48 Convertible

The 16 ft. 6 in. beam enhances the master suite forward with a large walkaround berth and private head with a stall shower. A spacious guest stateroom aft has athwartships upper and lower berths. A second private head serves this stateroom and acts as the day head for guests when fishing and cruising. A three-stateroom layout also is available with the master stateroom amidships to port.

Incorporating several pages from highly successful Vikings, the 48 Convertible comes to the party dressed up with superb design and engineering features inherited from its siblings. Viking’s powder-coated structural steel I-beam engine beds, for example, are bolted to transverse intermediate bulkheads, which isolate vibration and ensure drive train alignment. A fairbody running surface enhances stability and allows the 48C to plane easily and efficiently. With the exception of engines, air conditioning systems and some other machinery, Viking manufactures about 90 percent of the boat in-house.

The 130 square-foot cockpit is the winning formula for blue-water champions with a bait freezer, rigging station and abundant stowage. The 48C cockpit comes standard with engineroom access, a Glendinning Cablemaster, a recessed fishwell, stereo speakers, four flush rod holders, recessed hawse pipes, a transom door and a one-piece anodized aluminum ladder to the flying bridge.

Visibility from the helm is razor sharp. Hydraulic controls, power-assisted steering and an engine synchronizer are standard. The tournament-proven helm design makes using the electronic gear a snap in any weather and leaves space for considerable stowage inside the console.