Deefor
Well-Known Member
Having been encouraged by a few members in jfm's long running thread, here's a few pics on our Viking 20 in build and a short story of how we got to where we are today.
Started out on a used Fairline Mirage aft cabin and within two years had progressed to a used Fairline 40. Had the 40 for another two years and then sold her/it due to personal financial reasons. From April 2006 to July 2011 we were boatless but as funds now permitted, my wife said "let's get another boat". Along came a Mayland Maestro on a trailer (no more mooring fees for me thank you) which we were all prepared to continue using this year.
I came in from work one night and wife was looking at a used 6 month old Viking 215. "This would suit us and no more "camping" on the rivers". It had all the things we hadn't got on the Mayland - hot water, gas hob/oven/grill, heating shore power and, most importantly, 6' headroom in the cabin and a heads we could shower in. It had everything we wanted in a boat for one or two weeks away - somewhere to relax, sleep, shower cook and drink and something that we intended to keep for a few years. However, the only proviso was that it would need to be trailed behind our current car.
I rang Viking Mouldings and spoke to Wayne Goodwin to ask about the weight of the 215. I got an answer which pleased me but then Wayne asked how much our budget was. "I could build you a new one for not much more than the used one to a similar or better spec". He'd thrown the bait out and we'd bitten. We really didn't need the extended bathing platform of the 215 (more length to trail) so a week later we went to see a Viking 20 at St.Ives, Cambs on March 10th, worked out what we wanted and did the deal, in fact a very, very good deal, with Viking direct. No middle man or dealer, so big savings were made.
We thought we'd covered everything we could possibly wish for on the 10th but, as those of you that have had a new build, ideas and changes keep cropping up. The build (mouldings) actually started around the end of March but by the time we got to see the boat on 5th April, the hull and topsides had been married up that's as far as we've got with the pics.
Between doing the deal and today, we've had numerous conversations with Wayne and sent dozens of e-mails (Viking are 80 miles away) regarding changes, extras and tweaks. Viking have remained patient throughout (or so they tell me) and it's nice to be able to customise a boat to say "it's ours". It may only be 20' but it's our baby and the first (and probably last) new boat we've ever had.
The Viking 20 comes as standard with H&C water, hob/oven/grill, cassette loo and a Mariner 15 on the back. Then we started to add the extras that would make it suitable for our intended cruising, both at the deposit stage and throughout the build - Honda 20 with power tilt, Propex two outlet heating, shore power and ring main, Waeco fridge, choice of upholstery fabric and colour, carpet colour, hull carpet lining colour, cockpit cushion colour, firmer seat/bed foam throughout, canvas canopy with modified openings and s/s hoops in lieu of PVC and ally hoops, 2 x 110ah batteries in lieu of 2 x 85ah, twin horn, bow roller, mid ships cleats, co-pilot seat and pedestal, both cockpit seats to have folding backs, additional shelving in cabin, 19" LCD TV & portable satellite dish, JVC CD/radio and four speakers (2 in cockpit, two in cabin) with aux in for MP3 player, additional under seat cockpit mood lighting, 6 x double satin finish 240v sockets, galley hob and sink moved 12" to left in worktop, stable cockpit door in lieu of one piece door to open inwards, mirror in cabin, cleats on bow to replace fairleads, footrest/storage box in front of co-pilot, second screen wiper, uprated battery isolator switch, Faria tacho and engine hours gauges, 3 x 12 sockets, 2 x stainless/teak bathing platforms either side of OB, s/s hoop around OB to enable stern to mooring, doors underneath v-berths (saves having to dive in from the top under the cushions), choice of colour for hull graphics, sign writing on bow and transom, full Anchor fender package (2" bigger than standard), 4 x 10m Marlow blue Dock lines, U-bolts on transom for lashing to trailer, additional U-bolt on bow, table socket in cockpit, opening window in starboard window assembly over galley (special from Sea glaze), tinted windows all roiund, additional handrails on outside of cockpit, Teleflex "Como" steering wheel.
And I think that's all the bits/changes for now
. The build is now cracking on with the carpenters doing the woodwork as I type.
This build may not be on a grand scale but it goes to show how good British manufacturing, customer service and quality can be at the affordable lower end of the market. OK, the woodwork isn't rosewood and the out of site finish isn't on par with the big UK boat builders. But at the end of the day, it's our boat and it's what we want at this moment in time.
Now some well deserved praise for Viking Mouldings - nothing's been too much trouble, they listen on the phone and understand what the customer wants and have done lots of things at no cost to us. Brilliant service and we'd highly recommend them to anyone wanting a bespoke river cruiser, be it like our 20 footer or any of their range up to 28 feet. Thanks guys
.
Next pics will be on or after 28th April (our next visit) and we're hoping to see a near completed boat.
Thanks for reading and happy boating to you all.
