Tag: Viking

Viking 38 Billfish

Viking 38 Billfish

Viking’s 38 Billfish is the builder’s latest innovation in versatility, comfort, and performance.

Viking’s 38 Billfish exemplifies the builder’s evolutionary strategy to build a better boat every day. Already leaving its predecessor, the 37 Billfish, in its wake, this new model
is longer, wider and sports a refined running surface. A new hull design with foam encapsulated stringers, a raked stem, double chines and a pair of running strakes delivers performance and maximizes speed and efficiency with two 550-hp Cummins QSB 6.7 diesels.

Aimed at bluewater anglers and young families, the 38 Billfish appeals to the upward moving owner/operator as well as those looking for an easy-to-handle and maintain convertible that’s ideal for mastering inshore and offshore assignments.

Small and Mighty

Perhaps more than anything, this new Billfish model demonstrates how much boat Viking is able to build in 38 feet. There’s no mistaking the Viking DNA with its eye-pleasing, unbroken sheer, the finely proportioned deckhouse and the spacious cockpit. A full-feature convertible in a mid-size package, the boat checks every box for practicality and fun.

Underway, with full fuel and water and five people aboard, the 38 Billfish ripped to a top speed of 35 knots drinking 56 gallons per hour on my Lake Worth, Florida, test run.  Throttled back to 31 knots for a swift cruise, the turbocharged, after-cooled Cummins consumed 41 gallons per hour.

At a moderate 26 knots, figure on 31 gallons per hour. With a capacity of 460 gallons, the boat has more than ample range wherever you decide to set the throttles. Pick the spot, and the 38 Billfish performs and handles with the enthusiasm of a student on the last day of school thanks to the Cummins Inboard Joystick matched to the DC bow thruster. Both acceleration and throttle response are swift with virtually no diesel exhaust.

Runs in the Family

Sharing the popular style and traits of its larger brothers, the flybridge utilizes a center console command station. Visibility throughout 32 points of the compass is excellent.
The fiberglass helm pod painted to mimic teak adds a custom touch and is augmented with single lever controls with thruster buttons and power-assisted hydraulic steering.

Viking subsidiary Atlantic Marine Electronics provided the electronics that are well-organized and stowed in the console for all-weather navigation. Additional  instrumentation is mounted overhead in the fiberglass hardtop as are the 24VDC Miya
Epoch electric teaser reels favored by offshore tuna and billfish anglers, and a rocket launcher is built into the aft aluminum rail. A single Release helm seat is standard and a second seat is optional.

Lounges to port and starboard ahead of the console offer plenty of seating and room to stretch. A Costa Clear three-sided enclosure provides comfort and protection. Viking’s legacy in building tournament contenders is obvious in the many features found in the 109-square-foot cockpit starting with the molded, non-skid deck with a 29-inch reach to the waterline. It was raining on test day and the surefootedness was appreciated.

Fish on, friends

A transom livewell, port and starboard insulated fish wells measuring 46 inches by 18
inches by 16 inches and fresh and raw-water wash-down systems are standard fare. The coaming is rounded and is comfortable when leaning against it during stand-up battles with sails, mahi and cobia. A walk-through transom door with a lift gate complements a swim step.

Underneath the coaming, tricolor LED lighting illuminates the cockpit. An aluminum mounting plate is laminated in the deck to accommodate a fishing chair or rocket launcher, and flush-mounted rod holders are conveniently placed. To port is a bait freezer inside a molded console with a removable fiberglass tray to handle a day’s worth of rigged
balao and mullet, which not only keeps the baits ready but also eliminates the clutter of a portable cooler on deck.

To starboard, lifting the molded console lid reveals a sink with a freshwater spigot and a board for cutting bait or rigging while underneath, a door opens to access four tackle drawers and accessory switches, including a temperature gauge for the freezer. Cushions atop the consoles make ideal perches for keeping out of the weather, watching baits in the wake and relaxing underway or at the dock.

Day Boat Vibes

With its traditional day-boat layout, the salon door is replaced by a Costa Clear curtain, but it opens the cockpit to the air-conditioned salon/command deck with 80 inches of
headroom and the option to install a lower helm station. For early season starts in the north or late season cruising and fishing, the lower helm station is a popular choice, especially with fishermen that go shorthanded.

The open salon design is a reminder of the style so well propagated by Palm Beach
Ryboviches and Pompano Beach Merritt boats way back when. To maximize the comfort and usefulness of the space, Viking has added a refrigerator, a U-shaped lounge and a
fiberglass hi-lo table to port that can convert to a berth and a starboard-side, 88-inch-long lounge with rod and tackle stowage below.

The command deck is especially inviting after returning to the dock and serves as a social area that makes the boat very flexible in its mission as both a capable hardcore fishing boat and family cruiser.

