New Valhalla 55: NMMA Innovation Award Winner

Last week at the Miami Boat show, the new Valhalla 55 won the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Award for the most innovative center console design. The winner was the Valhalla V-55 CC seen above. Find out why.

Each year the NMMA assembles a group of boating journalists and presents them with a number of products in several categories and asks them to pick which one was the most innovative. The winner is always announced at the Miami boat show to great fanfare.

This year in the center console category the new Valhalla Boatworks V-55 Center console was the winner. One of the NMMA’s judges made the explanation as to way the V-55 CC won the award:

“The Valhalla V-55 takes big sportfishing yacht features and seamlessly integrates them into a package that’s manageable by a single owner/operator. The belowdecks mechanical space keeps sensitive systems safe and dry but easily accessible. The massive tower is supersized, and the easy-access console cabin feels like the interior spaces you’d find on a much larger sportfish yacht,” said judge Gary Reich.

Several Models are Available

Order Backlog

The V-55 seems to have hit a responsive cord among Viking Yacht owners, and we ar told by Viking CEO Pat Healey that 53 of the boats have been sold at retail. The company has already delivered four of the units, and can build 20 V-55s a year. That puts the backlog out 2-1/3 years.

Applications

According to Valhalla, a division of Viking Yachts, the V-55 a variety of roles – offshore tournament fishing, high-performance sport yacht, fish-and-cruise express, or tender to a superyacht.

Quadruple or quintet Mercury 7.6-liter V12 600-hp Verado outboards power the new Valhalla. “The boat was designed and engineered for these engines,” says Viking Vice President of Design and Engineering Lonni Rutt. “We developed the transom and structure to support the weight and horsepower. We prepared for – and are working with – the technology rather than adapting to it.”

The engine manufacturer’s JPO (Joystick Piloting For Outboards) technology combined with the 600’s steerable gearcase give the driver excellent responsiveness and 360-degree maneuverability. The Valhalla 55 holds a total of 1,200 gallons of standard fuel.

The boat is also engineered with an electrically operated fuel management system, providing increased reliability and utility by allowing each engine to draw from designated fuel tanks.

These are just a few of the boat’s innovative features. To read about them all, go the Valhalla’s website…