Viking 72 Convertible
by Viking Yachts 30 Jun 2022 04:44 NZST
In last Friday's Viking View, we highlighted two Viking 72s that did extremely well in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament - Mercenaria won the Fabulous Fisherman award for first blue marlin caught over 500 pounds - and that 572.6-pound fish also won the blue marlin category.
Meanwhile, Safari captured the Top Release Boat in the Sonar category. Their success is testament to the incredible design, performance, fishability and accommodations of our 72. July's Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship is the next stop on the tournament trail for a growing number of Vikings, including our Viking 80 demo and the Nardo Grey 72 Whirlwind, looking fantastic with her custom Palm Beach Towers (PBT) tuna tower.
Aesthetically, Whirlwind is a joy to behold, featuring a teak cockpit and mezzanine, along with a faux teak transom, aft bulkhead and mezzanine seating and tackle cabinet.
For the PBT hardtop, standing platform and tower sunshade, they chose Nardo Grey (with a satin finish) to match the hull color and enhance visibility. As part of the custom Atlantic Marine Electronics installation, the center console holds a trio of 17-inch Garmin Multi-function Displays (MFDs), while an electrically actuated dropdown box in the hardtop is home to a 12-inch Garmin MFD and steering, autopilot and trim tab system controls and monitors. Plus, there's a second 12-inch Garmin MFD in the custom teaser reel box (which holds two pairs of 24-volt electric reels: one teaser set and one dredge set). Under the Release Marine teak helm pod, the Simrad SY50 omnidirectional sonar's controller (which is removable with slack cable) is installed in a convenient flip-out drawer.
A look aft shows the extensive lounge seating on the flybridge, which features optional air conditioning, ample walkaround space and a huge freezer on centerline forward. Note the clean and flush installations of the dropdown electronics and teaser reel boxes in their closed positions.
The spacious salon and accommodations showcase a walnut interior with a satin finish and attractive walnut headliner strips. The layout's open galley configuration maximizes ease of movement and features bar stools boasting bold black upholstery with Bentley stitching.
Twin (2635MHP) MTU 16V2000 M96L diesels power Whirlwind. "I love the speed and the overall performance," says Captain Bobby Memmen, who was closely involved in the build process. "The ride is incredible; we've already been in some sporty conditions and the boat has been amazing. We're excited about the fishability and having the opportunity to set up this boat the way we wanted to give us the best chance to win at some of these tournaments."
Whirlwind is equipped with a host of optional components and accessories that optimize her mission as a world-traveling sportfisher, including a fuel transfer system port for the addition of auxiliary fuel bladder tanks, the ElectroSea CLEARLINE System (which works with the Centralized Seawater System), an Octoplex display by the door to the crew stateroom, two Eskimo ice machines (with discharges into the starboard mezzanine box and into a cockpit sole fishbox) and removable tuna tubes in the transom fishbox. After the Bermuda Triple Crown, this 72 will finish its summer in Nantucket going for bluefin tuna and marlin in the Northeast Canyons. And then it's back down to Florida before heading off to the Dominican Republic. The plan is to run to Isla Mujeres in Mexico in February, then Piñas Bay, Panama. Eventually, they'll get to Costa Rica. A whirlwind of a fishing program, indeed!