Click for Nordhavn Click for Walker Click for Delta Click for Comfort Click for Abeking

advice on quality of build, 1986 Viking 48' convertible

Discussion in 'Viking Yacht' started by Stephen L, Jul 25, 2020.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    Hello. I hope I am posting this in the right forum. I am stepping up to a larger sportfishing boat (we do limited fishing, but the design works for our style of boating on Georgian Bay, Ontario). I have been looking at Bertram, Hatteras, Post, Egg Harbour etc. and of course Viking. Below is an example of the type and price range that I can afford. Having been through some yrs and decades where other manufacturers (Chris Craft for example) went through ownership change, there are sometime years and hulls of iconic brands to avoid. Wondering if Viking have any "dark" years to avoid. Comments and advice are much appreciated. Many thanks! Stephen of the North. ps, if there is a better channel for this, kindly advise
    https://www.**************/boats/1986/viking-48-conv-sport-fisher-3564390/
  2. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2009
    Messages:
    1,988
    Location:
    Dana Point, Ca
    Well the good thing about Viking is they have had one only family owner since 1964. So no corporate shenanigans or manipulations, a good solid track record for the owners who are now the industry leaders on many fronts.

    The 1986 48 is well regarded for its era, faster than a Bertram or Hatteras, not as fast as an Ocean but better quality and should be a good fit for your price bracket and needs.

    A plus to have recent rebuilds and fresh water is kinder to wear and tear than saltwater.
  3. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2017
    Messages:
    1,149
    Location:
    Florida
    Always liked those 2 stateroom Viking 48's. Had an 89 Viking 45 with a similar layout that we liked. If you get to contract, have your hull surveyor thoroughly check the balsa coring above the waterline for moisture. Especially where there are any penetrations, transom, hatches, doors, tackle cabinets, and the sides below the ss rub rail. We had coring repaired at the transom and tackle cabinets. We ran ours from NW FL to the Bahamas, Keys, and fished in the GOM 100 nm offshore without any issues. Not a great ride in a head sea. Nice boats, can be noisy from wave slap sleeping in the bow, good to have a sleeper sofa for those nights. That boat should be better than average being a freshwater boat up North. You can still get support from Viking too.
  4. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,776
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay & S.Jersey
    Nice boat. Do the 8V92s have a longer lifespan between majors than the 6V92 ?
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Nothing bad to say about any of your choices. The Berts and Hats are slower cause they're tanks, but I don't see you battling through 20' seas on Georgian Bay (beautiful btw and nice people all along it). Welcome to YF.
  6. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2008
    Messages:
    1,162
    Location:
    Windsor On. Canada
    You can't go wrong with this boat, as stated earlier, check balsa core in area's mentioned. That boat will not have left the area all it's life.
    The price is very good, fresh rebuilds, what's not to love.
    Oh and I own an 87 Viking.
  7. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Quality of build is very good. Check as others mentioned. I worked on another Viking SF and replaced all of the deck hatches, all of the Balsa was sealed extremely well with epoxy. Boat is a bit wet and pounds a bit in a head sea, but a good boat. It almost seems to be too cheap with fresh rebuilds.
  8. 993RSR

    993RSR Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2004
    Messages:
    495
    Location:
    Annapolis/ Palm Harbor
    2 things
    pressure test those 35 year old aluminum fuel tanks. (don't think fiberglass came to Viking tanks yet)
    the dry turbos started many fires in 86 and 87. 88 had wet turbs.
    the turbos are very close to the saloon floor
  9. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2008
    Messages:
    1,162
    Location:
    Windsor On. Canada
    It'll have Fiberglass tanks at this year.
    As per the turbo's , they are so close to the floor that if you don't have proper heat blankets you will char the underside of the saloon floor.
    Ask me how I know.
  10. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
    One thing that comes to mind on a Viking of this vintage; it may have a solid glass hull. If so, put that in the plus column.
  11. RER

    RER Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,532
    Location:
    Newport Beach CA
    Below the waterline is solid fiberglass lay up. Hull sides above the waterline are cored with end grain balsa.
  12. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    thank you all for this amazing input. Sounds like a solid choice. appreciate the support from this welcoming group! will let you know how I get on
  13. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    great input! thanks for sharing your knowledge
  14. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    good to know. cheers
  15. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    excellent! thank you
  16. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    thanks and thanks for the kind words about us canucks!
  17. Stephen L

    Stephen L New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Messages:
    12
    Location:
    Collingwood Ontario Canada
    good to hear. thx
  18. LM Viking

    LM Viking Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2018
    Messages:
    139
    Location:
    Michigan
    I will join in on the positive comments. We have an 88 Viking that we purchased 2 years ago and love it. We had her out on Lake Michigan last year in what was predicted as 2-4 ft seas that became 4-8 ft before we got to Beaver Island. She was a bit wet but managed those seas well.
    We are constantly getting comments on her when we travel as to how nice she looks.
    Check the fuel and water tanks as ours are fiberglass.
    Hope this one works out for you.
    We bought our boat locally in Northern Michigan and Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales was the brokerage company. From our experience they are a good company to deal with and have resources to facilitate the deal. They have been around for a long time now.

    Good luck in your search.
  19. LM Viking

    LM Viking Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2018
    Messages:
    139
    Location:
    Michigan
    As I was thinking about this it did occur to me that you did indicate your boating is in Georgian Bay and are Canadian. A question I then thought about and do not have the answer is how the closure of the
    US-Canada border to non essential travel ( don’t you just love that term? ) would complicate this deal.

    We had plans to travel to the North Channel this year but that did not work out obviously. The closest we got was Drummond Island. May next year.
  20. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2008
    Messages:
    1,162
    Location:
    Windsor On. Canada
    The border won't be an issue, simply have JBYS deliver the boat to a CDN port, Sarnia or Windsor.
    The real challenge is actually seeing / touching it before purchasing.