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Meet the Viking Yacht Beast: Viking’s 62

Viking Yacht's 62 Convertible can chase down the biggest fish and will have you smiling the whole time
Viking 62
Viking 62 .
Viking 62
Viking 62 .
Viking 62 tower
If you can’t spot a marlin from the top of the Viking 62’s tower (opposite), get glasses. Her top speed: 42.2 knots. .
Viking 62 cockpit
The 62, angler-friendly features start with a 172-square-foot, teak-covered cockpit. .
Viking 62 galley
Stowage is key for the traveling fishing team, and the 62 offers plenty under those Ultraleather seats. When you lift the cushion, the entire backrest rises with it on a strut, revealing cavernous room for spare reels, extra clothes, tackle, parts and stores. This island galley arrangement helps make for uninterrupted flow from the salon door entrance through to the companionway leading belowdecks. .
Viking 62 cabin
Viking 62 cabin .
Viking 62 head
Viking 62 head .

Our drone ran hard toward the [Viking 62 Convertible][] . As it captured video of our sea trial, its blades whirred and spun at a blistering pace over the azure waters of Miami Beach. The flying video camera struggled mightily as the big sport-fisherman came up on plane and her twin 1,925-horsepower Caterpillar C32A diesel turbos spooled up. It wasn’t long before Yachting’s managing editor, Jake Lamb, had to retrieve the drone so we could really see what this blue-water beast could do (and so that our mini helicopter didn’t drop into the drink).

The single-lever controls hit the pins, and my eyes widened as I watched our Viking yacht’s speed climb in quantum-leap fashion: 20 knots, 30 knots and an average top hop of 42.2 knots. She impressed me with that last speed while her motors ran at 2,300 rpm, which is the precise top-end rating for these diesels, indicating a near-perfect combination of power, running gear and design. At this speed, her big Cats gulped about 190 gallons of diesel per hour. The 62’s comfortable cruise speed averaged 36.9 knots with the Cats spinning at 2,000 rpm and consuming 156 gph. Suffice it to say, if you’re a hard-core tournament angler, many boats will be left wallowing in your wake when the Bimini start gun goes off.

Her fine entry sliced the sea, which had about a 6-foot groundswell, and water never made it up and over her nearly 8 feet of forward freeboard or her flush foredeck. This battlewagon’s running attitude remained relatively fl at too, thanks to a hull form with more convex shape than past models, particularly in the forward third of the hull. Additionally, the builder has steadily increased aft deadrise in its yachts, including this 62.

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THE SINGLE-LEVER CONTROLS HIT THE PINS, AND MY EYES WIDENED AS I WATCHED OUR VESSEL’S SPEED CLIMB IN QUANTUM-LEAP FASHION.”

Big iron in her belly contributes to her speedy nature, and so does a build that ensures she is constructed with relatively light weight (94,025 pounds with a full load) and extreme strength. Viking Yachts have built cored-hull sport- fishing boats for years, and this 62 is no exception. She features a balsa-core, resin-infused fiberglass hull reinforced with Kevlar and carbon fiber, enhancing strength without added weight. She feels solid underfoot and is ready to take on the most ornery of seas. Doors and cabinets are built with honeycomb coring, further enhancing the vessel’s relatively lightweight nature.

Viking 62 helm
From the Release teak helm chairs to the single-lever throttles with thruster controls, the Viking 62’s helm inspires confidence. Overhead Miya Epoch teaser reels? Check. Furuno black-box setup? You bet. Great view? But of course. .

This 51-years-and-going-strong company also creates yachts born to chase fish, and with the 62, angler-friendly features start with a 172-squarefoot, teak-covered cockpit. A standard mezzanine with comfy Ultraleather seating offers a great place to watch baits in the shade, and underneath is stowage for a tournament’s worth of mullet, ballyhoo and Spanish mackerel. For livebait aficionados, there are two quick-connect setups in the aft corners atop the cockpit scuppers that are plumbed to run on-deck livewells. That is, if the two in-deck boxes and transom box aren’t enough to deal with your goggle-eyes and pilchards. And when the bite is red-hot and you’re burning through baits, it’s good to know you have options. Rod stowage is plentiful here too, including room for 20-plus outfits between the gunwale, tower and rocket launcher rod holders.

Rudy Dalinger
Consistency is the key to success. Viking’s Rudy Dalinger drives that point home. He’s been building boats with the company for 51 years. (The builder has a history of strong employee retention.) Starting as a finish carpenter, he moved up to carpentry supervisor, production manager and R&D, and he is currently new-product development manager. He’s experienced every high and low the industry has seen. Dalinger says he loves the challenge of building a better boat every day, and he has no plans to retire. .

As built-for-battle as this sport-fishing yacht is, Viking also pays attention to the comfort equation, which is obvious the moment you step through the salon door. Our test 62 has a cushy carpet to relax the dogs after a long stand-up fish fight, while the Ultraleather sofas beckon for a nap when the day is done or the bite tails of . The island galley table, which has a dorsal-fin shape and granite countertop, has two stools that make it a great spot to grab lunch on the fly, or breakfast and coffee before lines are in the water. The galley’s Amtico walnut sole warms the space and makes for easy cleanup.

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Depending on the size of your crew, the Viking 62 can be outfitted with three or four staterooms. My test vessel had the four-room setup with an athwartship master stateroom to port, island queen-berth VIP forward and two bunk-equipped guest staterooms to starboard. In the three-stateroom arrangement, the master flips to the starboard side, one stateroom goes to the port side, and one is eliminated. The forepeak can be equipped with crossover berths too.

The Viking 62 Convertible isn’t a boat for everyone. She’s for those who can appreciate a pure bred sport-fisherman. Wherever the fish are, she can get to them quickly and in luxe comfort. But when she runs, keep an eye on your drone.

Specifications Builder Supplied Numbers
LOA 63 ft. 1 in. (19.20 m)
Beam 18 ft. 11 in. (5.8 m)
Draft 5 ft. 2 in. (1.6 m)
Gross Weight 94,025 lbs. (42,649 kg)
Fuel Capacity 1,800 gals. (6,813 l)
Water Capacity 310 gals. (1,173 l)
Cockpit Area 172 sq. ft. (16.0 sq. m)
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