|
Because
even the best systems and components need regular inspection and occasional
care, serviceability is one of the key priorities in the 48’s design.
For example, all wiring harnesses are installed with service loops, and
every wire is labeled—not just at the ends, but also at intervals
along its length—with an identifying code imprinted on the insulation.
Pull-up panels in the sole of the lower deck allow access to the holding
tank, macerator pump, shower sump pumps, and overboard discharge lines.
Each access space is finished with a smooth coat of white polyurethane,
so problems can be spotted quickly and cleanup will be easier. Forward,
beneath the master stateroom, there is an especially large compartment
that houses just the freshwater system manifold and pickups for a bilge
pump and high-water alarm. Given the location of this underutilized volume,
I think it’s likely most owners will use it for stowing extra gear
or stores, but such items could easily topple onto the bilge pickups,
rendering them ineffective. In creating such a tempting stowage space,
Viking should add a simple guard to shelter the pickups.
Redundancy
is another aspect that Viking takes seriously in the 48 Convertible. Both
battery chargers are wired with crossovers so that either bank of batteries
(or both banks) can be charged off of either charger. Engine-room lights
operate on either 24-volt DC or 110-volt AC, so if one system fails the
other will come on automatically. Backing up the 24-volt blowers in the
engine room are 110-volt axial fans that are thermostatically controlled
to ensure adequate ventilation and combustion air.
Access
and serviceability in the engine room are as good as they are elsewhere
on the 48, despite the twin 860-hp MAN diesels that reside there. Oil
and fuel filters, Racors, and engine oil dipsticks are all accessible
from the centerline, and there is space to reach all four sides of both
engines if need be, including a clear area nearly three feet wide across
the forward bulkhead. And thanks to the composite sole in the saloon above,
there’s only one deck support in the engine space, making it that
much easier to move around.
However,
perhaps the most important part of any sportfisherman is the cockpit,
and in that regard the 48 is as capable as they come. Along the forward
bulkhead there’s a 30-inch-deep freezer alongside a tackle cabinet
and bait-prep station. There’s a six-foot fishbox on centerline,
with two more wells alongside. Aft there’s a 16"x25" hatch
providing access to the lazarette and steering gear. It’s a decent
size, and it opens easily enough, but I’d like to see Viking add
either a gas assist or a latching mechanism so the hatch would stay open
after it’s raised. It would be painful coming down on an errant
finger or toe.
Time
and tide limited our sea trial to the sheltered waters at the mouth of
the Bass River that runs alongside the plant, but putting the 48 through
a series of high-speed turns and backing down maneuvers I found her to
handle nicely. Even while backing hard astern, she took no water into
the cockpit and exhibited no cavitation or vibration. She did, however,
have impressive performance, topping out at better than 40 mph and maintaining
a nearly constant trim angle of about five degrees throughout the full
speed range.
The
Palm Beach-style helm was fitted with smooth-acting Glendinning electronic
single-lever controls that left me feeling in complete command of the
MAN diesels, while the Teleflex power-assisted hydraulic steering made
it simple to thread the twisting turns of the lower Bass River. A full
suite of electronics would later be installed by the dealer; a job that
will be considerably eased by virtue of the voluminous space beneath the
instrument panel, accessed via a hatch alongside the helm.
A couple
of weeks later, other business brought me back to Viking for a tour of
its newly expanded facility, about 550,000 square feet. It was impressive
watching the hand lay-up of the balsa-cored hulls and installation of
stringers, transverse frames, and steel I-beam engine beds. Substantial
investment in computer-controlled production equipment helps Viking build
each boat to exacting specifications, proof that here the pursuit of perfection
isn’t just skin deep but goes right to the core.
Viking
Yachts Phone: (609) 296-6000. Fax: (609) 296-3956. www.vikingyachts.com.
George
L. Petrie is a professor of naval architecture at Webb Institute and provides
maritime consulting services. His Web site is www.maritimeanalysis.com.
Next page >
Viking 48C Specs > Page 1,
2, 3, 4, 5,
6
|