NEED INFO ON A 43 VIKING

[fishocean]

I need some info from guys that run and fished on a 43 viking 1997 model. Fuel burn ? Cruise speed? How it handles running and trolling. Any info on Detroits in that year ?Any Info good and bad would be much apprecited! Thank You in Advance for your help!
Bruce

[fishocean]

Oh Boy this isn't good! NOBODY WITH AN OPINION?? I must have psoted on the wrong site! Come on! Opinions are like a$$holes everybody has one!

[Deep C]

I have been running a late 96.. 43 for a few years now... Ours is equipped with 6-92 but in the 625 configuration. Cruise 27.4 at 1960 rpm. We are most definately overwheeled though and not good for the engines. True 625 packages get their ponies by dumping fuel. When all systems are right and flat water we can get our cruise on at as little as 54 gph. The usual in rough water though is closer to 60 gph. Again our numbers may be high cause of the wheels...
She will run through pretty much anything we throw at her and stays stuck to the water. That being said she is wet if I trim her down... One of the wettest...
Fish raising shes a sweet heart. Billfish love her at her high idle of around 650 rpm. At a lower rpm of 530 the sails key in... At lowest idle of 400 we can live bait but she doesn't seem to raise well there...
Know a couple guys that have the 540 packages and their fuel burn is far less (Mid 40s) . They do still raise fish though the cruise comes down into the 24kt area...
Feel free to ask any specific questions as this boat and I are pretty much part of each other...

[fishocean]

Thank you Deepy. I new you would have the answers. All the ad says is 625 hp detroits

[Mike15]

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=76945&url=


If it is this one then I would buy it as thats a steal.....even if it has the old 2 cycle detroits....

You can repower this boat and still come out on top.

[Deep C]

If that is the boat definately splurge on survey. Priced about half of current market for that model... Have seen stranger though... We bought ours for little over half market before everything crashed and now were about at market around 270...
As mentioned though even if shes a dog (like ours was) plenty of jingle left on the table to make her right... We are considering repower this summer to cat c-12 or cummins qsm 11. Newer engines burn 42 gph to get similar performance...

[fishocean]

I have to agree with everybody as long as there is nothing wrong with the boat. Would definatley survey. There sure are alot of deals starting to emerge. this one is a little bigger than I wanted( was thinking 35-38 foot), but for the price I can't really do that. Been looking for awhile. Thank you again for your input!

[seapower]

From what I have seen the really "good"deals are gone, they were bought when the bottom fell out and folk's snatched them up. Not saying that a good boat isn;t available though. I have been looking for 2 years now and just bought one a month and a half ago. My only word of advice would be that you have to see the "bottom' of where your money will go, meaning that you can spend like crazy and still have nothing. Figure on at least double of what you pay to get anything even close to being right and seaworthy. Most boats for sale now are by owners that knew they were going to loose in the boat world, that means that little if any money has been spent on them since the market went south. Someone will have to pay to get it back in shape, thats means you. Be fore warned that a "re-power with a newer manufacture engine is no piece of cake and will be costly. I don't care what anyone tells you, there is no "direct replacement out there. Eveything will change and it all costs money. Will it be worth it in the end? Thats only up to you.Figure everuthing on the high end. All you ever here about is the good jobs, never seem to here about the ones that went way over budget. JMO, Frank

[perfectscore]

From what I have seen the really "good"deals are gone, they were bought when the bottom fell out and folk's snatched them up. Not saying that a good boat isn;t available though. I have been looking for 2 years now and just bought one a month and a half ago. My only word of advice would be that you have to see the "bottom' of where your money will go, meaning that you can spend like crazy and still have nothing. Figure on at least double of what you pay to get anything even close to being right and seaworthy. Most boats for sale now are by owners that knew they were going to loose in the boat world, that means that little if any money has been spent on them since the market went south. Someone will have to pay to get it back in shape, thats means you. Be fore warned that a "re-power with a newer manufacture engine is no piece of cake and will be costly. I don't care what anyone tells you, there is no "direct replacement out there. Eveything will change and it all costs money. Will it be worth it in the end? Thats only up to you.Figure everuthing on the high end. All you ever here about is the good jobs, never seem to here about the ones that went way over budget. JMO, Frank

that is some sweet advice right there, thank you

[dirtyj]

Thank you Deepy. I new you would have the answers. All the ad says is 625 hp detroits

I had a 97 43 flybridge and the boat was decent but the engines were horrible (625hp DDEC). J&T put 5 engines in the boat (2 original, 2 new ones after 350 hrs, 1 more @104 hrs) and I got away from it as fast as I could after the final blow up.

Boat is wet (Viking) but rides fairly well. I would avoid those engines unless you intend on staying at idle.