioned beneath the garage. Just aft of that is the optional Seakeeper. As we’ve seen on previous Rivieras, the motor-mount nuts are marked after they’re torqued so it’s easy to see if they’ve loosened.

Jack shafts link the engines to the pod drives. To starboard are the optional water maker and Dometic air conditioning. At the front of the compartment are the freshwater tanks on each side of the fuel reservoir. In the center up top are the CZone digital switches with the house batteries underneath. Below, the access to the fuel-filters and raw-water strainers is excellent.

The Numbers. The 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition measures 57’3” (17.46 m) long with a 16’ (4.88 m) beam and a draft of 4’9” (1.45 m). Empty weight is listed at 54,596 lbs. (24,764.33 kg) and we tested with three people, 55% fuel and 50% freshwater aboard, giving us an estimated test weight of 58,657 lbs. (26,606.37 kg).

Powered by twin 725-hp Volvo Penta D-11 IPS 950 6-cylinder diesels and pod drives, the 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition hit a top speed of 33.8 knots at 2500 rpm. We recorded best cruise at 1750 rpm where she ran 17.5 knots and burned 36 gph even. This translated to .75 knots per gallon and a range of 310 nautical miles with 10% of her 792.52-gallon (3,000 L) fuel capacity held in reserve.

Test day brought calm conditions so we couldn’t evaluate the 5400’s rough-water capabilities. She carved through turns cleanly with minimal lean. When we returned to the slip, the second station with a joystick to port in the aft deck made docking minimally challenging.

Observations

Riviera’s 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition has the performance to match her striking appearance. She’s agile and based on our previous experience with the brand, she’ll be up to the task when conditions are less than ideal. Riviera also tells us that many customers buying this boat are stepping up to their first express yacht because she’s easily managed around the docks. She also has the accommodations, amenities and comfort a platinum edition model should.