Peek Underneath

Electrically actuated rams lift the sole to expose each engine compartment, but a center hatch also provides access for quick daily checks. Viking’s attention to detail in the mechanical space is outstanding. The bright white Awlgrip-painted bilge lights up the area, and the slender, inline six-cylinder Cummins engines are accessible for routine maintenance and service. Racor fuel/water separators, seacocks, sea valves, and strainers are labeled and painted with white Awlgrip. Wire and plumbing runs are neat and chafe-protected.

Our test boat had a 13.5 kW Onan generator, a Seakeeper SK6 gyrostabilizer, accessible engine and house batteries in fiberglass boxes, a voltage stabilizer isolation transformer,
Dometic air conditioning, a Dolphin Pro battery charger, an oil exchanger system for draining and filling the engines, transmissions and the generator, a freshwater outlet for
keeping the machinery space clean, and a Delta-T ventilation system that provides fresh air supply and water intrusion suppression. Each diesel is equipped with a Y-valve to function as emergency bilge pumps.

‘Reel’ Living Space

Unlike big center console boats of similar length with a cuddy cabin, the 38 Billfish has actual overnight living accommodations three steps down from the salon deck. The
L-shape galley features a stainless steel sink, Corian countertop, Kenyon electric cooktop, Samsung microwave, and an Isotherm refrigerator and freezer. Teak cabinetry is abundant, and the electrical panel is eye level for ease of use. The spacious head
to port has a Dometic MSD, Corian countertop, teak vanity, and a better than full-size fiberglass shower stall with a glass door.

The master stateroom is forward with a bi-fold door for privacy, an island double berth with an innerspring mattress and stowage underneath, a pair of maple-lined hanging lockers, rod locker, TV and stereo. The air conditioning system services the lower accommodations, and the flooring throughout the area is custom Amtico vinyl. Hatches in the sole provide access to bilge pumps, shower sump, plumbing, and the like.

High Pedigree

This is the smallest Viking, but noting that even the sole hatches are framed with teak showcases its pedigree to its larger siblings.

Specifications

LOA: 38′ 8″
Beam: 14′
Draft: 3′ 4″
Displacement: 30,954 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 460/69 gal.
Cruise/Max Speed: 31/35 knots
Power: 2x Cummins QSB 6.7 @ 550-hp
Price: On request

Contact

Viking Yacht Company
(609) 296-6000
vikingyachts.com

By Peter Frederiksen, Southern Boating June 2019

Viking 68 Convertible

The new Viking 68 Convertible not only lands granders, it does so in grand style.

The new Viking 68 Convertible drew public acclaim in late January. Fresh from the New Jersey factory, the company’s demo model took first place at the 55th Annual Buccaneer Sailfish Cup Tournament out of Palm Beach with 25 releases.

A week later at Viking’s VIP Boat Show Preview in the company’s Riviera Beach, Florida, facility, invitees swarmed over this exciting new model before the general public got a look at her mid-February during the Miami Yacht Show. Viking never has a problem attracting attention with its new models. This 68 is everything you would expect from the family-owned and operated company. Because their mantra is about building a better boat every day—as they have for the past 54 years.

Winner Winner, Tuna Dinner

Designed as a tournament winning contender, its fishing prowess is obvious the minute you step aboard. The bi-level, self-bailing cockpit is 176 square feet and includes an air-conditioned observation mezzanine with an extended flying bridge overhang. This provides shade and comfort below and is aptly suited for tropical fishing hot spots like Mexico, Costa Rica and beyond.

Mezzanine appointments include standard amenities like bait freezer capacity, tackle stowage, a refrigerated drink box built into the salon step, and access to the walk-in engine room. The lower pit is equipped with a walk-through transom door and a transom fish box that can double as a livewell to complement recessed wells.

If you prefer a topside livewell set-up, the corner scuppers can be set up with threaded drain fittings to minimize water on the deck. Rounded coamings provide comfort when working the fish to the boat for a fast release. Efficient use of available space includes side lockers under the coaming to stow gaffs and tag sticks. It also conceals the Glendinning cablemaster shore power cords, as well as DC outlets to power deep, drop equipment and kite and teaser reels.

Viking is known for customizing each boat to the owner’s needs. The company’s demo program allows it to wring out systems and equipment best suited to the vessel’s intent. Our test boat, for example, featured a dedicated ice discharge receptacle in the mezzanine and a Seakeeper SK 26 gyrostabilizer in the lazarette.

