Yacht sales, as they say in the brokerage industry, are like romances.

You never forget your first. As a desperate, wide-eyed, fledgling yacht broker during the economic downturn, my first deal involved an old-model 43-foot Viking Sport Cruiser, which we took in trade. Of course we would have preferred the deal to have no strings attached, but given the Viking name, I figured she’d have good resale value on reputation alone.

Less than a month later, the boat sold. In fact, she fetched a better price than expected. (Most important, I got to keep my desk in the office.) I learned to appreciate the Viking brand even more, which is why I was so eager to get aboard this past winter when I heard the sportfish manufacturer had returned to the cruising market—after a hiatus of more than a decade—with its 75 Motor Yacht.

Eyeing her dockside on a sweltering South Florida afternoon, I was hard-pressed to find much resemblance to her more angular ancestors. At a glance, Viking fans might contend she’s a headturner for all the wrong reasons, but that’s not to say Viking threw tradition out the hatch. The new model is a contemporary departure from the Viking sport cruiser molds of yore, but designer Michael Peters has paid tribute to the brand’s sportfishing heritage with design elements from teardrop windows to no-nonsense curves.

“Have a seat right there and tell me what you think,” said Pete Fredriksen, Viking Yachts’ director of communications, pointing at the U-shaped cockpit sofa. I poured myself into the cozy confines of the aft deck, and I was greeted with an unexpected cooling sensation. “Air-conditioned seats!” I exclaimed. “Sweet!” “Air-conditioned seats,” Fredriksen echoed, beaming. Living areas felt airy and expansive throughout the yacht. The main deck sports a salon with plenty of natural light—even through those fierce teardrop windows—and the modern design is balanced by traditional accents, from custom-made hardware (the same found on Viking sportfish boats) and vintage lamps to rich walnut woodwork running stem to stern.

Moving forward on the main deck leads to a dining area with seating for six, a U-shaped galley to port with 8 feet of headroom and chock-full of Miele appliances, and a dayhead to starboard. All the way forward, the country kitchen is a robust communal space, with a dinette and lounging area perfect for sipping a cup of coffee, reading the morning paper and watching the world go by. The space overlooks the foredeck, where another of the 75’s gathering areas