Since I grew up on the coast of New Jersey across the bay from Viking Yachts, I followed the company’s product evolution and fished on many of their boats for 35 years. A family-run business built on customer relationships and quality products, Viking Yachts is a model for the industry. The Healey family and their team have an aggressive business model, with frequent introductions of good-looking, purpose-built boats made to hold up under the rigors of offshore fishing.
The new Viking 42 Open is no exception. With its graceful sheer, raked stem and flowing lines, the 42 Open has the same stylish features as the larger Viking convertible models so widely accepted in today’s sport-fishing circles. But this boat’s practical, efficient layout and nimble maneuverability, with a pair of Cummins MerCruiser Zeus drives, make it something special.
I got to test the 42 Open on a beautiful summer day out of the Viking Yachts Service Center, in Riviera Beach, Florida. My friend and Viking captain Ryan Higgins and I took the 42 out of Lake Worth Inlet for a shakedown to see what it could do. I immediately noticed two things: First, it offered great visibility from the center console and the large wraparound windshield with fiberglass frame and huge open spans, and second, it is incredibly quiet for an open express boat at cruise. Higgins and I talked with ease.
Hank Sibley Bluewater Yacht Sales 