Superior Livability

A fiberglass, electric sliding door leads to the salon. While the cockpit is all about fishing, the yacht’s interior is elegant and plush. Viking’s partner, WBC Design, created an exquisite environment of beauty and detail that is accentuated by Viking’s walnut joinery throughout. A dayhead is to starboard immediately inside the door. To port, an L-shaped Dewberry sofa with stowage below and a hi-low cocktail table address the home theater on the starboard side, a 49-inch HD TV that rises from the walnut cabinetry. Forward on the port side is a four-seat walnut dinette on a raised platform, which conceals a sizeable drawer that slides out to accommodate fishing rods and other gear. The bulkhead forward of the dinette is a perfect spot for another HD TV that can also serve as a monitor to show the yacht’s electronic displays from the flying bridge.

The galley boasts Viking’s popular island arrangement which allows 360-degree access and makes it easy for two or three people to use without creating a logjam. The bi-level Cambria counters complement the three bar stools and the Amtico flooring. Sub-Zero under-counter drawer-style refrigerators and freezers with their large capacity are ideal for feeding guests while long-range cruising or making tracks on the tournament trail. A microwave/convection oven, a trash compactor, a garbage disposal in the stainless-steel, under-mounted sink, a four-burner electric cooktop, and plenty of stowage for supplies, cookware and utensils are all standard fare. Throughout the salon and galley, air conditioning flows quietly from walnut grills above the valances and window-framed lambrequins. Just forward of the galley cabinetry and adjacent to the companionway staircase, a walk-in pantry serves duty for stowage and electric accessories.

Tried and True

One thing missing in the salon is a step up to the galley level often seen on large convertibles to create more headroom in a stateroom below. That’s another subtle distinction about the way Viking designs its boats. Viking’s in-house design group and its demo crews use their boats vigorously. Constant tournament fishing and the travel those require between events allow the teams to fine-tune each model bow to stern. That includes items like headroom, so every onboard feature works and works well. The crew stateroom, for instance, with six-foot, four-inch headroom also offers secondary access through the engine room so the crew can tackle early chores without disturbing late sleeping guests. Upper and lower berths with innerspring mattresses, plenty of stowage, entertainment systems, and a nice size head with a fiberglass shower stall ensure that crew also travel first class.

Stately Staterooms

The master stateroom is a royal suite with plush carpeting, a queen-size walkaround bed with an upholstered headboard, end tables with reading lights, a 32-inch HD television, and a total of 18 drawers, lockers and other stowage compartments, not counting the bulk space beneath the bed. You could travel for a month and not wear the same outfit twice. Even so, there is a front-loading laundry center in the companionway as well as a deep linen closet and other stowage lockers. The master head features a Cambria countertop, a curved walnut vanity, a fiberglass shower stall with a seat and a custom one-piece door, Amtico flooring, an MSD system, and more stowage lockers. The forward stateroom is similarly outfitted with a queen-size bed and a private head and shower, while the port-side stateroom features upper and lower berths and private head facilities.

Viking’s reputation for its engine rooms displays similar 110-percent efficacy. Walking between the MTU 12V Series 2000 M96L engines supplied by Johnson & Towers is Disneyland for adults. Centerline headroom is six feet, six inches, and I had no problem walking outboard to reach batteries, the Spot Zero water system, the Aqua Matic desalinator, multiple Dometic air-conditioning units or other accessories. Our test boat had a second 29kW Onan genset (one is standard) with toolboxes atop each one. Forward on the port side is a dedicated room with the water heater, the MSD pump, condensate drains for the air-conditioning system and the Octoplex electrical distribution panel. Lifting a hatch exposes the central sea-water system that delivers ample flow to the livewells, wash down, ice chipper, air conditioning, and other critical water dependent units. The engineering is a textbook for proper installation with neat wiring, labeling, support, and chafe protection.

Steady at Sea

Taking the helm for a sea trial in the ocean off Atlantic City, the GPS blinked 42 knots a couple of times, but the top end remained at 40 to 41 throughout maneuvers. The sea had gentle swells, and the running surface displayed the due diligence Viking’s engineering group put into developing an effective strake pattern for the bottom. At speed, the water breaks away from the hull just forward of where the house begins and the strakes do a good job of throttling the spray.

It took a half hour of turning and cutting across the wakes before I could get so much as a few drops on the foredeck. Looking astern gives more clues to the bottom’s geometry: a very clean wake and minimal rooster tail. Even backing down was revealing, as the transom crown pushes water to the sides instead of digging in. The Viking 68 also utilizes the company’s proprietary VIPER steering with programmable independent rudders, which gives the boat amazing maneuverability matched to the swift throttle response from the quiet and clean-running MTU engines.

So fly

The flybridge is familiar to other large Viking stablemates with three Release Marine helm seats and a center console command station for good visibility over the long foredeck and cockpit. There is lounge seating with rod stowage underneath to port and starboard as well as a lounge forward. A big freezer, a refrigerated drink box, a sink, and freshwater outlet are among standard items. Our test boat also had an extensive navigation, communication and entertainment package installed by Atlantic Marine Electronics ($244,009), and a custom tuna tower/fishing ensemble from Palm Beach Towers ($180,786), both Viking subsidiaries, that allow the yacht to be delivered ready to fish and cruise, sometimes with special touches.

