Viking Yachts made more than a few anglers happy with its Viking 92 model, delivering 21 of those boats to new owners in a span of seven years. But then, a few years ago, eco-minded regulations came into play that would have required additional equipment on board—equipment that was problematic in so many ways that the builder decided to design a new model instead, one that was just a bit smaller to avoid the regulatory size cutoff. That new sport fishing model is the 90C, which premiered at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2023. As of early April 2023, 16 of the 90Cs had already been sold.

“We designed it right under 24 meters,” says Pat Healey, president and CEO of Viking Yachts. “We took 13 inches out of the beam, 27 inches out of the length, we got it under 24 meters, and we gained outstanding performance. The boat cruises at 32, 33 knots, tops out at 38 full of fuel. We see 40 knots every day with it—that’s a big increase in speed over the 92. The 92 is an awesome, incredible boat, but this boat, it’s seven years of building 92s—everything we learned from doing that, we took it and put it into this boat.”

The 90C’s features include a 203-gallon transom fish box/livewell, a pair of 103-gallon insulated in-deck fish boxes (with optional refrigeration), a Seakeeper 35, and a cockpit sole that’s reinforced for a fighting chair, rocket launcher or table. Inside are six staterooms and seven heads, along with a full-size stackable washer and dryer.

Hull No. 1 of the 90C is being used as a demo boat on the tournament circuit. It was headed to the Bahamas as this issue went to press, with Healey pleased about its performance: “It just does things like a 70- or 80-foot boat, but you have the accommodations of a 92.” 

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Feeling the command behind the wheel of a yacht is almost unmatched. The boat is under the control of the skipper, and where it goes is entirely up to who’s at the wheel. Whether you’re seeking a premium dayboat for the weekends, a flybridge model to feel the salt or a long-range cruiser, there’s something here for all on-the-water enthusiasts. Here are nine owner-operator yachts under 100 feet that are ready for a new season on the brine.

Maritimo M55

As we turned the bow north, the Maritimo M55 met 6- to 8-footers, with some 10s mixed in. Our captain, Shawn Minihan, didn’t hesitate when he pushed the throttles down. After that point, we regularly went astronaut (you know, totally weightless) on more than a few launchings at 20-plus knots.

The M55 was a rock, cleaving the seas even though we were sluiced with solid water onto the windscreen of the enclosed bridge. There was not a squeak or groan even though we were moving somewhere around 35 tons of yacht into the air and then back into deep, green-water valleys. — Chris Caswell, “Maritimo’s Sea-Tamer: the M55”

Jeanneau DB/43

Powered with a pair of 380 hp Volvo Penta D6 Duoprop sterndrives, the Jeanneau DB/43 I got aboard topped out at 32 to 33 knots at two-thirds load with 39 percent fuel, 100 percent water and seven people aboard. At a 25-knot cruise, the engines burned about 29 gph, which translates to a theoretical range of 170 nautical miles. At 8 knots, expect 340 nautical miles.

The yacht felt nimble at the wheel and turned tightly. The Michael Peters-penned hull form romped through the lively seas. Close-quarters maneuvering with the joystick was easy as well. These latest sterndrives and their electronic clutches are streets away from the old, clunky installations of the past. They slip in and out of gear smoothly. — Phil Draper, “Jeanneau’s DB/43 Reviewed”

Sunseeker Predator 65

Based on the same hull as its sistership, the 65 Sport Yacht, the Sunseeker Predator 65 has an even purer profile. It eliminates features such as the 65 Sport Yacht’s upper deck, extra stairs, and sports-fly setup with a low-slung driving position, and instead offers a sliding carbon-fiber-and-glass sunroof—which means a proper open-yacht vibe on the main deck. There’s also a foredeck terrace and various cockpit furniture choices, along with a swim platform that can combine with the garage to create a beach club. Suffice it to say, during the day, the outdoors is awesome. — Phil Draper, “Sunseeker Predator 65 Reviewed”

Absolute Yachts 56 Fly

It’s hard to give us more without sacrificing what we already have and want to keep, but that’s exactly what the Absolute Yachts 56 Fly has achieved. It falls in the boatbuilder’s lineup between this past year’s 60 Fly debut and next year’s 52 Fly, and it’s a yacht with serious personality. This Italian-built yacht is, as the builder says, all about charisma.

