who owns viking yacht

Industry mourns loss of Viking Yachts founder Robert Healey, Sr.

Robert T. Healey Sr., the co-founder of the Viking Yacht Company who helped build the company into an industry leader and led the fight that repealed the Federal Luxury Tax on yachts in the early 1990s, passed away last week at the age of 92.

“My father was a true leader, and his vision will always guide us,” said his son, Robert Healey Jr. “He believed that the people around him – his family, friends and employees – lifted him to success and it was his obligation to leave the world a better place.”

Bob Healey Sr. and his brother Bill established Viking Yachts in 1964, and the company went on to become the largest manufacturer of sport fishing yachts in the world. But that success may have never been achieved without the determination and perseverance of Bob Healey. When a federal 10% luxury tax was imposed on yachts in 1991, thousands of people were laid off and hundreds of companies went out of business. Viking nearly went bankrupt, closed a plant in Florida and laid off all but 65 of its 1,500 boatbuilders.

Bob was instrumental in organizing a national, grass-roots campaign to fight the tax. He took the industry lead, organizing busloads of out-of-work boatbuilders to converge on Capitol Hill for demonstrations, and setting fire to a boat on a barge in Narragansett Bay as a highly effective symbol of protest. The tax was repealed 20 months later in 1993.

“My uncle’s efforts to repeal the Federal Luxury Tax on yachts will never be forgotten,” said Bill’s son and Viking Yachts President and CEO Pat Healey. “He saved not only Viking but the entire marine industry. He was the catalyst and leader, and he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He was a brilliant lawyer and savvy businessman who was able to convince the politicians in Washington that this was very much a jobs issue. It was about good hardworking people losing their ability to provide for their families.

Bob’s 11th-hour lobbying efforts with Congressman Bill Hughes, who represented N.J.’s Second District, helped secure the votes needed to repeal the Luxury Tax in 1993. “It was a great victory for our family-owned-and-operated boatbuilding company, the people of New Jersey and everyone in the marine industry,” said Pat.

With Bill’s help, Bob privately funded the company out of his own savings, allowing Viking to tool up new models. The company came out of the gate running when the tax was finally repealed – and they never looked back.

Bob graduated from Camden Catholic High School, attended St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, graduating with a B.S. in Political Science, and earned a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He practiced law in Camden County, N.J., for 25 years before retiring as a senior partner in the firm of Healey, Mueller and Tyler to devote himself full time to business interests.

In the 1950s, his brother Bill joined Bob in the real-estate development business. Among other projects, the two brothers acquired and developed the Bass River Marina in New Gretna, N.J. In 1964 a small, local builder of wooden boats, Peterson-Viking, was having financial trouble, and the brothers agreed to buy the company, changed the name to Viking Yachts, and relocated the business to their property adjoining the marina. The boatbuilding business soon occupied much of their time, so the brothers sold the marina and concentrated on building yachts. Bob was the company lawyer, moneyman and Chief Executive while his brother built the boats.

Committed to their mantra to build a better boat every day, Bill and Bob pushed Viking to the pinnacle of their industry with more than 5,000 boats delivered. They successfully steered the company through the ups and downs of economic cycles. “My father always said, ‘We’ve worked hard to get to the top of the mountain, we’re enjoying the view and we’re not going to give it up,’ ” remembers Bob Jr., currently the Co-Chairman of the Viking Group, which manages Viking Yachts, Viking Investments, Viking Associates, Viking Residential and Viking Developers.

As Viking’s Chairman of the Board for 57 years, Bob Healey Sr. diversified their financial interests into multi-family, industrial and commercial real estate, oil and gas exploration and development, and the financial management of the Healey family assets.

Together, Bill and Bob Healey achieved many milestones. In 1996, they founded the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), a non-profit organization formed in 1996 to promote sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine environment. Viking has contributed well over $1 million to the RFA. In that same year, the brothers established Viking Sport Cruisers, a company that has been highly successful distributing British-built, high end cruising yachts, built to Viking’s specifications, through its dealer network in North America. Bob, Bill and Pat received the Ernst & Young 1998 New Jersey Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Fifteen years later, the family would earn a second award from Ernst & Young.

Ironically, the Healeys bought back Bass River Marina in 2002 and reopened it as the Viking Yachting Center. They were inducted in 2003 into the National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to the marine industry.

In honor of their service and commitment to the marine industry for more than a half a century, Bill and Bob were honored with the 2019 IBI-METSTRADE Boat Builder Lifetime Achievement Award, which was accepted by Bob Jr.

Bob received many more awards for his achievements, including induction into the NJ Marine Trade Association Hall of Fame and the Rowan University Milestone Award. Bob also channeled his financial success into philanthropic interests, which included building schools in impoverished areas of Mexico, and providing housing, medical assistance, education, food and clean water to the people of war-torn Sierra Leone through the Healey International Relief Foundation. “My father was a good man with a deep faith and commitment to service,” said Bob Jr., who recently announced his candidacy for Congress in New Jersey’s 3rd District. “No person or mission was ever a lost cause to him. He saw the potential in everyone and believed that our true worth and value in life is in our contributions to others.”

A devout Catholic and product of Catholic school education, Bob brought his business skills to the challenges facing Catholic schools in the U.S. and formed the Healey Education Foundation and the Catholic Partnership Schools in Camden.

With his wife Ellen, Bob founded the Gleneayre Equestrian Program for at-risk youth. The program uses the powerful connection between horses and people to support learning, growth and healing.

For his philanthropic efforts, Bob received the Lewis Katz Excellence in Education Award, the Beacon of Light Award, the Catholic Charities Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio Award for Leadership, an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Scranton University and the Shield of Loyola Award from St. Joseph’s University.

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Related Articles

Boating Industry calls for 2024 Top Products submissions

Chicago Boat Show announces new location for 2025

Newport International Boat Show announces 2024 dates

Lightspeed DMS appoints president, CEO

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Robert T. Healey Sr., co-founder of Viking Yachts who fought federal boat tax, dead at 92

BASS RIVER - Robert T. Healey Sr., who with his brother turned a struggling New Jersey boat maker into the world’s largest manufacturer of sportfishing yachts, has died at the age of 92, announced his company, Viking Yachts.

“My father was a true leader, and his vision will always guide us,” said his son, Robert Healey Jr., in the statement. “He believed that the people around him — his family, friends and employees — lifted him to success and it was his obligation to leave the world a better place.”

Born on St. Patrick’s Day 1929 in Atlantic City, Robert Healey Sr. died one week ago on Dec. 9.

Healey Sr. and his brother Bill established Viking Yachts in 1964, which would eventually become known as the “Mercedes-Benz” of the boat world.

By 2001, the company was manufacturing 107 boats per year, each at an average price of $1.5 million and the company was employing 1,300 people at its 550,000-square-foot production site in the marshland around the Mullica River, between Ocean and Atlantic counties.

In the statement from Viking Yachts on Wednesday, the company noted that Healey had led the fight to repeal a federal luxury tax on yachts in the early 1990s.

In January 1991, the 10-percent luxury tax was instituted on purchases of boats that sold for more than $100,000. The levy came at the height of the recession in the early 1990s, with lawmakers calculating at the time that the amount would be easily absorbed by anyone with the resources to buy a yacht.

However, the tax backfired and ended up costing 3,200 New Jersey residents their jobs in the boat-building industry. At the time, New Jersey ranked fifth among states in boat sales and was home to several companies that built large, luxury vessels that sold for $400,000 and more.

Viking nearly went bankrupt, closed a plant in Florida and laid off all but 65 of its 1,500 boatbuilders, the company said.

