Viking Availability

09-30-2011, 04:10 AM

I have been noticing that are a ton of Vikings on the market. Why is that? I mean it seems that there are more Vikings specifically 50’-82’ Sport fishers that are for sale. I have seen them and they seem pretty well made but I just can’t understand why there are so many available.

Please enlighten me o wise ones.

Thanks,

JC

YachtForums · 09-30-2011, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jsceen

Please enlighten me o wise ones.

"O wise ones?" Here's a word to the not-so-wise... if you start multiple threads on the same subject again, or if you take a senior member (who speaks multiple languages) to task over a simple grammar error, you can take your wise @$$ elsewhere.

Capt Bill11 · 09-30-2011, 03:58 PM

Seems simple to me, there were a lot of Vikings made and sold. And now times are tough so there are a lot of them for sale.

Capt J · 09-30-2011, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt. Bill11

Seems simple to me, there were a lot of Vikings made and sold. And now times are tough so there are a lot of them for sale.

This, Viking sold a LOT of boats up until the crash in 2008. The 63' started it all, times are tough, fuel is expensive, crew costs, tournaments have a pittance of entries compared to a few years back. Owners are selling and moving onto different (or less) things.

10-01-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YachtForums

"O wise ones?" Here's a word to the not-so-wise... if you start multiple threads on the same subject again, or if you take a senior member (who speaks multiple languages) to task over a simple grammar error, you can take your wise @$$ elsewhere.

Wow! You completely misunderstood me! Geez I can't believe you responded like that to an ,apparently, bad joke. I've heard of the soup Nazi from Seinfeld but this takes the cake or should I say, soup.

I tried to put it in multiple threads because I was not sure where to put it so I thought to myself just put it in the categories that it pertains to and......

Please note: Referring to the general YF members as o wise ones is not PC or is insulting in some manner.

bly · 10-02-2011, 03:37 PM

There are way too many of every kind of boat for sale today. Even more custom Merritt Sport fisherman lately then ever before. They are probably one of the oldest that is still original family owned. as far as SF boats. Not Viking but Merritt. So times are bad for all.

10-02-2011, 05:34 PM

Something else I have noticed is that many Viking owners are repeat customers (shows quality), multiple times over. Since usually this kind of boat is owned for many many years, I don't understand this. Why would someone have 5 or 6 Vikings in their lifetime when a Hatteras owner, for instance, is an owner for a very long time, say 2 or 3 in a lifetime.

I am not trying to stir the pot or anything but this fact has me wondering as to why that is.

I have no preference to Hatteras just using them as an example.

Disclaimer: If I have insulted anyone in this post please forgive me, it was not my intention. Many sea creatures have been killed and eaten in the process of me becoming an experienced angler, none that were not very tasty..

CaptTom · 10-02-2011, 05:37 PM

Jsceen,
There are folks in the world that like to have the latest and greatest. I lease a new car every three years cause I like driving fairly new cars, but they are all Chevys.
But when I owned an Audi, I had it for about 6 years since it continued to satisfy.
Viking does come out with new models every year and that may be part of the alure (Yes, Hatt and others do too, I know).

RER · 10-02-2011, 07:56 PM

At one time it seemed like Viking was building boats in one foot increments. They offered a lot of models for customers that were happy with the Viking brand and had the itch to move up... or down.

Capt J · 10-02-2011, 10:42 PM

Vikings probably had the largest tournament showing of any manufacturer for a lot of years in the 2000's. The owners used them a lot. A lot of owners started trading into newer boats for newer features, newer electronics (easier to rig a new boat with the latest electronics than to re-rig an existing boat), trade newer for more speed and range. And, Viking had a lot of different sizes, and were set up to fish tournaments, so small jumps were easier...... Hatteras had large size jumps and owners stuck with them longer, and Hatteras were never built with the fishing ammenities to fish tournaments (no livewell, one small fishbox under the footrest of the fighting chair, no cockpit freezer, etc etc). Since demand was high it was real easy to sell your 56' and jump right into a 61' (for example). Sometimes owners accidentally sold them to a dock walker at a tournament, and bought a bigger one just because. Also the Viking owners I ran into were mostly a younger crowd, that liked having new things all of the time.

Bayside Bert28 · 10-03-2011, 11:21 AM

I think there are simply fewer people with the means to blow the kind of dough necessary to have a big boat these days. Same thing has happened in general aviation. Fewer buyers but a good inventory left over from the days of the real estate bubble.

I'd imagine a good number of people selling their big boats were real estate agents, mortgage brokers, builders or contractors.

Mike

54' Bertram · 10-05-2011, 08:47 PM

Michael, you changed the name of your bert already?

Bayside Bert28 · 10-06-2011, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 54' Bertram

Michael, you changed the name of your bert already?

Yes I did Tom ... here she is ... will enjoy a full season in 2012!

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...BigBuddy-1.jpg

54' Bertram · 10-06-2011, 06:13 AM

changing names is bad luck.... your J&T guy will tell you all about that!

Bayside Bert28 · 10-06-2011, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 54' Bertram

changing names is bad luck.... your J&T guy will tell you all about that!

If I believed in bad luck I would have sold the boat after the first contractor ripped me off of $65k. The engine Saunders just finished overhauling for $65,000 was failing as I pulled away from Saunders Yachtworks in Orange Beach, Alabama.

I should have named it "Three Lawyers". That is the number of lawyers I have had to hire to go after crooked contractors with regard to this boat!

#1 Saunders of Orange Beach, Alabama
#2 Central Marine of Herrington Harbor, MD
#3 Stephen Quinn - Black Fyn Customs, Fairhope, AL

Why is it that I have NEVER had trouble like this with other contractors.

I have renovated my current home with the help of contractors without issue.

I have renovated my vacation home with the help of contractors without issue.

I have renovated a Bertram 28 with the help of contractors without issue.

I have been in business for 27 years AND NEVER HAD TO SUE a vendor or client or contractor or employee.

And yet ... this boat seems to attract the most crooked contractors in the business.

And yet ... I love the boat and WILL have it running in the early spring! The third contractor will begin work on the port engine shortly. This time, it will be dyno tested on the stand before going in the boat.

Oh ... and for the first time, I have identified that the engines are 650hp and NOT 800hp. It only took 3 certified Detroit Diesel engine specialists to determine which engine they were working on!

Mike