The PBT tower, for example, features aft contour legs that attach to the house to provide more walking space on the side decks and larger drop-down boxes for teaser reels and electronics in the hardtop overhead. This boat also had the new Furuno DFF3D multi-beam side-scanning sonar for deep water scouting and its new DRS25AX 3-D radar with a gearbox design and a high-powered magnetron for spotting birds feeding on surface baits.

To be sure, this new Viking is a hot ticket ready to fish, and the fish better watch out.

By Peter Frederiksen, Southern Boating September 2018

Specifications:

LOA: 68′ 7″
Beam: 19′ 2″
Draft: 5′ 5″
Displacement: 115,306 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 2,060/344 gals.
Test Power: 2x 1,945-hp MTU 12V Series 2000 M96L
Cruiser/Top Speed: 32.6/40.9 kts
Range: 496nm @ 32 knots
Price: $4,065,000 (base)

Contact:

Viking Yachts
(609) 296-6000
vikingyachts.com

 

Viking 58C

Viking 58C

The Viking 58C became a sportfishing powerhouse with 110 models sold from 1991 to 2000. The second generation Viking 58C comes on strong with Viking’s signature walkaround, center console flybridge helm and spacious cockpit and observation mezzanine.

Ideal for the owner/operator family man or hardcore tournament competitor, the three-stateroom, two-head layout maximizes the vessel’s 17-foot, 9-inch beam, and the salon and galley arrangement provide the perfect mix of amenities for entertaining, relaxing or dining.

The 165-square-foot cockpit is outfitted with an arsenal of fishing equipment, such as fish boxes, a transom livewell, rod holders, freshwater and seawater washdowns, and freezer and cooler space in the mezzanine. Powered by twin MAN 1,400-hp diesel engines, the 58C runs to a top speed of 40 knots and cruises at 34.5 knots.

58’11” LOA, 17’9″ beam

vikingyachts.com

Return to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show Preview

Viking 44 Open

The Viking 44 Open delivers on so many levels, you’d swear she’s a lot bigger boat.

When Viking decided to beef up the other end of its sportfish boats, it introduced the 37 Billfish and a 42 Open outfitted with pod drives. Seeing an opening for yet another size slot to fill, Patrick Healey, the company’s president, and CEO, along with his design and engineering team, decided on a 44 Open with traditional drives to join the company’s much-admired line-up. But don’t let her size fool you. At 44 feet, she packs in all the horizon-chasing, battlewagon DNA found in her larger sisterships.

“We wanted the 44 Open to appeal to those coming out of the center consoles or new boaters looking for a family-oriented, easy-to-run sportfish that can and will offer comfort, safety, and our Viking performance,” remarked Healey. “She’s even a practical solution for those wishing to downsize as well.” Her sleek and low profile, subtle bow rake and eye-pleasing, gentle sheer all combine with the design of the wraparound windshield as it rises up from the foredeck to present that unmistakable Viking look. However, it is from the bottom up that the real story about this boat begins.

Built at the Mullica, New Jersey facility, a strong, resin-infused hull is a hallmark of a Viking build no matter the size and something the company has continually been developing over their 50+ years in operation. A hull-to-deck joint is utilized and again, is typically found in all its sportfish boats. “A sealed flange joint Is through-bolted and fiberglassed from the inside making the resulting structure extremely strong and watertight,” said General Manager John Leek IV.

Going the Distance

Viking goes the distance to ensure the entire Viking 44 Open is as robust as possible. The stringers are glassed to the hull then the floors are secured to the stringers and glassed to the hull. The bulkheads are also glassed to the floor and then into the hull and deck. “Everything that goes into that boat construction-wise comes together in a very strong, solid structure. It’s not any one thing but a combination of techniques,” Leek noted.

Leek’s statement rang true as no matter where I examined, whether it be door or hatch opening or closing, or underfoot on her decks, her sturdy build was quite evident. In the Awlgrip-finished engine room—accessed via the forward part of the cockpit area—and being a hands-on skipper myself, I found more than ample space around the pair of standard 800-hp MAN I6 diesels to do all critical maintenance checks or work, as well as having an easy reach to all pumps and switches. The dedicated space for the Seakeeper is also located here. In addition, there were some more important construction details to note.

Viking uses an aluminum extrusion, referred to as a saddle, affixed to the stringer creating a full-length engine bed. Getting it right is important, and Leek noted the exact positioning of the vibration isolators and the engine mounts themselves. “Making sure the drive train is aligned and sitting securely on those beds is essential to the smooth, stable ride of the boat,” he said. Other points are her main structural bulkheads with the light resin transfer method utilized on all lids, doors and hatches. In addition, the fuel tanks are infused and built integral to the hull.