Healey organized a national, grassroots campaign to fight the tax. He lobbied congressmen and organized bus trips for out-of-work boatbuilders to Capitol Hill to convince lawmakers to repeal the tax. He even had a boat set ablaze in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, in an effort to attract public attention to the issue, the statement said. The tax was repealed in 1993.

“My uncle’s efforts to repeal the federal luxury tax on yachts will never be forgotten,” said Bill Healey’s son, Pat Healey, president and chief executive officer of Viking Yachts.

“He saved not only Viking but the entire marine industry,” Pat Healey continued in the statement. “He was the catalyst and leader, and he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He was a brilliant lawyer and savvy businessman who was able to convince the politicians in Washington that this was very much a jobs issue. It was about good hardworking people losing their ability to provide for their families.”

After he graduated from Camden Catholic High School, Robert Healey Sr. attended St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, graduating with an undergraduate degree in political science. He went onto earn a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Later, Healey practiced law in Camden County for 25 years. He retired as a senior partner in the firm of Healey, Mueller and Tyler, so he would be free to pursue his business interests, according to Viking Yachts. 

In the 1950s, he and his brother went into the real estate market and developed the Bass River Marina in the New Gretna section of Bass River. More than 57 years ago, Peterson-Viking — a small, local builder of wooden boats — was having financial trouble. The brothers bought the company, changed the name to Viking Yachts and relocated the business to additional property they owned adjacent to the marina. The venture soon occupied most of their time. Robert was the company lawyer, moneyman and chief executive. Bill built the boats, all according to the company.

According to his obituary , Healey is survived by his wife, Ellen; seven children, Lizanne H. Jenkins, Christine L. Healey, Caroline H. Adillon, L. Toland Sherriff, Robert T. Healey Jr., M. Alexis Iaccarino and Leigh H. Hughes; sixteen grandchildren and his brother William J. Healey.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Louise; and two brothers, Patrick and Edward. 

Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or [email protected]

• E-News Signup

The Fisherman

Advanced Search

Passing Of A Legend: Viking’s Robert Healey, Sr.

Robert Healey, Sr. – who cofounded the Viking Yacht Company with his brother Bill back in 1964 -passed away on December 9, 2021.  He was 92.

A graduate of Camden Catholic High School, St. Joseph’s University, and the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained his law degree, Bob would spend 25 years dedicated to the field of law before he and Bill turned Viking into the #1 sportfishing yacht manufacturer in the world.

With Bill handling the boat manufacturing end, brother Bob steadfastly kept up on the business side of the equation.  As Viking’s Chairman of the Board for 57 years, Healey, Sr. diversified their financial interests into multi-family, industrial and commercial real estate, oil and gas exploration and development.  He would go on to receive numerous awards for his many achievements, including induction into the NJ Marine Trades Association Hall of Fame, as well as the National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame.

When the Healey brothers bought Peterson-Viking Builders, it was a small, struggling New Jersey builder of 37-foot, wooden sportfishing boats.  The first all-fiberglass Viking, the 33′ Convertible, wouldn’t roll off the New Gretna, NJ line until 1971.  But on their nearly six-decade journey towards becoming number one in the sportfishing game, Healey, Sr. also channeled his financial success into philanthropic interests, which included building schools in impoverished areas of Mexico, and providing housing, medical assistance, education, food and clean water to the people of war-torn Sierra Leone through the Healey International Relief Foundation.

Together with his wife Ellen, he also founded the Gleneayre Equestrian Program, which uses the unique connection between horses and people to support learning, growth, and healing to help support at-risk youth.

“My father was a true leader, and his vision will always guide us,” said his son, Robert Healey, Jr. who added “He believed that the people around him – his family, friends and employees – lifted him to success and it was his obligation to leave the world a better place.”

No Is Not An Answer

I was executive editor of The Fisherman Magazine in late 2008 when Mr. Healey called me on the phone to pitch me an idea. “Mr. Healey” is the only way I felt able to address him then, as I do today. It’s probably important to understand that my honor and respect for the Healey family came at an early age. My grandfather, James Becotte of Ocean City, had run boats for Post Marine in Mays Landing, and he would occasionally take me for tours of some of the local manufacturing facilities; our visit to the Viking facility in the 1970s somehow stuck out vividly in my memory.

So while working out of our Shirley, NY headquarters for just 2 short years, I was a bit surprised when Mr. Healey asked me over the phone to take the reins as managing director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). I politely declined, to which he responded rather emphatically that I should personally visit him and his son Bob, Jr. at the Healey’s horse farm. To paraphrase, “Nobody says no to me on the phone, you come out and here and tell me in person.” As I was beginning to learn, Mr. Healey was not the type of man to take “no” or “not” as an answer.

In the 1950s, the Healey brothers acquired and developed the Bass River Marina in New Gretna before buying Peterson-Viking in the 1960s. After renaming the company to Viking Yachts, the Healey’s moved the boat manufacturing facility to their property adjoining the marina. But as business began to occupy so much of their time, they sold off the marina to focus attention on Viking; Bob, Sr. the moneyman and Chief Executive, while Bill focused on the essentials of boat building.

Viking Yachts would go on to become what they are today, but not without one incredibly large obstacle that threatened to destroy everything. In November 1991, President George H.W. Bush signed off on a luxury tax aimed at reducing the federal budget deficit (despite that “read my lips” moment on the campaign trail). The 10% luxury tax was levied on watches, jewelry, expensive furs, private jets, expensive cars, and yes, boats and yachts too. While some Americans might see a tax on the rich as a worthy investment in the middle class, it would turn out to have many different results. As noted in a 1993 Baltimore Sun article, the Luxury Tax would cost billions of dollars in lost boat sales and tens of thousands of lost jobs between 1990 and 1993. Many boat manufacturers went belly up during this period, and Viking itself was forced to lay off all but 65 of its 1,500 boatbuilders.

As I said, Mr. Healey never responded well to no’s and not’s, and he was instrumental in spearheading a national, grassroots campaign to fight the tax. Mr. Healey took the industry lead, organized busloads of out-of-work boatbuilders to converge on Capitol Hill for demonstrations, and set fire to a boat on a barge in Narragansett Bay as a highly effective symbol of protest. He would continue to work with Rep. William Hughes of New Jersey’s second congressional district to help secure votes in Congress, and by August of 1993, President Bill Clinton officially signed the repeal of the “luxury tax” while citing an overwhelming loss of American jobs.

“My uncle’s efforts to repeal the Federal Luxury Tax on yachts will never be forgotten,” said Bill’s son and Viking Yachts President and CEO Pat Healey. “He saved not only Viking but the entire marine industry. He was the catalyst and leader, and he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

With his brother’s help, Mr. Healey privately funded the company out of his own savings, allowing Viking to tool up new models during the early 90s downturn. While sales from 1991 until 1993 were dismal to say the least, the Healey’s decision to remain open allowed the company to tool up for new models, which helped the company leapfrog competition in the mid-1990s. Once the Luxury Tax was finally repealed, Viking Yachts fired out of the gate, taking over the position of #1 sportfishing yacht manufacturer.

“He was a brilliant lawyer and savvy businessman who was able to convince the politicians in Washington that this was very much a jobs issue,” his nephew Pat said, adding “It was a great victory for our family-owned-and-operated boatbuilding company, the people of New Jersey and everyone in the marine industry.”

Thus it was sometime around Christmas of 2008 – not long after the passing of my grandmother Becotte – when I sat down personally with Mr. Healey and his son Bob, Jr. at their Gleneayre farm to discuss the RFA position offered by phone; the one which I’d already turned down. After trying the “no” route several more times during our meeting, I eventually agreed to give notice to The Fisherman in early January; I would spend the next 6 years at RFA working not far from the Viking facility in New Gretna.

