Seafarer Viking

[mik01]

All,

Does anyone have any experience with the old Seafarer's?
There are a few v-seas around but I am interested in the bigger Viking model (5.2m). According to a Jeff Webster review, it handles basically the same as the vsea (ie good in a following sea).

I'm just not sure whether it is stable enough at rest to be a decent fishing vessel (for me and a couple of mates)?

Any pros and cons of this boat? there is one for sale I have seen at $8500 with a 100hp Mercury. seems in GC but I am yet to inspect.

thoughts anyone?

cheers,
mik

[Noelm]

last time I gave an honest report on my Seafarer Viking I had for a few years I got "toweled" for saying they were not the best boat in the world! so unless you want a truely honest reply, I will not say anything!

[mik01]

I'll take the towelling for you Noel!

hit me with the truth please...

[Noelm]

OK here goes, Flack jacket on, hard hat on, first off let me tell you I owned a viking for a few years and went everywhere in it, BUT! the anchor hatch is useless, far too small, and if you are pulling the anchor in a chop, expect to get wet, the anchor storage/well is microscopic, might get a metre of string in there, the hole that drains it is right in the centre of the bow, and if you do a bit of a nose bury at a bit of speed, it will shoot a jet of water right at your crotch, I blocked mine up after the first month, now does it have those silly fold up seats? if yes, do NOT sit on them when under way, and if not in the "sit" position they will drive you nuts banging on the side with every movement of the boat, next the dash area is not really big enough to hold any electronics, the interior is very bare and lacking any "comforts" (but remember how old they are) when you travel side onto any wind, it will "smack" down on one side, they say trim tabs will fix it, but it is a 17' boat, who wants trim tabs? even though I say all this, there is a zillion of them around, and I guess half their owners will give me a raost very soon, but what I said is completely true, there is a few other "features" that I did not like either, but they are to do with being anchored and so on!

[Noelm]

I just read the first question, on stabilty, they are OK, not fantastic, but remember you are talking about a 17' boat here, there is better but I am sure there would be worse too, just remembered another "feature" the front "step" drains under the floor storage out to a sort of well and the stern, I have lost count of the number of Slimies and yellowtail that have been dropped and zipped up that drain and got stuck there untill they rotted away, peeyeeww what a smell, I made a special hook thingy out of a treble taped to an old rod blank that I used to stick up there from through the bung hole and "jag" them back out (sometimes)

[mako101]

I have a v sea and have been looking at getting a viking, due to being a little bigger and I guess sturdier and the transom height is better.
I am undecided and may keep my v sea reasons being, smaller motor cheaper on juice, very easy to launch solo, smaller car to tow = less petrol.
I`d say if a Viking is $8500K be careful this is cheap.
Check floor and transom for cracks etc.
How old is the motor?. etc etc but for the money you probably will get a much better vsea, in fact a beauty!, and if that is the choice I`d go the v sea.
If I had no real budget I`d get a viking for around 15K for the one I want.

[mik01]

cheers guys.
actually the viking is gone so must have sold already!! was only on trading post for 2 days. couldn't have been that bad I guess - pity it was 3hr drive away from me otherwise I might have had a chance to see it and buy.

oh well - the search continues... :(
there is a seafarer vetura (1974 hull) 4 sale with a late model outboard but the age of the hull worries me (due to rot).

[mako101]

Mine is a 1980, never had floor or transom replaced and it is fine, no visible cracks or flex.
I give my boat a real hammering, one of my fav pastimes is to get airborne!, and it seems to just want more.
Can`t go past the fact that just about every time at the ramp someone will comment on how great the v seas were and still are!.
Can`t comment on Venturers but 74 is old all right, I think they might be a bit more difficult to sell than v seas/vikings.

[capt]

MIK ,
that was a good price for that rig , however that's sight unseen!

the early models had a 20in transom and a 25in the latter being better.there was a 5.2 and I think a 5.3. Im not sure what NOELM had , but the new shape , after 96....97 are the go........ strong and stable.

Our long time family glass boat is for sale and will post next week. It's a 16ft deHavilland 'Seafury" an awesome sea boat...... about $4500 .........no donk.

Cheers Jimmy