Why Are Viking Yachts So Expensive? (Explained)

Viking Yachts has been in business for over five decades, building luxury performance sportfishing and cruising yachts.

The company was started by brothers Bill and Bob Healey in 1964 when they bought Peterson-Viking Boat Builders, which, at the time, was a small, struggling New Jersey builder of 37-foot wooden sportfishing boats.

Since then, Viking Yachts has grown to become an international leader in semi-custom fiberglass yachts, with over 4,000 Vikings delivered worldwide.

But why are Viking Yachts so expensive? Keep on reading to find out why:

The Short Answer To Why Viking Yachts Are So Expensive:

Viking Yachts are expensive because Viking is arguably one of the best-built boats in the performance sportfishing niche in the world. You’re paying for a quality product that has been developed by a team who is one of the most passionate about boating and sportfishing in the industry.

How Much Do Viking Boats Cost?

Viking Yachts offers a huge range of boats, including 34 different models. Their website does not give new boat prices.

New base boat prices are difficult to establish as each model comes with different power options and semi-customer choices.

Each Viking Yacht is usually built to order, so no two Viking Yachts are the same, although some stock models are available.

However, according to one of their agent’s websites, Staten Island Yacht Sales, new prices for their smallest model, the Billfish 38, start from around $1 million.

The price for largest Viking model, their 93′ Motor Yacht, has a starting price of just over a cool $10 million.

These prices are for the base model only. When you start adding on extras like compulsory safety equipment, optional navigation packages, fishing equipment, and other toys, you can easily add on a few hundred thousand dollars more.

But, if your budget won’t stretch as far as a new Viking Yacht, you could look at the second-hand boat market. At the time of writing, Yachtworld.com had 337 used Viking Yachts for sale. These yachts range in size from 35 – 93 feet.

Prices start from $39,900 for a 1986 Viking 35 Convertable and go up to $9,950,000 for a 2017 Viking 92 Enclosed Bridge.

The benefits of buying a good second-hand model are that these boats usually include extra inventory the previous owner has added on, so you don’t have to spend the extra dosh.

Of course, this is just the cost of buying the actual boat. For the real cost of owning a Viking Yacht, you need to factor in mooring and club fees, marine insurance, crew costs, and any scheduled maintenance fees on top of the actual price.

Beware these 4 Most-Common Problems With Viking Boats. Check out our article here!

Are Viking Yachts Built Better Than Other Yachts?

Viking Yachts’ mantra is to ‘build a better yacht every day,’ and they seem to be achieving just that.

Viking has been building the highest-quality sportfishing boats and motor yachts for nearly 60 years. The Viking brand has achieved legendary status with countless fishing tournament wins by Viking owners.

This is in addition to the cutting-edge design and technology used on new models and the relentless pursuit to build the perfect boat. There is no other boatbuilder that can compete with a Viking in this niche market today.

How has Viking achieved this status? Viking has built its reputation by investing in groundbreaking manufacturing capabilities and a fantastic team that allows 90% of every Viking Yacht to be built in-house.

Except for certain components on board, such as the engines, transmissions, pumps, hoses, air conditioning units, electronics, and tuna towers (done at Viking’s own subsidiary company, Palm Beach Towers), everything else is produced directly by the Viking factory.

This in-house production ensures that Viking has one of the industry’s most thorough quality control systems, making the quality of Viking Yachts better than other yachts.

Are Viking Yachts More Expensive Than Similar Brands?

Viking Yachts are considered the Rolls-Royce of the sportfishing and luxury motor yacht world. Similar brands include Bertram, Hatteras Yachts, Merrit Boats and Cheoy Lee Yachts.

As new boat prices are difficult to come by, we’ve done a price comparison of similar models that are available on the used-boat market.

We compared the different sportfishing brands based on the following search criteria:

1. Size: 65 – 80 feet in length
2. Year: 2005 – 2015

Boat Brand	Size	Year	Price
Viking	70	2011	$3,595,000
Bertram	70	2009	$1,499,00
Hatteras Yachts	72	2009	$2,350,000
Merrit Sportfish	72	2009	$4,499,000
Cheoy Lee	76	2012	$1,990,00

[Info courtesy of Yachtworld.com]

At first glance, the Viking Yacht is not the most expensive, but it’s certainly not the cheapest either!

However, this is just a quick comparison. To get a true picture of the value of each yacht, you will need to compare detailed inventories and the overall condition of each boat.

