Pulling Power

Pulling Power © Viking Yachts

Great things happen at the Viking Yacht Company every day. Last Friday was particularly special - another milestone, in fact. Our Plant Engineering Department pulled the mold that will soon be used to build the hull of our new flagship - the Viking 90. It was a massive undertaking, requiring more than a dozen team members and all sorts of heavy machinery and equipment that included two cranes (with a combined 180-ton capacity), five forklifts, two scissor lifts and a 150-ton Travelift.

And being January in New Jersey, it was a little chilly. But as you'll see in this video recap, the job went smoothly thanks to methodical planning and precise teamwork. Construction of hull No. 1 begins this spring; the boat will make its world premiere at the 2023 Miami International Boat Show.

Fast Facts:

• The fiberglass mold and its supporting fixture weigh a combined 50,000 pounds.
• Six tons of steel were necessary to provide the strength needed for the fixture, which plays the critical role of supporting and maintaining the shape of the mold.
• The fixture also consists of trunnions that allow the mold to be rotated on its turning rig during the build process.
• Forklifts were used to pull the plug-mold structure out of the R&D Department.
• With cables attached to the fixture, the cranes separated the mold from its plug (created with Viking's five-axis CNC router) and rotated and lowered it to the ground on its trunnions.
• The mold was then lifted and transported via cradles back into R&D where it is being sanded, buffed and prepared for use.