The Politics Of Fishing

In the years that immediately followed the luxury tax repeal, Mr. Healey began to focus on the political solutions to problems plaguing the recreational fishing and boating industry. In 1996, he and former New Jersey charter boat captain Jimmy Donofrio helped establish RFA as a 501(C)(4) nonprofit political action organization to promote sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine environment. Over the past 25 years, Viking has contributed well over $1 million to the RFA efforts.

“I got to spend a lot of time with Bob driving to DC meeting with House and Senate members, and I was always amazed by his instinctive ability to analyze a situation and read people,” Donofrio said of Mr. Healey. “He was a brilliant leader and a mentor for me. He always told me just keep moving forward and get it done. I am happy he had a full life and I was glad to have some part in it over 25 years. Love you Bob,” Donofrio added.

Of Donofrio, Mr. Healey leaned towards me across his desk during that sit-down at the family farm in 2008, and in deadpan expression said “You see, Jimmy Donofrio is like nuclear energy, control it and you can power the world.” As he spoke, he brought his hands together with fingers entwined, before suddenly breaking his hands apart and saying “but if you can’t keep it under control, you could destroy the entire planet.”

It was a strange way to hammer the deal into place. Those who know Donofrio will no doubt appreciate the analogy. But those two men have very much been like father and son, loyal as the day is long, and patriots to the cause. The fact that Mr. Healey passed away just weeks before Donofrio’s official retirement from the RFA was perhaps more poignant than coincidental; both representing devastating losses to the fishing community as a whole.

Some cynics I’ve met over the years could never be convinced that Bob and Bill Healey cared much for the little guy, blindly viewing them simply as wealthy boatbuilders who only cared about their big boat customers. But as Mr. Healey would often explain to me, hardworking folks who make a modest living today strive for success in the future; a young plumber’s apprentice for example, working a 60-hour workweek so that he can climb aboard a skiff for a weekend of fluking, might someday step away from his own plumbing and supply company for a few hours each week to tool around in his 55′ Viking convertible called Pipe Dreams .

So as much as the Healey family has remained committed to a personal mantra “to build a better boat every day,” they also dedicated their personal and professional lives to looking out for everyone else in the recreational fishing and boating community, navigating some often treacherous political waters. As the saying goes, “a rising tide floats all boats.”

“My father always said, ‘We’ve worked hard to get to the top of the mountain, we’re enjoying the view and we’re not going to give it up,'” said Bob Jr. who is now co-chairman of the Viking Group which manages Viking Yachts, Viking Investments, Viking Associates, Viking Residential and Viking Developers. In fact, in following with his father’s belief in finding political solutions to solve problems, the younger Healey recently tossed his hat into the political ring in announcing his bid for Congress in 2022 running against Rep. Andy Kim in New Jersey’s third congressional district.

“The reason those boats are of such good quality is because we’ve got a 57-year history of having really great people that work alongside us,” Healey, Jr. was recently quoted as saying at NewJerseyGlobe.com , adding “We’re talking about 57 years of people who have been able to buy a house based on working for our company.”

“Some of them are immigrants. Some of them were born and raised here. Some of their families go back 300 years in places like Ocean County and Atlantic County… they’re all really good people,” Healey, Jr. told NewJerseyGlobe.com .

The Healeys repurchased Bass River Marina again in 2002, reopening it as the Viking Yachting Center. Along with the Viking Yacht Company, the marina complex also includes Breeze’s Bar and Grill on the Bass River along with a fuel dock. In 2016, Viking also purchased the Ocean Yacht facility in Egg Harbor City – roughly 9 miles from the New Gretna facility – where Viking Mullica builds the new line of Valhalla Boatworks center consoles from 33 to 46 feet.

All together both South Jersey facilities employ roughly 1,100 good people.

Perrine, Leek, Cavileer, Hankins, Henriques, Hunt, Post, Olsen, Peterson; the list of family names in New Jersey boatbuilding history is a long one, dating back to colonial times. And while Viking may be the brand best known around the globe today, it’s the Healey name that will carry along with the other legends of New Jersey’s rich seafaring lineage.

Fair winds and following seas Mr. Healey.

YOUNG GUNS AND THE OLD GUARD

“Lock And Load” Spring Stripers On Raritan Bay

This “spot” was “burned” decades ago, and it just keeps on getting better!

Giving Back: Oystering On Delaware Bay

More oysters, cleaner water, and perhaps some better fishing.

Robert Healey, Viking Yachts co-founder, dies at 92

The New Jersey shipbuilding executive led a successful campaign against a luxury-boat tax in the 1990s.

New Jersey yacht-building executive Robert T. Healey Sr., 92, who led a successful campaign against a luxury-boat tax in the 1990s that involved setting fire to a vessel in New England’s Narraganset Bay to publicize the issue, died Dec. 9. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Mr. Healey, a lawyer and co-founder of New Gretna, Burlington County-based Viking Yacht Co. , had spent 25 years as a business lawyer when he turned his focus to Viking Yachts, which he and his brother Bill acquired in 1964. As Viking’s chairman for 57 years, Mr. Healey expanded the business to encompass apartment buildings, industrial and commercial real estate, and oil and gas exploration.

Mr. Healey was also the father of Robert Healey Jr., a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey’s Third District.

While he was Viking’s chief executive, Mr. Healey led his industry’s response to a 10% tax on yachts and other luxury vessels imposed in 1991, which the company said had resulted in thousands of layoffs and the dissolution of hundreds of companies nationwide.

In 1993, after Mr. Healey organized busloads of out-of-work boatbuilders to converge on Capitol Hill for demonstrations and arranged to have a boat set ablaze on a barge in Narragansett Bay in Road Island, the tax was repealed.

“He saved not only Viking but the entire marine industry,” said Viking Yachts’ current president and chief executive, Pat Healey, Mr. Healey’s nephew. “He was the catalyst and leader, and he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Mr. Healey was born in Atlantic City in 1929. He graduated from Camden Catholic High School and attended St. Joseph’s University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

He practiced law in Camden County as a senior partner in the firm of Healey, Mueller and Tyler before devoting himself full time to his business with his brother.

Under the brothers’ ownership, Viking become the largest manufacturer of sport fishing yachts in the world, delivering more than 5,000 boats to date. In 2002, the brothers repurchased the Bass River Marina in New Gretna, where they had started their business decades earlier before selling the property, rechristening it as the Viking Yachting Center.

Mr. Healey was also known for his philanthropy, which included building schools in impoverished areas of Mexico, and providing housing, medical assistance, education, food and clean water to the people of war-torn Sierra Leone through the H ealey International Relief Foundation , the company said.

“My father was a good man with a deep faith and commitment to service,” said Robert Healey Jr., who is co-chairman of Viking Group, which manages Viking Yachts, Viking Investments, Viking Associates, Viking Residential and Viking Developers. “No person or mission was ever a lost cause to him. He saw the potential in everyone and believed that our true worth and value in life is in our contributions to others.”

Mr. Healey is survived by his wife, Ellen; seven children, including Robert Jr.; sixteen grandchildren; and his brother Bill. His first wife, Louise, and brothers Patrick and Edward died earlier.

A funeral Mass was held for Mr. Healey on Dec. 17. Donations can be sent to charities supported by the Robert T. Healey Sr. Charitable Trust, which include the Healey International Relief Foundation, the Healey Education Foundation , and the Gleneayre Equestrian Program .

