Riva Mythos 122, the aluminium flagship

This is a news in the news. Because the Mythos 122 is not only the new flagship from Riva, but also the boat marking the debut into aluminium construction for the world famous boat builder.
Thirty-five tons of light alloy for a 37-meter-long hull are impressive numbers, which put the new Riva Mythos 122 not only at the top end of the Riva range, but also in a strong position in the superyacht segment where Italy leads the way and Riva is already well represented with Duchessa 92.

Watch the boat taking life from the hull frame to navigation in this striking video.

As it’s customary with Riva, the new 122 Mythos is born from a unique design, where creativity means exclusivity. Designer of this superyacht is Mauro Micheli, co-founder of Officina Italiana Design along with his partner Sergio Beretta, and in cooperation with Advanced Yacht Technology & Design from Ferretti Group.
“The concept and the main lines of the Mythos have been conceived in ten minutes, but it’s the time dedicated to define details that makes the model unique. The 122 Mythos is born from instinct, and this is the reason that will grant her awards”, says Micheli. After the 10-minute sketch, 18 months have passed until her launch in July 2014: the result is a 37-meter boat that looks as sleek as a high-performance open, despite her massive size.

The horizontal lines are stretched while the vertical ones converge to the bow, and the aerodynamic shape of the superstructure make the whole design gentle and dynamic rather than bold and imposing.
The first unit comes in Regal Silver painting, a new light gray shade specifically made for enhancing the sportiness of the model, especially along with the the metallic Bright Black parts.
Everything on board can be customized, so the owner of the first unit went for a three-cabin layout while the standard offer from the Shipyard is a four-cabin one. A five-room option is available for the customer who could sometimes decide to charter her, or simply have many guests aboard.

A huge salon, between style and privacy

The leitmotif in the interiors is the black walnut “canaletto” wood, in a lighter than usual shade. Hide trims and polished, stainless steel details contribute to a modern and prestigious atmosphere, still in an informal interpretation. The long and seamless side windows let the light in and the view out, enhancing the feeling of space.
The main deck setup starts with a big living area astern, made by three white leather sofas and two brown armchairs around a tea table and a 55” hiding TV screen. Moving to the front, we find the dining table (crystal top on a steel stand) with eight chairs, then a bulkhead separating the forward crew area with mess and pilothouse. There’s no separation although between the back salon and the cockpit, with a sliding door and a huge panel that tilts upwards to create a unique space.

Belowdeck there’s the choice between three, four or five cabins

Before stepping into the low deck, we realize there’s a day toilet beside the companionway. Once below, it’s clear to us the choice of the designers to place all the cabins amidships, where pitch and noise are less evident. The bow hosts the crew quarters, consisting of the captain’s bedroom with en-suite and shower box, and two double cabins with their head. In our boat the layout has three guest bedrooms: the master takes the full beam, with a low cabinet facing the king bed and hiding a 46” TV screen. On the sides, there’s a tea-for-two at starboard and a vanity corner at port. The two VIP cabins are symmetrical and the double bed can split into twin ones.

Don’t call it flying bridge

The large extension of the superstructure suggests that the Mythos 122 has a full sun bridge, but actually she can be called a proper coupe. Still, that plenty of space couldn’t go wasted, so designers placed another livable space with helm station, couch, galley, sunbed and even a jacuzzi. It’s a coupe, sure, but with all the advantages of a flybridge yacht.

Technology and performance

As said, the Mythos 122 looks like a sport coupe, and her attitude remains the same once the engines are turned on. Two 3510 HP MTUs push the 140 tons of this 37 meters up to 28.5 knots. Despite these figures, she’s a “clean” boat, having received the RINA Green Plus Yacht certification based on many environmentally related parameters, including CO2 emissions.

What is the Green Plus Yacht

Issued by RINA (Registro Italiano Navale Acque), the Green Plus Yacht certification is awarded to boats whose design and develop show significant investments towards solutions, equipment and procedures aimed at increasing performance in environment protection, beyond the minimum law requirements. The Green Plus Yacht protocol considers 12 different causes of pollution, six for the water and six for the air, and provides a solution for cutting each down (whether technical, design-wise, or by some extra equipment). Each entry implies a score, and contributes to the final mark about the environmental impact of the boat and the type of Green Plus class. This system is aimed at encouraging R&D for green technologies, as the RINA officers can evaluate any solution that goes beyond the existing ones, appointing a score that will add to the final result.