Scout Boats’ latest flagship aims to impress in more ways than one. When describing the 67 LX Series, the South Carolina-based builder coined the phrase “Expect everything.” This five-outboard owner-operator center-console is capable of offshore angling adventures and entertaining guests from the stern to the bow (even belowdecks), and it has a reported eye-watering 52-knot speed. Scout also says the 67 is beachable. It will be offered in three versions: Sport (which will be the first version built), Sportfish and Cruise.

Forward and beneath the hardtop, there is a settee with a dinette across from additional seating for one or two. This space can be connected with the interior by lowering the window forward. Inside, there is a bar with three stools. The galley is to starboard and abaft two of four helm seats. It’s equipped with two refrigerator/freezer drawers, a two-burner cooktop, a microwave convection oven and a sink. Across from the galley is a U-shaped lounge with a dining table and a flip-down 40-inch TV.

Belowdecks, there are three staterooms and what Scout calls a “theater room.” This approximately 66-square-foot space has a settee to starboard that converts to an additional berth. Also in the theater room are a 32-to-43-inch TV, a beverage center, a refrigerator and an ottoman. Lighting can be controlled by overhead and hullside power blinds. To port is the day head, which can also be accessed via the portside VIP stateroom. A twin-berth guest stateroom is to starboard and aft. The forepeak master has an island queen berth.

Power for the Scout 67 LXS is five 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 engines. Scout says cruising speed is approximately 40 knots, and range is 400 nautical miles.

Rigged-and-Ready Cockpit

The cockpit on Hull No. 1 of the semicustom 67 LXS will have two livewells, a built-in seat with stowage aft, and aft-facing seating forward. Owners can add stowage, an ice chest, a cooktop and a sink. Deployable side decks increase the 13-foot-3-inch beam to 19 feet, 5 inches.

Take the next step: scoutboats.com

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Top Luxury Fishing Boats

The following 13 sportfish yachts are all vessels we’ve reviewed. They are listed in no particular order.

• Hatteras GT65 Carolina: A customizable sportfish yacht with Caterpillar diesels
• Viking Yachts 64C: An eye-watering 42 knots of fish-chasing speed boat 
• Royal Huisman Project 406: The biggest sportfish yacht ever built
• Rybovich 94: A superyacht-sized angler’s dream
• Viking 38 Open: A family-sized express sportfisherman loaded for offshore fishing
• Bertram 61 Convertible: A tournament-ready battlewagon with a distinct look 
• Hatteras Yachts 45EX: Entry-level sportfish yacht with all the angling amenities of its larger siblings
• Huckins 45 Sportfisherman: Built for bluewater angling with the patented and sea-taming Quadraconic hull form 
• Jarrett Bay 46: A mid-size custom-Carolina sportfisherman with a yacht-level finish
• Viking Yachts 92: Designed to travel the world’s oceans chasing behemoth billfish
• Merritt 72: An iconic Florida boatbuilder’s high-end fishing boat
• Bertram 35: This 35-foot flybridge sportfish pays homage to the builder’s legendary roots.
• Viking 54 Open: This express-style fish boat also comes in a Sport Tower and Coupe version

Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina

The Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina falls in the middle of the New Bern, North Carolina, boatbuilder’s three-model GT lineup, which also includes a GT59 and GT70. This sportfish yacht has a solid-fiberglass hull bottom built for blue-water duty and comes with a variety of diesel engine options, which starts with twin 1,622 hp Caterpillar C-32A diesels.

Like all Hatteras GT models, the GT65 has notable bow flare to beat back tempestuous seas as well as a high freeboard to keep decks dry in the slop. The Hatteras GT65 also represent a design evolution for the series with a “stepped-back flybridge” an element found on in earlier Hatteras models, as well as a new window treatment and hull-side vents. With yacht-level luxury on the inside and a fishing-mission design on the outside, the Hatteras Yachts GT65 is a formidable sportfish boat.

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 64C

With its 180-square-foot, dance-floor-size, teak cockpit, options for a fighting chair or rocket launcher, a mezzanine perched perfectly for spotting prey in the spread and enough livewell space to keep a gaggle of goggle-eye baits frisky, the 42-knot Viking Yachts 64C is built for battle with big fish.Its impressive speed, which comes via optional 2,022 hp MTU M96X V-12 diesels, ensures that the Viking 64C is likely to be first boat with lines in the water. Cruise speed: 36 knots at 80 percent engine load. (Base powerplants are twin 1,550 hp MAN V-12 diesels.) For the traveling tournament crew, the Viking 64C has four staterooms, including three en suite guest staterooms, plus a crew cabin with upper and lower bunks.

Quick Specifications

Royal Huisman Project 406

A 171-foot sportfisherman? Yes. That’s exactly what the six-deck, Royal Huisman’s Project 406 is. The interior and exterior design of Project 406 is from noted Dutch yacht-design firm Vripack. Vripack calls the vessel a “sportfisher on steroids.” The hull and superstructure of the supersize sportfish is Alustar aluminum, a material known for its strength and relatively light weight.

