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Our new flagship has left the building! |
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The brisk 50 degree air was no match for the warm, hearty enthusiasm generated as the new Viking 82 Convertible burst out of the building at 6:45 Wednesday morning and made its way to the water. After fueling and launching, the waterline will be marked and the boat will be returned to the building for completion. Following an initial private viewing at the VIP Boat Show Preview at the Viking Service Center in Riviera Beach, Florida, January 30-31, 2009, the yacht will enjoy its world premiere at the 2009 Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show. Vice-President of Manufacturing, Al Uhl, and Plant Manager, Ray Glebocki gathered their group of proud supervisors to record another outstanding moment in the company's 44-year history. Great job everyone!
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Marlin Caps Summer for Madison |
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Twelve year old Madison Lampe caught a 137 pound striped marlin off the southern tip of Catalina Island while fishing aboard the Viking 60, Bad Company. Madison was assisting her dad at the Crow's Nest Fishing Round Up and Rendezvous when Captain Steve Lassley invited her to join him for a fishing adventure. "She's going to remember this, that's for sure," said her father Scott, Viking Yachts brand manager for Crow's Nest Yachts.
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Mid-Atlantic $500,000 |
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Viking armada at ease on the eve of the final day of fishing in the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 at the Canyon Club Resort in Cape May, NJ. |
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Raising the Bar |
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Viking Yachts plans to introduce four new exciting models at the 2009 Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show in February. Shown here, is the hull mold of one of those new models, the Viking 57 Convertible. The three-stateroom, two-head convertible also will feature an observation mezzanine in the 157 square-foot cockpit and be powered with a pair of V 12 1,550 bhp common rail MAN engines. Please visit www.vikingyachts.com for more information on this new Viking.
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Beauty is always more than skin deep on a Viking. |
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The deckhouse of a new 60 Convertible begins taking shape under the artful hands of Viking boat builders. One element that clearly defines Viking’s commitment to superior boat building is that the workers will sand between every layer of fiberglass. In addition, note that from the pulpit to the transom, the deckhouse mold is one piece, which contributes strength and watertight integrity to the finished product.
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Viking 74 |
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There is no mistaking the aggressive prow and longish foredeck of the Viking 74, features that contribute to the yacht’s rakish good looks. Similarly, the black mask windshield and the swept window lines of the enclosed bridge suggest elements of speed, even as the yacht remains in its cradle on line two awaiting its turn at the launching well. Powered with twin 2,400 hp MTU V16 diesels, this particular Viking 74 is slated for delivery to its owner in about one month. |
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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The addition to Building Two has made all the difference in the development of the Viking 82 Convertible. The 130,000 square foot expansion, which includes a three-story mezzanine, has made the build of the 82 Convertible move like clockwork. Here, hull 82002 is pushed forward to the next stage of the production line to make room for the third hull 82003, which will be moving out on the line in the coming days.
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Viking 82 Convertibles |
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Bow to stern here is 164 feet of new Vikings as hulls 82001 and 82002 move down the production line. With the flying bridge installed on the first hull, and the deckhouse in place on hull number two, Viking’s new 82 Convertible flagships are showing progress everyday. Not visible in this picture is hull number three, directly behind the second hull, which has its MTU engines installed. Hull number four is currently in the mold awaiting its turn on the ever busy production line. |
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The fish are biting off Coiba! |
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Ivan Jurado, brother of Viking 54 owner Jorge Jurado recently caught this 100 pound tuna off the island of Coiba, the largest island in central America off the Pacific Coast. The group also had good wahoo action and released a blue marlin in the 500 pound class. Way to go, Ivan!