Meet Pat Healey

• By Peter Frederiksen
• Updated: March 9, 2018

A second-generation boatbuilder, Pat Healey heads up Viking Yacht Co. as its president and CEO. The company is family owned and operated, with plants spanning some 800,000 square feet on the banks of the Bass River in New Gretna, New Jersey, and on the Mullica River, a short ride from the bright lights of Atlantic City. In its last fiscal year alone, Viking built 79 sport-fishing boats, from 37 to 93 feet, and it’s on track to continue its tremendous success in 2018 and beyond.

What were your first jobs when your father, Bill, and uncle Bob Healey started Viking Yachts in 1964? Viking was building wooden boats back then. I was probably 10 years old and would come to the factory with my father on Saturdays. My first job was in the green oil department: The insides of the hulls needed multiple coats of green wood preservative, so I used a big paint brush on a long stick and slopped the thin oil everywhere so it would be absorbed into the grain of the wood. I plugged the teak decks and was taught that each plug needed to have the grain going in the right direction, and I also packed oakum yarn between the hull planks with a putty knife.

Did you know right away boatbuilding would be your career? Pretty much. And any time I complained about how hard the work was, my father told me a thousand times that growing up in a boatyard was better than being on an iron pile, which is how he and my uncle Jerry grew up. When I bitched, my father would ask, “So, you want to go to the iron pile? Come on, I’ll take you to Uncle Jerry.”

Which departments have you worked in? During high school and college, I worked throughout the summer months and part time when I could, and I worked in all aspects of boatbuilding. I spent 10 years full time in production, and enjoyed the fiberglass work because I was a surfer and fixing surfboards was a given in my early teen years. But I also fixed up old boats — Wellcrafts and other rehabs. I wanted to learn how to do all this, and I enjoyed it. I spent a lot of time in mechanical setups and basically went through the whole company. Eventually, Rudy Dalinger put me in charge of the trim section and I worked there for about three years. I became a service supervisor and finally went into sales.

How did Hatteras and Bertram influence Viking designs? My father would wake me up before the crack of dawn when we were at the boat shows in New York, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and we would study the Hatteras and Bertram displays. They had a lot of great ideas, and each time we came away with improvements. We always built a great boat, from the early 1970s, but our boats had what I call a Jersey style, while the others had their North Carolina and South Florida looks. They had that panache. So we set out to change the style, and it began appearing in our 35-, 41- and 46-foot convertibles. We could sell boat for boat with Hatteras and Bertram in the Northeast, but they would kick our ass everywhere else.

What is the driving force at Viking? To build a better boat every day, a mantra my father came up with a long time ago. We strive to out-design, out-build and out-service everyone. In 1995, I was the vice president of sales overseeing marketing, sales and service. My father and I were butting heads on design. I wanted to incorporate the ideas of the younger members of our team. We were hardcore fishermen. So in 1996, my father gave us a shot with Bruce Wilson and his son David, Drew McDowell, Lonni Rutt and me. We reviewed the custom boatbuilding world and took those great features that were focused on chasing billfish around the world and incorporated those into the Viking 55 Convertible. In the fall of 1997, we launched our first 55. By the time the boat appeared at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, we had sold the first 20 hulls. It became one of the most successful boats in our history and accomplished an equally important mission of delivering the boats on time, which to this day remains a company benchmark.

How do you stay in touch with your customers? We are all eyes and ears at fishing tournaments and boat shows. We are still learning every day. If we can tweak something to make it better, we do. It could be changing the layout of the mezzanine or tackle center, fine-tuning the livewell so you don’t lose bait, or tweaking the props. We stay on top of everything we build.

So rather than chase success, you make it happen. To be successful, you surround yourself with the right people. That box is checked: We have the best. You need to stay current on available materials and methods used to build the boats to make them stronger, lighter, more fuel efficient and faster with available horsepower. It’s important to be on the leading edge, whether it’s in fiberglass, resins, generator technology, steering or electrical systems. It’s important to build boats that are Seakeeper ready, which we have done for the past 10 years. Knowing the next big item in the industry helps us build that better boat. We spend $12 million a year in our research and development, and that is a critical investment over the long haul.

How has the Viking acquisition of the former Ocean Yachts plant played out? Ocean’s John Leek III wanted to retire, and he approached me about acquiring his 100,000-square-foot facility, which is only 9 miles from New Gretna, and I didn’t think twice. But I wanted two things in addition to the plant: the 37 Billfish, because it was a nice design although it never had a real chance to be successful because of the timing of its introduction in 2008. I also wanted John Leek IV to come work for Viking because he is an outstanding boatbuilder. In our first full year, we built 35 Vikings in that facility, from 37 to 52 feet. The plant, which we call Viking Mullica, allows us to free up space on our four production lines in New Gretna for our larger convertibles as well as our line of motoryachts.

What does Viking have in store for the 2018 model year? The 68 Convertible premiered at our VIP Preview and then again at the Miami International Boat Show. We also have a new 44 Open and Convertible, as well as a 68-foot Enclosed Bridge on the way.

Who do you admire in the industry? I look up to the boat­builders. They know who they are because I shake their hand and give them a hug and say there are not many of us left. That’s who I admire. We need more boatbuilders to keep this industry going.

Read Next: Viking 92 – Boat Review

What is your favorite type of fishing? My favorite is billfishing, but right behind it is striper and flounder fishing. I just enjoy a bent rod. The reason I enjoy billfish so much is the interaction with all the other teams on the dock. There is nothing like it: the camaraderie, having a beer on the dock box in the afternoon, eating a slice of pizza in the cockpit, rigging baits till midnight, working on the boat. All the challenges that go along with tournament and fun fishing are just awesome. I have the same passion for stripers and flounder, but there’s more at stake when you’re billfishing. It’s a bigger rush.

• More: Sport Fishing Boats , Viking Yachts

Free Email Newsletters

Sign up for free Marlin Group emails to receive expert big-game content along with key tournament updates and to get advanced notice of new expeditions as they’re introduced.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By signing up you agree to receive communications from Marlin and select partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy . You may opt out of email messages/withdraw consent at any time.

Jimmy Buffett’s Maritime Dream and Legacy

Merritt 88 skybridge review, updates to the right whale speed restriction rule, jarrett bay boatworks 64 review, tony’s dorado tacos recipe, panama’s topwater yellowfins, meet kevie thomas.

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Email Newsletters
• Tournaments
• Expeditions

Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Marlin may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site.

Copyright © 2024 Marlin. A Bonnier LLC Company . All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Sign up for free Marlin Group emails to receive expert big-game content along with key tournament updates and to get advanced notice of new expeditions as they’re introduced.

Subscribe to Marlin

Subscribe now to get seven keepsake print editions of Marlin per year, along with instant access to a digital archive of past issues, all for only $29 per year.

• Bermuda Triple Crown
• Los Cabos Billfish Tournament
• Offshore World Championship
• Scrub Island Billfish Series
• Marlin Expeditions
• Casa Vieja Lodge Ladies Only
• Casa Vieja Lodge
• Nova Scotia
• Expert Instructors
• Corporate Retreats
• Our Sponsors
• Newsletters

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

The passing of a legend - Viking Yachts Co-Founder Robert T. Healey Sr. (1929-2021)

Related Articles

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Best Marine Electronics & Technology
• Boating Safety

Building a Legacy with Viking Yachts

• By Lenny Rudow
• Updated: July 2, 2021

When brothers Bob and Bill Healey bought Peterson-Viking Builders in April 1964, there was no way they could have foreseen a future including two New Jersey manufacturing facilities totaling over 910,000 square feet; about 1,500 employees; close to 5,000 hulls delivered; ownership of companies that handle aluminum tower fabrication, marine electronics and marine service; and dominance of the production sport-fishing yacht market. Yet, that’s where five-plus decades of boatbuilding has brought them.