The 56 Fly has a snub-nosed bow and big windows forward that, to my mind, look like the eyes of a sea turtle. Those full-height picture windows to the sides benefit hugely from notched, cut-down bulwarks, as does the aft deck from the fretted quarter rail. These design elements are all about boosting the views out and underscoring the connection to the sea. — Phil Draper, “Reviewed: Absolute Yachts 56 Fly”

Beneteau Swift Trawler 48

For traditional trawler enthusiasts, the Beneteau Swift Trawler 48 offers a range of 1,300 nautical miles at a leisurely 6.7 knots, or 1,000 nm at 8 knots. Owners can run nonstop from New York to Miami or San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

And yet, with the twin 425 hp Cummins diesels on the Swift Trawler 48 that I got aboard (380 hp Cummins are standard), owners also can scamper for home at 26 knots, if foul weather threatens or reservations for dinner ashore are waiting.

In other words, yachtsmen can have the best of both worlds: range when wanted, speed when needed. — Chris Caswell, “Beneteau’s Swift Trawler 48 Reviewed”

Azimut Verve 42

Blasting off waves, the Azimut Verve 42 landed softly thanks to the 22.5-degree transom deadrise and Michael Peters hull form. Yes, there was spray, but most of it was thrown aside, courtesy of double strakes and a wide spray chine/rail. We were in flat water long enough to see a top speed of 45 knots, and then the Gulf Stream dictated our speeds while we occasionally pushed the envelope. — Chris Caswell, “Azimut Verve 42 Reviewed”

Viking Yachts 64 Convertible

The cockpit’s uncluttered layout is the result of thousands of hours of experience aboard other Vikings in big-game tournaments around the globe. The 64C I got aboard had a leaning post/rod holder that bolted into an aluminum backing plate laminated in the cockpit sole, with double-hatch fish boxes on each side. Abaft that, a rounded teak cap rail held a livewell. Overlooking the whole scene was a mezzanine for crew to keep an eye on the spread, along with tackle stowage and a cold box. This 64C also had a Dometic ice machine on the port side for chilling down the fish boxes. — Chris Caswell, “Reviewed: Viking Yachts 64 Convertible”

Hinckley Yachts 35

This 35-footer has notable speed, thanks in part to a pair of optional 350 hp Mercury outboards. The 35 I got aboard made 40 knots on the pins running at 6,000 rpm with a full load of fuel and a half-tank of water. This thoroughbred-level gallop burns 60 gallons per hour. At top speed—and considering a 10 percent fuel reserve—range is about 180 nautical miles. At 4,000 rpm and a 24-knot cruise speed, fuel burn plummets to 23.5 gph and range jumps to 276 nautical miles.

It’s admirable performance when you consider that those engines are pushing a boat displacing 13,174 pounds. Hinckley also offers Yamaha outboards, and the 35’s standard engines are twin 300s, from either Mercury or Yamaha. At press time, Hinckley had sold 15 hulls, and all the owners had picked the bigger engines, Bryant says. — Patrick Sciacca, “Hinckley Yachts 35 Review”

Riva 68 Diable

A pantograph-framed canvas awning protects most of the aft deck when desired. The whole space forms one big, open main-deck lounge, effectively seamless from the swim platform through to the helm console. As with the smaller Dolceriva and Rivale hardtops, the 68 Diable incorporates air-conditioning ducts, but there’s still plenty of headroom beneath—at least 6 feet, 6 inches. The cockpit furniture that isn’t optional is symmetrical on each side of a central corridor. Two L-shaped sofas extend along each side, with a dining table to port (this table could be specified to starboard instead, or on both sides). On Hull No. 1, this table is mahogany and inlaid with the Riva logo. It’s on a pedestal than can rise or drop at the flick of a switch, creating a day bed. A pop-up TV is abaft the observer bench to starboard. — Phil Draper, “Riva 68 Diable Review”

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When it launched in 1991, the Viking Yachts 58 Convertible was the New Jersey builder’s largest model to date. From 1991 to 2000, Viking built and sold 110 of the 58-footers, dubbed Gen I. That’s a tough act to follow. But Viking is once again aiming for star status, having just raised the curtain on its second-generation 58 Convertible.

The new 58C has a 17-foot-9-inch beam, which is the same width as the builder’s 55-footer, but with a different length-to-beam ratio for enhanced performance. The new hull form also repositions and changes the angle of strakes so water will break behind the house windshield, for a soft, dry and efficient ride.

For big-game battles, the 58C’s cockpit has 165 square feet of teak-covered, fish-fighting space. There’s also a transom livewell, a laminated in-deck backing plate for a fighting chair or a rocket launcher, an in-deck fish box and livewell, and a gaff/mop locker. The teak rocket launcher on Hull No. 1 of the 58C has 11 rod holders, two cup holders and a bait-prep area. Crew can watch trolled baits from the mezzanine seating. A Seakeeper SK9 gyrostabilizer is mounted under the cockpit sole.

