V65 Viking Express

Source: Tom Thompson, Sea Magazine

Beauty Is the Beast

V65 has brawn to back up its good looks

The day we tested the Viking V65 Express Yacht was one of the ugliest days I’ve ever been on the water. Conditions were downright sloppy. There were three-foot swells from a stiff wind — coupled with gray, rainy skies. I would have thought twice about taking my own boat out in this kind of weather. Duty called, however. The V65 was available for testing on that day only. Besides, our hosts from Viking Yachts assured me the ride would be better than I was anticipating.

Was it ever!
As we left the inlet and headed for open water, I braced myself for the bumps. They never really happened. The 65 foot, 2 inch craft flattened the seas in a commanding way, and the 21-degree deadrise deep-V hull put down the chop like it wasn’t even there.

The pair of 1,300 hp MAN diesels moved it along almost as smoothly as if we were on a calm lake. Yes, there were a few minor jostles, but I disregarded them when I saw on my hand-held GPS that we were powering along at 37 knots!

During our test, we reached a top speed of 41 knots at TK rpm and cruised at 32 knots, at TK rpm.

Beautiful Brawn
The Viking V65 Express is an awesome boat – as much from the standpoint of its brawn as its elegance. The beauty that meets the eye masks the beast hidden within.

Viking’s V65 is built by the New Gretna, New Jersey builder’s European partner in Great Britain. Although it has been designed to withstand rigorous cruising in the likes of the treacherous English Channel, it is probably the most Americanized import I’ve seen. The layout is spacious. All of the equipment, appliances and accessories are made in this country. The European-influenced styling doesn’t clash with what’s on the water over here in America.

Our test boat had a fully enclosed cockpit to protect us from the nasty weather, but at the push of a button, it could have brought in the outdoors. The V65’s optional hardtop has a retractable sunroof. It covers a seating area that is almost arena-sized.

There’s an L-shaped lounge to port and a U-shaped lounge to starboard. Take out a removable table and you could host a ballroom dance on the teak-covered deck space between them. A row of four contoured individual seats faces forward, one of which is the driving position.

There’s also a wet bar, an ice-maker and an electric barbecue grill for topside entertaining. Sun worshipers will adore the pair of massive pads abaft the cockpit and the one on the bow.

Pleasant Surprises
The V65 has several surprises hidden away. The first is not one but two “garages” at the stern. They’re big enough to handle a hefty inflatable or PWC. The other garage is found when you lift the aft starboard sunpad to reveal a utility room. There’s space for an optional washer, dryer and freezer, plus some storage at the bottom of the stairs.

The best surprise of all is when you enter the cabin. This is where the elegant side of the V65 shines — literally as well as figuratively. The high gloss of the cherry wood finish sparkles in contrast with the soft, elegant feel of the main saloon. Indirect lighting and muted fabric tones make it a very warm and inviting place.

A wood-topped table is to port, with a comfortable settee wrapped around it. To starboard, there’s a striking, uninterrupted expanse of cherry countertop. The sink, range and other fixtures are hidden away under removable hatches.

No Head Lines
The V65 is available with either two- or three-stateroom layouts. Each has its own head with shower, so there’s no waiting in line. The master is aft and to starboard, with an angled queen-size berth. There’s a walk-in hanging locker, a dressing table and a mirror that slides away to reveal a TV.

The forward stateroom has the same size berth but slightly less floor space. A pair of child-size bunks occupies the third sleeping area, which is to port, opposite the master.

The décor of the main saloon continues through the staterooms. Viking offers three levels of cabin decorating packages on the V65, or you can work with the company’s designers to put together your own custom statement.

Ultimate Options
Standard mechanical features include a 10 hp bow thruster, dripless shaft logs, five-bladed propellers, an anchor windlass, air conditioning and a 20 kw generator. The helm has a full electronics package, including an autopilot, a GPS/chart plotter, a VHF radio, a depth sounder and electronic engine controls with synchronizers. There’s a tilt steering wheel and a twin-beam searchlight, too. All are standard.

As mentioned earlier, the hardtop is an option. A Bimini top is standard.

There’s an aft curtain for the hardtop that completely encloses the seating area under it. This allows you to order another option – air conditioning for the cockpit. What a way to go.

Other options include a Bose home theater system, a leather seating upgrade for the cabin, a pair of Glendinning Cablemasters to handle shore power hookups, and the ultimate Euro-extravagance, a passarelle.

Best of All Worlds
The Viking V65 combines the agility of a sportboat with the accommodations and versatility of a motoryacht. It handles with the sprightliness of a runabout one-third its size.

High-speed turns are crisp. We enjoyed a sense of control and confidence at the helm in any type of maneuver.

The solid fiberglass hull is reinforced with an interlocking gridwork of composite stringers, ribs and bulkheads for significant strength at a moderate weight. Not that you’d want to deliberately take to sea for a pounding, but it’s reassuring to know the boat will stand up to one if ever the occasion arises.

The cabin is impressively quiet while under way, due to the solid construction and generous use of sound deadening materials. That makes the belowdecks spaces all the more inviting to be in. At cruising speed, the onboard sound level was just TK decibels.

You have to drive the Viking V65 to truly appreciate its impressive handling — and the worse the weather, the better. It’s an extraordinarily seaworthy boat that will comfort and shelter you from the storms around you. Even if those storms are from just an unusually stressful day at the office.