Even with six decks, Vripack has managed to create sleek lines for Project 406. It starts with a high freeboard forward that seemingly dares the ocean to approach. Transitioning from the bow, the sheerline slopes downwards in a steady cadence. The flowing sheerline resolves seamlessly at the cockpit. The vessel’s raked house and stacked deck are juxtaposed against the long profile, creating a sinewy aesthetic, which is no simple feat in this 171-footer. Add in all of the expected angling accouterments and 30-knot speed, and you have a sportfish yacht ready to chase fish around the world.

Quick Specifications

Rybovich 94

Size, speed and agility is a unique trifecta in a sportfish boat, but the 94-foot, 41-knot III Amigos from Michael Rybovich checks all those boxes as well as a few more too. The sportfish boat, designed by Patrick Knowles with naval architecture from Dusty Rybovich, is built in cold-molded mahogany. Prop pockets help keep the boat’s half-load draft down to a Bahamas-friendly 5 feet. The Rybovich 94’s impressive speed is helped by a pair of beefy 2,600 hp MTU diesels. 

The owner of II Amigos also owns a 196-foot Feadship superyacht and, while he wanted the sportfish to be all business on the outside, he wanted luxury-yacht finishes on the inside.  “Subtle but telling touches are the solid doors to the staterooms; each mimics the owner’s Feadship with ¾-inch thickness. The doors close flush (each has hidden hinges), and the sound is of a Rolls-Royce door closing.”

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 38 Open Billfish

The Viking Yachts 38 Open Billfish is the builder’s entry point to its diesel-propelled sportfish boats. An owner-operator-size angling platform, the 38 Open is powered with twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7 diesels, which gives the sportfish boat 36-knot speed. Notable angling features on board the 38 Open include a 109-swqure-foot cockpit, complete with a mezzanine seating flanking the centerline stairs to the bridge deck as well as a laminated backing plate foe either a fighting chair or a rocket launcher. For overnight canyon trips, there is a forepeak stateroom with a double bunk as well as a single above it. Additionally, the salon’s sofa converts to a berth for guests or crew. The galley is outfitted with Corian countertops, two-burner electric cooktop, microwave/convection oven and drawer-style refrigerators and freezers. Some options include a Palm Beach Towers tuna tower and electronics packages from Atlantic Marine Electronics, both are Viking Yachts’ subsidiaries.

Quick Specifications

Bertram 61 Convertible

Bertram’s 61 Convertible leads the builder’s offshore series, which also includes a 35 Convertible and the express-style 50 Sport. Like its 50 Sport sistership, the 61 Convertible has a stepped sheerline, a nod to the legendary boatbuilder’s earlier designs. It also creates an instantly recognizable profile. The 61 Convertible is ready to run out of the box thanks to its twin 1,925 hp Caterpillar C-32A diesels. Top hop is 44 knots.

When it comes to chasing fish, the 61 Convertible has 188 square feet of fish-fighting space. A 100-gallon in-transom livewell is accompanied by twin in-sole fish boxes as well as rod stowage to port and starboard. A tuna door to starboard makes bringing in that bigeye on board a breeze. (Fish not included.) The accommodations layout belowdecks includes three staterooms. There is a full-beam master stateroom amidships.

Quick Specifications

Hatteras Yachts GT45X

The Hatteras Yachts GT45X express sports twin 1,150-horsepower Cat C18 ACERT diesel engines that deliver 40-plus-knot speeds. During our sea trial, the GT45X showcased remarkable handling, gracefully leaning into turns without any loss of power from the props. Hatteras has equipped the GT45X with a custom-engineered, sound-deadening system. This feature reduces noise and vibration, ensuring a relatively quiet ride for all aboard. Inside, the yacht has a luxe sensibility with its wood sole, sumptuous leather seating, a fully equipped galley and a spacious forward stateroom. On deck, there are two comfortable helm seats, an undercounter fridge, an ice maker, an inviting L-shaped settee and a table, creating the perfect entertainment area for relaxing after a successful day of fishing. The integrated hardtop enhances visibility with its one-piece windshield and large side windows, offering optimal views of the surrounding waters. To adapt to changing weather conditions, simply install clear curtains across the bridge deck aft, transforming the GT45X into an all-season sport-fisherman. Personalization is key with Hatteras Yachts, and the GT45X offers a variety of optional features. From a bow thruster and additional stateroom to teak accents and a flybridge option, you can customize your yacht to meet your specific needs. With a simple ala carte ordering process, just select your must-have options, start the engines and have your next angling adventure.

