“YES DEAR” VIKING 25 SPORTSCRUISER – Derek & Wendy Carder – River Thames, Windsor

We purchased “Yes Dear” in the winter of 2006 not knowing that it was one of only a handful of sportscruisers built in 1991 with a petrol stern drive Volvo AQ171C inboard engine.  The bows have a distinctive shape compared to standard Vikings, and the cruiser is fitted with trim tabs to enable it to aquaplane using the 165hp engine. As  “Yes Dear” is currently moored at Windsor Marina on the Thames, this capability is of course of no benefit and most of the time the engine is scarcely more than idling although it is reassuring to know that the power is there to avoid trouble!

The boat has 4 berths and H&C water using a calorifier. Since purchase we have fitted a shore power system, a new refrigerator, new curtains, a new steering cable, a new cam-belt, and also sorted out a minor coolant leak which was proving frustrating. The name incidentally was inherited and causes plenty of comments!