How Quickly Do Viking Boats Depreciate Compare To Other Brands?

A typical new boat will lose 10-15% of its value within the first year, then slows for the next five years.

A new car will depreciate faster. However, a boat costs more to maintain than a car.

Boat ownership should never be about a good return on investment, as you will always be disappointed.  The real value of boat ownership is in the time you use your boat, the experiences you have, and the memories you make.

In addition, the best thing you can do to slow the depreciation of your boat is to look after it properly. Follow the routine maintenance guide with your boat, always keep it clean and in ‘ship-shape’ condition, and promptly attend to any minor problems.

When it comes to resale value, you can have the best inventory, but if your boat looks ‘tired’ or appears not well maintained or cared for, you may find it difficult to sell for the desired price.

Are Viking Yachts Reliable & Good? Find out in our article here for more information!

What Are The Most Expensive Viking Boats?

As with any brand, the bigger the boat, the more expensive it will be, and Viking is no exception.

Viking produces six different lines of boats with a total of 34 models, ranging in size from 38 to 93 feet.

The most expensive Viking Yachts are in the luxury motor yacht collection.

The Viking Motor Yacht Collection

If cruising in elegant luxury, having space for entertaining guests, and living aboard for extended journeys to exotic locations sounds like your thing, then one of Viking’s Motor Yacht models should be on your wishlist.

The Viking MY collection offers three models, the Viking 75′ Motor Yacht, the 82′ Cockpit Motor Yacht, and their new flagship 93′ Motor Yacht, introduced in 2018 to acclaimed reviews.

Each of the three Viking Motor Yacht models has everything you can expect from Viking. From impeccable construction and quality to their unique interior and exterior styling for a sleek yet stylish look.

The interior accommodation is enormous, and there are numerous spaces on board each model for privacy, relaxation, and sunbathing.

Or if socializing is more your thing, dining al fresco is recommended, or you can enjoy the view from the flybridge lounge while sipping on a cocktail.

What Are The Cheapest Viking Boats?

While there is no such thing as a cheap Viking Yacht, their smaller range of Billfish models may fit your pocket better:

The Viking Billfish Range

The Billfish series can trace its origins to when Viking purchased the waterfront boat-building factory from Ocean Yachts and called it Viking Mullica. One of Ocean Yacht’s best-selling models was the 37 Billfish. Viking took these molds and put their stamp on the model.

The 37 Billfish proved to be highly successful as it was an excellent step up for the big center-console fishermen who wanted the versatility and accommodations of a sportfishing boat while staying under the 40-foot size.

Because of this success, Viking launched a 38 Billfish, a Billfish 380, and a 46 Billfish in 2019, which are still in production today.

But if you still find the entry-level $1 million price tag too steep, your cheapest option for a Viking Yacht is to look at the second-hand boat market.

At the time of writing, we found that the cheapest Viking Yacht for sale is on offer for $39,900 for a 35′ Viking Convertable from 1986.

However, we recommend you always inspect the boat first-hand if you opt for a second-hand boat. If you are happy with your initial viewing and are happy to place an offer, always make your offer subject to a satisfactory marine survey. Suppose the marine survey raises any unexpected problems.

In that case, you can either use that to negotiate the price further or if there is a serious problem, you can walk away from the deal altogether.

Do People Typically Pay Full Price Or Get A Discount?

Viking Yachts is in the business of building their boats; they have an international network of dealers for selling them.

Typically for a new boat, people will pay full price; however, you may be able to negotiate a discount, depending on the dealer.

To negotiate with a dealer, keep an eye on how long a particular boat has been up for sale. It takes, roughly on average, around seven months for a Viking Yacht to sell.

If a boat is taking longer than this, then the previous owner, or the broker, may start to panic about how long a boat is taking to sell, and therefore, they may be open to a lower offer.

Also, keep an eye on the listed prices and the selling price. Viking Yachts typically sell for just under 10% of the asking price. So, if you’re a good negotiator, you can stand your ground if you make a reasonable offer.

Finally, check out boat shows. Boat shows and Viking events are great places to view the range of Viking Yachts.

Not only are they a great place to view the yachts, but often the company may offer show or event incentives to get you to sign on the dotted line. Make sure you go to these shows or events with clear intentions – you don’t want to regret an impulsive purchase later.

References:

Viking Yachts

Yachtworld.com – Viking Yachts for sale

Why Purchase a Viking Yacht? — Top 10 Reasons