Riva Tritone

1957 Riva Tritone #35 “Flamingo”: Carlo Riva started in 1953 to build the so named Riva Tritone; 258 were built in total from which app.100 are left, Flamingo was the first to mount 2 Chris Craft engines from 175 hp 6-cylinder and inverter control with knobs instead of the levers (Chris-o-matic), one of the last with the deck in solid wood (from #40 will all be in plywood). The first owner was the famous Hotel Polana’s owner in Lorenzo Marques, now named Maputo - Mozambique, who bought the speedboat in 1957. Flamingo is made from Muninga wood, a very strong and a little lighter kind of wood (also called as blood wood) of Mozambique, because this one would be less sensitive than mahogany for sailing in African water, so makes this Tritone as Unique. Flamingo was used as a shuttle service to bring guests from the hotel to a nearby islands. During the civil war Flamingo was used by the army as this was the fastest boat in the country. The son of the Polana’s Hotel owner went back after the war to search the boat. She was found covered in dust in a shell burning factory somewhere in the corner. It was bought in 1999 and shipped to Holland where was started the restoration. The hull of the Flamingo was still good enough but the interior and part of the deck had to be renewed. The engines were shipped in the USA for overhauling to new. It took in total 15 years to have Flamingo made the way she is today, completely restored. Full documentation is available, as works list and all restoration invoices, shipping documents etc. Further info on request.