Boat ready! Factory acceptance, instruction and loading of the SY Viserion

Christian Nüßer
21 hours ago
4 min read

After many months of planning, countless decisions and great anticipation, the time had finally come: Our SY Viserion is finished.

The factory acceptance at Sirius Yachts was far more than a formal handover for me. It marked the end of the construction phase and, at the same time, the beginning of a new chapter. For the first time, the ship stood before me fully equipped – exactly as I had envisioned it for years.

First impressions

Even upon entering the shipyard hall, it was clear: a project on paper had become a real ship.

The dark blue hull, the light deck, the elegant lines, and the lovingly designed dragon logo immediately gave the Viserion its own unique character. For the first time, I was able to experience all the areas as they would later be used on our voyages.

It also made one realize how many people work on such a ship. The group photo with the entire Sirius crew impressively demonstrates the level of craftsmanship and passion that goes into each individual vessel.

A factory inspection down to the smallest detail

Markus from Sirius Yachts dedicated a full day to the factory inspection. And that's exactly how a handover should be.

We went through every single detail of the ship together. It wasn't just about checking if everything worked, but above all about getting to know the boat down to the smallest detail.

Together we reviewed and discussed, among other things:

all electrical circuits, switches and fuses
Water and wastewater system
Heating and hot water supply
Pantry with all appliances
Windows, hatches and closures
Engine compartment and all maintenance points
Bilges and pumping systems
all seacocks
Navigation table and on-board electronics
Deck equipment and anchoring system
Storage compartments, maintenance hatches and service access points

What impressed me most was not only the functionality of the individual systems, but also the considerable thought Sirius put into their accessibility. Almost every technical component is installed in such a way that maintenance work can be carried out easily later on.

Dry run – knowledge that will be worth its weight in gold later

Since the boat was still on land, we were able to discuss every area in detail without any time pressure.

Markus didn't just explain where the individual components were located. He conveyed the complete concept behind the ship.

Why was a pipeline laid in that particular location? What maintenance work should be carried out regularly? How can important components be quickly accessed while traveling? What is the recommended sequence for winterizing or de-winterizing?

Many of these things cannot be learned from a manual.

This knowledge is especially important on a long-distance cruising yacht. I'm sure I'll often look back on many of the tips from this day while underway.

Quality that is evident everywhere

As we walked through the ship together, we repeatedly noticed the care and attention to detail that had gone into the work.

The woodwork is superbly crafted, all the furniture fits perfectly, flaps close cleanly, and everywhere you can see that people with great experience have built this.

Of course, a few minor points were also noted on our acceptance checklist. That's part of a factory acceptance inspection; that's precisely what it's for. Sirius will, of course, take care of these points before the final handover.

Overall, however, the ship left an excellent impression.

Sirius also has plenty of humor.

Despite all the technology, checklists and detailed work, there was also a moment that caused hearty laughter.

There was actually a roll of pink toilet paper waiting for me in the bathroom.

Markus explained with a grin that this had been the project manager's idea. A small detail that, of course, immediately caught everyone's attention and caused quite a few laughs.

It is precisely these little things that show that, despite all the professionalism, humor also has its firm place.

A moving moment: The loading

After the successful acceptance, the next big step was due.

Using a large mobile crane, the Viserion was carefully lifted and placed onto the special transport.

Although the Sirius team performs this work regularly, it was impressive to see the calm, precision, and experience with which each individual step was carried out.

Only when the ship was finally hanging freely in the straps did I truly realize what was happening.

The construction period was over.

What started as a shipyard project has now finally become our own ship.

Just a few minutes later, the Viserion was safely on the low loader – ready for its journey to Neustadt in Holstein.

Many thanks to the entire Sirius team

At this point, I would like to sincerely thank Markus.

He took an incredible amount of time, answered every single question, no matter how small, and openly shared his experience. Such thorough instruction is anything but standard and provides a great deal of reassurance, especially for a new owner.

My thanks also go to the entire team at Sirius Yachts.

Every single employee played a part in the creation of our Viserion from thousands of individual parts. That's why the group photo will always hold a special place in my heart.

Now the real adventure begins.

The construction phase ends with the loading.

Ahead of us now lie the launching, the technical commissioning, the first test runs on the Baltic Sea and many more preparations for our upcoming voyages.