Source: Tim Banse, Yachting Magazine
You probably know Viking Yachts is a production boatbuilder. That said, it’s not very common for any two of its boats to be built alike. A good example of why that happens is found with the recently debuted 46 Open. This hybrid boat is designed for life as either a sport fisher or a cruiser.
The hull I sea-trialed was rigged for cruising the subtropical waters around Miami, which include Biscayne Bay, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. Fitted with prop pockets, the hull form’s shallow draft will allow the skipper to nudge the boat very close to the beaches and beautiful waters that other boat captains can only dream of approaching.
Instead of a tournament fighting chair bolted down to the cockpit floor, the island hopper version of the 46 boasts mezzanine seating in this outdoor space, as well as room to add a dining table and chairs. Two stateroom layouts are offered. Accommodations include a queen-size berth forward, a salon and a galley equipped with all the comforts of home, including air conditioning, generous countertops, microwave, cooktop and refrigerator. Joinery produced such tightly fitted teak furniture that the drawers could literally hold water. Quality throughout the rest of the boat is just as good. One nice touch is the salon’s easy-to-clean vinyl and wood bulkheads. Similarly, the command deck can be hosed clean in minutes.
Engine choices include twin 900 hp V-8 MAN diesels or a pair of MAN 1,100 hp V-10s. Both installations pack lots of horsepower into a small footprint. MANs are common-rail technology so they’re soft-spoken, do not smoke and sip fuel at a miserly rate. Most cruisers will be very happy with the acceleration of the smaller motors. With the inboard diesels mounted on a powder-coated structural steel web frame that’s secured to vacuum-bagged composite bulkheads, the Rock of Gibraltar drive-train alignment is good for silky smooth trolling and low overall vibration.
LOA: 46’11”
BEAM: 16’6”
DRAFT: 4’4”
DISP.: 52,670 lbs.
FUEL: 870 gals.
WATER: 150 gals.