88 Viking Custom Yachts Sanlorenzo 2007

Source: George L. Petrie, Power & Motoryacht Magazine

Several years ago New Jersey-based Viking Yachts embarked on a major collaborative effort with England’s Princess Yachts to create the Viking Sport Cruisers line. To say that the effort was successful would be an understatement; the line now comprises more than a dozen models of flying bridge, express, and motoryacht styles ranging from 43 to 84 feet. But the Sport Cruisers are production yachts, and many owners have expressed a desire to move up in size and/or to have a truly custom yacht while staying in the Viking family.

To satisfy them, Viking employed the same collaborative approach, this time teaming with the Italian custom yacht builder Sanlorenzo, renowned for its half-century tradition of craftsmanship, quality, and luxury. Unlike the majority of Italian yards that rely on vast networks of subcontractors, Sanlorenzo is one of the few that builds virtually everything in-house: every component of the hull and superstructure; mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems; and the hallmark carpentry. Small wonder. It’s the same philosophy that Viking Yachts has itself embraced for many years.

The first fruit of this collaboration is an 88-foot motoryacht, built for Viking as a spec project to support its marketing and sales efforts; future Viking Sanlorenzo 88s will be customized for each owner. Sanlorenzo currently builds about 25 custom yachts each year and has been selling its 88 in Europe for several years. But as a result of its collaboration with Viking, several design changes have been introduced to address the demands of the American market.

Among the more noticeable ones is the shape of the hull-side windows. Viking specified larger elliptical portholes in the master stateroom, but Sanlorenzo went a step farther, reconfiguring the portholes in all of the staterooms, giving the yacht a more cohesive style and a more upscale look. Rather than arguing over the change, the two companies settled on a solution that made the yacht better and that both partners could endorse.

A host of other design changes were similarly positive. Prop tunnels were to reduce draft to a Bahamas-friendly 5’11”, and as a result, the hull is probably more efficient because of the reduced shaft angle that the tunnels permit. Air conditioning capacity was increased to cope with temperatures in southern Atlantic and Caribbean cruising destinations, which are typically well above those in Mediterranean and northern European waters. Appliances and related systems were redesigned to utilize brands that are readily serviceable in the United States, and to make sure things were installed right, engineers and technicians from each major equipment vendor participated in the redesign and inspected the final installation in the yard. Probably the most labor-intensive change that Viking stipulated was that all bilge areas be faired and finished in white Awlgrip. When this Herculean task was done, Sanlorenzo acknowledged that it was worth the effort, making it easier to keep things clean and to spot even small drips or leaks so they can be eliminated before becoming big problems.

Catering to customer-driven popularity of open layouts for main-deck spaces, interior designer Susan Kerns stipulated there be no bulkhead between the saloon and dining area. Instead she has shaped the furniture and cabinets in a way that defines each space without compromising the visual sensation of openness, an impression that’s enhanced by generously sized windows along both sides and by sliding glass panels that open onto the aft deck. To further delineate the different spaces, the saloon flooring is carpeted (which is also beneficial acoustically), while the floor in the dining area is marble. Thin strips of teak outline the marble, tying it stylistically to the handsome high-gloss makore joinery.

Boat Specifications: 88 Viking Custom Yachts Sanlorenzo 2007

Boat Type: Megayacht (> 80′)

Standard Power: 2/1,825-hp Caterpillar C32A diesel inboards

Optional Power: none

Length Overall (LOA): 88’0″

Beam: 22’5″

Draft: 5’11”

Weight: 199,000 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 2,750 gal.

Water Capacity: 528 gal.

Standard Equipment: 2/32.5-kW Kohler diesel gensets w/ hushboxes; 192,000-Btu Cruisair chilled-water A/C; 2/100-amp isolation transformers; 35-hp hydraulic bow thruster; electrohydraulic passarelle; teak-planked swim platform; Bose LifeStyle 48 entertainment system; 45″ LCD TV; Miele, Bosch, and Sub-Zero appliances

Test Engines: 2/1,825-hp Caterpillar C32A diesel inboards

Transmissions / Ratio: ZF BW3050V/ 2.75:1

Props: 5-blade Rolla

Steering: Teleflex electrohydraulic

Controls: Caterpillar electronic

Optional Equipment On Test Boat: Furuno 1920C GPS/plotter/ sounder, 1964C 72-NM radar, RD30 digital depthsounder, FAP 500 autopilot; Airmar PB-1000G weather station; 3/VEI digital displays in wheelhouse; VEI display on flying bridge; KVH G6 satellite TV system; radar arch w/ electric sunroof; stern thruster

Conditions: temperature: 75°; humidity: 75%; wind: 10-15 mph; seas 2′-4′; load: 2,326 gal. fuel, 542 gal. water, 4 persons, 75 lbs. gear. Speeds are two-way averages measured w/ Stalker radar gun. GPH from Caterpillar electronic control modules. Range: 90% of advertised fuel capacity. Decibels measured on A scale. 65 dB is the level of normal conversation. All measurements taken with trim tabs fully retracted.