Quick Specifications

Huckins 45 Sportfisherman

The Huckins 45 Sportfisherman starts with the Florida boatbuilder’s patented Quadraconic hull. The Huckins’ Quadraconic name derives from four conical projections that make up the bottom surface shape. The sport-fisher has a deep forefoot and some measurable flare above the waterline for good buoyancy and dry running. A single chine rises from the waterline and then descends quickly to optimize spray control. The deep-V shape forward warps to a flat running surface far aft for efficient planing and excellent roll resistance.

Power is twin 480 hp Cummins diesels, which give this sportfish boat an easy 28-knot cruise. Top speed is 35 knots, so a 30-knot cruise is easily an option. The owner of the 45 Sportfisherman we got aboard is an avid stand-up angler and set up his boat with three flush-deck insulated fish boxes with macerators, a Dometic ice maker, two 28-foot Rupp outriggers, six gunwale rod holders, saltwater and freshwater washdowns, and a four-rod rocket launcher in lieu of a fighting chair.

Quick Specifications

Jarrett Bay 46

Originally named Persistence, this Jarrett Bay 46 was built for fishing enthusiast and NASCAR driver Jeff Burton. When creating his fully custom sportfish boat, Burton noted that his vessel would be both a fishing boat and a family boat. Fishing features include an in-transom fish box, a sailfish pod, insulated fish boxes and a tuna door (sans bridge) in the cockpit. Jarrett Bay installed three rod holders in each gunwale and six more across the flybridge rail, plenty of rod room for setting up a trolling spread.
With upper and lower helm stations (the latter being an owner request), the Jarrett Bay 46 also gives the skipper options if the weather goes south. The Jarrett Bay 46 has ZF pod drives with underwater exhaust paired to twin 575 hp Caterpillar C9 diesels. At a comfortable 2,000-rpm cruise, this sport-fisher makes about 26 knots while those diesels consume 41 gallons per hour. Dial it up to a top-end speed of 35 knots and consumption goes up to 58.3 gph.

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 92

The Viking Yachts 92 is the largest sport-fisher the New Gretna, New Jersey-based boatbuilder has ever constructed. Offered with an open- or enclosed-bridge setup, the hefty sportfish boat (displacing around 205,000 pounds) hits 37-knots-plus when powered with optional 2,600 hp MTU diesels. At 2,100 rpm, this battlewagon cruises easily at 31 knots at 78 percent engine load. Dial it back to 28 knots, and engine load is a mere 70 percent. The 92-footer is also agile thanks to the Viking Independent Programmable Electrohydraulic Rudder (VIPER) steering system, a fly-by-wire setup that lets the helmsman control each rudder individually.

From an angling perspective, the 92 has 55-foot Rupp outriggers, fish stowage large enough for a wolf pack of bigeye tuna, space for a season’s worth of baits, secured gaff stowage and enough tackle drawers to handle all the lures and terminal gear an owner could ever buy. The Viking 92 also has six staterooms to accommodate owners, guests and crew for tournament season and long-haul adventure angling.

Quick Specifications

Merritt 72

Like some of the other names on this list, Merritt is an iconic Pompano Beach, Florida-based, custom sportfish builder with a current model lineup that includes 66-, 72- and 86-foot convertible designs. The Merritt 72 is a model that has stood the test of time, and one that owners flock to year in and year out, for its fishability, seakindly nature and the ability to tailor the layout to an owner’s angling needs.

Because these boats are custom-built, the specifics can change from one 72 to another, but 30-knot cruise speeds and nearly 40-knot top-end speeds are common in all 72s, as are massive cockpits for fighting Hemingway-worthy marlin, stout construction for chasing those fish in the blue water and superyacht-level finishes inside and outside.

Quick Specifications

Bertram 35

The entry point into Bertram’s three-model Offshore Series⎯spanning from 35 to 61 feet length overall⎯the Bertram 35 blends a familiar profile with modern power and technology to create a 36-knot angling juggernaut. This owner-operator-sized, Michael Peters-penned, flybridge sport-fisher starts with a wave-slicing, deep-V hull form with 22 degrees transom deadrise. The form is supported by a solid fiberglass hull bottom with cored hull sides for added strength without added weight.

The 35 has a 126-square-foot cockpit ready for any fish-fighting fanatic. Bertram sets up the 35 with rod holders, a livewell, in-deck fish boxes, and a transom door for the big ones. Optional teak decking and covering boards add a custom look. Inside, the salon is accented with teak and maple Amtico soles and overhead dimmer lighting. A wainscot-style ceiling houses rod stowage for big-game gear. Power is twin 500 hp Caterpillar C7.1 diesels matched to ZF drives. At a comfortable 27.5-knot cruise at just 68 percent engine load, the Bertram 35 has a 253-nautical-mile range, making it easily canyon-capable.

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 54 Open

Many anglers like open- or express-style sportfish designs as they enable the captain and crew to keep in close proximity, and the Viking 54 Open, which also is offered in a Sport Coupe or Sport Tower, does just that. The 54 Open’s bridge deck has a Palm Beach-style helm on centerline, flanked by a double-wide companion seat to port and a single seat to starboard. Abaft the helm and to port is U-shaped seating with a walnut table, creating a respite from the sun on tournament day while still allowing the crew to keep an eye on the spread via the open after bulkhead. Across from that seating is an L-shaped settee.

