The much-anticipated unveiling of the Fi-Glass Viscount not only marks the return of a cherished name after a 30-year hiatus, but it heralds the beginning of a new era for the proud Christchurch-based manufacturer.
The name may be a few decades old, but this new flagship bears little resemblance to the Viscounts first built back in 1972, due to a seismic shift in design, construction, technology and fit out. I suspect Fi-Glass Managing Director Griff Simpson looked on with some pride as the Boating New Zealand team pored over the newest model in the company’s diverse trailer boat range.
And I have to admit to feeling a sense of nostalgia because there’s just so much history and pedigree to the name, with the original Viscount designed and built by Griff’s late father, Frank. Before they were discontinued in 1993, about 1300 in both sterndrive and outboard options were built. At that point the company concentrated on developing the Warrior as their flagship model, based on a 6.4m hull, the same size as the old Viscount. Nonetheless, many Viscounts remain in faithful service throughout the country. Interestingly, the Viscount was the first fully moulded fibreglass deck and cabin top developed in New Zealand. Until then, says Griff, cabin tops had been bolted to the deck.
The Boating New Zealand team had its collective fingers crossed as it made its way south from Christchurch and across the Canterbury Plains towards Lake Tekapo, where we intended to give the new model a solid workout. The murk and drizzle kept us guessing and the only bright point of our journey proved to be the compulsory stop at the Fairlie Bakehouse for one (or more) of their famous pies.
But, as so often happens as you cross Burkes Pass into the wide expanse of the Mackenzie Basin, the clag burnt off and we were greeted with an absolute belter of a day; still and hot, the Southern Alps glistening in the background and the glacial blue lake itself beckoning.
Some will argue such conditions don’t test the real capability of the boat in question, and they’re right – to a point. However, it should be acknowledged that Fi-Glass boats are used extensively on lakes, coastally and offshore across New Zealand by families and friends fishing, skiing, cruising, picnicking and exploring. The conditions we experienced for the review are not unusual or unexpected on these lakes and so provided a solid opportunity to enjoy the boat as many families do. In saying that, having spent the day at the helm, and given its 22-degrees deadrise and the pedigree of its smaller Warrior and Lightning siblings, I have no doubt whatsoever it will be equally capable in choppy conditions and oceans swells, from Southland to the Marlborough Sounds, Coromandel and beyond.
First impressions of the 6.8m Viscount sitting on the standard Fi-Glass double-axle, over-ride braked trailer was very positive; its sleek lines clearly highlighted the Fi-Glass pedigree. The Bimini sat in perfect proportion to the hull and the V8 250hp Mercury Verado in black and grey looked impressive planted on the transom. The grey wrap around the hull, complimented by U-Dek flooring, was an accentuating touch, so too the retractable stainless steel cleats. In fact, there’s more use of stainless steel – including the bung – than in other models. Frankly, the entire package looked bloody good.
Not only is Fi-Glass a family created and owned business, but family boaties seem to be the ‘bread and butter’ customers for the company. Its wide variety of models is perfectly suited to Kiwi families, as well as families overseas in their export markets. In a nutshell, Fi-Glass boats are safe, strong, predictable and built to a fair price. Yes, perhaps I’m biased – I’ve been in, on and around Fi-Glass boats all my life and growing up, my father owned a Scamp, a Dominator and a Cavalier. And, when it came to purchasing my own boats, they’ve all been Fi-Glass – exactly for reasons I mentioned. That personal history also provides me with a good understanding of Fi-Glass boats and their idiosyncrasies.
Leaving the boat ramp and heading towards Motuariki Island on flat water, Griff appeared keen to show us just how quick the big girl could go and we pushed along towards 50 knots with no problem, the big Verado simply purring. I’m no speed merchant and the majority of my four hours behind the helm was a more sedate 21-22 knots, revving at 3300rpm and burning about 21 litres of fuel an hour. Pushing up to 27 knots raised those figures only slightly.
The favourable conditions meant we could work the Viscount hard, and no matter the pressure we exerted she tracked, turned and responded effortlessly at any speed, providing a predictable, stable ride. The review boat had a number of additions, including Zip Wakes, significant lighting, and other factory options. As with any Fi-Glass boat, the Viscount can be tailored to an individual owner’s needs.
And, while the Viscount has the proven DNA and good characteristics of other Fi-Glass models, evolutionary tweaks and new features combine to provide range-leading performance and utility. In fact, it appears one of the key mantras of the model’s design and construction was to ‘maximise the space’.
