Valhalla Boatworks Owner of Interest
As seen in Viking’s Valhalla Magazine, hear what the Sullivan Family has to say about their buying experience with HMY Yachts and Valhalla Boatworks.
Valhalla Boatworks Owner of Interest: The Sullivan Family
V-37 "Lucky Enough"
V: Are you a boating family?
CS: We are but are very seldom is it me, my wife Denise and son Chris, Jr. On weekends we tend to include extended family and friends for trips to Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cuttyhunk or around Cape Cod. If not for COVID we would have taken the boat to Charleston, South Carolina, for the fall and then wintered her in Palm Beach, Florida.
V: Is boating new?
CS: I’ve been on the water most of my life. Everything from a Boston Whaler center console to Zodiaks and most recently a Cabo 40.
V: What led you to Valhalla Boatworks?
CS: We were making a transition from the Cabo to an offshore center console. I wanted to be able to make the 100+ mile run to the Northeast Canyons in a boat that had the range, speed and sea worthiness that would provide the best experience and safety for my family and crew. I’d read about the Valhalla V-Series and was interested due to the Viking Yacht
Company legacy. Several friends are professional captains and strong Viking enthusiasts. The more I dug in, the more it seemed like Valhalla’s V Series was the right fit for our needs.
V: How was the build process?
CS: It was hands down the best buying experience I’ve been through. Let it be a house, car, boat or other large purchase. The support of HMY Yachts, and especially Tim Gredick, was invaluable. Tim was excellent in getting us into the process, helping us make decisions and providing input during the build. With Tim by our side, we visited the factory and spent more than half a day with Viking and Valhalla Boatworks’ Sean Healey. He took plenty of time with us explaining the technology and all aspects of the build process. We also talked with Valhalla Boat Sales Southeast Sales Manager Ryan Higgins a few times. He provided a wealth of information and great insight into rigging our V-37 for our particular needs – offshore fishing. I’m very proud the boat is made by an American company. The craftsmen and
shipwrights take great pride in what they create and there isn’t internationally outsourced manufacturing. That matters to me.
V: Speaking of, tell us about your fishing program.
CS: Our fishing team is comprised of myself, son Chris Jr, brothers Danny and David, nephew Kenny and friends Sean Fitzgerald and Jackson Schreiner. This crew has been fishing and competing in offshore tournaments in the Northeast for the last five years. The team absolutely loves the new boat.
This year we only fished the Big Game Battle out of Nantucket due to COVID but we normally participate in several tournaments around Cape Cod. We were the only V Series fishing the Northeast Canyons this summer which was fun. We received a lot of attention both on the water and back at the dock.
During the Big Game Battle, we first ran out to Gilbert Canyon. That’s about 130 miles from the dock and we moved over to Oceanographer Canyon halfway through the trip. The combination of range and speed is incredible. Covering those distances at a 50+ mph cruise is a game changer. We’re offshore for over 36 hours and the boat provides plenty of room and stability. Fuel management used to be a big challenge for us, often adding bladders to add range, but not anymore! It was a great trip with a pair of marlin (white and blue) and 18 yellowfin. We won the Team Challenge paired up with another boat.
V: So what is your overall assessment of the boat?
CS: We joke about our boat not being a tender. The boat is built for our purposes and provides an incredible ride in all conditions. I have great confidence taking her offshore based on the quality of her design and construction. Every aspect of the boat is well thought out and the support of HMY and Valhalla has been exceptional. She’s likely not my last boat, but I’m a Viking/Valhalla loyal owner for sure! She is our perfect boat.
The HMY team is delighted that the Sullivan Family had such a great experience with Valhalla. To learn more about Valhalla and HMY, contact a Valhalla Boatworks Product Specialist for additional details. (561) 330-5030