For post-battle rest and relaxation, the salon has an L-shaped settee to port with rod stowage underneath. Just forward is the galley, with two stools for breakfast before the lines hit the salt. The U-shaped galley has four Sub-Zero fridge/freezer (with ice ­maker) drawers, a four-burner Miele electric cooktop, a Sharp ­microwave/convection oven, a stainless-steel sink with a ­satin-nickel faucet, and ­cabinets above and below the countertops. A dinette is across from the galley, and a C-shaped settee for six flanks a high-gloss burl pedestal table.

Interior bulkheads and cabinetry are finished in high-gloss teak (walnut is optional), with a mappa-burl cocktail table, an Amtico sole at the salon entrance and galley, padded carpeting, and a Majilite headliner. There is also a Bose home-theater system with a retractable 50-inch ­flat-screen TV. While in the salon and ­g­alley, anglers can keep eyes on the lines through the aft window. ​

With a three-­stateroom, two-head layout, the Viking 58C has room for the ­tournament crew or the family. The master is amidships to port and has a walkaround queen berth set athwartships with stowage below. Two closets are here, and headroom is 6 feet, 7 inches. The shower stall has 6 feet, 10 inches of headroom.

The forepeak VIP has a centerline walkaround queen berth (split upper-lower crossovers are optional), a maple-lined locker, and an overhead hatch for fresh air and natural light. A starboard guest stateroom abaft the VIP has side-by-side berths, with one tucked under the companionway staircase. The two guest heads have Amtico soles, Dometic electric toilets, faux-stone countertops and separate shower stalls. Access to the bow thruster and tube is via a sole hatch in the VIP stateroom. Other hatches allow owner-operator access to a lower machinery space that’s fitted with plumbing, wire runs and pumps.

To add to the interior living space, Viking pulled some space out of the engine room, which can be accessed via a door in the mezzanine seating. Headroom measures 5 feet, 10 inches, and there’s space to work around the twin 1,600 hp MTU diesels. The air conditioning units and 700-gallon-per-day watermaker filters are a cozier fit, and a 21.5-kW Onan generator is mounted abaft the engines, on a platform over the portside drive shaft. Viking finishes the 58C’s engine room like a laboratory, in bright white Awlgrip for spotting spills.

From fishability to fit and finish, Viking’s second-­generation 58 Convertible has the feet to fill the big shoes that the first-generation ­model left behind. Star status may, indeed, be on the horizon.

Speed Demon

Tricked out with optional twin 1,600 hp MTU 10V 2000 engines, the Viking 58 Convertible rocketed to a top-end speed of 42.5 knots during our time aboard in calm seas, with about a one-third fuel load (around 495 gallons), full water (207 gallons) and three people on board.

Twin 1,400 hp MAN diesels are standard, and options include 1,550 and 1,900 hp MAN diesels. Cruising at 36.5 knots with the diesels consuming 129 gallons per hour yields a 424-nautical-mile range. At her 42.5-knot wide-open velocity, fuel burn jumps to 176 gph for a range of 326 nautical miles.

The 58C holds 1,502 gallons of diesel, and there’s an option to increase the capacity to 1,741 gallons.

Command and Control

The Viking 58 Convertible is commanded from a center-console-style flybridge helm. There is full walkaround access to the helm pod (which is available in teak as an option), and visibility fore and aft is clean from the twin helm seats. Guests can sit on dual bench seats with backrests and on a forward-facing seat built into the helm pod. All seats have vinyl-covered foam cushions. For snacks and sodas, a refrigerated drink box is forward to starboard and a freezer box is to port.

Electronics are housed in recessed boxes that flank the helm with split console covers, and a center recessed console box houses multifunction displays and engine monitors. A drop-down box above can house additional electronics.

Take the next step: vikingyachts.com

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It’s been more than a decade since Hatteras Yachts launched its GT line, lending new style to the North Carolina builder’s long-respected ability to construct fishing battlewagons.

Today, the GT range includes open and flybridge models from 45 to 70 feet length overall, with the GT59 being the newest addition to the fleet.