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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Excitement and pride are building daily as each day brings the new Viking 82 Convertible closer to fruition. With the massive flying bridge installed, the true lines of the yacht become more apparent. At 255 square feet, the cockpit is amazing. Note, too, the temporary railing on the bridge. Palm Beach Towers has already taken its measurements to build the tuna tower and the temp railing is employed as a safety factor during construction. |
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Viking’s 29th Annual Northeast Rendezvous |
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A scenic view of the Nantucket Boat Basin features a portion of the Viking Yacht fleet and their owners and guests who attended the 29th Annual Northeast Rendezvous, July 24-27, 2008. Despite some questionable weather early on, the sun finally broke through midway to provide this familiar and spectacular backdrop of the Old Grey Lady. The four-day event was highlighted with informative owner seminars, champagne christenings of new Vikings, a candle-lit dinner in the Whaling Museum and a dance and dinner party at the historic Cisco Winery.
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Spanish Viking owner Sr. Jose Miguel Ramis starts his summer right catching a 198 kg tuna! |
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Sr. Jose Miguel Ramis and crew, fishing aboard the Viking 52 Convertible Nabucco, caught this incredible 198 kg tuna today in Spain north of the Majorca Island 6 miles from the coast. Pictured from right to left are Toni Morro, Jose Miguel Ramis, Pedro Salva, Juanjo Benegas and Miguel Borras.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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Here is 82002, the second Viking 82 Convertible in first stage mechanical. Currently awaiting the installation of its pair of 2400 hp V16 MTU Series 2000 engines, generators and other equipment in its machinery compartment, there is plenty of activity taking place in the full-beam master stateroom. Slated for delivery in early February 2009, 82002 is sold and is one of 16 Viking 82 Convertibles that will be delivered in 2009. The first 82 Convertible will be launched later this year. |
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When you drop your line in the waters of Madeira, you better hold on tight! |
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Here is what a 900 pound plus blue marlin looks like in her full glory, compliments of Wayne Whippen and his team aboard Tightline, also known as 64324. A four-time Viking Yacht owner, Wayne and his crew have been fishing the waters off Madeira, an island 360 miles west of Morocco on the North African Coast. The team reported a steady pick of blue marlin in the 600 pound class during the past 26 days and four bites a day is not uncommon. Better still, the fishing grounds are as close as a mile off the beach and according to Wayne the fuel burn for all this great fishing is averaging about 50 gallons a day. Wayne’s homeport is Nantucket, Massachusetts.
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White Shark Group Wins Menorca Island Tournament |
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The fishing team from the White Shark Group, Viking Yacht’s dealer based in Madrid, Spain, shows off their winning catch aboard their Viking 64 Enclosed Bridge Convertible. Led by Higinio Aldaz, the White Shark team landed 38 longfin tuna for a combined weight of 238 kg ( 523.6 pounds ) in the Menorca Island Tournament to capture First Place honors. Congratulations on a great tournament win.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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The view of the first 82 Convertible changes daily. With the engines in, the deck on, and work going on below in the salon, galley and five statrooms, we can now track the progress on the flying bridge. The hour glass shape in the center represents the base area for the center console helm, along with the circular seating platform forward. Refrigeration will be installed between the helm and the forward seating. With three Viking technicians on the bridge, the overall size of the area is evident and most impressive. That’s hull number two, 82002 following the first 82 on the line. Hull number three is in the mold.
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Bow Thrusters |
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Bow thrusters are now common on larger Viking yachts and add considerable maneuverability and convenience not only when docking, but also when backing down on a big marlin or approaching a mooring buoy. Bow thrusters operate easily by various means including step pads on the flying bridge deck, a toggle switch at the helm, or by pressing buttons located in the single lever controls. Installing a bow thruster is a much more labor intensive project, which begins in the hull mold and ends with hours of hand labor. Shown here, a worker rolls a coat of bottom paint to protect the tunnel from collecting marine growth.
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Viking Mill |
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Viking’s mill constantly churns out structural and finished wood parts for the 100 + boats built each year. But another interesting fact about the mill is that approximately 27 percent of the workers in this high profile department are female. Shown here, Viking workers buff drawer fronts to a highly polished and gleaming finish.