Easy Owner Operations

With boats of this size being traditionally owner operated, Viking made sure everything that fits this profile was put aboard making the experience as good as it gets. “From families to a bunch of friends going out for a day or even several days of fishing, we can offer a package complete with everything they would need,” added Healey.

One merely has to step aboard the 119-square-foot cockpit area to know she is built for comfort and safety and ready for action. Along with the requisite in-sole fish boxes, I found a transom livewell and lazarette aft, a deck with deep channels to quickly drain deck water, and dedicated space already supplied for a Seakeeper gyro in the engine room. The mezzanine is set to starboard to accommodate the port-side access to the command deck and provides up close and personal seating for all the fishing action that is sure to happen there.

I particularly liked the centerline helm mounted on a raised platform. Given the large wraparound windshield, with its posts pushed back on either side to create a single, centerpiece of glass, I could see, even at the dock, the great sightlines afforded with the design.

Indeed, when I got to drive her once we were out on the ocean, whether doing hole shots, tight circles and turns, running straight and true, or backing her down hard where I
noted she pirouetted like a prima ballerina—all a testimony to her fine design and engineering—my view into the seaway was just as it should be. And, of course, there is the essential custom tower by Palm Beach Towers, a Viking subsidiary. By the way, this association allows the company to always have direct influence on the design, fit and finish, and quality control. The expert electronics install is courtesy of Viking’s own Atlantic Marine Electronics.

To port of the helm is a built-in console housing a tackle center, refrigerator, and storage locker. Over on the starboard side and aft is a seating area with a table. Access to the living accommodations is also to port, and Viking utilized every square inch of space to provide a livable and comfortable area in which to enjoy the time, whether it be overnight or longer periods after a day of fishing or cruising.

Livability Aboard

The seating area on the Viking 44 Open has ah a table is to port and a quite comfortable alternative sleeping area for weary fishermen after time spent in the cockpit. Opposite from the full galley is all the counter space and equipment necessary for complete meal preparation. The breaker system for the entire boat is on the aft bulkhead. “Our design means you do not have to go searching for a particular breaker. It’s all here,” remarked Healey.

The generous forepeak quarters, with a shared head to the central room, offer Viking’s attention to detail and excellent fit and finish work, as does the second stateroom located aft and under the command deck. Again, it’s a great space in which to catch some rest from angling action or for the kids to continue their adventures while underway, at anchor or in for the night. Regardless of where I looked, I found more than adequate storage room throughout the boat in which to pack clothing, fishing equipment, and food and drinks for extended time away from the dock.

All of this comes together in a very exciting package once the hull hits the water and she is off to fish or cruise. On my test day, with a rolling sea offshore of Atlantic City, New
Jersey, we were able to put this Viking 44 Open through her paces. I found her to be a nimble, quick-to-react boat, answering the helm with all the attitude of a sports car as interpreted by Viking. She is definitely the kind of Viking ready and willing to take her place in the company’s prestigious line-up of sportfishing boats. Healey is proud to say, “We strive to build a better boat each and every time.”

With the Viking 44 Open, it’s easy to see they’ve done it again.

Specifications

LOA: 45′ 1″
Beam: 16′ 4″
Draft: 3′ 10″
Gross Weight (Standard Fuel): 49,500 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 845/120 gals.
Power: 2x 800-hp MAN I6 diesels
Cruise/Top Speed: 30/34.5-35 knots (depending on fuel load)
Range at cruise: 345 nm
Price (base): $1,315,000
Contact: Viking Yachts vikingyachts.com  or (609) 296-6000

By Ken Kreisler, Southern Boating December 2017

Viking debuts two models at MYS 2018

Viking debuts two models: the 68 C and 44 C. 

Viking Yachts debuts two models: the 68 Convertible (68’7″ LOA, 19’2″ beam) and the 44 Convertible (45’1″ LOA, 16’4″ beam). The 68 C is a four-stateroom, blue-water convertible with advanced propulsion and boat control technologies. The 68 C is designed and engineered to function equally as well as a tournament ready offshore runner and a cruising yacht. The optional Seakeeper gyro stabilizer heightens the level of comfort, and anglers do battle in a 176-square foot cockpit, guests watch from an air-conditioned mezzanine. Running on Viking’s proven hull shape with a 12.1-degree transom deadrise, she has a 35-knot cruising speed and a top end approaching 40-plus knots.