Like her siblings, the GT59 is built to suit serious anglers, with 156 square feet of dance floor where owners can mount a leaning post/rocket launcher combination stand, or an offset fighting chair for chasing Hemingway-­worthy marlin. Adding to her fishy nature, there’s an in-transom livewell and a tackle center in the cockpit’s forward starboard corner, under the flybridge ladder and insulated in-deck fish boxes. Teak adds a rich look not only in the cockpit, but also in the coaming boards, and air conditioning vents in the back of the mezzanine seats make watching the trolling action feel, well, ultra cool.

Inside, the Hatteras GT59 has a single-level salon and galley. An L-shaped settee with a coffee table is to port and along the after bulkhead. To starboard is an entertainment unit with a built-in flat-screen TV. The layout allows room for an island galley with four fixed stools, a four-burner Miele electric cooktop, a Franke stainless-steel sink, an in-cabinet Sharp microwave, and four fridge/freezer drawers. High-gloss teak is used throughout the space, which also has a wood-grain vinyl sole and light-tone Silestone countertops—inviting and easy on maintenance.

Belowdecks, Hatteras offers three layouts. The standard one has an en suite master stateroom to port (with 6-foot-5-inch headroom), a forward VIP with a queen berth and a head that also serves as the day head, and a starboard guest stateroom with upper-lower berths. In one optional layout, the forward VIP changes to 60-40 split berths. The third layout adds a day head abaft the starboard guest stateroom, swapping out the space from the standard utility room.

In all the layouts, there is a stand-up rod locker in the companionway. Door frames to the staterooms have rounded headers, adding to the high-end ambience that runs throughout the guest spaces.

Truly hardcore anglers may consider what’s dubbed the optional Hatteras Integrated Tackle Storage space. It converts the standard utility space into a tackle center with custom cabinets and lockers for rods, reels and supplies. In this space on the GT59 that I was aboard, I counted 27 rods (sans reels) in one locker alone. In-counter stowage holds larger reels such as Penn Internationals.

The engine room is designed for owner-operators, and it has one feature in particular that surprised me. When entering via a hatch in the mezzanine seating, I needed to step over the lower bulwark—and at first, I thought this setup was awkward. Soon, I realized that having the bulwark there likely eliminates seawater from entering the engine room, especially when backing down. I have seen decks get absolutely flooded with the amount of water that can wash over the transom, so this is a good idea.

Headroom in the engine room is just over 5 feet, and I felt like I would have had plenty of room to move around and complete regular maintenance on the optional 1,900 hp Caterpillar C32A diesel engines (1,600 or 1,800 hp diesels are also available). A 1,200-gallon-per-day watermaker and a second 21.5-kW Onan generator can be added to the standard engine-room machinery. An optional Seakeeper 16 ­gyrostabilizer should keep the ride comfy.

But much of the GT59’s fun, of course, is to be had topsides. There are two helm setups: one on the flybridge and one in the tuna tower. The flybridge layout has a high-gloss teak pod with single-lever controls on centerline, twin helm seats and 360-degree ­visibility. The helm’s dash can house three Garmin multifunction displays, in varying sizes. Covered cabinets conceal the trim tabs controller, bow thruster joystick, Optimus rudder angle display and more. Overhead is a drop-down console with the Cat engine display monitor, autopilot, VHF radio and speed log.

Performance? Check. Fishability? Check. Luxury appointments? Check. In the GT59, Hatteras Yachts has built a sport-fisherman with solid speed, admirable range and myriad angling amenities. About the only thing left to do is to fill the fish boxes.

Time Well Spent

Hatteras Yachts says construction time for the GT59 is about eight months. The hull is built of solid fiberglass below the waterline, with a stringer system that is laid in during hull production. Divinycell sandwiched foam coring is used above the waterline. A sharp entry and variable-degree deadrise hull form allow for lift and fuel efficiency. Hull tunnels mean flatter shaft angles and allow for the yacht’s 4-foot-9-inch draft.

Peak Performance

A pair of optional 1,900 hp Caterpillar C32A diesels propelled my test GT59 to 40.1 knots at 2,300 rpm. The engines burned 204 gallons per hour at the yacht’s top hop. Dialed back to 1,800 rpm, she cruised at 29.8 knots while consuming 124 gph. At that speed, the GT59’s range is 379 nautical miles with a 10 percent fuel reserve. Dropping back to 21.8 knots and 1,500 rpm, range extended to 415 nautical miles with a fuel burn of 83 gph.

Take the next step: hatterasyachts.com

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After Gruppo Gavio ­purchased Bertram in 2015, most who followed the ­iconic fishing-boat brand sensed that good things were coming. The ­introduction of the classically inspired Bertram 35 at the 2016 Newport International Boat Show let the world know that the new Bertram was serious about its heritage, but the question remained: Would the builder attempt to reclaim its place among the big boys of the convertible world with a tournament-ready ­battlewagon?

