Hatteras Vs Viking

[Looking to buy]

Hatteras Vs Viking
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Is there a compelling reason why I should want to buy a 45'-48' 1980's or early 90's Hatteras over a Viking. I'm looking at both and am having a hard time deciding which one I like better. Any advise would be appreciated. Speed is important.

[spartonboat1]

I have no frame of reference other that a conversation with a new owner of a new Viking convert of about 60'. He was grousing about how bad the ride was from Detroit to Mackinac Island (over Lake Huron). Ran into 7-8' seas.

I just cannot imagine a rough ride in a Hatt of equivalent size. Open it up and let the waves fly...a Hatt that size has to have some knock down power and I would think the good ride would be a major selling point.

Great Lakes boater...

[jim rosenthal]

I think Vikings are a decent boat and have improved a lot over the years, but they have some disadvantages vs Hatteras:
They don't hold their value as well, I think.
Many of them have MAN engines, because MAN subsidized Viking when they were going through a bad patch, from what I recall. Plenty of headaches with MAN engines.
They are felt to be not as good a sea boat, for what that is worth. I suspect you would get opinions both ways, and vehement ones.
You may have more Hatteras models and larger numbers to look at. They have been in production longer and built far more boats than Viking.
I don't know how well their factory supports their older models. Hard to tell. You would have to ask a Viking owner- one who is not trying to sell you his boat.
As far as looks and interior go, that's a matter of taste. My taste is that Hatteras, which generally builds a more traditional looking boat inside and out, is superior. I think Viking yachts look like Clorox bottles.

[GCombos]

This pertains to the older boats which are the foundations the current models now rely upon:

Last year, despite my best advices, my brother purchased a '86 41 Viking convertible.
Overall, I found it to be a pretty darned good boat.

The biggest advantages he found (and I agreed with) were pricing and interior layout. For the amount he budgeted to spend, he could own a newer & slightly larger Viking. Also, the Viking interior was laid out much better than the Hatt, at least in comparison to the mid '70's Hatt's. I was impressed by the Yankee ingenuity that gives the Viking so dog-gonned much interior space. The wood work is fine with top shelf hardware. Also, the wiring is top notch laid out very well & with lots of looms throughout.

On the flip side, he was surprised to see that my 36' had not one, but 2 shaft struts per side, where his shafts are carried by only one per side. Also, after the purchase, he discovered some pretty severe wood delam in the lazarrette area that the surveyor missed. I also found weathered painted wood below deck in other areas. Although these weren't superstructure components, they were in need of redoing to prevent rot from occurring. From my experience, this isn't an issue in the older Hatteras'.

Also, although Viking Yachts will still take his calls (unlike Bertram), they don't have anywhere near the interest or customer service support in place to run with Hatteras.

There were other interesting comparisons as well, but these were the biggies.

[saltshaker36]

I have a 1974 46 Hatt and a friend of mine has a 1989 48 Viking. The Viking is faster,26kt cruise vs 22kt cruise roomier, much bigger engine room and a knock out interior. When the seas pick up, the Viking has to slow down, The Hatt just keeps on going. When you start to look at the way the 2 boats are made, the Hatt wins hands down. I was on my friends boat today trying to help him figure out how to fix all the rotted stringers in the boat. Every stringer was cored with plywood and covered in about1/8" of glass. When Viking cut the limber holes through the stringers and bulkheads, they failed to glass them over thus every place he could check had significant rot. We asked another 48 Viking owner if he had any similar problems and he said that was an issue when he bought his a few years ago! A couple of years ago I spoke to someone with a Viking who had an engine drop while under way because of a bad engine stringer. I thought that was unusual for a Viking but now I'm not so sure.
The newer Vikings are exceptional boats and I always thought the mid to late 80's boats were good too. After what I saw on that 48, I would be hard pressed to equate a Viking with a Hatteras.

Jack

[spartonboat1]

Guess I take for granted my foam cored, fiberglassed over stringers on my old Hatt (1972).

I remember looking at a 70's Bertram and when I stuck my head in the engine room, I remember thinking, gee, wood stringers just like my antique 1953 40' Chris Craft...yes, they looked identical to my old Chris.

P.s., did Viking change the stringers when they went to the "steel girder" engine beds?

Oh, Man, Labor Day is here...where did the Summer go?

[saltshaker36]

As far as I know all fiberglass Vikings have the steel engine beds. The 48 is an 89 and is loaded with wood, you just can't see it because it is in the stringers and bulkheads. I just talked to a friend with a 87 41' Viking and he said his stringers are also wood and had to work on the ones under the water tank. As far as customer support, my friend with the 48 has gotten very little help or interrest from Viking. Really changes my opinion of Viking.

Jack