InTheBite

“Gypsea” Takes 2019 Viking Key West Challenge Crown

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Fishing, Fun and Family in the Florida Keys

Capt. Ben Sharpe and Gypsea capture the 6th Annual Viking Key West Challenge.

Top Boat – Gypsea

(Key West, Florida, February 13, 2019)—Forty Vikings from 42 to 82 feet and a record 475 participants descended upon the southernmost city in the United States last week for the 6th Annual Viking Key West Challenge. Ben Sharpe was the winning captain for the fourth time, leading the Viking 56 Gypsea to victory in a closely contested – but fun-focused – competition.

“The Key West Challenge has been a success every year, but this time around the energy level, excitement and fishing was at an all-time high,” said Viking President and CEO Pat Healey. “This is an event exclusively for Viking owners, family and friends. It gives us the opportunity to thank them for being part of the Viking family.”

After a captain’s meeting at Dante’s Tiki Bar that featured delicious food, fun prizes and lots of camaraderie, the teams headed off the following morning for a glorious day on the water. A total of 45 sailfish were released and one swordfish was caught on day one. Gypsea topped the Day One leaderboard with five sails released (500 points), followed by the Viking 80 Mr. Grinch with four sails (400 points). The Viking 62 Tami Ann also released four sails and took third on time. The teams steamed back to the scales at Conch Harbor Marina to weigh their catches and pose for pictures. The Viking 44 Miss Peggy Sue II and captain/owner David Heeter stole the show with a 108-pound swordfish, which was donated for lunch the next day!

More Than Just Fishing

A pool party and lunch, a kids dock tournament and a poker run (i.e. bar crawl) highlighted a relaxed but festive lay day. In the kids tournament, which was sponsored by The Billfish Foundation, Colin Dicembrino took first place, with sisters Ella and Mia Wilson placing second and third, respectively. “This is what it’s all about – passing on the passion for fishing to the next generation,” TBF President Ellen Peel said. “Great job kids!”

The fishing turned white hot on the final day, with 87 sails released. The Viking 48 Fish Wish released eight sails and caught an 8.3-pound dolphin for 808.3 points. Last year’s champ, the Viking 55 Ragin Cajun, was right on their heels with seven sails and a 21.4-pound tuna (721.4 points).

Gypsea had a solid day two as well, with five sails. But it was their dolphin that turned out to be the difference-maker. With an overall point total of 1,004.6, Gypsea edged second-place finisher Mr. Grinch (1,000 overall points) to take the 2019 Viking Key West Challenge crown. Ragin Cajun landed third place overall with 933.8 points. Natalie Rarick on the Viking 82 Bandit took both Top Angler and Top Female Angler awards with eight sailfish and a total of 892.2 points. All results are listed below.

Top Sailfish Boat – Mr. Grinch

The four-day event wrapped up with an outdoor evening dinner and awards ceremony at the Margaritaville Resort that began with a beautiful Key West sunset. “You can’t beat this,” said Pat. “We truly do appreciate your participation in making this a very special Viking event.”

Top Angler – Natalie Rarick, Bandit

Next year, the 7th Annual Key West Challenge will be held April 15-18, 2020. Book your slip today!

Valhalla Boatworks: New Line of Center Consoles

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In case you missed our live video last Friday at the Viking VIP Show, here’s some exciting news.. Viking Yachts is entering the Outboard Center Console market! President Pat Healey introduces the new line “Valhalla” V-series in 33′, 37′ and 41′.

Final Results: 56th Annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament

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De-Bait-Able takes the Win in a Field of 39 Boats

The 56th Annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament was held January 23 to 26, 2019 in the Palm Beaches.  This year an additional fishing day was added to the format giving teams the choice to fish any two. With two days of near ideal conditions, and a much-anticipated bite pushing into the area from the north, teams were rewarded with steady fishing.  After the entire field of top competition teams taking a lay day on Thursday, all 39 boats hustled to release 180 sailfish on Friday and Saturday, The prize, a purse in excess of $352,000, the prestigious and beautiful Buccaneer Cup trophies for the top three boats and anglers, and bragging rights for placing in one of the oldest and most enduring billfish tournaments in the world. Add to that the knowledge that the tournament proceeds benefits the Recreational Fishing Alliance and The Billfish Foundation, there was a lot at stake.