Also new, the two-stateroom 44 C features a raked bow, sloping sheer and swept-back deckhouse with a black-masked windshield. With nearly six feet of freeboard, the 44 C’s bow shoulders aside the seas with ease. The boat’s wave-slicing entry gradually flattens moving aft where the deadrise provides lift and support for exceptional performance. The chines and strakes knock down spray, but also contribute to lift and stability.

vikingyachts.com

Return to the 2018 Miami Boat Shows

Viking Veterans

Today we would like to mark Veterans Day with celebration, honoring America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. We are extremely fortunate and grateful to have many of these heroes working with us at Viking. Three Viking Veterans are featured here, and we look forward to highlighting more of these patriots in the future.

Steve Rickards
Supervisor of Mechanical Installation

While still in high school and just 17 years old, Steve visited a Coast Guard station and immediately knew it was his future. He enrolled in the Military Delayed Enlistment Program and shipped out to boot camp upon high school graduation. He then was sent to Jacksonville, Florida, where he boarded a 180-foot cutter which became home base for the next two years. The boat patrolled the waters from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Savannah, Georgia, performing one of the most crucial missions entrusted to the Coast Guard, the care and maintenance of the Aids to Navigation System.

After specialty training, he was certified as Machinery Technician and stationed in San Juan for eight years. Steve worked at a small boat station and on a patrol boat. The boat’s primary mission was search and rescue as well as law enforcement.

In 1998 Steve was reassigned to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and was quickly working for Sector New York, the largest Coast Guard operational field command on the East Coast. When the September 11 attacks changed the world, Steve and his unit went into crisis mode and worked around the clock facilitating in the rescues. Sector New York was the main mechanical support and repair unit for the 9/11 responders.

Steve’s last mission was working post 9/11 counterterrorism. His security team boarded and secured every transport, cargo and cruise ship that entered the New York Harbor.

After a 20 year career with the Coast Guard, Steve found himself at the Viking Yacht Company with his military career a deciding factor in his hiring. “Viking liked the structure I could bring to the company,” said Steve. “It’s still part of my personality. Routines, being on time, policy, rules, accountability, those are all things I hold my team to. There is no cutting corners in the military or at Viking.”

Steve Marks
Administrator of Health Services

Steve joined the Delaware Air National Guard in 1985. He always wanted to be an Air Force flight nurse as well as serve his country. His career began in the 142nd AEF on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. Four years were spent training in different climates such as Georgia, Texas, Alaska and Hawaii learning how the weather and environment greatly affect methods of recovery and treatment in both natural disasters as well as combat. During these years Steve learned both inflight medical skills as well as all aspects of running a mobile aeromedical staging facility (MASF).

After four years, with a young family at home, Steve left but was drawn back in 1990 when the Gulf War erupted. He volunteered to go back but his original unit was already deployed, so he joined the local Air Force Reserve Unit, the 72nd AES out of McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County, New Jersey. There he learned to care for the sick and wounded in a new aircraft, a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and was quickly deployed to Torrejon Air Base in Spain. Three months in and he was scheduled to deploy to Saudi Arabia. That mission was cancelled and he returned home to spend three more years in the Guard and Reserves.

When asked about his time serving our country Steve said, “Every decision I make today is rooted in the training I received. I was fortunate to serve shoulder to shoulder with Vietnam veterans who taught me more than any class I could take. It was the best training in the world and I would be happy to go back.”

Paul Slason
Engineer Technician

As part of a military family, it was a natural decision for Paul to enlist in the Army in 2011. Beginning his career as a parachutist with the 82nd Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Paul was an infantryman with the 3-73 CAV Infantry Unit. While stateside, he trained for combat and attained the title of Specialist. In 2012 he deployed to Afghanistan for six months as a gunner.

Paul is looking forward to going back to Active Guard Reserve in the next six months. He will be based at Fort Dix in New Jersey and will train to be a Counter Intelligence Specialist.

For more information: vikingyachts.com

Viking debuts new Sportfish and Motoryacht

Joining the Viking fleet this Fall is the 44 Open express sportfisher and the 93 Motor Yacht, the largest Viking has ever built. The 44 Open (45′ 1″ LOA, 16′ 4″ beam) is a new design delivering in equal parts fishability and accommodating quarters—underscored by performance, of course. Helping with the first is a tournament-ready cockpit and tuna tower with complete electronics.

Accommodations are aided by the extra-wide beam. For the queen 93 (93′ 5″ LOA, 24′ 4″ beam), Viking designers packed in everything on an experienced yachtsman’s shopping list: an enclosed bridge, a congenial country kitchen, a full-beam master
with private entry, four additional staterooms, two-cabin crew quarters, two decks of wet bars, lounges and alfresco dining, sunpads at the bow, and dinghy stowage aft.

vikingyachts.com

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Sportfish Buyers Guide

Angler’s Delight
Looking for a new sportfishing boat? These 13 builders have some of the best designs currently on the market. Our Sportfish Buyers Guide makes browsing easy.

