Seeking advice on towing

in a pinch, sailboat could tow the Viking ??? Yeah sure.

with all due respect your friend need to check his meds. this plan makes no sense whatsoever. Let me guess… he is an RVer towing a trailer and believes the same can be done on the ocean.

yes you tow the sailboat with the Viking but this will drastically slow you down as a 25 foot sailboat will not be able to be towed above its hull speed of about 6 kts being a full displacement hull. 6 knots is painfully slow and will cause issue with your Detroits as they will not stay at operating temperature

second, towing a boat isn’t fun. It requires a lot of effort, attention especially when arriving in a marina or anchorage. To many, it is worth towing a center console that you can use to explore your destinations but towing a boat you can’t use?

fuel is available pretty much everywhere, especially when running a diesel boat at hull speed. You should have enough space on a 43 to store tool and spare parts. Yes refrigeration is limited but how are you going to power a freezer on a gutted 25’ sailboat ?? Let me guess solar panels. Yeah, right.

trade goods? If you mean merchandise you can sell to make a few bucks, wait till local customs start asking questions…

if you want a little more storage space, maybe a 20/24’ center console will help and will double as a tender. You ll lose a little fuel economy but not much

finally, I think you need to set some realistic goals with a boat that small. Bahamas, sure. Caribbean? Doable but there are some long overnight passages to get there and typically rough waters? Central America? Same thing. Too small a boat. Doable? Yes. Enjoyable? Probably not. And considering the questions you re asking I d say you should wait a few years before trying.

if long distance cruising is your goal, sell the Viking and buy a 50/55 trawler designed for this.