Courtney Bowden, currently in her sixth year at the reigns of the Buc Cup, did a spectacular job running one of the best organized and classiest billfish tournaments on the coast. Along with her team of volunteers, including staff from TBF and RFA, she has made the Buc one of the most exciting and talked about tournaments of the season.  The comradery displayed by the teams in attendance proved to everyone that the Buc is most definitely back!

The 56th Buccaneer Cup opened with the Captains meeting on Wednesday held outdoors at the recently completed Tiki Bar at the Sailfish Marina.  The meeting was sponsored by the Viking Yacht Company and HMY Yacht Sales.  Robert “Fly” Navarro emceed the meeting and went through the rules which included a few changes in 2019 to give the teams more flexibility and fishing options.  The meeting included raffle items provided by the long list of tournament sponsors included such as items as Engel Coolers filled with goodies, Costa del Mar sunglasses, Maxel Reels, Tsunami rods and lures, Caza Offshore knife kits and gear donated by Atlantic Marine Electronics (AME), AFTCO, Hi-Liner Offshore Tackle, Grand Slam Sport Fishing, Outrigger Yacht Products, and Mustad.

The competition teams made the unanimous decision to lay on Day One, opting to fish Friday and Saturday which, based on the forecast, held the best conditions of the three available fishing days.

Day Two opened with grey skies, and light east winds and a strong bite with 14 sails being released within the first hour.  Martha D called in the first release of the tournament just 17 minutes after lines in at 8 AM.  The live baiters seemed to have the edge as Old No. 7, and De-Bait-Able took an early lead, but dead baiters Polarizer and Krazy Salts also made runs to claim the top spot for the day and the Calcutta dailies.  By lines out, Old No. 7 racked up 10 releases on live bait for 2,000 points, followed closely by De-Bait-Able just 200 points off the leader. The top dead baiters filled out the leader board with Polarizer and Krazy Salts in the 3rd and 4th spots aided by a late bite that saw six releases in the final 30 minutes of fishing before lines out at 3:30.

Day Three saw a drop in the wind and accompanying slowdown in the action, but the live baiters continued to push their advantage.  Based on radio chatter, fishing was best in a small area to the north of Jupiter Inlet.  De-Bait-Able, with Capt. KJ Zeher at the helm, put on an astonishing clinic the final day amassing a total of 4,200 points by lines out bringing their two-day total up to 21 sailfish releases and leaving the competition in their wake.

Tournament staff utilized Reel Time Apps for accurate, up-to-the-minute scoring that was available to teams and tournament enthusiasts by simply downloading the free app. The program was linked to the official radio room computer scoring team and updated minute-by-minute allowing teams to follow the leader board throughout each fishing day. At tournament’s end the radio logs were matched against the boat’s catch logs and Reel Time Apps and then verified by video confirmation.

The winning boats were De-Bait-Able on top, Old No. 7 securing second place, with Sandman just 200 points behind in third. The competition was a nail biter between the top boats and was capped by a great run by Wrapped-Up breaking out of the pack in the final hour of the tournament trying valiantly to catch the leaders.  In addition to several Calcutta categories, Old No. 7 also won the Charity Calcutta which includes an entry fee to the 2019 Buc Cup.  They have been a regular in the tournament the past few years and no doubt the crew will be back next year trying to top their second-place finish.

The top angler trophies went to Bill Bryan on the Old No. 7 in first, beating Chris Weaks on the De-Bait-Able in second by time (both had 1,400 points), and Sandra MacMillan on the Sandman taking third as well as the Top Female Angler, which was also a tie broken by earliest catch.

The Buccaneer Cup Tournament cash award for the Most Points on Live Bait ($10,000) went to the De-Bait-Able team, which pocketed $110,800.  Most Points on Dead Bait ($10,000) went to Polarizer, the team receiving a check for $66,610 in total purse for their win. The InTheBite Top Captain loving cup was awarded to Captain KJ Zeher, who skippered the De-Bait-Able to victory.