Started out on a used Fairline Mirage aft cabin and within two years had progressed to a used Fairline 40. Had the 40 for another two years and then sold her/it due to personal financial reasons. From April 2006 to July 2011 we were boatless but as funds now permitted, my wife said "let's get another boat". Along came a Mayland Maestro on a trailer (no more mooring fees for me thank you) which we were all prepared to continue using this year.
I came in from work one night and wife was looking at a used 6 month old Viking 215. "This would suit us and no more "camping" on the rivers". It had all the things we hadn't got on the Mayland - hot water, gas hob/oven/grill, heating shore power and, most importantly, 6' headroom in the cabin and a heads we could shower in. It had everything we wanted in a boat for one or two weeks away - somewhere to relax, sleep, shower cook and drink and something that we intended to keep for a few years. However, the only proviso was that it would need to be trailed behind our current car.
I rang Viking Mouldings and spoke to Wayne Goodwin to ask about the weight of the 215. I got an answer which pleased me but then Wayne asked how much our budget was. "I could build you a new one for not much more than the used one to a similar or better spec". He'd thrown the bait out and we'd bitten. We really didn't need the extended bathing platform of the 215 (more length to trail) so a week later we went to see a Viking 20 at St.Ives, Cambs on March 10th, worked out what we wanted and did the deal, in fact a very, very good deal, with Viking direct. No middle man or dealer, so big savings were made.
We thought we'd covered everything we could possibly wish for on the 10th but, as those of you that have had a new build, ideas and changes keep cropping up. The build (mouldings) actually started around the end of March but by the time we got to see the boat on 5th April, the hull and topsides had been married up that's as far as we've got with the pics.
Between doing the deal and today, we've had numerous conversations with Wayne and sent dozens of e-mails (Viking are 80 miles away) regarding changes, extras and tweaks. Viking have remained patient throughout (or so they tell me) and it's nice to be able to customise a boat to say "it's ours". It may only be 20' but it's our baby and the first (and probably last) new boat we've ever had.
The Viking 20 comes as standard with H&C water, hob/oven/grill, cassette loo and a Mariner 15 on the back. Then we started to add the extras that would make it suitable for our intended cruising, both at the deposit stage and throughout the build - Honda 20 with power tilt, Propex two outlet heating, shore power and ring main, Waeco fridge, choice of upholstery fabric and colour, carpet colour, hull carpet lining colour, cockpit cushion colour, firmer seat/bed foam throughout, canvas canopy with modified openings and s/s hoops in lieu of PVC and ally hoops, 2 x 110ah batteries in lieu of 2 x 85ah, twin horn, bow roller, mid ships cleats, co-pilot seat and pedestal, both cockpit seats to have folding backs, additional shelving in cabin, 19" LCD TV & portable satellite dish, JVC CD/radio and four speakers (2 in cockpit, two in cabin) with aux in for MP3 player, additional under seat cockpit mood lighting, 6 x double satin finish 240v sockets, galley hob and sink moved 12" to left in worktop, stable cockpit door in lieu of one piece door to open inwards, mirror in cabin, cleats on bow to replace fairleads, footrest/storage box in front of co-pilot, second screen wiper, uprated battery isolator switch, Faria tacho and engine hours gauges, 3 x 12 sockets, 2 x stainless/teak bathing platforms either side of OB, s/s hoop around OB to enable stern to mooring, doors underneath v-berths (saves having to dive in from the top under the cushions), choice of colour for hull graphics, sign writing on bow and transom, full Anchor fender package (2" bigger than standard), 4 x 10m Marlow blue Dock lines, U-bolts on transom for lashing to trailer, additional U-bolt on bow, table socket in cockpit, opening window in starboard window assembly over galley (special from Sea glaze), tinted windows all roiund, additional handrails on outside of cockpit, Teleflex "Como" steering wheel.
And I think that's all the bits/changes for now
. The build is now cracking on with the carpenters doing the woodwork as I type.This build may not be on a grand scale but it goes to show how good British manufacturing, customer service and quality can be at the affordable lower end of the market. OK, the woodwork isn't rosewood and the out of site finish isn't on par with the big UK boat builders. But at the end of the day, it's our boat and it's what we want at this moment in time.
Now some well deserved praise for Viking Mouldings - nothing's been too much trouble, they listen on the phone and understand what the customer wants and have done lots of things at no cost to us. Brilliant service and we'd highly recommend them to anyone wanting a bespoke river cruiser, be it like our 20 footer or any of their range up to 28 feet. Thanks guys
.Next pics will be on or after 28th April (our next visit) and we're hoping to see a near completed boat.
Thanks for reading and happy boating to you all.
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From the description it sounds hard to believe you can live comfortably on her for any length of time considering its 20'. Look forward to seeing more of the internal work being a trade myself
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