Today, Viking Yachts produces 90 percent of every boat in-house, leaving only components such as engines to other companies. The builder offers six different lines of boats ranging from 38 to 93 feet length overall. And the brand is constantly upgrading, re-engineering and refining its designs and construction methods. Even the most successful models have been regularly retired through the years, to make way for new and improved versions.

“Take our 55 for example,” says president and CEO Pat Healey. “That boat was a total icon. It had new styling, a new bottom, a new layout and used new materials. And it started an entire family of yachts leading to the 61, the 65, the 74—all were insane successes.”

Whether it’s utilizing resin-infusion construction, tweaking engine-room vents, or developing a unique electrohydraulic rudder-steering system, the company has maintained a forward-looking attitude, harnessing the latest tech to build better yachts.

“We can do almost everything by computer today. We even tank-test boats virtually now,” Healey says, “and we can do it over a dozen times in a couple of days. We can move strakes, change the center of gravity and tweak just about anything. As a result, our latest models don’t just meet our projections—they beat them.”

Also recently, Viking entered the center-console market with the Valhalla Boatworks brand. Valhallas range from 33 to 46 feet length overall and are powered by twin to quadruple outboards. Running on a Michael Peters stepped-V ventilated-tunnel, twin-step hull design, these boats can hit hat-stripping speeds of 60-plus knots. While on board the V-41, I found that it comfortably cruised in the mid-40-knot range through 2- to 3-foot seas.

Why did a builder so successful with yachts decide to enter the center-console market?

“The project was actually in the works on and off for nearly two decades,” says Viking’s director of communications, Chris Landry. “It didn’t get off the ground until now due to the market, business strategies or other reasons, but it’s something we always wanted to do.”

Innovation is in Viking’s DNA. The fact that the company builds everything it can in-house is part of the innovative philosophy, and Healey says the technique is vital to success.

“We found 30 years ago that building our own parts in our own facility gave us timeliness, quality, and the ability to trace what works best and what can go wrong,” he says. “And it’s part of why we’ve turned into what’s really a marine group, with our subsidiaries Palm Beach Towers and Atlantic Marine Electronics. The vendors were good, but we wanted better. We wanted the best of the best. So, we took control and did it ourselves.”

In-house construction means quality control, whether it’s finely finished cabinetry, ramrod-straight and labeled wiring harnesses, or baffled fuel tanks. That quality also lets Viking service all aspects of the yacht post-purchase. When something does go wrong—we are talking about boats, after all—Viking knows how to remedy the situation. Being able to do so quickly and with minimal effort is one reason Viking purchased a South Florida service center in Riviera Beach and staffed it with Viking-trained personnel.

“It’s part of the commitment we have to our owners,” Healey says. “We pick up the phone. We take care of our customers. You can talk to a Healey. That’s the kind of boatbuilding team my father wanted us to be.”

Viking’s latest projects include a $1.4 million dredging and dock replacement at its New Gretna shipyard in New Jersey. At Viking’s Mullica facility, also in New Jersey, the builder is developing an additional 12,000 square feet of space where the four Valhalla production lines are located. Despite the line’s fledgling nature, Viking expects to build 90 Valhalla hulls in the next fiscal year.

Research and development into new tech also continues on the inboard side. To say that Healey gets animated when asked about the future of Vikings would be an understatement.

“I 100 percent believe that diesel-hybrid technology is close and will be a game-changer for marine,” he says in a rapid-fire staccato. “I can envision running to the fishing grounds on your mains, then shutting them down and ramping up a variable-speed diesel-electric generator. You could then troll all day on electric before running back home on the mains. That could cut engine hours by 70 percent, which alone is huge. But there’s also the potential to use the electric with the mains to get extra horsepower. We’ve been working on this for five years, and it’ll be a few years more, but it’s coming.”

Note Healey’s use of the word “we” when he talks about developing these systems. Viking isn’t waiting for other companies to announce new diesel-electric tech. Viking is hands-on in the development.

Because after nearly 60 years, that’s exactly what everyone has come to expect of Viking Yachts.

Take the next step: vikingyachts.com

• More: April 2021 , Viking Yachts , Yachts
• More Yachts

“Energy Observer” Zero-Emission Boat Showcases Sustainability

Princess Yachts’ Y95: A Flagship Flybridge

Sanlorenzo, Volvo Penta Announce Partnership

Galeon Yachts 560 Fly Wins The Day

For Sale: 2023 Sirena 68

Saving Yourself With ACR’s PLB

Charter Clients, Start Your Engines

For Sale: 2008 Leopard 47 Powercat

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Florida Travel + Life
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Yachting may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site.

Copyright © 2024 Yachting. A Bonnier LLC Company . All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

• Apr 25, 2023

Innovators in Boating - The Healey Brothers & Viking Yachts

The pleasure boat industry is chock full of the most interesting of people -- hard working, dedicated individuals and families who have often put their life’s savings and full-time energies to fulfilling their dreams of creating the boats we know and love.

These are their stories.

Robert T. (Bob) Healey Sr. graduated with a degree in political science, earned a law degree from Philadelphia University, and practiced law for 25 years before retiring as a senior partner at his own law firm in New Jersey.

At that point, in the mid-1950s, his brother Bill Healey joined him in a real estate development business.

Soon after, they purchased and improved the Bass River Marina in New Gretna, New Jersey.

In 1964, they bought Peterson-Viking Builders, a local respected but struggling builder of 37-foot wooden cruising and sportfishing boats. The brothers moved the company next door to a marina on the banks of the Bass River and changed the name to Viking Yachts .

They subsequently sold the marina to concentrate on boat building, with Bob gravitating towards the management and financial side of the business while Bill took over the physical boat building within the plant.

In 1967, Viking Yachts offered seven models, all made of wood, in 37, 38, and 44 feet in Express, Fly Bridge Sedan, Sport Fisherman, and Motor Yacht designs. All were inboard powered and only two were diesels. By 1968, the only Express model and only 37-footer, a holdover from the Peterson-Viking days, was gone. By 1970, Double Cabin designs had been added to appeal to family cruising as well as for extended fishing excursions.

In 1971, they adopted the relatively new technology of fiberglass construction and introduced their first composite model -- the Viking 33 Convertible. The 38-foot flybridge Sport Fisher and Double Cabin models were still being made of wood, as were the 42 and brand new 53-foot Motor Yachts. The Healey brothers made a point to participate in as many fishing tournaments as possible to learn how their boats were being used and what their customers wanted. They continued to do this throughout their careers.

The following year there were only three Viking models -- all of fiberglass construction. There was the 33 Convertible Sport Fisherman and Sport Sedan, plus the brand new 40 Convertible Sedan Fisherman in gasoline or diesel inboard power. This new Convertible is arguably the model that put Viking on the map and set the standard for future Viking designs. The market loved it.

This design featured high freeboard forward with considerable bow flare and a flush foredeck, all in aid of running in high offshore sea conditions. The noticeable step-deck design provided a large but safe cockpit with decent access to the water for landing the big ones. The “convertible” part of the model referred to the boat offering both great fishing features and entertaining accommodations with the salon, galley, and staterooms. Most convertible models would offer a bulkhead between the cockpit and salon and a flybridge control station for better fish spotting was a must.

The 33 was dropped within a couple of years and the model lineup stayed pretty much the same in 35, 40, and 43 feet through to 1981 when a 46-foot Convertible Sport Fisher was added. By 1983, the 40 Convertible had become a 41 and the 43 Double Cabin had become a 44. In that year, a 50-foot Cockpit Motor Yacht was a new addition to the fleet. In 1985, the 48 Convertible Sport Fisher brought the model lineup to six distinct models from 35 to 50 feet. 1988 saw the addition of a 55 Motor Yacht and a 57 Convertible Sport Fisher to the lineup.