New for 2019 and created in memory of a long-time participant in the Buccaneer Cup, the Walter Johnson Award trophy for the largest meat fish went to the Bertram 61 for their 34-pound dolphin landed on Day 2.  Pat Healey explained that the award was created as a posthumous honor that recognized his love of catching meat fish, and for his contributions to the development of the MTU engine, which has become the standard in sportfishing boats, during his tenure as the top executive at Johnson & Towers.

The awards banquet was held at the Sailfish Club of Florida and sponsored by MTU Marine Power, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison, and Johnson and Towers.  The awards dinner was emceed by Robert “Fly” Navarro.  Pat Healey, President of Viking Yachts and member of the RFA Board of Directors, presented Ellen Peel of the Billfish Foundation with a $5,000 check to aid the organization in its ongoing efforts to advance the science used for billfish management and assessment.

This event would not be possible without the generous  support of its  sponsors including MTU Diesel, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison, Johnson & Towers, Viking Yachts, HMY Yacht Sales, Yamaha Outboards, Jupiter Beach Spa & Resort, Contender Boats, American Custom Yachts, Akzo Nobel-Interlux Paint, Seakeeper, Garmin, Cummins Marine Power, American Venture Boats, Bahama Boat Works, Christi/Travelers Insurance, Atlantic Marine Electronics, American Fishing Wire/Hi-Seas, Release Marine, Viking Service Center, The Buccaneer Marina & Resort, Reel Time Apps, Sailfish Marina, and Outrigger Marine Products.

We look forward to seeing all our teams and more next year for the prestigious 57th Buccaneer Cup where we can make sportfishing history again.

“Last Dance” Wins 55th Annual Islamorada Sailfish Tournament

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Congratulations to Captain Robert Collins and the crew of the Last Dance on their win at the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament. Robert, fishing Janet and Erik Akin’s Viking 52, led anglers Matt McLean, Mark Wodlinger, Ken Longaker and Robert Helms to 14 sailfish releases. Ten of those releases were on the last day, creating a lot of action in the pit. Matt released seven of the sails earning the title of High Point Angler. Robert received the High Point Captain award. Brandon Hopper and Dallas Hopper on the Last Dance took home High Mate awards.

The Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is the first leg of the Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship. This win puts Last Dance at the top of the board. The next leg in the series is the Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament beginning on January 24, 2019.

Santa Reading His Favorite Magazine at Viking Yachting Center

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Viking documented a jolly gentleman that visited the New Gretna production facility.

We’re pleased to see he’s found a moment to kick his boots up and read his favorite magazine during his busiest time of year!

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a Merry Christmas from all of us!

November Sportfish Sales

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Here are some boats of interest sold this November. Congratulations to both the buyers and sellers.

Note: Final selling prices are not displayed.

SLO-FIGHT

2011 42’7” Viking

Engines: Cummins QSC 8.3 Zeus

Hours: 633

List Price: $695,000

Sold Date: 11/9/2018

OUTLAW

2013 50’ Viking

Engines: MAN

Hours:

List Price: $1,395,000

Sold Date: 11/15/2018

Sold By: HMY Yacht Sales

JOLLY ROGER

2000 55’ Viking

Engines: MAN 2842LE

Hours: n/a

List Price: $539,000

Sold Date: 11/27/2018

Sold By: HMY Yachts

Anticipation Growing for the Viking 38 Billfish Unveiling

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The new 38 Billfish will debut at the VIP Preview in Riviera Beach, Florida, February 1st and 2nd. Viking’s John Leek IV shares a sneak peek of the Billfish along with the 38 Open, which will be introduced later in 2019.

 

Viking 58 Convertible Making Her World Debut

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Sourced by Viking Enews – 58 Wows Them at the Big Show

 

The Viking 58 Convertible made her world debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, drawing visitors non-stop throughout the five-day event. Click here for scenes from Viking‘s awesome 16-yacht Fort Lauderdale display.

[Read more…]

Viking Announces 38 Billfish Unveiling in February

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The Viking Yacht Company is proud to announce the addition of three new boats to its industry-leading sportfishing fleet: the 38 Billfish, 38 Open and 46 Billfish. The 38 Billfish is an evolution of the highly successful 37 Billfish and another example of Viking faithfully carrying out its mission to build a better boat every day.

