People Power - Viking 64
by Viking Yachts 22 Mar 2023 21:39 UTC
Viking 64 © Viking Yachts
Viking offers the absolute best sportfishing yacht in every size range. In this week's Viking View, we highlight the 64 Convertible. We've already delivered 15 of these four-stateroom, three-head battlewagons. Hull No. 1 is shown above, exhibiting the 42-knot yacht's smooth, dry and efficient ride.
Let's hit the manufacturing line and check on the progress of the half dozen 64s in production.
In the Fiberglass Department, Viglass, hull No. 23 is readied for resin infusion. The fiberglass fabrics and coring have already been laid into the mold. Those reinforcements are being enclosed in plastic bagging, which provides the vacuum seal to allow for resin infusion into the laminates.
No other company has the experience and expertise of Viking. Say hello to Manuel Perdomo, a Foreman in Viglass who has been with us since 1986. "Time flies when you're building a better boat every day," says the 37-year Viking veteran. Manuel is shown with a custom part for No. 22 of the 64 - a port-side exterior staircase, which requires a specific flybridge overhang opening. This area still needs to be finish-laminated and gelcoated, and the overhang's walking surface will be covered with nonskid before it's secured to the flybridge's aft end.
Edgardo Banegas, who also works in Viglass, has been on the job for nearly 23 years. At left, he's shown buffing No. 21's custom Blue Grey gelcoat. "It's really about the people," says Edgardo. "We have a great team. We love what we do."
Viking 64s are built on Line 3 at our New Gretna manufacturing plant. In the foreground, No. 20 is shown in the Mechanical Department with the majority of its mechanical equipment - including its 2002MHP MTU engines and Seakeeper - installed. Below: On the same 64, Electrician Victor Ita wires the Glendinning Cablemaster control box for the yacht's 50-amp shore power cord; it's electrically dispensed and retrieved via a switch in the cockpit. The system is standard equipment on the 64.
Joe Glonek, Supervisor for Palm Beach Towers' (PBT) New Jersey branch, is in the process of fabricating the aft ladder steps for No. 18's hardtop frame. PBT not only designs, fabricates and installs custom hardtops and tuna towers for all models, the Viking subsidiary also handles the installations of hardtops (without a tower) for models 58 feet and larger.
Hull No. 19 will serve as our second demonstrator boat this summer, joining the Viking 80 (which we highlighted last week). We do have a few 64s available, but the demo is spoken for. Shown in Building 5A, the boat's custom PBT tuna tower has been set, and her exterior is being prepped to be painted Shark Grey at the owner's request. The 64's first competition will be the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, June 9-18, out of Morehead City, North Carolina. For more information about the Viking 64 or any of our models, please contact your authorized Viking dealer.