New Viko 35 for Euro 53,900

[Toutvabien]

This looks like a very sharply priced boat, anybody seen one in the cold light of day?


https://interestingsailboats.blogsp...s-how-is-it-possible-to-cost-45.html?spref=fb

 

[Frogmogman]

That seems astonishingly cheap.

 

[mainsail1]

Some things are too good to be true. I wonder what is on the extras list.

 

[macd]

Some things are too good to be true. I wonder what is on the extras list.

You could ask them, although it might help to speak Polish.
UK & Ireland concessionaire doesn't yet list the 35, although it asks almost £55k for the Viko 30.
Website here: https://www.vikoyachts.co.uk

 

[Spyro]

It does look incredibly cheap.
I'd be worried about build quality but once they have been around for a few years then we will know.
There was a production yacht came out of Poland a few years ago that looked very cheap compared to competitors but I believe there was some major problem with the hulls. I can't remember the name but there was a poster on here had bought one and was having serious problems.

 

[macd]

There was a production yacht came out of Poland a few years ago that looked very cheap compared to competitors but I believe there was some major problem with the hulls. I can't remember the name but there was a poster on here had bought one and was having serious problems.

Maybe this page might help your memory: https://www.profinautic.com/en/manufacturers/boats/?ct=pl

Note sure it's a compliment, but Poland is also a major producer of IKEA furniture...

 

[RichardS]

It does look incredibly cheap.
I'd be worried about build quality but once they have been around for a few years then we will know.
There was a production yacht came out of Poland a few years ago that looked very cheap compared to competitors but I believe there was some major problem with the hulls. I can't remember the name but there was a poster on here had bought one and was having serious problems.

I think that was Joker and possibly a boat built by Delphia in Poland?

Richard

 

[Spyro]

I think that was Joker and possibly a boat built by Delphia in Poland?

Richard

Right person wrong boat. Pretty sure it was a Huzar30 now that I've googled a bit.

 

[mainsail1]

Maybe this page might help your memory: https://www.profinautic.com/en/manufacturers/boats/?ct=pl

Note sure it's a compliment, but Poland is also a major producer of IKEA furniture...

Thanks for the link. Read their brochure etc. Very interesting. If you want a very basic boat with no frills it may be worth a punt although they say nothing about build thicknesses or even the name of the engine manufacturer. IKEA may be the way to describe it but many many people are happy with that. The difference here is your life may depend on the quality of the build.

 

[boatboat]

Price compares favourably with the £210K for a 36ft Hanse in December's Yachting Monthly.

French and German production boats are getting rather expensive.

 

[richardbrennan]

There was a Viko demonstrator in Haslar last summer of about 30 feet, there's still a trailer sailor in the car park. I cannot speak from personal experience, but the general view was that they are basic an lightly built. But what else would you expect for that money.

 

[dunedin]

Price compares favourably with the £210K for a 36ft Hanse in December's Yachting Monthly.

French and German production boats are getting rather expensive.

One would imagine that a very large chunk of a boat cost these days is bought in components - engine incl. saildrive and prop; electronics, depth, wind, plotters, vhf, autopilot; mast, boom, standing rigging, blocks, running rigging; winches; sails; shore power, charger; calorifier, heating; resins, keel metal etc etc.
And as Beneteau, Bavaria etc buy the biggest volumes, presumably they negotiate the lowest unit costs for these bought in components. And they don’t use many build hours per boat due to mass production lines.

So it’s hard to see how any low volume boat builder could undercut the biggies, even with very low hourly labour costs - unless they have significantly under specced the bought in bits?

 

[pvb]

So it’s hard to see how any low volume boat builder could undercut the biggies, even with very low hourly labour costs - unless they have significantly under specced the bought in bits?

Not sure they're a "low volume" builder as such; they apparently build boats under contract for other brands as well as their own. The 35 will no doubt be rather lightly built, and will be a minimum spec, with lots of extra-cost options.

 

[Lucky Duck]

There was a Viko demonstrator in Haslar last summer of about 30 feet, there's still a trailer sailor in the car park. I cannot speak from personal experience, but the general view was that they are basic an lightly built. But what else would you expect for that money.

IIRC it's been for sale for quite some time now

 

[Scotsailor]

I remember my dad, in the late 70s ,saying he didn’t think these new French boats were built to last

 

[mainsail1]

I remember my dad, in the late 70s ,saying he didn’t think these new French boats were built to last

Don't discount what your dad said. Perhaps they only 'last' because they mostly sit in marinas unused for months on end.

 

[Tranona]

Don't discount what your dad said. Perhaps they only 'last' because they mostly sit in marinas unused for months on end.

The ones that do get out and about last well - just ask the charter operators who use them. Boats that do more miles in a year with a different crew each week than many private boats do in a lifetime.

 

[lpdsn]

I cannot speak from personal experience, but the general view was that they are basic an lightly built. But what else would you expect for that money.

It's perfectly possible for a well-designed and well-built boat to be both light and strong. A Pogo is a good example of that. The alternative approach of overcome deficiencies in quality with a large quantity of material, typified by Westerly, was not exactly a success. Of course you'd need details of the design and lay-up to form an opinion on a particular boat and the stories about the Huzar, and similar stories about Polish-built Corbys, would make you cautious.

 

[xyachtdave]

Price compares favourably with the £210K for a 36ft Hanse in December's Yachting Monthly.

French and German production boats are getting rather expensive.

£210K for a 36ft Hanse?!

 

[boatboat]

£210K for a 36ft Hanse?!

Yep. Hanse 388. Hull length 36'1". £210,930 inc VAT.

I think they really sting you on the extras, most of which people will want. AFAIK all the major production yards are similar. Makes me wonder if a British builder could successfully re-enter the 35-45ft market?
Probably not if eastern europeans are making £50K boats..