33 Convertible

The introduction of the Viking 33 Convertible in 1971 marked the end of wood construction at Viking Yachts. She was heavily built on a solid fiberglass deep-V hull with a very wide beam and a shallow skeg for stability. Many of the features introduced in the Viking 33—such as the steel engine mounts and grid-type stringer system—went on to become key elements in the makeup of today’s modern Viking designs. While the 33’s appearance is obviously dated by today’s convertible standards, and the cockpit is really too small for any serious fishing, the interior is very spacious for a 33-footer with berths for six in the two-stateroom layout or four in the single-stateroom floorplan. With the optional 454-cid gas engines, the Viking 33 is capable of reaching a top speed of about 27 knots with a normal cruising speed in the neighborhood of 17–18 knots. (Note the engines are located beneath the cockpit sole and V-drives are used to deliver the power.) With just 200 gallons of fuel the cruising range is limited to around 125 miles.