It was around this time in the late 1980’s that Viking Yachts purchased the highly respected Gulfstar Yachts from which Viking added two 55-foot motor yacht models to its offering. By the early 1990’s, Viking was offering 12 models from 35 to 57 feet, all but two with diesel power. At this time, I had the pleasure of assisting in the water testing one of the new Viking Gulfstar Motor Yachts at the Miami International Boat Show. The experience of running a motor yacht that size and subjecting it to suitable test criteria was most memorable. The boat was phenomenal.

But the early 90's were terrible times, especially for large luxury boatbuilders in the US, as a recession coupled with the Federal Luxury Tax in 1991 put a virtual halt to large boat sales. As the Healey brothers invested their own savings to help keep the business going, they were forced to lay off 95% of their employees and reduce operations to only one remaining facility. Bob Healey gained notoriety by chartering buses to carry laid off boat workers to protest the Luxury Tax on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C.

The tax was a total failure in terms of federal government revenue, and it was devastating to the boating world. The tax was repealed in 1993 and Viking, since it had remained somewhat in business, was able to pick up where it left off. Incredibly, it would surge ahead over the next years to become the world’s largest manufacturer of sportfishing yachts. By the mid-90s, Viking offered 11 models from 38 to 60 feet of mostly Convertible yachts. Their new 60-foot Sport Yacht was awarded “Boat of the Year” by Boating Magazine.

In 1996, Bob and Bill Healey founded the non-profit Recreational Fishing Alliance to promote sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine environment. This same year saw the formation of Viking Cruising Yachts to distribute British made Princess Yachts from 42 to 140 feet. These yachts were built to Viking's North American standards and amenity requirements and were distributed solely through the Viking dealer network in North and Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

The late 1990’s saw the introduction of the 55 Convertible, designed to be “the ultimate mid-range luxury performance sportfisherman.” This was followed the next year with the legendary 65 Convertible which offered unrivaled speed, range, and comfort. It was capable of over 40 mph at full throttle from its optional 1800 horsepower diesel engines.

The turn of the new century saw Viking open a new service facility in Riviera Beach, Florida to cater to Viking owners who spent winters in southern climates. The Healey’s bought back the original Bass River Marina located right next to the Viking Yachts facility and renamed it the Viking Yachting Center . Then in 2003, Viking created Atlantic Marine Electronics (AME) based out of the Viking Yachting Center to create the sophisticated electronics and navigation packages for Viking Yachts and Sport Cruisers.

That same year and operating out of the Riviera Beach facility, Palm Beach Towers was created to design and fabricate the tuna towers and other parts needed for Viking boats, as well as for some additional builders. Bob and Bill Healey were also inducted into the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Hall of Fame in 2003 for their contributions to the recreational marine industry.

2004 saw the introduction of Viking’s largest yacht to date -- the 74 Convertible. That was followed in 2005 with the 68 Convertible and the enclosed bridge 74. To keep up with demand, additional facilities were opened at New Gretna and Riviera Beach. New enclosed bridge models were created from most existing models in the lineup with new 52, 54, and 56 model variations being produced.

In 2008, Viking showcased its new series of models designed specifically for the Pacific West Coast market of California and Baja. Spring 2009 saw the introduction of Viking’s new flagship 82 Convertible as well as the new 46 and 57 Convertibles. Pod drives were first introduced in 2010 on the 42 Convertible, while 2011 saw solar roof panels added to the New Gretna facilities to supplement factory electricity requirements. The new setup allowed the company to reduce CO2 emissions by 3,000 tons.

When Viking celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2014 it introduced its new flagship 92 Convertible -- a design three years in the making and the largest sportfishing convertible yacht in the world to ever utilize resin-infused construction. Also new was Viking’s return to the motor yacht market with the head-turning 75 MY. 2016 saw Viking purchase the former Ocean Yachts facility as well as molds for Ocean’s 37 Billfish.

The following year, Viking introduced its new seven stateroom, three deck, enclosed bridge flagship 93 Motor Yacht, thus announcing that it was no longer simply a sportfishing boat company. In 2019, Viking shocked the industry again with the introduction of its subsidiary company Valhalla Boatworks along with its 33, 37, and 41 Center Consoles. Also introduced were the new 38 and 46 Billfish models.

Now in 2023, Viking offers 28 models -- nine Open Bridge convertible models from 44 to 90 feet, three Billfish models from 38 to 46 feet, three Open models from 44 to 54 feet, seven Enclosed Bridge models from 68 to 90 feet, and six Sport Yachts from 44 to 54 feet. In addition, Valhalla Boatworks offers four models of semi-custom high performance luxury center consoles from 37 to 55 feet.

If you were keeping track of the current Viking offerings as outlined above, the 90 Convertible in Open and Enclosed Bridge models are now the biggest in the lineup. What, you then may ask, happened to the 92 and the 93 Convertible and Motor Yacht models? The answer is that an international mandate to reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions on boats exceeding a load-line length of 78-feet was put in place in 2017 with the deadline later extended to 2023. Since Viking decided there were no selective catalytic reduction systems available on the market at reasonable pricing, it elected to introduce a slightly smaller model in order to comply with the mandate. Thus, the slightly smaller 90 Convertible was born.

57 years after he and brother Bill co-founded Viking Yachts, Bob Healey passed away at the age of 92 in December, 2021. Bill Healey still visits the Viking facility whenever he can and still makes a point of shaking the hand of each employee at the end of each day, a practice he has maintained since day one. A second generation of Healeys now runs both Viking Yachts and the family real estate investments while a third generation, two of Bill’s grandsons, are actively involved and learning the ropes with Valhalla Boatworks.

#culture #innovatorsinboating #viking #vikingyachts

Recent Posts

Former President George H.W. Bush's Speedboat Fetches $435K at Auction

5 Boats Redefining What's Possible in 2024

Watch Neil deGrasse Tyson School Some Boaters on Water Ways TV

• Dec 7, 2023

Yamaha to Reveal Hydrogen-Powered Outboard Prototype at Miami

• Nov 3, 2023

FLIBS Recap- 7 Boats You Gotta See in 2024

• Nov 1, 2023

First Drive – Brunswick's Autonomous Docking System

• Oct 25, 2023

Why the Vertical Bow is Making a Comeback

• Oct 6, 2023

Formula Announces Massive 457 Center Console Models for 2024

• Sep 27, 2023

This Is It - The Coolest Catamaran Ever Built

• Sep 13, 2023

#WeirdBoats - Historic 'Flying Boat' that Led Amazon Expedition is Up For Sale

Who Owns Viking Yachts

• 10 May 2023
• Vehicle , Yacht

Viking Yachts is owned by brothers, Bob and Bill Healey. The company was founded in 1964 as a small family business in New Jersey by their father, Ray Healey. Viking has since grown to become one of the world’s leading builders of luxury performance yachts from 37 to 92 feet and semi-custom models up to 120 feet long. Viking Yachts are known for their superior craftsmanship and attention to detail which makes them attractive and sought after vessels for many boaters. The company continues to be owned by the Healey family who strive towards providing customers with first-class boats that will provide years of enjoyment on the water.

Viking Yachts is one of the leading luxury yacht manufacturers in the world, and it’s no surprise that they have a passionate owner behind them. Viking Yachts was founded in 1964 by brothers Bob and Bill Healey, who remain at the helm of the company to this day. With over 50 years of experience building high-quality yachts for both pleasure and competitive use, Viking has become a household name for those looking for premium performance vessels with timeless design. As testament to their commitment to quality craftsmanship, Viking continues to be family owned and operated, ensuring each vessel meets their exacting standards of excellence.