With a focus on fishing, the 54 Open has 154 square feet of cockpit real estate. Two sets of mezzanine seats offer perches for the crew to watch the spread. Other fishing-friendly features include a transom livewell, an in-deck fish box to starboard (with an optional livewell tub), an insulated in-deck box to port, a deck plate for mounting a rocket launcher or fighting chair, cooler stowage in the mezzanine steps (a bait freezer in the steps is optional), and a tuna door. Power is either twin 1,400 hp or 1,550 hp MAN diesels. For owners who prefer a three-sided fiberglass enclosure to a clear-plastic setup—but still want an open after bulkhead—Viking offers the 54 in the Sport Tower version. The 54 Sport Coupe model closes the after bulkhead, completely protecting the bridge deck from the elements.

Quick Specifications

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Powered by twin 1,800 hp Caterpillar C32 diesels, the Hatteras Yachts GT60 is an angler’s 42-knot dream. Fishing amenities include a freezer forward of the console, a dry box forward, rod stowage beneath settees and options such as a West Coast-style cockpit baitwell. The GT60’s cockpit can also support a fighting chair or a removable rocket launcher. 

This battlewagon can come with four staterooms and three heads, or three staterooms and two heads. As of June, there were two GT60s available, at $1,749,000 and $2,490,000.

From the Archive

“I have never been aboard a Hatteras with anywhere near as much customization as this boat. From the transom livewell to the hydraulically operated tuna tower, this boat has been changed and upgraded dramatically, making an already great ride a really great ride. This project should alert anyone considering the pros and cons of custom versus production that it may just be possible to have a little bit of both.”

— Yachting, August 2010

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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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Throw out any preconceived notions you may have about sport-fishing yachts—even large ones. III Amigos—a 94-footer from the consortium of boatbuilder Michael Rybovich, designer Patrick Knowles and an experienced owner—is far more mega-yacht than most fishing machines.

III Amigos was born in a peculiar fashion. Its owner, who spends 50 to 60 days a year fishing, first approached Rybovich but, before signing, asked Knowles to do a dizzying collection of realistic renderings to show the final result. Knowles had a solid knowledge base from working with the owner on previous yachts as well as the owner’s five homes and his business jet, so he had a good idea about where to start.

The Rybovich team was led by Rybovich, with his son Dusty as naval architect. Seasoning the mix was the owner’s captain, Jody Whitworth, who has fished the seven seas and skippered the owner’s previous Merritt 86. Whitworth had folders of ideas to incorporate. “I designed her in my head for three years before we put pen to paper,” he says with a grin.

The yacht was handcrafted of cold-molded mahogany (three layers in the sides and four layers on the bottom) with teak decking. Dusty Rybovich’s design has a distinctive long foredeck and unbroken sheerline, but it differs slightly from traditional Rybovich designs with slightly more deadrise (7 degrees rather than 6 degrees). Prop pockets bring the half-load draft for the 165,000-pound yacht to 5 feet, making it Bahamas-friendly.

The owner, who also owns a 196-foot Feadship, required the mega-yacht fit-and-finish, along with a “oneness with water,” so every living area has ocean views. German interior outfitter Metrica produced the interior joinery, while Rybovich handled the exterior (including ¾-inch-thick teak decking) and the enclosed-bridge interior.

Knowles designed the salon as a calm world of athwartships-planked pale oak with dark-wenge margins. The bulkheads are washed and limed oak with a tongue-and-groove overhead. The result is bright, with hidden lighting in a laser-cut, low-profile soffit that is gentle at night.

The salon, with Edelman leather couches, segues into the forward galley with a dinette opposite. That redwood-burl dinette is separated by slatted wenge louvers to create a “there but not there” effect, and the settees are finished to match the owner’s Ferrari in quilted leather, with “glove boxes” tucked into the sides for personal items and USB connections.

The galley was specified by the owner, a chef, with azul bahia marble countertops and backlit onyx highlights under the bar. The stools are covered in slipper-soft Florida alligator dyed blue.

Accommodations are outfitted to mega-yacht standards too. Subtle but telling touches are the solid doors to the staterooms; each mimics the owner’s Feadship with ¾-inch thickness. The doors close flush (each has hidden hinges), and the sound is of a Rolls-Royce door closing.

The full-beam owner’s stateroom is amidships with a lounge and 65-inch TV to create a private getaway. Quiet is guaranteed by double layers of insulation above and on the sides, with a triple layer aft against the engine-room bulkhead.

Three guest staterooms are all en suite, with the heads clad in striato Olympic marble and wenge wood. Two crew cabins, accommodating four people total, are forward—also en suite. All the rooms are bright, with Dusty Rybovich keeping the hull lines pure by disguising the windows to look like engine-room vents.

