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Old 01-30-2018, 12:04 AM   #59
silver lining1
Veteran Member
 
City: Chesapeake/S Florida
Vessel Name: Silver Lining
Vessel Model: Viking Sport Cruiser 50 ft flybridge
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 32
We were in a different but similar position several years ago. Working full time we wanted a boat that opened our weather windows for travel to the Bahamas, Chesapeake and along the east coast. We went with a cockpit motor yacht/fly bridge cruiser. We got a Viking sport cruiser/princess 50 ft flybridge. 9 seasons later this has been an excellent choice

We go slow as often as we can or time allows. Slow cruise is 8 knots, fast cruise is 19 knots and WOT 26 knots. Slow saves fuel and is easier on equipment, fast is most stable in beam seas due to hydrodynamic stability. Typical nice weather 200 mile cruise from say Nassau to ft lauderdale is 4 hours slow cruise and 1 hour 19 knots alternating. No engine build up and no engine soot except momentarily getting on plane after a few hours 8 knot cruise. Plenty of fuel, we maybe use half our fuel over 200 miles in this way.

We chose Viking sport cruiser because 20 degree dead rise aft, steeper forefoot and a sharp entry. So a deeper vee than most comparable US built flybridge cruisers. Some of the British built boats (princess, sun seeker) claim a deeper vee design for the English Channel and nearby steeper seas. The result is a 40,000 lb boat that handles steeper seas such as the Chesapeake or pimlico sounds well. But I have to say the worse conditions we have seen have been in the Gulf Stream when significant storms form or the passage from the abacos to harbor island

We also love the open layout of the Viking/princess sport cruisers. We spend weeks at a time as a family of four on our 50.
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