The answer lies in the Bertram 61, one of the top fishing yachts on the market.

The 61 has lines that are unapologetically masculine and blocky in a good way—think Mercedes G-Wagon. When I stepped aboard her business end, the cockpit features showed that her bite lives up to the styling’s bark. This particular 61 had a Pompanette fighting chair situated in the center of 188 square feet of fish-fighting space. A 100-gallon in-transom livewell was accompanied by twin in-sole fish boxes as well as rod stowage to port and starboard. A tuna door to starboard would allow for a fish’s easy egress from the salt, and the whole scene could be enjoyed from mezzanine seating with a refrigerated drink box under a step leading to the salon.

By far the most striking feature in this Bertram 61’s salon was the forward “window,” which is actually the yacht’s tinted visor, made of military-spec ballistic glass. This option is three-eighths of an inch thick and so strong that, according to Bertram, you could hit it with a hammer ­without causing damage. (I didn’t get a chance try that though.) Yet, the visor is see-through from inside, a rarity on sport-fish boats today, and a quality that makes for a well-lit salon, especially in the galley forward, with its dual, custom-made barstools.

Another ­feature rarely seen on a production convertible this size is down below on the accommodations level. The Bertram 61 has a ­full-beam amidships master, more akin to what might be found on a ­motoryacht than a fishing boat. Windows to port and starboard provide generous amounts of light, and twin ­4-foot-tall, cedar-lined lockers offer enough stowage for longer voyages. Tunes are pumped into the master through a Sonos system that plays ­separately in other areas of the vessel.

Additional en suite ­staterooms include a queen-berth VIP ­forward and a starboard ­stateroom with twin berths.

The Bertram 61’s engine room is accessed through a door in the mezzanine. The boat I got aboard had twin 21.5-kW Cummins Onan generators and four Parker Racor fuel filters that were easy to reach. There was also a standard Seakeeper 16 ­gyrostabilizer that pinned the yacht in place in the choppy 3- and 4-footers out on the water.

Not only did the Bertram 61 come to play, but she also showed up with style and features that other boats in her class simply do not have. She sure seems like a major step on Bertram’s fast track back to tournament prominence.

Take the next step: bertram.com

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At the Miami Yacht show this past February, Viking debuted its 68 Convertible, a four-stateroom fishing machine with excellent interior fit and finish and angling bona fides that should make her a favorite on the tournament circuit.

“The 68 is another legendary boat in a long line of fishing boats for Viking in the 60-foot and 70-foot range,” says Viking President and CEO Patrick Healey. “No one is doing the job we are doing today in this size range.”

Those may sound like bold words from Healey, but it doesn’t necessarily make them untrue, as Viking has enjoyed great success in the sportfishing market for years now. In part, that’s because the New Jersey-based builder focuses both on the fishing and cruising market — turning out both tournament-ready battle wagons and elegant cruising yachts at once.

The 68’s cockpit encompasses a full 176-square feet and has mezzanine seating that is an excellent place to watch all the fishing action, or just to kick back as you run across the Gulf Stream.

Like most Vikings, the 68 C is a speedster. With optional twin 1,945 hp MTU 2000 V12 M96Ls, the yacht can cruise at 35 knots and max out at 40-plus. Mans and Caterpillar options are also available.

The 68 C has that classic, swept-back Viking sheerline and an intimidating black mask that can make it look like its going even faster at speed.

The 68’s interior has a high degree of luxury, with four heads to complement the aforementioned four staterooms. High-gloss walnut is a popular option for interior wood, while Ultraleather is the go to for upholstery. There’s a pop-up 49-inch television in the salon as well as frameless windows that let in a good amount of natural light. Air conditioning vents are well distributed so as not to concentrate the flow of air in any one spot.

The galley has an island countertop so you can quickly get outdoors should a fish strike while you’re grabbing a bite. Three barstools at that counter are sure to be a gathering spot after hours, while the drawers all have aircraft style locking mechanisms to keep them in place. Opposite the galley, a four-person settee with a high-gloss walnut table takes care of on board dining needs.

The 68 comes in either open or enclosed bridge versions. The open version is more popular with tournament fishermen while the enclosed is a favorite of cruisers. Whichever version you choose, you’ll be getting a well pedigreed yacht that’s fast, sturdily built and easy on the eyes. And that’s a tough combination to beat.

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