Because the crewmembers have no dedicated mess area, the flybridge was arranged to provide amenities for their off-duty hours as well as everything needed for long-distance cruises to fishing grounds. To minimize intrusion on guests in the salon, there is no inside stairwell to the enclosed bridge, which is served by a ladder from the cockpit/mezzanine.

The bridge has a full galley hidden in cabinetry, as well as a dinette, 55-inch pop-up TV, day head, and helm equipped with three independent and redundant Furuno systems. MTU joystick control with dynamic positioning is linked to the Side-Power hydraulic bow thruster for precise maneuvering and endgame fishing control. Maintaining tradition, a Rybovich “pod” with a separate throttle and shift on each side is centered in the dash. As with the salon, the bridge has extensive angling-gear stowage (86 rods, dozens of reels and countless spools of line).

While the interior is notable, the cockpit is the star attraction for big-game anglers, with its teak sole and wide covering boards. A BlueWater fighting chair is the centerpiece, and the sole and seating conceal 225-quart fish boxes and Eskimo ice machines capable of producing 1,600 pounds per day. Two on-deck livewells and two integrated livewells are fed by a Wicked Wells six-pump system to handle bait needs, and a freezer is under a mezzanine seat.

Three steps up from the cockpit is a shaded mezzanine for spectators, with a chaise longue to port, an L-shaped settee to starboard around a table, and a private head compartment. Guests are cooled by chilled air via hidden vents in the headrests of the seats, as well as from overhead slots. The bridge deck also has a guest area with lounge seating, as well as a cleverly hidden pop-up control station for the skipper.

Above it all is the Bausch tower, which is double-anodized aluminum for a satin look. From atop, the skipper has full controls and duplicates of the electronics at the lower helm.

The engine room is easily serviced, with walk-around real estate to access the twin 2,600 hp MTU V-16 2000 M96L diesels. These powerplants reportedly push III Amigos to a top speed of 41-plus knots.

The twin 40 kW Kohler gensets feed Asea frequency converters with a Ward’s seamless transfer-switch panel. The engine room and systems area also has three 6-ton Dometic air chillers, a trio of Headhunter Aqua-Box freshwater pumps, and an Alfa Laval fuel-polishing system for handling foreign fuel. A commercial-grade Seakeeper 30HD gyrostabilizer should take the roll out of rough days.

With a trademark profile, speed and bluewater comfort—and a superyacht-level finish—III Amigos not only carries on the iconic Rybovich name but also raises the bar for future custom sport-fishing yachts.

Behind the Design

Patrick Knowles is an award-winning designer based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He and his team have worked on a wide range of yachts such as III Amigos, as well as private homes and private jets for worldwide clients. One client has reportedly returned 19 times. 

The Family Business

Rybovich, the Florida-based boatbuilder, has been turning out legendary sport-fishing yachts for 100 years. III Amigos is the latest iteration by Michael Rybovich, grandson of founder Pop Rybovich, with Michael’s son Dusty Rybovich as the naval architect.

What is Cold-Molding?

First used in the late 1800s, cold-molded plywood consists of thin veneers of wood saturated in resins and cross-laminated to create a rigid and lightweight hull. The process was celebrated during World War II for the Mosquito fighter plane, known to pilots as the “Timber Terror” or “Wooden Wonder” because it returned them home in spite of heavy combat damage.

Take the next step: michaelrybovichandsons.com

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When Bob Healey Jr. thinks about his father’s life and all the man accomplished, he can’t shake one story in particular. It’s a tale that his father, Bob Healey Sr., told him about the company he had co-founded, Viking Yachts, and about what happened to some of the most successful boatbuilders, including Viking, after the federal government created a 10 percent luxury tax in 1991 that crushed businesses nationwide.

“He told me a story once of a woman who cleaned the office,” Healey Jr. recalled from near Viking’s headquarters in New Jersey this past December, just after his father’s death. “She had been there for 15 years—for a long time. They used to put a list up in the office of people who were going on furlough, on the Friday. My father was leaving one night very late, and as he walked out, she said: ‘Mr. Healey, will I have a job on Monday? I see what’s happening, and I have young children, and I’m really concerned.’ And he told her that he would do everything in his power to make sure it didn’t happen—and it was one of his greatest regrets, he always told me, that the woman got furloughed. The people who built the boats ended up cleaning the hallways because he needed to keep them to get the boats out.”

Healey Sr. and his brother Bill had co-founded Viking Yachts in 1964, and it took everything they had to keep the yard going during and immediately after that time. Healey Sr. took money out of his own pocket—mortgaging a family farm that he owned outright—to tool up new models, and he tirelessly lobbied lawmakers anywhere that he could get a meeting with them until the luxury tax was repealed 20 long months later, in 1993. By then, Viking’s staff had been slashed from 1,500 to 65 souls.