Take a tour of Viking Yachts

Viking Yachts Net Worth

Viking Yachts is one of the most prestigious yacht brands in the world and has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Founded by brothers Bob and Bill Healey in 1964, Viking quickly established itself as a leader in luxury yachting with its strong commitment to quality construction, cutting-edge designs, and superior engineering. Today, Viking’s fleet consists of over 1,500 boats ranging from 37 feet to 92 feet long that are enjoyed by customers around the globe.

Who Owns the Viking Yacht Company?

The Viking Yacht Company has been in business since 1964 and is owned by the father-son team of Bob and Bill Healey. The company started as a small operation building boats for recreational fishing off the coast of New Jersey, but it soon began producing larger motor yachts for offshore cruising. In just over half a century, Viking has become one of the most respected manufacturers of luxury sportfishing yachts in the world. Their product line now includes everything from 54-foot express cruisers to 92-foot convertible sportfishers with luxurious amenities like marble countertops, SubZero refrigerators, and designer staterooms that rival those found on much larger vessels. As a testament to their quality craftsmanship, many Viking owners have kept their boats for decades—a true sign that they stand behind their products. The combination of state-of-the art engineering and design excellence make it easy to understand why so many boaters trust the Viking name when they are looking for an impressive vessel that will provide years of dependable service at sea.

How Much is Viking Yachts Worth?

Viking Yachts is one of the most well-known and respected names in luxury yacht building. Founded in 1964 by brothers Bob and Bill Healey, Viking quickly gained a reputation for producing some of the highest quality boats on the market. Today, Viking Yachts continues to be a leader in the industry with its custom-designed vessels that boast incredible craftsmanship and cutting edge technology. But how much are these luxurious yachts actually worth? The truth is that it’s impossible to say just how much any particular Viking yacht costs because each model is completely unique and can range widely depending on its size, features, options, etc. That said, prices typically start at around $1 million for smaller models like sport fishing yachts or trawlers up to several tens of millions for larger luxury superyachts. For example, The 161′ long Enclosed Bridge from 2015 has an estimated value of over $30 million! Of course higher end models do exist but most buyers tend to stay within this range when shopping for their own vessel.

Where are Viking Yachts Built?

Viking Yachts are built in New Gretna, New Jersey along the Manasquan River. This is where their main boatyard and headquarters reside, but they also have smaller offices located in Michigan and Florida. Viking has been building high-quality yachts since 1964 when brothers Bob and Bill Healey began constructing boats equipped with outboard motors at their family home on the banks of the Mullica River. Since then, Viking Yachts have become renowned for expert craftsmanship, advanced technology and luxurious amenities that cater to even the most discerning clients’ needs. They have grown into one of the world’s top yacht builders whose vessels range from 35 to 92 feet long—all made right here in New Jersey! Each vessel is custom designed by marine architects who bring together structural stability, safety and performance while providing a comfortable ride no matter what body of water you find yourself cruising upon.

Did Viking Buy Ocean Yachts?

No, Viking Yachts did not buy Ocean Yachts. While both companies produce high quality yachts and boats, they are two distinct entities. Viking Yachts was founded in 1964 by Bob Johnstone and his son Bill in New Gretna, NJ. They specialize in the production of luxury motor yachts from 42 to 92 feet long that are built with a structural composite construction method using cored fiberglass hulls with infused vinylester resin for superior strength and seaworthiness. Their vessels can be found cruising all over the world due to their durable designs and luxurious amenities aboard each boat. Ocean Yacht Corporation was founded much later than Viking Yachts in 1985 by brothers Brett and Lenny Garber at its facility located in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor. They specialize in making semi-custom motor yachts ranging from 57 to 80 feet long constructed out of hand laid fiberglass with solid glass stringers, bulkheads, decks and other components throughout the boat for better insulation against noise pollution while underway or at anchor. As you can see, these two yacht building companies have many similarities but remain separate entities since Viking has never purchased Ocean nor vice versa; however together they make up some of the best yacht manufacturers on the market today!

The conclusion is clear – Viking Yachts are the leading luxury yacht manufacturer, with an impressive history of success and innovation. Their commitment to excellence has resulted in a product that is luxurious and reliable, while also being affordable for many customers. With their wide range of models available and their reputation as one of the most trusted names in yachting, it’s no wonder why Viking Yachts continue to reign superior on the water.

More to Explore

Related posts, who owns cruiser rv.

• 6 June 2023

Who Owns Fleetwood Rv

Who owns keystone rv, leave a reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Add Comment  *

Post Comment

Lines of Pedigree for a Longtime Viking Yachts Owner

Apr 3, 2014 | Boat Profiles , Magazine , News , Viking Yachts | 0 comments

The salty air offshore of Cape May, New Jersey can feel brisk at times, even in the middle of July. Perhaps it’s a welcomed relief to the sun’s heat, or it merely goes unnoticed in the midst of the action as lines tighten, rods begin to flex, voices rise and the excitement grows. Three generations of the Turner family have grown to enjoy sport fishing in these waters and have been recurring participants in venerable Mid-Atlantic tournaments such as the Viking/Ocean Showdown and White Marlin Open for many years. The Turner family enjoys cruising equally as much as fishing, and likes to spend summers in and around Chesapeake Bay when they are not active on the tournament scene. While the boats and crews have changed over the years, the name adorning the transom of owner Richard Turner’s Viking yachts has always been Foolish Pleasure. The name of a derby-winning thoroughbred in the mid 70’s, Turner felt it was a great name for a boat as well, and has stood by that belief for nearly four decades.

View this article in our Summer 2014 issue of OnBoard magazine

Early in his boating career, Turner owned a Bertram 28 before stepping up to a Bertram 35. For his next vessel, he bought the Viking 35 sedan bridge demo at the 1977 Annapolis Boat Show. He was immediately taken by the quality of build and craftsmanship along with the offshore stability and cruising comfort of the boat. Following that first Viking, he moved up to a 43 Motor Yacht, a great boat he said, but ultimately he realized that the style of a sportfisher better suited his family and their boating activities. Their next boat was a Viking 56 Convertible and his run on Viking Yachts has been rounded out more recently by two boats bought via Bluewater Yacht Sales and broker Jud Black, a 61 Enclosed Bridge followed by a 62 Enclosed Bridge delivered in early 2014.

This extensive and loyal history of building and owning new Viking Yachts means Turner has had a uniquely long and personal view of the company’s explosive growth over a majority of their fifty years in business. Mr. Turner considers the Healeys (Viking ownership) extended family and has watched Pat Healey grow from a boy to a leading executive in the company. Likewise, he has had a front row seat while witnessing the Viking plant in New Gretna, New Jersey blossom from a couple of small warehouses to a massive 810,000 square foot operation boasting five assembly lines.

Then and Now: Turner’s first new Viking Yacht: a 1978 35’ Convertible. Their 5th new Viking: a 2014 62’ Enclosed Bridge Convertible.

Something New

Turner’s long-time Captain, Paul Hannum oversaw construction of their new 62EB from start to finish, with frequent visits to the Viking factory throughout the build time. Hannum recounts the process, “We had a great experience building the new Foolish Pleasure with Viking Yachts. Everyone involved was helpful and brought their years of experience to the table as we added many custom features, some which required additional engineering.”

“I have always been very impressed with the customization options Viking offers. It is like building a custom sportfishing yacht in a third of the time,” Turner adds. His new 62 is outfitted with many custom choices, and to suit his particular accommodation wishes, they opted for a 3 stateroom layout with 3 private heads as opposed to the typical 4 stateroom found on other Viking 62s. He also exercised his preference for cross-over berths in the forward stateroom. Mr. Turner raves about how great the interior designers are at Viking, “I’ve always appreciated the breadth of options available for every surface on the interior.”

