Coming Together

While the last of the 12 plug pieces for the hull mold of the new Viking 92 Convertible is still being made in the five-axis room in R & D, 11 of them have been moved to Building 5 and are in place in preparation of manufacturing the mold for this massive hull.

This new model, the largest ever in the 50-year history of the Viking Yacht Company will premiere at the 2014 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. Even in these early stages, you can feel the excitement just by looking at size of the parts that will be used to produce this magnificent sportfishing convertible yacht.

Very much a work in progress, our new motor yacht project is well underway as the plug to build the hull mold is nearing fruition. During the design phase, our mission was to not merely revisit the motor yacht emporium with the 75 Motor Yacht, but to create a new chapter in motor yacht construction.

Thus, one of the most obvious characteristics of this new model is its running surface, which has been heavily influenced by our fleet of high-performance blue-water convertibles with a very sharp and raked entry, easily discernable in the image to the right. The first boat will be powered with a pair of Caterpillar C32A diesels rated at 1,925 mhp each for a cruise speed of 30 knots and a top end in the mid-30s. The port and starboard circular protrusions are the location of the bow thruster, which will be a standard item.

We also focused on designing the hull with a high volume interior to provide spacious and private accommodations including five staterooms, and a sprawling main deck and flying bridge area. Propeller pockets, an integral part of the running surface, reduce draft for Bahamas-bound cruising.

The Viking 75 Motor Yacht will launch late summer 2014.

Viking announced a return to the luxury motor yacht segment during its dealer meeting last June, and in typical Viking fashion, the new 75 Motor Yacht is right on schedule for its premiere at the 2014 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The first boat of the new series will be the 75 Enclosed Bridge Motor Yacht, and an open fly bridge version also will be available. Although the 75 MY is a work in progress, the renderings clearly demonstrate a sleek exterior profile with a number of style cues from our convertibles including the teardrop salon windows and distinctive molded feature lines in the hull and superstructure.

The tri-level layout will provide five staterooms, including a full-beam master suite and privately accessed crew quarters. A spacious main deck will highlight living, dining, and entertainment areas, while the command bridge level, accessed from both the salon and the after deck provide multiple lounges, a wet bar, and grilling area. Preliminary calculations with a pair of 1,925 mhp Caterpillar C32A engines indicate a cruise speed of 30 knots and top end in the mid-30 knot range.

We encourage you to contact your Viking dealer to learn more about this exciting new motor yacht.

One of the major headlines emanating from the fall and winter boat shows has been the announcement of the new Viking 92 Convertible, which will premiere at the 2014 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. Following a battery of tank testing regimens at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, this project now is well underway, and our five-axis profiler has begun to cut foam in preparation of producing plugs from which the molds will be made.

With an overall length of 93 feet 4 inches, and a beam spanning 23 feet 5 inches, the 92 Viking Convertible will be the largest boat that Viking has built in its 49 year history. A palatial seagoing masterpiece, the 92 Convertible will have six staterooms, including a full beam master. Each stateroom will have its own private head and shower, and an eighth head for day use will be on the main deck. Separate crew quarters with a private aft entrance are located under the upper mezzanine deck.

Despite the gargantuan size of the 92 Convertible, the Viking design group has provided a rakish profile featuring an aggressive entry, sweeping bridge lines and a metallic black windshield mask. Fluid lines from bow to stern including an unbroken sheer line allude to the yacht’s penchant for speed with a most resounding sleek and muscular stance.

The Viking 92 Convertible will break new ground in luxury, performance and fishability and will be offered in open bridge and enclosed bridge configurations.

Several important announcements about the Viking Yacht Company came out of the recently completed Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Although one of the show’s highlights was the introduction of the new Viking 55 Convertible, a pronouncement also was made about another new model, the Viking 62 Convertible, which will premiere at the Viking VIP Boat Show Preview in Riviera Beach, Florida, February 1-2, 2013. The image above of hull number one was taken just prior to the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show. Over the next several weeks, the boat will be finished, Palm Beach Towers will install its tuna tower, and Atlantic Marine Electronics will complete its navigation, communication and entertainment systems installation. Sea trials will follow.

Right on the stern of the 62 C’s launch, we also will have the first 62 Enclosed Bridge Convertible on display at the 2013 Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show later that month.

Falling into Place

Fall is a beautiful time to appreciate the beauty of the Bass River, along with three new enclosed bridge convertibles waiting to head south for delivery and the boat show season. In the foreground to port, an 82 Enclosed Bridge Convertible appears to dwarf the 70 Enclosed Bridge. On the starboard side is a 76 Enclosed Bridge with our exclusive open Sky Bridge.

Island Time

Viking’s innovative island galley is a popular feature aboard many of our convertible models, which includes a casual dining area with the bar stools, under-counter drawer style refrigeration, ample food prep space and the convenience of dual walk-through paths. Coming together in stages provides an interesting perspective of the constructive process.

59th Annual Club Nautico de San Juan’s International Billfish Tournament
San Juan, Puerto Rico ~ September 23-30, 2012

Joe Vizcarrondo’s Viking 52 Gaviota took the top spot on Day One and never looked back during the International Billfish Tournament. Amongst a fleet of 43 boats and 148 anglers, the crew on Gaviota released six blue marlin to win the Top Boat trophy. The event concluded with a spectacular 102 blue marlin releases, plus it achieved another milestone in billfish conservation history by being the first tournament to partner with the National Geographic Society in the deployment and recovery of billfish Crittercams to capture images of these magnificent fish in their environment. Catch some of the action here.

Name Game

The 55 Convertible line has been a busy place recently as boats move toward the door. Hull number seven, which will serve as an upcoming Viking demo this winter has a familiar moniker applied to its transom in preparation of its delivery date in November.

VIP/Miami Bound

Nearby, it is business as usual aboard a new 76 Enclosed Bridge Convertible, as work progresses in the salon of 76616. This yacht is slated to appear at the 2013 Viking VIP Boat Show Preview at the Viking Yacht Service Center in Riviera Beach, Florida, the first weekend in February.

Getting a lift

Our current demo with its custom Kingston gray hull takes time out from its hectic fishing schedule for some sprucing up before heading southbound for the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, which begins on October 25th.

Your virtual tour is about to start

We invite you to explore our latest marketing feature, a series of 360 degree virtual tours that place you aboard various Viking yachts right from your computer screen. Start at our website www.vikingyachts.com, go to the model page and click on the prompt that says virtual tour. Once loaded, you will be able to walk through the yacht and take a private tour at your leisure just like at a boat show. To move about, simply click on the red dot to transport yourself to where you want to go. Currently, we have virtual tours for the Viking 42 Open and 42 Convertible, the Viking 55 Convertible, the Viking 70 Open Bridge and Viking 70 Enclosed Bridge Convertible. More tours are in production and as soon as they are completed we will add them to the website. Check it out. We are glad to have you aboard.

Name Game

There’s a story behind every boat name and we want to see yours. Send us a clear image of your transom name and we will compile the collection so you can vote on your favorite name in a future email blast. Show us your names and let’s have some fun! Send your image to marketing@vikingyachts.com.

Weather or not

Sea trialing new Vikings is a year round program, which is conducted in good weather and bad to ensure the boat, its engines and systems are ready for delivery. Yesterday was one of the good days as this image shows a new Viking 42 Open heading back to the plant after its initial run.