November saw the arrival in Phuket of a brand new Riviera 430 Offshore Express, the first of its type in Asia. Lee Marine GM, Martin Holmes flew to Singapore to receive the new boat and prepare for the delivery trip to Thailand.

 

Martin is no stranger to Rivieras, or to the 600NM trip up the coast of Malaysia, having done the same trip on a range of different Riviera models over the last 10 years, from the M400 Sport Cruiser to the R51 Enclosed Flybridge. However, this trip promised something new.

 

“The 430 OE is the first Riviera that we have delivered with the Volvo IPS drive system”, noted Martin. “I had read the brochures and seen the videos, all telling of the improved performance, maneuverability and increased fuel economy but was really looking forward to experiencing the Volvo IPS engine package first hand, and a quick 600 miles seemed the perfect opportunity.”    

 

After preparing the boat in Singapore, Martin and a Lee Marine crewmember set off from Raffles Marina, turned the corner and pointed the boat towards Thailand. The trip consisted of three legs; Singapore to Lumut, Lumut to Langkawi and Langkawi to Phuket.   

 

The boat performed superbly and easily handled the sea conditions which were described as ‘sloppy and unpredictable’ due to the large low pressure system which followed them up the coast. 

 

“The 430 OE is based on a wide-body Riviera hull, the qualities of which are absolutely tried and tested. The enclosed bridge deck with centre line helm offer superb visibility and made driving a real pleasure”, he said. “We were cruising comfortably at 28 knots and the engines were using just 100 ltrs per hour in total, which is considerably less than other boats of this size and means that the 430OE has a usable range in excess of 350NM which is extremely valuable whether you are fishing or cruising.”

 

As well as improved fuel consumption, the IPS engines are clean, quiet, easy to access and are always perfectly aligned, meaning less vibration through the boat.

 

This boat is fitted with Volvo’s joystick controller which was another big hit with the delivery crew. “Even if you have been driving and parking boats for years, its hard not to love the joystick control. Being able to use a single controller for speed, direction and also to move the boat sideways without a bow thruster, gives a lot of confidence and means that you can concentrate easily on the docking maneuver. For owners new to boating, this will make the most nervous of helms look like a seasoned pro!