In addition to some of the larger changes requested by the Turners, Hannum explains how many small details went into the boat, for example a teak bullnose grab rail which was incorporated into the cabinetry throughout the salon and bridge. They added a gas grill to the cockpit along with a SubZero refrigerator and pull out trash compartment within the flybridge. The berth in the master stateroom was designed and built to be wider and fuller, and there was also a custom cabinet and electrical installed in the master stateroom for a sleep aid oxygen machine. “Although it seemed as if the Viking team had afforded me and this build extra attention because of Mr. Turner’s long history with Viking Yachts,” stated Capt. Hannum, “the reality is that they go the extra mile for all of their clients.”

The Turner’s 2014 Viking 62 receiving her enclosed bridge at the Viking Factory in New Gretna, New Jersey.

Hitting the Trail

In honor of their 50th Anniversary in 2014, the Viking Yachts Key West Challenge was conceived, inviting Viking owners and their vessels to Key West, Florida for four days of food, drinks, fishing and family fun. Having just received hull #62-008, the Turners and Captain Hannum decided it would be a great event to debut the newest iteration of their Foolish Pleasure. Though admitting a steep learning curve in honing their South Florida kite-fishing techniques, they were proud participants of the inaugural event, and hope to make it part of their annual fishing and cruising plans.

During their stay in Key West, Captain Hannum and the Turners spent some time with the owners of Odin, a Viking 61 Enclosed Bridge, much like the former Foolish Pleasure. The new Odin will also be a Viking 62 Enclosed Bridge. As Hannum recalls, “we were all able to share ideas and lessons learned from the building of Foolish Pleasure to the Odin crew. It was a great opportunity for the future owners to get a hands-on look at what they are going to be building.”

Richard’s son Tim, and granddaughter Alexa pose after releasing Alexa’s first blue marlin. In conjunction with a tuna she caught during the same tournament, the release propelled the Foolish Pleasure team into first place honors at the 2007 Viking/Ocean Showdown.

Supporting Cast

When the Turners and Hannum took delivery of the new Foolish Pleasure their first stop on the way south was the Bluewater Yachting Center in Hampton, Virginia. As Bluewater Sales Professional Jud Black described it, “They didn’t need a shakedown cruise, as Capt. Hannum knew they had a safety net of Bluewater locations to stop at should any trouble arise.” While at the Bluewater Yachting Center, they enjoyed an overnight stay and a delicious crab cake dinner at the award winning Surf Rider Restaurant on-site. Hannum reported the boat performed exceptionally on her maiden voyage, despite less than favorable weather, “It was on this leg of the trip that we discovered some similarities and differences between the new 62 and the old 61 Viking. Both boats provide a very seaworthy feel and comfortable ride, but in the conditions we faced, the new hull design provided a drier ride and much more efficient performance,” he recounted.

Their new 62’ Enclosed Bridge is equipped with Caterpillar C-32s with ACERT, cranking out 1,925 horsepower each. Both Turner and the Captain agree that it is a fantastic package. Hannum boasts, “she is fast, efficient and nimble for her size. Acceleration is smooth and effortless, while turning, docking and backing down are very predictable.” Hannum has run numerous boat brands with different power plants, and he comfortably admits that they all have issues and malfunctions from time to time. He continues, “What sets Viking and Cat apart is support you can rely on when something goes wrong. The Viking team is always available to help provide assistance wherever you are and Caterpillar has service providers and outlets in most places worldwide.”

Captain Hannum and the Turners have a core group of Cat professionals that they can call upon day or night and get help to keep them running smoothly. The team feels fortunate when a recommended hourly engine service on the Foolish Pleasure coincides at a time when the boat is already in the Delaware/New Jersey area and they are able to utilize the local services of their long-time trusted Caterpillar dealer, and Viking partner, Ransome Cat. When asked about power throughout all of the vessels he’s owned, Mr. Turner answered more assuredly than any other question: “Cat.”

Turner has been rather outspoken in his support and recommendation of their engines and service, and confirms Hannum’s beliefs that maintenance intervals are very reasonable and Caterpillar’s Extended Service Coverage plans are superior offerings. As with all of his Viking yachts owned to-date, Turner plans to use his new 62EB at least through the life of his 10 year Cat warranty before even considering moving on to another boat. Given his impressive ownership history, that sounds like a wise and experience-driven decision.

The Turner’s third Viking: a 56 Convertible.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Recent Posts

• 2022 Onslow Bay 41
• 2024 Palm Beach Boat Show
• 2024 Bluewater Summer Cruise
• Bluewater Recognizes 2023 Award Winners
• 2024 Mid-Atlantic Sports and Boat Show
• 37 Billfish
• Albemarle Boats
• Back Cove Yachts
• Bluewater Perspective
• Boat Profiles
• Everglades Boats
• Industry News
• Jarrett Bay Boatworks
• Jupiter Boats
• Princess Yachts
• Recent Deliveries
• Regulator Boats
• Sabre Yachts
• Signature Service
• Testimonials
• Uncategorized
• Valhalla Boats
• Viking Yachts

Search Our Blog

Boating's best brands.

Waterfront Office Locations

• Baltimore 410.342.6600
• Annapolis 443.716.7965
• Ocean City 410.390.3043
• Hampton 757.723.0793
• Virginia Beach 757.937.2570

North Carolina

• Beaufort 252.728.2645
• Morehead City 252.728.2645
• Wilmington 910.256.6643
• South FL 561.845.0606

More Information about Viking Yachts

Viking Yachts Social Media

Building a better boat every day has been Viking's philosophy for over five decades.

This is why Viking leads the industry today in perfomance, innovations, engineering and luxury.

The Viking Difference

Building a better boat every day is the mantra of the Viking Yacht Company

Viking prides itself on its renowned manufacturing capabilities. From the initial design to the finished product, Viking’s highly regarded reputation is rooted in the company’s commitment to produce 90 percent of the boat in-house. Except for components such as engines, transmissions, air conditioning units and electronics, virtually everything else is produced in-house by our talented workforce.

Accessibility

Cookie Consent

This website uses cookies or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

NIKKI BELLA

NIKKI BELLA is a 25.43 m Motor Yacht, built in the United States of America by Viking and delivered in 2009. She is one of 3 82 SF models.

Her top speed is 30.0 kn and her cruising speed is 24.0 kn and her power comes from two MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 8 guests in 4 staterooms, with 3 crew members waiting on their every need. She has a gross tonnage of 102.0 GT and a 6.81 m beam.

She was designed by Viking , who also completed the naval architecture. Viking has designed 121 yachts and created the naval architecture for 121 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

Her interior was designed by Aileen Rodriguez - she is built with a GRP and Teak deck, a GRP hull, and GRP superstructure.

NIKKI BELLA is in the top 30% by speed in the world. She is one of 5708 motor yachts in the 24-30m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her cruising speed is 1.79 kn above the average, and her top speed 3.5 kn above the average.

NIKKI BELLA is registered under the United States of America flag, the most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1615 yachts registered

Specifications

• Name: NIKKI BELLA
• Previous Names: SEA'DUCE,MUSTANG SALLY,MR GRINCH
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Sportfishing Yacht , Planing Fast Yacht
• Model: 82 SF
• Builder: Viking
• Naval Architect: Viking
• Exterior Designer: Viking
• Interior Designer: Aileen Rodriguez

Yacht featured in

Yachts like this, from our partners, sponsored listings.