You’ve probably noticed the increase in traffic in the inlets and along the shores as the big sportfishing boats come out to prowl. The parade routinely includes custom-everything yachts as well as semi-custom production boats, most with breathtaking lines and many with gleaming varnish. Here’s a look at some of the newest, or best-known, designs you’re sure to see—and to admire.

AMERICAN CUSTOM YACHTS

SEA FORCE IX

RIVIERA YACHTS

ROSCIOLI DONZI YACHTS

HUCKINS YACHTS

JARRETT BAY BOATWORKS

PAUL MANN 

VIKING

HATTERAS

BERTRAM YACHTS

MICHAEL RYBOVICH & SONS

MERRITT BOAT AND ENGINE WORKS

WHITICAR BOAT WORKS

By John Woldridge, Southern Boating June 2017

Viking Yachts 37 Billfish

Now an integral part of the Viking Yachts lineup, the Viking Yachts 37 Billfish (37’8″ LOA, 13’10” beam) is built to be a canyon-ready tournament contender that’s equally at home fishing for blue marlin in The Bahamas or Pacific sailfish in Costa Rica.

The day-boat style offers unfettered access to the 86-square foot cockpit equipped with a bait freezer, tackle stowage, a transom door with a lift gate, insulated fishboxes, and a transom livewell. The open salon provides all-weather protection with a comfortable U-shape dinette and hi-lo fiberglass table that converts to a bunk opposite a cushioned lounge. At the end of the day there’s plenty of room to relax in a comfortable environment—a significant element missing from today’s wide-open, large center-console boats. vikingyachts.com

Take a summer cruise to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Bluewater Yacht Sales’ summer cruise is July 16-19 to St. Michaels Marina in Maryland. Events begin Thursday with registration and a docktail party, while Friday is a chance to spend the day exploring the walkable historic town including the exhibits at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Sea trials aboard one of Bluewater’s fleet of new vessels will be held on Saturday. The company offers sport fishing and motor yachts from Viking, Sabre, Grand Banks, Back Cove, Regulator, Jupiter, and others. Saturday’s activities conclude with a Cornhole Challenge and an Eastern Shore Feast in the upper level at Town Dock Restaurant.

bluewateryachtsales.com

Strengthening Mussels

Maryland’s DNR is asking mariners to be on the lookout for zebra mussels and to take precautions to prevent their spread. Biologists have found a steep increase in the invasive species during their monitoring efforts in the upper Chesapeake Bay. For the last three years, they have inspected marker buoys and anchors brought aboard the department’s buoy-tending vessel, A.V. Sandusky. The latest inspections found 35 times more attached mussels and colonized anchors compared to the year prior.

According to the DNR, in other places where they have been established, the zebras have out-competed native freshwater mussels, altered aquatic ecosystems and contributed to the rise of harmful algal blooms. Suggested measures to prevent the spread of zebra mussels include draining river water from boat motors, bilges, live wells, bait buckets, and coolers before leaving upper Chesapeake Bay locations, and rinsing boats and equipment with high pressure or hot water between trips to different water bodies.

Off-road on the OBX

Cruisers to North Carolina’s upper Outer Banks can enjoy another type of off-road excitement this summer. Corolla Jeep Adventures offers guided tours of the barrier island’s off-road area or you can rent a soft-top Jeep and drive yourself on a 25+-mile adventure. Guides and GPS coordinates are available to lead you to where wild horses are usually spotted. ATV tours and kayak combination tours are also available to access private trails and to interact with the local ecology. corollajeepadvantures.com.com

Fisherman’s Wharf

A fine destination off the beaten path in the northern Outer Banks area is Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant located in the village of Wanchese on Roanoke Island. The restaurant has been owned and operated by the Daniels family for 38 years and overlooks working commercial docks. All the fresh local seafood served in the restaurant comes from Wanchese Fish Company, which was established in 1936 and run by Malcolm Daniels. Shrimp season usually lasts from mid-July through September making Friday and Saturday mornings and lunchtime a great time to visit. Appetizers include shrimp dip, soups and salads followed by entrees of fried or broiled seafood.

Dock at the Outer Banks Marina, a full-service, modern marina with new floating dock slips able to accommodate vessels up to 70 feet.

 

By Christopher Knauss , Southern Boating magazine, July 2015

Viking 92EB

The Viking 92 EB is the culmination of the family-owned company’s 50-year history.

Four or so years ago, Patrick Healey, President, and CEO of Viking Yachts, was in Ocean City, Maryland, aboard a customer’s 115-foot motoryacht. “He owned one of our sportfishing boats as well, and I really enjoyed the spaciousness of being on the kind of yacht that allowed a large group to hang in the country kitchen, entertain others in the main salon, and allow the owners to sit outside with more guests on the aft deck area.” the idea for the Viking 92 EB was born.