“Literally, the morning the tax got repealed, he called personnel director Drew Davala and said: ‘Give me the names of 10 people we can bring back on Monday. I’m coming back from D.C.,’” Healey Jr. says. “I saw him sacrifice his own well-being for others. It really drove home for me just how important the people who work with us are.”

Healey Sr.’s lobbying on behalf of the entire marine industry and boaters alike was relentless—a boat on a barge was even set on fire in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay as a symbol of protest. Healey Jr. was still in grade school back then, but he recalls it being one of the first times in his life that he truly understood the depth of his father’s passion for the company he’d helped to build. Healey Sr. felt personally responsible for the employees who worked at Viking, just as he felt an obligation to do charitable work for people who needed help all throughout his life. He understood what it meant to be of service to others.

“He had traveled a lot for work, but this was different. He wasn’t coming home at night. He was in D.C. meeting with whoever he could,” Healey Jr. says. “My father’s legacy is not on the side of a Viking, and it’s not on a plaque in a school in an inner city, and it’s not on this farm where we do work with a lot of at-risk youth. His legacy is in the people that he touched and the ripple effect that he had on other people. He had this ability to find potential in people, and he had this force of will. I think that’s what people saw during the luxury tax. He could put pressure on people like squeezing a diamond out of coal.”  

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The Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina has some design changes from its GT siblings. The flybridge is pushed back a little, in a design nod to earlier Hatteras sport-fish yachts. There are newly designed side windows, and the engine-room side vents are longer. But the GT65 retains the series’ trademarks, such as generous bow flare, seakeeping ability and fish-raising muscle.

The owner of our test boat, Rascal, is a seasoned yachtsman, angler and family man who considered all of these attributes in his purchase. He worked as a mate on fishing boats when he was younger and has always been around boats with his family. Having owned several Hatteras sport-fish yachts, he decided the GT65 Carolina was the next logical move.

Rascal’s captain, Nick Millsap, has worked with the owner for five years and says the GT65 Carolina exceeded expectations. On the initial cruise to meet the owner, Millsap says, the GT65 had “a great dry ride, even into the head seas. It was rough, but the ride was awesome.”

The GT65 has a 194-square-foot cockpit, and there is room to swivel the combination fighting chair/rocket launcher in any direction on a frenetic marlin. Mezzanine seating to port has air conditioning to keep guests and line watchers cool. A stainless-steel freezer box is under the seat. Beneath the footrests are chilled boxes for refreshments.

To starboard is a tackle center with a prep station and eight drawers. The drawers have stainless-steel bottoms with holes for drainage and ventilation. An electric grill can be installed on top of the unit.

An in-deck ice maker produces not cubes but cylindrical ice, so it lasts longer and can touch more surfaces, keeping the catch fresher. The in-transom livewell can be fitted out with tuna tubes. Teak coaming boards add panache, while the lack of teak in the cockpit eases cleanup and maintenance.

For all its angling focus in the cockpit, the GT65 has yacht-level elegance inside. High-gloss teak is used for the cabinets and furnishings. Complementing the wood are light fabric headliners with teak accents, as well as a vinyl-plank sole for durability. An L-shaped sofa to port is plush and has stowage below each section.

Rascal’s layout has a galley island with two bar stools, a setup that creates multiple ways to move in and around the galley, and that makes more space for several folks to enjoy meals. The standard galley layout is a peninsula form, creating a U-shaped countertop with room for one more bar stool. Either way, the galley has fridge and freezer drawers; a microwave; a four-burner electric cooktop; stowage for pots, pans and dishes; and pantries and cabinets with matching grain. An elevated U-shaped dinette to port has underseat stowage and a teak table.

Belowdecks is a four-stateroom, three-head layout. All spaces have 6-foot-8-inch to 7-foot-1-inch headroom. The amidships en suite stateroom has a queen walk-around berth, nightstands, a full-size closet and drawers. The forward VIP can have a queen-size centerline berth or a 60/40 split berth. The two remaining staterooms have upper and lower berths.

Owners can convert one of the staterooms to a Hatteras Integrated Tackle Storage room, with gear cabinets and rig-prepping counter space. For the competing crew, the washer and dryer in the companionway should come in handy during tournament season.

To minimize maintenance, most all of the high-gloss teak finishes on the exterior can be painted in a faux-teak finish. It looks as close to real as you’ll get, without the need for varnishing.

Sporting a style that blends a little bit of yesterday with a lot of today, the Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina is built for running to blue water—and is designed to look good doing it.

Take the next step: hatterasyachts.com

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Viking Yachts team members are boatbuilders and hardcore big-game anglers. Their experience imbues the Viking 54 Convertible.

The 54C has the builder’s signature sloping and straight sheer, reaching from 6 feet, 8 inches of freeboard forward to 2 feet, 11 inches of freeboard aft—and making the endgame release or gaff shot safe and easy on the crew. Hullside vents, a raked stem with generous flare, and a blacked-out wraparound forward window are other Viking trademarks in the 54C’s aesthetic.

