Viking Yacht Company
Viking Yacht Company was created in 1964 when Bob and Bill Healy, who still head the company, purchased a small boatbuilding company named Peterson-Viking Builders. Most of the other companies here were already operating. But it would be 5 more years before John and Warren Luhrs would form Silverton. Ocean Yachts would not be created until 1977.
Peterson-Viking Builders had offered a 37 foot wooden yacht when the Healy brothers bought the company. Viking Yachts continued to offer boats built of wood for several years while they built the Viking Yacht name. In 1972 Viking Yachts introduced their first fiberglass yacht, the 33 Sport Fisherman. The switch to fiberglass was almost immediate. Viking introduced the 40 footer in 1973 and the 35 in 1974.
Viking Yachts was early to include more luxury, comfort and top-end features in their yachts, highly unusual in sportfishing boats. Their boats were also known for the extensive use of high quality teak interiors, where other builders were using plastic surfaces, more traditional on fishing boats.
During the 1980s Viking Yacht would refine and expand their product line. Both the 35 Convertible and the 40, upgraded to the 41 Convertible, would remain popular through 1990. Viking added a few more larger models during this time, expanding their product line with larger offerings.
Viking Yacht Company, like all other builders, was badly hurt from 1990-1993 by the recession and the federal luxury tax. It caused the end of some of the builders here, but Viking managed to hold on and even remain open, although drastically reduced in size, while able to sell few boats. Viking Yacht and the Healy brothers took the fight against the luxury tax to Washington and helped to eventually get it repealed.
The Healy brothers made good use of the time they had as a result of the debacle of the luxury tax. When it was repealed, Viking Yacht was retooled and ready with a new model lineup. They have remained in the lead on boat design and construction ever since. Today they use million dollar computer-controlled manufacturing equipment to produce their own designs.