Viking Yachts may be an East Coast-based company, but, at the very least, the Nordic theme should make them feel welcome in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood or Poulsbo (aka Little Norway). The builder, known for its versatile, luxury motoryachts, announced another 44-footer, the Viking 44 Sport Coupe (SC).
The 44 SC is an expansion of Viking’s successful 44 Convertible and 44 Open builds and is being co-launched with the 44 Sport Tower. All these builds incorporate the same hull, so the differences are above the waterline.
The 44 SC is described as a rakish fiberglass deckhouse model. In general appearance, it has that slick, modern look of motoryachts you may see on the Great Lakes with similarly sized Regals or Tiaras. The convertible-styled deckhouse is fully open to the cockpit aft, but otherwise feels like a conventional cabin with padded table seating and helm with co-pilot seating.
Down below, there’s a ton of space, including the berths, enclosed head, and galley. Keeping all these cruising-related accommodations down below is a smart move to keep the above deck all about having fun. The master suite in the V-berth is larger than one might expect on a yacht this size, a sort of half-island setup.
There’s an elegance at play here with the arrow-like hull form and open foredeck, and a resistance to the industry trend to plop a foredeck lounge and tub-ify the yacht by blowing up the beam. There are no sheltered walkways forward and one probably won’t go up there very often. The cockpit has seating and swim step access, but it’s open layout, optional integrated rod holders, and other fishing related features hint at what the 44 SC was designed to do; catch the big one in comfort.
The Viking 44 Sport Coupe looks to be a smart addition to the growing Viking 44 family, aimed to be both a cruiser and a fisher. The first hulls should be launched soon. If curious, you can learn more from local dealer Stan Miller Yachts.
