54 Open Series - Into the open
by Viking Yachts 28 Sep 2022 23:28 AEST
54 Open © Viking Yachts
The largest express-style yacht Viking has ever built, the 54 Open Series consists of three models - the 54 Open, 54 Sport Coupe and 54 Sport Tower.
The Open Series made its world premiere at last year's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with this Sport Coupe featuring a Buc Blue gelcoat and custom radar mast atop a three-sided fiberglass deckhouse.
A few months later, Viking showcased the 54 Sport Tower for the first time with the gorgeous FarNiente at the Miami International Boat Show. The 54 ST features a three-sided fiberglass deckhouse and a tuna tower from Viking's Palm Beach Towers (PBT). Both the ST and SC can also be outfitted with solid aft bulkheads.
And at FLIBS 2022, which takes place Oct. 26-30, the 54 Open will make its world premiere. She'll also feature a custom Palm Beach Towers tuna tower. But unlike the Sport Tower and Sport Coupe, this model has a three-sided wraparound windshield with space between it at the hardtop, allowing a more open-air environment on the command deck. The 54 O can also be delivered without a tuna tower as a sleek express yacht.
The 54 Open's fiberglass windshield frame - designed and fabricated in-house - must adhere to strict tolerances. Mark Rogers, Viking's 3D Laser Scan Metrologist in New Product Development, is shown above using a handheld 3D scanning tool to make sure the frame dimensions of this single-piece FRP part perfectly match the shape of windshields that will be installed.
Here's a shot of the show-bound 54 Open in its final stages of construction. ELUSION's tower was designed and fabricated at PBT in Riviera Beach, Florida. A truck crane was used to transport and seat the structure on the boat. The next steps will be to install bracing, mounting pads, the forward legs and then the hardtop. Atlantic Marine Electronics, another Viking subsidiary, has pre-installed the wiring for the tower electronics. The boat is also ready to receive its teak cockpit sole.
Back in New Gretna, New Jersey, the next 54 Open (which will also have a PBT tower) is in the mechanical department ready for its powerplant (twin 1550 MHP MAN V12s) and gyroscopic stabilizer (Seakeeper 16) installations.
For more information about the 54 Open Series, please contact your authorized Viking dealer. See you at the show!