New Boat Hoist for Riviera Beach Boatyard

The Viking Yacht Service Center in Riviera Beach, Florida, recently upgraded to a Marine Travelift 150CII (150-metric-ton capacity) boat hoist, allowing for more efficient use of its north boatyard. The new asset will cut wait times safely and improve customer turnaround. The hoist employs All Wheel Steering (AWS), allowing up to five steering variations, including the “carousel” and “crab” modes, which allow for more nimble maneuvers and thus greater utilization of the facility’s footprint. The hoist replaces an older unit and joins Viking’s existing fleet of Marine Travelift 150-ton boat hoist and M4200H marine forklift, which serve the company’s south yard. The older model’s two-wheel steering demanded more square footage to maneuver and limited the company’s usable boat storage area. While the new boat hoist has a standard operator’s cab with direct-to-valve controls, it also includes full remote-control operability. Remote operation allows for the driver’s increased visibility on the ground, cutting the need for spotters during lifts.

“The remote control and all-wheel steering has enabled us to safely utilize more space at our facility,” said Raymond Connolly, director of customer services for Viking Yachts. Connolly expressed the need for the new boat hoist to “minimize delays in returning the customers’ boats back into service as soon as possible while maintaining the highest level of quality and customer service.”

Viking Yachts started in 1964 with its first production facility in New Jersey, where the company began a longstanding relationship with Marine Travelift. Viking added its Riviera Beach service location in 2002. Connolly noted, “Although the older unit was still fully operational, the updated features on the new 150CII made the decision to update an easy one.”