Yachts On to Valhalla!

On to Valhalla!

Viking enters the center-console market with the Valhalla V-41.

By Lenny Rudow

April 14, 2020

The V-41 has a deep-V stepped hull form from Michael Peters Yacht Design. Courtesy Viking Yachts/Valhalla Boatworks

Sure, you’re used to seeing quad-engine center-consoles that go fast. But 63.9 knots? Of course, tricked-out twin-step hulls are nothing new. But one with vertical sidewall tunnels and a centered aft tunnel that grips the water like Pirellis on asphalt, even in high-speed turns? And yes, we know there are plenty of big center-consoles with monstrous livewells. But a 90-gallon version so darn big, you could quite literally climb into it and, were it fitted out with a heater and jet pump, enjoy a soak in a hot tub? This is what happens when Viking Yachts decides to get into the outboard game.

When I ran the V-41, queen of Viking’s new Valhalla Boatworks fleet, the results were impressive. Along with that 63.9-knot top-end speed, the V-41 posted a 39-knot cruising speed at 4,500 rpm (and almost 0.8 mpg) while blazing through the 2- to 3-foot open Atlantic seas in comfort. The ride is helped, in part, by a wave-dicing deep-V hull form that transitions from a fine entry to 24 degrees of transom deadrise. To make the ride even smoother, there is space under the cockpit for a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer.

While we don’t normally dwell on bilges, in this case, what lies below the decks is just as impressive as what you’ll see above. Manifolds and plumbing are labeled, hoses are double-clamped, wiring is heat-shrink protected, and as you swing up the deck hatch on its gas-assist struts, note it’s flawlessly finished on both sides, gasketed and guttered, and dogs down tightly. Courtesy Viking Yachts/Valhalla Boatworks

Speaking of comfort, at the helm, we were ensconced in triple-ladder-back chairs with fold-down armrests and diamond-stitched upholstery. And forward of the console, there’s a lounger for guests, the front of which swings up for stowage or a second livewell, owner’s choice. If that’s not enough seating, a pair of forward lounges in the bow is optional.

Even on boats this size, a fish bag is usually necessary when you’re after true monsters such as swordfish or bluefin tuna. But not in this case: The V-41 has a refrigerator-size, 182-gallon fish box in the foredeck. Catch a fish too big to fit, and you’d probably have to tow it home anyway. Courtesy Viking Yachts/Valhalla Boatworks

From an angling perspective, designers kept the console relatively svelte for a boat of this size, housing a small cabin inside with a twin-size berth, a head with a sink and rod racks for a dozen rigs. Some people might wish for a galley and/or a dinette in the console’s cabin, but boats of that ilk can’t even come close to competing with the V-41 for fishing space. And as it is, with a six-person crew swinging their fishing rods, this center-console will feel virtually empty.

The V-41 has a 557 gallon fuel capacity and 49 gallon freshwater capacity. Courtesy Viking Yachts/Valhalla Boatworks

You want to know what happens when one of the nation’s premier builders of sport-fishing yachts delves into the outboard world? Step aboard a Valhalla Boatworks V-41. You’ll find out in no time—and you’ll be fishing the canyons in less than an hour.

Take the next step: valhallaboatworks.com