Because an automatic anchor is standard on the Viscount, a smaller anchor locker is required and that in turn means the forward bulkhead could be pushed forward. This has resulted in a cavernous, easily accessible cabin perfect for protecting children or grandchildren from the elements. And with infills added, there is plenty of room for a couple of adults to comfortably overnight.
A large offshore hatch provides easy access to the foredeck, which is wrapped with a robust stainless steel bow rail. As always with Fi-Glass models, there’s expansive underfloor and under-seat storage – enough for dive tanks and overnight bags. All the seats are well upholstered and super comfy and everything onboard speaks to quality, care and craftmanship. It goes without saying that there’s several points for charging phones and other devices.
The Viscount’s 195-litre stainless steel fuel tank suggests the Viscount could be a potent fishing weapon. There’s no stopping a group of mates heading out wide. Below the gunwales is fully moulded, giving more room inside the cockpit, and partly enclosed rod storage keeps expensive rods safe and secure and safe from feet, chilly bins, dive bags and assorted equipment. The Bimini – which has no problem accommodating a taller person – holds an additional six rods in a rocket launcher. The review boat also featured a small live bait tank and wash-down facility.
Meanwhile, if you’re a flyfisher, you’re also accommodated; all that space means plenty of room for you and a mate to cast your lines to rainbow and brown trout cruising the lake edges.
Another reason the Viscount’s suitable for fishing – and perhaps its most significant feature – is the transom bench seat arrangement, which is new for Fi-Glass. This easily and comfortably fits three large adults and you can simply push the seats back under the transom if they are not required.
There’s more storage under the rear seats while twin batteries are mounted behind them, safely off the floor. This seating feature further amplifies the immense amount of space within the cockpit. While the beam remains the same as the Warrior at 2.4m, the Viscount feels like a more spacious boat, accentuated by a roomy cabin with an open plan feel that will likely also appeal to women – my wife, certainly.
I was super-impressed with the newly designed dash setup; it is clean, simple and perfectly fits the 16-inch Simrad Evo3, which is easy to read and an impressive addition to any boat. The simplicity of the dash extends to the placement of large push-button controls for everyday skipper controls such as anchor, bilge and navigation lights. The VHF and stereo are mounted behind the wheel in the cabin.
The helm position is very comfortable with adjustable bolster seats that allow the skipper and passenger to sit or stand and the Mercury digital throttle and shift are in close proximity. The large wrap-around windscreen provides superb protection.
The grunt of the V8 250hp Mercury Verado is something to experience, but given its size and power, I was astonished at its lack of noise. The Viscount’s strake pattern is slightly different to the Warrior’s, to better accommodate today’s bigger engines, and this helps impart the boat with a sense of stability and safety, whether sitting at the helm or riding as passenger.
The calm conditions gave a great opportunity try out the hole shot – important for water sports – and the Viscount jumping effortlessly onto the plane was never in doubt. With a removable ski pole and Bimini-mounted tow point, I can easily imagine children, grandchildren and adults alike all enjoying many effortless hours waterskiing, wakeboarding and sea-biscuiting behind the Viscount.
So, why build a bigger boat? After all, the 6.4m Warrior has proven a winner, with close to 1800 built so far, says Griff.
“There are a few reasons behind building bigger. Some customers indicated they wanted to go bigger, and added to that, modern engines are bigger and more efficient. They need bigger platforms to host them. Furthermore, people seem to spend more time in the boat these days, rather than sitting on the beach, so having a bigger boat with the room to move around is very desirable.
“It’s been a long time coming but everyone at Fi-Glass is very proud,” Griff says of the new Viscount, which marks the culmination of several years designing and building, unfortunately interrupted by Covid. And because demand for existing models was so high during that time, Fi-Glass had to concentrate on fulfilling orders. Development of the Viscount had to wait.
Interestingly, a key point for Griff and his team during the design and construction process was the realisation that, with a few tweaks, some of the Viscount’s features could be transferred to existing Fi-Glass models. I covered this in Boating New Zealand last year.
So, what would Griff’s dad and Fi-Glass Boats’ founder Frank Simpson think of the Viscount?
“I think he would be immensely proud of what we’ve achieved and that we’re bringing back such an iconic Fi-Glass name,” Griff says with a laugh.
“The number of people I meet who tell me their first-ever boating experience was in a Fi-Glass is humbling and it’s clear we have a lot to live up to.”
In this reviewer’s opinion, the new Viscount proves that Fi-Glass are well and truly on the right track.