What you can’t see, but can feel, is the hull’s performance across the water. Viking tweaked the hull form with double chines and refined prop pockets, as well as adjusted the size and length of the strakes to improve overall ride and performance. Engineers and designers used computational fluid dynamics to run virtual sea trials and adjust the vessel’s hull bottom, understand trim angles and efficiencies, and analyze pressure distribution across the wetted surfaces. The data, they say, helped make the boat faster, safer and more comfortable.

Fishermen know that a day staring at lines or working kites and floats can be tiresome. There is mezzanine seating a level above the cockpit that provides a respite and perch for those on watch, or for guests to watch a fish fight. A freezer and insulated stowage are under the seats. A tackle cabinet is to starboard. The 54C’s flybridge overhang is extended for shade, but the captain’s view from either the flybridge or tuna tower remains clear.

The vessel’s cockpit has a sizable 154 square feet of dance floor. There are no latches, handles or obstructions to snag on while doing double duty on a line. Nonslip or teak decking provide solid footing. Bait is kept in the transom livewell. A laminated backing plate is installed during construction for an optional fighting chair, leaning post or table. The starboard-side in-deck fish box is a single unit long enough to hold that bigeye-tuna wolf pack, and the portside fish box can be split into two sections, with one serving as an additional livewell. All fish boxes have rubber gaskets for a solid seal when closed.

For all the fishing focus on the outside, Viking created yacht-level luxury inside this three-stateroom, two-head sport-fisherman. Just inside the salon, an L-shaped settee with a teak table is to port for casual lounging or stretching out. Forward is the U-shaped galley. The after end of the galley peninsula is cut on a diagonal, allowing room for two fixed stools while keeping them outside the flow of traffic. Across and to starboard is a high-gloss dinette with curved seating. Adding to the open feel in the salon are side and aft windows, as well as 6-foot-4-inch headroom.

For the traveling tournament crew, the galley is set up for a season of self-sufficient meal prep with four Sub-Zero fridge-freezer drawers, an in-cabinet Samsung microwave, a Miele four-burner electric cooktop, a stainless-steel sink, and several cabinets above and below. Viking numbers each cabinet component, so if a piece like a door is damaged, the yard can replace it with an exact match, wood grain and all.

A dark-walnut Amtico sole in the galley is durable and makes for easy maintenance. Argento-style PentalQuartz countertops and a Soho Studio metal mosaic backsplash create a contemporary feel. To accent the high-gloss teak cabinets, Viking offers several interior-decor packages, including Majilite headliner panels, fabric filler in the window mullions, and flybridge cushions.

Belowdecks, the master stateroom is amidships and to port with a walk-around queen berth, credenza, hanging locker, underberth stowage and a 32-inch high-definition TV. The en suite head has a fiberglass stall shower with an integrated seat and stowage cabinet. I got aboard Hull No. 1, and it had the optional over-under crossover berth in the forward VIP. The standard layout is a single centerline queen berth. The VIP and starboard twin-bunk staterooms share a head, which has a shower stall.

Up top, the flybridge helm console has room for two 21-inch Garmin multifunction displays and a row of Bocatech switches, creating a streamlined glass bridge. Side helm boxes house VHF radios, a Seakeeper 9 display, a FLIR controller, a Garmin mouse pad and more. Overhead is an electronics console with flush-mounted MAN engine displays, an additional Garmin screen and room for more electronics. Forward of the helm console is a lounge seat with armrests, as well as port and starboard lounge seats with forward-facing backrests. Stowage is under all the seats.

Geared for the owner-operator and with room for the fishing family or tournament team, the Viking 54 Convertible is a 40-plus-knot fish-chaser built by anglers for anglers.

Take the next step: vikingyachts.com

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NBC Sports Group named the Viking Yachts 54 Convertible Best of Show during the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The award was given in conjunction with show organizer Informa and show owner Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

“The 54 Convertible presents an eye-pleasing profile that’s unmistakably Viking Yachts, with signature design traits such as a gently sloping unbroken S-shaped sheer, aggressively raked stem, double chines, hull-side vents and deftly placed exterior feature lines,” according to a press release. “The three-stateroom, two-head, open-bridge yacht pushes the owner-operator convertible to the highest levels of engineering, performance, accommodations and sportfishing capabilities.”

The Best of Show award goes to the most innovative new model at the show. Other debuts that judges mentioned in the press release include the Monte Carlo Yachts 76 Skylounge, Ocean Alexander 27 Explorer, Azimut Yachts Magellano 25 Metri, Mangusta GranSport 33, Invincible 46 Catamaran, Intrepid 409 Valor and Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht.

