A Swedish aluminium boat builder has offered some insight into the technology and material choices behind its range, including why Scanstrut mounting and charging products have found a place on its builds.
Viggo Boats is based on a former Swedish shipyard with roots going back to 1985, when it employed more than 150 people constructing large commercial aluminium vessels. After that company went bankrupt, former employees began applying commercial-grade aluminium construction to smaller leisure boats. The yard changed hands and names over the years, operating as Anytec until 2012, before Viggo Boats was established in 2013. Its first model was the X8, followed by the C8, then the C10 in 2020.
Production and Brand Manager Douglas Matton says the brand's identity is rooted in those commercial origins, with an emphasis on fast, safe, fuel-efficient boats built to handle real conditions, including Swedish winters where ice in the water is routine.
Aluminium takes longer to build with than GRP, and every Viggo boat is hand-welded. The exposed welds are deliberate, serving both a design and a practical purpose. Matton says they make inspection straightforward and reflect the builder's workmanship, whereas painting over welds can feel like concealing something.
On the technology side, Viggo started fitting the Scanstrut Rokk Wireless Active, a 10W wireless phone charger, because nothing comparable was available at the time. With boats capable of 60 knots, a mount that holds a phone securely in rough conditions is a practical requirement rather than a convenience. Scanstrut USB outlets followed, chosen in part because they suit the functional aesthetic of the boats and are built to handle the environment.
Matton sees mobile devices as increasingly central to time on the water, used for navigation apps, communication, and as a backup to chart plotters. On Viggo boats, the mounts sit high up alongside the MFD.
Matton expects electric propulsion to grow but thinks the leisure market is still some years from wide adoption. Battery weight, limited range, and high purchase costs remain barriers for most buyers. The upcoming C11 will offer electric propulsion as an option, with Viggo taking what Matton describes as a different approach to other brands. Commercial operators, with their higher usage demands, are likely to make the switch sooner.