The concept impressed Healey so much that he and Viking’s Design Manager, Dave Wilson, and Capt. Ryan Higgins, Viking’s South East Sales Manager, and demo skipper, also along on the visit, had a shared moment. There the Viking 92 EB was first conceived.

Design and engineering took cues from the highly successful Viking 82C. With a $7+ million per year investment in R&D, the two and a half year project culminated in a nine-month build schedule. The Viking 92 EB was the dockside crown jewel in Viking’s recent 50th Anniversary celebration and dealer meeting held in Atlantic City this past September.

The first thing I noticed about the 92 EB is how well proportioned she looks. “It was one of the primary directives, to make her look as good and well balanced whether dockside or out at sea,” says Wilson. Fantastic is a more apt description.

“With the 92 EB we can attract some folks from the larger yachts who also owned a smaller sportfishing boat and want to scale down to just one,” says Higgins. Scaling down to this 92-foot yacht, however, is hardly a sacrifice.

The Viking 92 EB incorporates large yacht features yet keeps intact the successful fish amenities found on all Viking open convertibles and enclosed bridge models. Standard features include an impressive full-service galley, free-standing dining table space, six-stateroom layout, full-beam master with his-and-her heads, walk-in closets, separate crew quarters aft with lounge and galley, a bridge deck that is as good as it gets, and the kind of storage spaces throughout that accommodate long trips away from home. Layout options are flexible.

For example, the pantry on the main deck’s starboard side can be converted into another stateroom. Indeed, on Hull #2, the owner is eliminating the free-standing dining table and reworking the salon layout along with the his-and-her heads by making one side a walk-in closet with the other a special locker design. The owner of Hull #3 included a dinette area inside.

To say the least, the interior fit and finish along with the décor package is as tastefully and well done as I’ve seen on any vessel of her class—and then some. The team paid special attention to the aft deck for an outdoor dining area. The variation on the theme incorporated the mezzanine area and created two levels—a yacht aft deck and a separate fishing mezzanine with seating, livewell, and refrigeration for the massive business end of the 92 EB, the lower cockpit. Fishing crews will utilize this space to be serious competitors in any tournament event.

Aiding that ability is her amazing performance—Captain Higgins had her up and running at a cruise speed of 30 knots with a fast cruise of 32, and she topped out at an impressive 37.2 knots at 2450 rpm in troubling four-to-six foot seas, and into the wind and current. During backing down maneuvers she pirouetted like a prima ballerina. In fact, I actually had to look out at the conditions to remind me we were in this kind of turbulent water. Of course, the Seakeeper M35 Gyro was of great help in keeping us rock steady.

“We’re 200,000+ pounds with full fuel and water,” explains Higgins in the noticeable quiet of the enclosed bridge. “But that all goes to our design and engineering teams with our resin-infused hull and deckhouse reinforced with carbon fiber, Nomex honeycomb in many of the interior panels for weight saving, and along with the hull bottom featuring flush and recessed engine pickups. To help further eliminate drag reduction, we eliminated the keel resulting in a straight V.”

Equal attention was given to the engine room space, which allows total access to every piece of equipment, pump, valve, connection, switch, filter, and any other critical area that needs attention and maintenance. On the Viking 92 EB the components normally found in an engine room that sometimes make for a rather tight space have been allocated to a dedicated space known as the mechanical room. Here one finds—again with complete access and serviceability—the ice chipper, AC power converter system, refrigeration units, compressors, cable masters, centralized water system, and generators. And, of course, access to the mains is accommodated in order to perform total critical engine maintenance with complete ease and accessibility. Another big yacht feature is that aforementioned AC power converter system. It gives the 92 EB complete and worldwide dockside abilities with single-phase, three-phase, 50Hz, 60Hz plug-in abilities.

“We’re a big team and along with our design and engineering folks, we left nothing to chance with this boat,” comments Higgins. “I get to see a lot of reactions when we introduce a new model, and the response to this one has been nothing but spectacular. Once you take the wheel and realize how maneuverable she is, I notice a feeling of complete confidence quickly settles in over whoever is at the helm, whether around the dock or heading out to sea.”

With all the advances Viking has incorporated in its past designs and all the developments integrated into the 92 EB, she will be sure to influence the next yacht, which is, assuredly, already on the drawing board at the New Gretna, New Jersey, headquarters. “It’s been that way for 50 years,” says Healey. “And there is no reason to change that at all. It’s something my father and my uncle, the founders of the company, always held true: We’ll build a better boat every day.”

www.vikingyachts

See The Virtual Tour

By Ken Kreisler, Southern Boating November 2014

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