Viking Yachts of New Gretna, New Jersey, debuted two models at the Miami International Boat Show: the Viking 90 sport fishing yacht and the Valhalla 55 center console. While both models drew a lot of attention, the V-55 made waves when it won the show’s innovation award in the center console/walkaround fishing boat category.
“Both of these boats are badass,” said Viking President and CEO Pat Healy. “We just keep pushing, following our mantra of building a better boat every day.”
Fifty hulls of the Valhalla V-55 have already been sold, according to Viking. The new flagship for Valhalla series features a beam of 15-feet 6-inches, which allows for a large cockpit, plenty of on-deck seating and one of the largest cabins in its class. The interior is yacht-like with a private forward stateroom, berths set aft and a galley-dinette.
Built to accommodate Mercury V-12 600-hp outboards, the V-55 can be configured with four or five motors. With quads, top speed can reach 55 knots; cruising speed is between 34 to 43 knots. For owners who opt for five engines, top speeds can get up to 64 mph.
The boat is equipped with new technology, including the Seakeeper 9, an omni-directional sonar, a 15-kW generator and an ElectroSea raw-water cleaning system. According to the builder, the game-changing feature on the V-55 is the machinery room that’s dedicated to mechanical and electrical components, and engineered to the same standards as the engine rooms on larger boats built by Viking.