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Viking Yacht Dealer Meeting |
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The new Viking 60 demo sports a lush tropical look with its Guana green hull as it backs into its slip at the Viking Yacht Company’s annual dealer meeting in Atlantic City, which took place June 23-26, 2008. In addition to the rich Guana green shade, Viking offers several other choices of colored hulls, including Bahama blue, as seen at the top of the picture aboard the company’s other demo, the Viking 68 as it approaches the breakwater coming into the marina.
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The Viking Mill |
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Viking’s mill sprawls over 52,000 square feet and is the headquarters for virtually every wooden part that goes into a Viking. The mill is equipped with several CNC (computer numerically controlled) routers, including the VR 510 Komo seen here. This sophisticated router uses a stream of digital information fed from a computer to move the motor and other positioning systems in up to three controlled directions at once in order to guide a cutting spindle over the raw material, in this instance, a sheet of plywood. The Komo router is capable of nesting, which maximizes the number of parts cut from the wood to minimize waste and scrap pieces. The VR 510 Komo router cuts with surgical precision to deliver unyielding quality, still one more example of Viking’s philosophy to build a better boat everyday.
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5th Edition of the Costa Smeralda DeLuxe Show |
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Viking International Sales Manager Steve Boerema and Gabriele Azzi of IBS, Viking's Italian dealer, are in Porto Cervo, Italy showcasing Viking's 64 Convertible in the 5th edition of the Costa Smeralda DeLuxe show. An extremely exclusive event unique to itself, DeLuxe features some of the major brands of the fashion world and the international enterprise. Two evenings are devoted strictly to luxury yachts, cars and champagne while days feature fashion shows by Bulgari, Guy Laroche and Fendi, and entertainment such as musical guest Alanis Morissette.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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This is the beginning phase of first stage mechanical of a new Viking 82 Convertible. Readily visible in the center, Viking’s industry famous web-frame structural steel engine beds await the installation of its twin 2400 hp MTU Series 2000 M93 engines. The generators will tuck beneath the white compartments abaft the engines. Forward of the engineroom is the area of the full-beam master suite. The ladder partially conceals the hull side port light. A matching port on the starboard side also brings natural light into the stateroom. The doorway in the stateroom leads to the companionway. This Viking 82 Convertible will feature five staterooms each with its own head and shower.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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Virtually dwarfed by its interior volume, more than a dozen Viking technicians and mechanics work in the hull of the new 82 Convertible in its first mechanical stage. Seen here, the stringers and bulkheads have been encapsulated in fiberglass and now work progresses on the installation of the generators, main engines, fuel, water and waste tanks, running gear, plumbing and wiring.
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Caribbean Rendezvous |
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A happy group of Viking owners and a party monkey, stopped long enough to smile for the camera at the Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, BVI, during the Viking Yacht Caribbean Rendezvous held June 5 – 7, 2008. Hosted by CFR Yacht Sales, Inc. of San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Viking Yacht Company, the three-day event attracted 24 Viking Yachts and about 120 people who enjoyed great weather, fun and informative seminars, a beach barbeque, "pool"ates, tropical cocktail demonstrations, volley ball, sailing and domino tournaments and tasty Caribbean cuisine, including a circus-theme dinner party in a world famous tropical setting. |
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HMY Billfish Blast |
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HMY’s Billfish Blast was another family fishing success.
Greg Barber and his crew aboard the Viking 68 Gregarious took Top Boat Honors at the HMY Billfish Blast held May 26 through May 30 in Boat Harbour, Bahamas. With four blue marlin, Greg was also awarded the title of Top Tournament Angler.
