Viking has introduced the second generation of its 70 Convertible. A 21.59-metre (70 ft 10 in) boat with four staterooms and five heads, she is an offshore tournament sportfisher that the yard calls a "Bluewater Battlewagon". The first open-bridge boat, fitted with a Palm Beach Towers tuna tower, is on show at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The model is also offered as an Enclosed Bridge or a Sky Bridge.
Viking has a long record at this size, having delivered 220 yachts between 68 and 72 feet, and the new 70 draws on the design language of its 74, 82 and 90. She was developed by the same core group from Design and Engineering, R&D and Production that has worked on Viking's recent models. Pat Healey, the yard's President and CEO, says the team has designed more than 80 models over three decades.
Hull and ride
Design Manager David Wilson says the team re-examined the hull and every running surface, starting with a clean sheet and studying the previous model in this size range to see how it could be bettered. The planing hull follows the length-to-beam progression of the 74, 82 and 90, with the aim of running efficiently and cleanly while still giving a spacious interior.
The new hull is three inches narrower than the second-generation 68, which the yard says improves the ride. Deadrise, chine placement and the shape of the strakes have also been revised for a softer, drier and more efficient ride. According to Wilson, the team made a great many small adjustments throughout the boat, each a fraction of an inch, to improve performance without giving up living space.
Cockpit and flybridge
The cockpit has been lengthened to give the crew more room to work during a fight. Rather than being added later, the extra length was built into the hull and machinery layout from the start, which keeps running attitude, trim and sightlines in balance. Wilson points out that lengthening a cockpit is about more than adding space: every change to weight, structure and geometry affects how the boat runs, so the design has to be balanced as a whole from the keel up.
On the flybridge, visibility aft is a priority. The overhang has been reshaped and the helm console moved. The centre console has flush-mounted electronics displays, with controls and switches placed for easy reach and clear sightlines, and three helm chairs sit at the console. Forward there is a lounge with storage beneath (a freezer is optional), and to port and starboard two lounges share backrests, one facing forward and one aft. A sink and freezer are built into the forward brow. The boat is engineered for a tuna tower, outriggers and omni sonar.
Saloon, galley and cabins
Step in from the cockpit and there is a dayhead immediately to starboard, which the yard says owners value on long days offshore. Further forward are the electrical panel, bottle storage and a pop-up HDTV. The saloon has an L-shaped settee to port with a walnut table, a raised dinette to starboard with rod storage below, and the galley.
The galley comes in two versions. In the peninsula layout, the counter extends to port with two bar stools and forms an end table between the galley and the L-shaped settee. The island layout has three bar stools and leaves the saloon more open. Cabinetry, staterooms, headliners and mouldings are built in The Mill, Viking's own woodworking shop, and horizontal-grain walnut is the defining material.
The lower deck holds a large master stateroom, a forward VIP and guest staterooms. The crew stateroom aft has its own access to the engine room, an arrangement that suits long passages and tournament use.
Engine room and systems
Two engine options are available: the 2,200 hp MAN V12X 2200 and the 2,222 hp MTU 12V2000 M96Z. Viking has not published speeds, but says its performance targets are set by the latest Viking 68 demonstrator, which reached about 43 knots on twin 2,200 hp MANs with flow-aligned rudders and struts. Together with propeller pockets and electronic power steering, this running gear makes up what Viking calls its Advanced Propulsion System.
The engine room houses a Spot Zero Double Pass watermaker and purification system, an ElectroSea raw-water treatment system, and ventilation and fire-suppression systems. Components are laid out for easy access during maintenance, and the space is finished in Snow White Awlgrip to improve visibility.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length overall | 21.59 m (70 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 5.77 m (18 ft 11 in) |
| Draught | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Displacement | 53,751 kg (118,500 lb), standard fuel load |
| Hull | Planing |
| Engines | 2 × MAN V12X 2200 (2,200 hp) or 2 × MTU 12V2000 M96Z (2,222 hp) |
| Fuel | 7,673 litres (2,027 US gal); optional 9,577 litres (2,530 US gal) |
| Water | 1,306 litres (345 US gal) |
| Accommodation | 4 staterooms, 5 heads; master, VIP and guest staterooms |
| Crew | 1 stateroom aft with private engine-room access |
| Flybridge | Open; Enclosed Bridge and Sky Bridge versions available |
| Design | Viking Design and Engineering team (Design Manager David Wilson) |
The yard has not yet published speed or range figures.
Who is she for?
The 70 Convertible is built first and foremost for owners who fish seriously offshore and compete in tournaments. The longer cockpit, the clear view aft from the flybridge and the provision for a tuna tower and outriggers are all designed around that use. Four staterooms, a walnut saloon and a choice of two galley layouts also make her suitable for longer family cruising when the rods are put away. The crew stateroom aft makes it easier to run her with a captain or a small crew. Twin high-output engines bring fuel, maintenance and berthing costs that should be weighed alongside the purchase; once speed and range figures are released, our broker can help you compare her with the alternatives.
In brief
- Viking's second-generation 70 Convertible is on show at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, with the first open-bridge boat fitted with a tuna tower.
- The hull is all new: three inches narrower than the second-generation 68, with revised deadrise, chines and strakes.
- The cockpit is longer, with the extra length built into the hull and machinery layout from the start.
- Four staterooms and five heads, with a crew stateroom aft that has its own engine-room access.
- A choice of 2,200 hp MAN or 2,222 hp MTU engines.
