New Viko 35 for Euro 53,900

[snooks]

Exactly right. To put this bargain basement boat into perspective, in 2015 the Bavaria Easy 9.9 (which was a basic 33) had an ex factory price of under 55k euros - much the same as this new boat and my 33 was just over 70k euros which translated into £56k ex works. Delivery and commissioning were £7500, extras came to £18k so with VAT the total cost was just shy of £100k.

Incidentally the Easy version failed to attract buyers and only lasted for 2 seasons. None of the "budget" boats from any builder have been a success. New boat buyers seem to want well equipped boats and if they can't afford a new boat to the standard they want then plenty of good used boats within their budget.

The 9.9 Easy didn't sell many boats at all IIRC, most to a eastern med charter company. What it did do was get people interested in Bavaria, and help boost sales the Cruiser 32/33/34 which was the same hull.

 

[snooks]

And volume of sales. I was told by a designer who worked on part of one 39 footer that the tooling (i.e. the moulds etc.) cost over a million. The more boats that is spread across the less it affects the cost.

Volume of sales isn't saving the mfg money though :0)

The cost of tooling costs the same whether you build ten boats or 200. However larger companies with many models can probably negotiate better deals from the plug builders that a small company, but that's more related to bulk buying.

Of course if you can offset the tooling costs over 200 boats it becomes cheaper for the buyer, but that isn't saving the company money.

 

[roblpm]

Volume of sales isn't saving the mfg money though :0)

The cost of tooling costs the same whether you build ten boats or 200. However larger companies with many models can probably negotiate better deals from the plug builders that a small company, but that's more related to bulk buying.

Of course if you can offset the tooling costs over 200 boats it becomes cheaper for the buyer, but that isn't saving the company money.

Are you going to test this thing? And would be great to comment on whether it is going to kill you? Rather than the obvious fact that the interior is going to be cheap.

 

[roblpm]

Are you going to test this thing? And would be great to comment on whether it is going to kill you? Rather than the obvious fact that the interior is going to be cheap.

And on that note I see that the Viko 21 test in PBO actually included GZ curve which doesn't seem to be the case these days.

 

[Tranona]

The 9.9 Easy didn't sell many boats at all IIRC, most to a eastern med charter company. What it did do was get people interested in Bavaria, and help boost sales the Cruiser 32/33/34 which was the same hull.

That is right. I initially looked at an Easy but when you are used to fully fitted out boats it is a bit of a shock when you see what basic means. The actual finish was quite good but when I saw it against the 33 and priced up all the extras the gap in price shrank. Suspect the few that were sold in UK had big discounts.

Anyway, as you say it was useful to get potential buyers interested in the range. Not sure serious buyers look at the base price but make comparisons according to the desired spec. That is how we did it with a file on each of the 4 boats on the short list with a calculation for each to roughly the same spec - not always easy as equipment packages vary. However, calculated list price is only the starting point. In our case we were looking to part exchange if possible, so the only thing that matters in the end is the price to change - that is how much is it going to cost to have the new boat rather than the old.

 

[Whitelighter]

Weren't Poncin Harmony the last brand to try punting out really cheap basic spec yachts?

 

[doug748]

Sorry, deleted it - added nothing!

 

[Tranona]

Weren't Poncin Harmony the last brand to try punting out really cheap basic spec yachts?

They were one, and did not last long. Since then Hanse have tried with Varianta and Bavaria with Easy (but just one model). Varianta now has only one model the 37 based on an old Hanse hull and does not seem to be actively promoted (at least in UK).

Beneteau have tried a new tack with the Oceanis 35 and 38 offering a low cost stripped out "day sailor" version, perhaps to appeal to the charter market.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Incidentally the Easy version failed to attract buyers and only lasted for 2 seasons. None of the "budget" boats from any builder have been a success. New boat buyers seem to want well equipped boats and if they can't afford a new boat to the standard they want then plenty of good used boats within their budget.

Any idea how the Varianta 44 (and 37) are doing? It's a while since they came out and they are still listed, but I haven't found anything to suggest sales figures.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Of course if you can offset the tooling costs over 200 boats it becomes cheaper for the buyer, but that isn't saving the company money.

It saves the company money per boat, though, just as he said.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Varianta now has only one model the 37 ...

<polite cough>

https://www.yachts.group/varianta/gb/boats/varianta-44.html

 

[Tranona]

<polite cough>

https://www.yachts.group/varianta/gb/boats/varianta-44.html

You are right. When I went on the site it came up with only the 37 (and all in a different colour!)

Anyway, inspiration who are Hanse dealers never mention them and I don't think any have been sold in the UK, although one was tested by YM when they first came out.

Will try to remember to ask them next time i am down at Hamble Point.

 

[Whitelighter]

Well im off to boot so Ill go have a look at the Viko and report back

 

[Heckler]

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

French and German production boats are getting rather expensive.

I remember starting this game, 2000 ish SIBS, the row with Bav, Ben, Jen all competing, boat show deal, £79k for a 36 ftr.
Stu

 

[[165264]]

"CE Category - A/B"



So possibly more at home on a Polish lake or the Solent.

The Solent IS a Polish lake now.

 

[Koeketiene]

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

The Dutch yachting magazine Zeilen (Sailing - the Dutch equivalant of YM) posted a review on Youtube

Their conclusion

Conclusion:
The Viko S 35 is a strange boat. He sails nicely, sits well and feels safe, despite the minimal tension on the rig. Some things are thick in it
okay, but so many more things are just plain bad. There is nothing wrong with the hull design, but the implementation and finish of the various parts on board is so variable that much remains to be done before you can speak of a new boat. We are curious to see what the HISWA 2019 copy should have looked like, if at all
was not good enough for a sailing test.
There are countless improvements: the larger stainless steel work is excellent, but the hinges and locks are below par, as is the aluminum groove in the boom. It
Polyester work is fine, but the overlap of the glass tape on the bulkheads is moderately dimensioned and a strange bite has been sawn from one of the rafters for the keel bolts. In addition, the wall and
sofa upholstery very neat, but the shape of the back of the salon benches is very uncomfortable. The panels are neatly finished but the mounting is moderate. In addition, the electrics are amateurish. And so on, and so on. With such a cheap boat, there is a tendency to take many of the shortcomings for granted, because the price is so low. However, with the Viko S 35, many things are so substandard that this is no excuse. Moreover, with decent equipment you still lose almost 40,000 euros more and the pain points are still not resolved. You can best see this boat as "young used" - second hand. Expect
if you want a new boat for that money, then know: if it seems too good to be true, it is.

 

[Jim@sea]

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

Mast. Steering Wheel. Winches, Sails. Windows. Lights. Cleats. etc.