Over the past eight years, the HMY Boat Harbour Billfish Blast has become a “must attend” tournament. A family event mixed with spirited competition makes the Blast, well, a blast! Most people refer to the event as a rendezvous disguised as a fishing tournament. Mark your calendar now for next year’s Billfish Blast. Don’t miss out on the fun and excitement! |
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Viking 60 Convertible |
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Fresh from the production line, a new Viking 60 Convertible receives some final buffing before heading to the water for its initial start up. By using premium quality gel coat, that shine will last a long time. Although snow white is the standard color, Viking offers several shades of blue, green and its proprietary Viking Lady yellow to allow owners a very customized look and finish. |
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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With the new Viking 82 hull out of its mold, work on the yacht continues throughout the plant. Here, a fiberglass technician works inside the flying bridge plug. Judging by the height of the tech you can readily appreciate the size of the open bridge, which will feature a center console style helm with three pedestal seats flanked by lounges to port and starboard. In addition, the flying bridge accommodations will include a half-moon circular settee with a table forward of the helm. The 82 Convertible will launch in late November and serve as the company’s new flagship.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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With several dozen Viking Yacht Company employees watching with wide eyes and bated breaths, the gleaming Atlantic Blue hull of the new Viking 82 Convertible was lifted from its mold Wednesday morning at 11:30, right on schedule. It was another crowning achievement in the builder’s 44 year history as the hull moved upward and forward where it finally rested on its specially built cradle. The 82 hull was molded in the company’s newest building, a 130,000 square-foot addition towering over 55 feet at its tallest point, which was built as part of Viking’s ongoing expansion plan to accommodate the company’s new flagship. |
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Atlantic Marine Electronics |
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Overhead lighting is a popular and useful feature found on Viking hardtops. Shown here, a tech from the Atlantic Marine Electronics’ southern headquarters at the Viking International Yacht Center in Riviera Beach, Florida, is prepping for the installation of the tri-color lighting system. This allows the boat operator to choose red, white or blue lights at the flick of a finger. |
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35th Annual Bahamas Billfish Championship Leg #2 |
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After a non-productive first day of fishing, Miss Annie got on the boards with a blue marlin release on Day Two then added another blue and a sailfish on Day Three. However, on the final day, Barry Weshnak’s Viking 52 Miss Annie managed to catch and release five white marlin to win the event. Miss Annie, which finished Third Place Overall during the 2007 BBC, was also the Top Release Team for Leg #2. |
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Viking International Yacht Center |
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The Viking International Yachting Center on Avenue C in Riviera Beach, Florida, a few docks north of the Viking Yacht Service Center has become the new home of Palm Beach Towers. PBT basically ran out of room at the former facility and here is a good example why. PBT has been busy building new tuna towers for Viking Yacht customers, as well as several other production and custom boat builders. The elaborate workmanship involved with aluminum fabrication requires considerable space, not only to build the structures, but also to store them until they are ready to be installed on the boat. Palm Beach Towers also is noted for its specially built structures including fiberglass hard tops, overhead fiberglass rod lockers, drop-down electronic boxes and other custom work.
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Freedom Lift |
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Testing out the mechanism of the Freedom Lift aboard a Viking 52 Sport Yacht, a team of Viking techs verify its back and forth travel form, which will assure the yacht's owner trouble free operation. In actual use, the owner will be able to launch and retrieve the boat quickly and effortlessly, which will come in handy when anchored in a quiet cove or docked in a busy marina. |
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Viking Waste Treatment Plant |
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The Viking Waste Treatment Plant is up and running. Utilizing membrane bio-reactor system technology, it provides full waste treatment capabilities and allows the filtering of 70 percent of all water used at the plant to be recycled as grey water. It contains six pump stations and not only handles the waste water from the main Viking campus, but also handles our adjacent Viking Yachting Center. Viking will realize a significant savings in operating costs with this waste treatment plant by ending the need for twice daily “honey wagon” trucks formerly required to pump out the existing septic system.
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Viking 60 Demo |
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Nearing the end of its five month build cycle, the new Viking 60 demo receives some final buffing to its custom green hull. The gleam from the hull side reflects the depth of gloss, which can be achieved by using quality materials and plenty of sweat equity as you would expect from Viking’s team of skilled boatbuilders. This new model will launch early next month.
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Swimming Anyone |
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The Jurado family with their new Viking 54 Convertible enjoy a pleasant afternoon anchored in a secluded cove in Panama. The fishing rods in the cockpit hint at what is coming next!"
