History of the Viking

The early days

VIKING was built at Hobart in 1892-93 by her original owner Olaf Hedburg (policeman, his father was a whaling ship owner and a descendent was recently commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania). When nearly finished in November 1892 VIKING was badly damaged in a fire at the building yard in Brisbane Street, but was freighted to Robert Inches’ slip in Battery Point and repaired by Charles Lucas and J. Ludgrove, to be launched on 16 January 1893.
Vessel was a 21 ft waterline class racing yacht designed by Alfred Blore, 35 ft. overall, 8ft 4in beam 6ft 4in draft, 1in Huon pine planked hull on white stringy bark gum keel and frames with additional iron floors and kauri decks.
VIKING has a short but reasonably successful racing career until being superseded by fin-keel yachts and was sold in 1895 to Mark Stump and refitted for cruising, although she still raced from time to time. VIKING was still owned  by the Stump family as a yacht when Henry Stump fell overboard and drowned in February 1915.
She subsequently became a fishing boat and was cut in two amidships and lengthened to 43 ft on deck, being in this form when advertised for sale in December 1925.
VIKING has been a fishing boat ever since, clipper bow and counter stern since somewhat foreshortened to give overall length of about 40 ft.
Source: Graeme Broxam

Betty and Adrian  purchased the Viking as a young couple who wanted a sea change' from from Ted Sward who had been catching couta and scalloping in the channel. At that time the Viking was restricted to operating in waters local to Hobart. After some work it was licenced to be taken as far as Port Davey and Betty and Adrian spent a few happy years on the Viking catching crayfish and netting scale fish round the South East South and South West Coast. With children coming into their life Adrian continued going fishing with the Viking and took the children on by one out in the holidays. 1997 was the last year the Viking was in commercial survey. Since then the Viking was locally used for recreation, stared in a number of pictures taken at Port Huon and waited patiently for her restoration.
Info from Betty

It is hoped that she will run again for her 124 year anniversary in the 2017 Wooden Boat Festival. Until then there is a lot of work waiting. you can follow the process of her restoration on this webpage.

 a few pictures

Photo Graeme Broxam