“Winning the FLIBS Best of Show award this year is an incredible milestone, especially after what our boatbuilders have been through over these past seven months,” Pat Healey, president and CEO of Viking Yachts, stated in the press release. “The Viking 54 Convertible is a one-of-a-kind boat and an accomplishment of all of our previous midsize sportfishing boats.”

Where to watch the NBC Sports Group FLIBS Best of Show Awards: They are being broadcast as part of a one-hour network special; check on-demand listings from your cable TV provider.

For more information, visit: flibs.com

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The Viking Yachts brand name is already synonymous with bluewater-capable sport-fish boats. The New Jersey boatbuilder’s 46 Billfish—the new flagship in the Billfish line that starts at 37 feet length overall—adds space and comfort.

Like its smaller siblings, the 46 Billfish has an open, salonlike command deck with a U-shaped lounge and dinette to port and a settee to starboard. There is canvas aft instead of a solid bulkhead; skippers can open it to enjoy the sea breeze or seal it and pump in air conditioning. Rod stowage is under the seating, and the command-deck design lets hardcore anglers walk in from the cockpit and relax for a moment or two without having to worry about tracking fish gore onto a carpet. Every square inch of the command deck can be washed down.

Down in the main cabin, however, is high-gloss teak cabinetry with a galley to starboard, a head with a walk-in shower to port, and a pair of over-under berths for a quick nap between bites or on overnighters. Forward, the owner’s stateroom has a queen-size island berth, a hanging locker, and an entertainment system with a stereo and a flat-screen TV.

As nice as the interior might be, the anglers among us will be spending a lot more time out in the 140-square-foot cockpit. Sure, there are tuna-size fish boxes in the deck, a transom livewell, freshwater and raw-water washdowns, and rod holders at every turn. What really grabbed me back here, however, was the split mezzanine. Fun fact: When kicking back on the port side, the bridge-deck ladder makes for a well-placed footrest. I’d wager that crew members will be vying for that spot when the long run home from the canyon begins.

But that run won’t be nearly as long with the optional 800 hp I6-800 MAN diesels. (Twin 715 hp Cummins diesels are standard.) Cruising at 1,800 rpm, the 46 Billfish clips along at 28.9 knots. Fuel burn at this speed—the most efficient for the boat—is 44 gph, and range is 442 nautical miles, or 0.7 nm per gallon based on the vessel’s 632-gallon fuel capacity. Push the throttles down till the tachs read 2,100 rpm, and the 46 skirts across the brine at 35.1 knots while range drops to 379 nautical miles and the engines consume 64 gph. During our best speed run, I saw a top hop of 41.7 knots.

High speed is one thing, but high speed through the open ocean is an entirely different story. When we ran the 46 Billfish into the open Atlantic, there was a tight, 2- to 3-foot chop out of Absecon Inlet in Atlanic City, New Jersey. Heading directly into the slop at a normal cruise was smooth. In the mid-30-knot range, I wanted to hold on a bit, but I was comfortable and would be ready to drop lines in at the edge before I knew it. What about blasting through the seas at full tilt? That was just plain fun. The same goes for running in a beam sea, with the optional Seakeeper 6 gyro spooled up and roll virtually eliminated.

Also fun: Making this boat dance. I could back down at 8 or 9 knots with no water coming into the cockpit. Split the throttles into forward and reverse, give it a shot of juice, and the boat pirouettes like a 43,000-pound ballerina. Yes, our 46 had a bow thruster, and no, we never really felt the urge to use it.

As an owner-operator, I would feel right at home. Standing at the helm, there were unobstructed views of the bow and stern, and my crew could transit safely from the cockpit to the bow with handholds stretched along the side.

And speaking of maneuvering around the boat, I also liked how the bridge was laid out with the centerline helm console and flanking port and starboard lounges. There’s enough room forward of the console for guests to move around without the captain having to move too.

If the Viking Billfish line’s past performance is any indication, then the 46 Billfish is poised to do well. It’s a canyon-capable craft with speed, comfort and a big-game pedigree.

Lock Tight

Every latch, hatch and door in the cabin locks firmly in place. While running across the ocean, I took a walk belowdecks to look for things like swinging doors or drawers that were sliding open, both of which are common issues on more common boats. I found none, nor did I feel or hear any excessive vibration, rattles or creaking.

Built to Last

The 46 Billfish is constructed with many of the same yacht-quality systems and construction methods—such as Delta T engine-room ventilation—found on Viking’s larger models. The engine room itself is coated in Awlgrip. Throughout the boat, end-grain balsa and closed-cell foam are used for coring, and the hull-to-deck joint is mechanically fastened and fiberglassed shut.

Like a Glove

The forward engine-room bulkhead on the Viking 46 Billfish is a case study in yacht wiring. Every strand is well-loomed, supported and marked. Not only will wiring like this increase the boat’s reliability and longevity, but it will also make repairs and equipment replacements easier. Inside the helm console, where the console itself protects the wiring, Viking installed water-resistant connectors with protective rubber boots.

Take the next step: vikingyachts.com

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