“We had been talking about it forever,” Chris relays. Then along came an unexpected health scare and the loss of a close family member. “That really put things into perspective—after ten to fifteen years of talking about it—we thought, ‘Let’s just put the order in!’” OPTIONS AND FLEXIBILITY Interestingly, Chris explains that when he initially put a deposit down at Viking, it was for a 68’ Convertible. “There was a 68 and a 72 next to each other on the production line and they told me I could choose between either one.” The more he thought about it, the more confident he became on going big and making the most of the opportunity, “Eventually I told Wyatt [Bluewater’s General Manager] and Clark, ‘Aw, just make it the 72 and put the big engines in and we’ll have the extra space in the master stateroom.’ I guess you could also contribute it to Clark and Wyatt being great salesmen!” Once it was time to focus on the details, Chris was more than pleased with how it went, “Clark was fantastic throughout the process; he couldn’t be better.” Chris took the time to explain in more detail, “Clark probably talked through the entire boat with me about fifty times. He’s knowledgeable about a lot of Vikings and that made a big difference.” These planning sessions led to a great number of decisions, tweaks and customizations to the final Fins Up. The Wordens received input from Clark on what he and other owners have learned and their preferences on which systems to install and why. “There wasn’t any detail he didn’t have a recommendation for,” Chris adds. This included insights such as moving the position of certain outlets and opting for different bedding sizes throughout. Collaborating with ideas from Clark, other 72C owners, as well as Viking Project Manager Joe Coyle, resulted in some very satisfied customers. “My wife selected one of the master closets and opted for a make-up counter that she helped custom design. She loves it,” Chris reports. Throughout the construction process Clark made many trips to the Viking plant on their behalf, with the Wordens visiting the factory twice. “We took the tour and once we stopped in the interior design office, I didn’t see Wendy again— she spent the rest of the day in there!” Chris recalls. While he and Clark focused on the myriad of mechanical, electrical, and outfitting decisions up through the boat’s completion, Wendy was given carte blanche on the interior appointments. “I hardly knew what it was going to look like until delivery,” he says. The result is an opulent but calming atmosphere of deep blues and satin walnut cabinetry punctuated by colorful ocean themed photography produced by their son Michael. 15 2024 SEASON
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