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Nautica Magazine |
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As Viking continues to expand its market world-wide, it is rapidly beginning to attract more and more attention for its outstanding quality, luxury and performance. Italy’s premiere yachting magazine Nautica recently featured the spectacular Viking 60 on its cover. Viking is represented in Italy by International Boat Services Srl (IBS).
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Viking Yacht 82 Convertible |
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Work on the new Viking 82 Convertible continues at a rapid pace. Shown here, fiberglass technicians add laminates to the hull mold. Once the mold has been completed, it will be used to produce the first hull slated to launch in December 2008. The Viking flagship 82 Convertible will premiere at the 2009 Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show. |
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Metal Shop |
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Viking’s structural steel web frame engine beds are an industry benchmark. In the Viking metal shop, a skilled craftsman is welding mounting braces into place.
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Viking Building 2N |
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Construction of Viking's 120,000 square foot addition is moving along on schedule. When completed, the new addition will house production lines One and Two where currently the Viking 60, 64, 68 and 74 Convertibles are built. |
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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Work on the hull plug of the Viking 82 Convertible continues at a steady pace in anticipation of the yacht's launching later this year. This is the largest boat ever built in Viking's 44 year history and construction of the plugs for the various molds were begun after thorough tank testing of a scale model to ensure the yacht would meet or exceed all of its design and performance criteria. |
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Fuel Tanks |
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Mold maintenance is a critical process, which ensures quality in manufactured parts. Here, a Viking Yachts’ boat builder buffs the exterior of a fuel tank mold in preparation of producing a new cell. Like most components found aboard Vikings, the fuel tank is designed in house. Note that the bottom of the fuel tank mirrors the hull bottom for maximum draw and capacity. Tanks are fiberglassed into the hull to add strength and rigidity, as well as to help maintain a lower center of gravity. Viking fuel, water and waste tanks are constructed with our resin infusion process, a closed circuit system that eliminates styrene emissions from escaping into the air.
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Viking Five-Axis Profiler |
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One of Viking Yacht Company’s two computer-operated five-axis profiling machines is shown milling foam to create a plug for a mold that will be used to produce a scale model of a new Viking. Upon completion of the model, Viking’s design and engineering groups will begin a battery of exercises to scientifically tank test the scale model to ensure it meets all of the company’s design and performance parameters. Once these specifications have been met, production of the new yacht will commence.
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Upholstery Shop |
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In our upholstery shop, skilled Viking technicians apply fabric to wooden panels used to line the companionway. The panels are designed to be removable for access and serviceability so that form follows function.
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Viking 82C Tank Test |
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Scientific tank testing is part of the design and engineering program of every new Viking. Using a 1/12 scale model we are able to simulate various loading, sea state and horsepower examples to ensure all of the yacht’s design parameters have been achieved. The data and information collected is then incorporated into the construction of the actual mold for the yacht. Tank testing is one more illustration of Viking’s commitment to build a better boat everyday.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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Here, the 82 Convertible deckhouse plug is being assembled on steel framework. The plug is made up of seven pieces and will eventually be used to create the mold for the 82 Convertible, the largest model ever constructed at Viking. |
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Viking Five-Axis Profiler |
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Viking recently added a second five-axis profiler to assist in the development of new models and other projects. Half the size of our $1 million profiler, the largest of its type in the marine industry, the new machine will be used to cut smaller components. This will allow the larger profiler to concentrate on producing plugs for our new flagship, the Viking 82 Convertible.
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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While the hull plug of the Viking 82 Convertible is being built in the R & D building, nearby, the five-axis profiler has begun to carve the first of eight sections that will eventually become the plug for the 82’s foredeck, house and cockpit assembly. When the final piece is carved, the eight sections will be joined together to create a one-piece mold. |
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Viking 82 Convertible |
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Work continues on our 82 Convertible, which is scheduled to make its debut at the 2009 Miami Boat Show. Shown here, a team of Viking shipwrights are busy sheathing plywood to the bottom of the hull form. When the wooden plug is completed, a fiberglass mold will be made from the part and construction of the yacht will begin. |
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