Viking President and CEO Pat Healey delivered the news to the Viking dealer network moments before the gates opened for the first day of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The 38 Billfish was designed and built with the same DNA as its predecessor. As owner/operator vessels, they offer simplicity and ease of maintenance, serving as ready-to-go fishing machines as well as versatile cruising boats with reliable inboard diesel power.

Like her convertible brethren, the 38 Billfish’s flybridge is designed with a tournament-style center console walk-around helm. One helm chair is standard and two are optional.

The 38 Billfish’s command deck holds a salon-like living area that includes a port-side U-shaped dinette and a fiberglass hi-lo table. The cockpit is the largest in its class-109 square feet with mezzanine seating. Below, there’s a large forward stateroom available with either a single queen bed or optional crossover bunks and two hanging lockers; an L-shaped galley; and a head with enclosed shower.

The 38 Billfish and 38 Open share the same hull, cockpit and have a similar mechanical arrangement but differ in command deck and bridge configurations.

The 38 Open’s command deck also has ample seating, with port and starboard L-shaped lounges and storage below. A raised centerline command station gives the driver excellent sightlines. Accommodations include a forward stateroom with a lower double bunk and upper single and a hanging locker; a starboard-side sofa with storage; a port-side galley; and a head with enclosed shower.

Soon to join the 38 Billfish and 38 Open is the 46 Billfish, another exciting new model with sharp styling, exciting performance and legendary Viking quality. During the 37 Billfish‘s 2-year run of success, demand grew for this style of a Viking in a larger size. “The 46 was a natural progression for the Billfish,” says John Leek IV, General Manager of Viking Mullica where the Billfish series is being manufactured. “Our customers really grasped onto the philosophy behind these boats.”

The 38 Billfish will make her debut at the Viking VIP, hosted by the Viking Yacht Service Center in Riviera Beach, Florida, February 1st and 2nd. Introductions of the 46 Billfish and 38 Open are slated for later in 2019 and both will debut during the fall boat show season.

October Sportfish Sales

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Here are some boats of interest sold this October. Congratulations to both the buyers and sellers.

Note: Final selling prices are not displayed.

SECOND WIND

2006 68’ Viking

Engines: MTU 16V2000

Hours: 2030

List Price: $1,495,000

Sold Date: 10/3/2018

Sold By: Galati Yachts

 

SEAGUAPA

2001 47’ Cabo

Engines: MAN 800 hp

Hours: 1100

List Price: $329,000

Sold Date: 10/10/2018

Sold By: HMY YACHTS

 

MOESY ON

2010 54’ Viking

Engines: MAN V12 1550hp

Hours: 1900

List Price: $1,299,000

Date: 10/16/2018

Sold By: HMY YACHTS

 

REEL RODEO

2008 70’2” Jarrett Bay

Engines: 2400hp MTU

Hours: n/a

List Price: $3,399,000

Date: 10/15/2018

 

WAYNES WORLD

2005 57’ Dean Johnson

Engines: CAT C-18

Hours: 7449/5966

List Price: $1,079,500

Date Sold: 10/15/2018

 

DOS AMIGOS

2004 45’ Viking

Engines: MAN 800hp

Hours: 3600

List Price: $399,000

Sold Date: 10/12/2018

Sold By: Galati Yachts

 

62’ WINTER

2008 62’ WINTER

Engines: CAT C-32 1550 hp

Hours: 2400

List Price: $1.7 mil

Sold Date: 10/11/2018

Sold By: MacGregor yachts

 

KAHUNA

2007 45’ Viking

Engines: MAN 900hp

Hours: 1250

List Price: $599,000

Sold Date: 10/4/2018

Sold By: HMY Yachts

 

ABSOLUT

2015 42’ Viking

Engines: Cummins QSC-600

Hours: 190

List Price: 969,000

Sold Date: 10/18/2018

Sold By: HMY

 

MY CHRISTINE

2008 62’ Titan Yachts

Engines: CAT C-32 1650

Engine Hours: 2800

List Price: $2,150,000

Sold Date: 10/24/2018

Sold By: HMY

 

GRAND DUKE

2015 70’ Viking

Engines: MTU 2600 hp

Hours: 1797

List Price: $5,095,000

Sold Date: 10/26/2018

Sold By: Denison