For anglers who chase trophy fish and crave high performance, the Valhalla V-55 center console delivers both speed and tournament-ready features. Offered with quad or optional quint Mercury Verado 600 outboards, the V-55 combines offshore fishing capability with cruiser-style accommodations and long-range fuel capacity.
The flagship of Valhalla Boatworks, the V-55 debuted at the Miami International Boat Show and won the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s 2023 Innovation Award in the Center Console/Walkaround Fishing Boat category. With up to five of Mercury Marine’s 7.6-liter V-12 Verado 600 engines, the V-55 can exceed 60 knots; with four Verado 600s, Valhalla’s initial performance testing recorded top speeds near 55 knots. Even at high cruising speeds, the boat sustains significant range thanks to a 1,200-gallon fuel system distributed across three main tanks and two auxiliary tanks.
Valhalla’s V Series center consoles, which span 33 to 55 feet, were developed with Michael Peters Yacht Design and use the firm’s Stepped-V Ventilated Tunnel hull. This hull form reduces drag, improves fuel efficiency and provides a smooth, dry ride. The V-55’s composite construction pairs fiberglass with carbon fiber/E-glass hybrid fabrics for strength with reduced weight. Major structural components—the one-piece stringer grid, deck, liners and hardtop—are resin-infused to enhance stiffness and durability.
Designed for offshore competency, the V-55 can be fitted with a Seakeeper 9 gyrostabilizer and accommodates up to 3,000 hp of outboard power on its transom. The independently steerable gearcases on the Verado 600s deliver rapid acceleration and a strong hole shot. Valhalla’s range figures show that at 35–43 knots the V-55 can travel roughly 450–500 miles, while cruising at nearly 49 knots still yields about 400 miles. Adding a fifth Verado increases top speed by roughly 9 knots with a modest reduction in range.
Michael Peters highlights the synergy between hull design and propulsion: the V-55’s performance has exceeded projections, and the builders note that the limits of the Verado 600 outboards are still being explored. The model’s 15-foot, 6-inch beam provides significant onboard volume compared with many performance boats, enabling express-cruiser comforts while maintaining a lean, low-slung profile ideal for serious fishing.
Accommodations on the V-55 include a forward stateroom with a queen berth and a split ensuite head, where the shower is on the starboard side and the head and sink are to port, the latter doubling as a day head. Abaft the master stateroom the salon and galley feature in-house woodwork and a generous 6-foot, 7-inch headroom belowdecks. An aft stateroom with twin berths offers space for additional guests, family or crew; although it lacks a door, owners can add privacy solutions such as a curtain.
Practical systems layout is evident in the machinery room accessed from the aft-cabin bulkhead, where equipment and service points are arranged for straightforward maintenance. The attention to detail extends across the boat—from robust hatch hardware and precise upholstery stitching to the one-piece wraparound windshield, glass helm and integrated speaker pods.
Deck arrangements prioritize fishing operations. Cockpit, bow and side decks are free of obstructions so anglers can work around the boat, and the V-55 offers large fish-box capacity and a Garmin multifunction display mounted under the tackle center lid so the fishfinder’s readout is visible from the cockpit. Hull No. 1 features a striking double row of forward-facing seats aft of the helm that securely seats nine; owners can replace the rear row with a settee and table as an option, and a sport tower is available for competitive offshore anglers.
Valhalla and Viking Yachts have blended yacht-level systems and finish with center-console performance to create a boat that is both fishing-centric and refined. The V-55’s combination of speed, stability, handling and seakeeping aims to set a new standard for large center consoles.
—Louisa Beckett
Specifications
LOA: 55’7”
Beam: 15’6”
Draft (engines down): 4’0”
Displ. (full load): 49,873 lbs.
Power: (4) 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards with joystick (optional 5th engine)
Fuel: 1,200 gallons (three main tanks, two auxiliary tanks)
Price (base): $2,835,000
This article was originally published in the August 2023 issue.