Fishing Aboard the Valhalla 41 Center Console
Fishing Aboard the Valhalla 41 Center Console
The Valhalla 41 is a versatile, high-performance fishing machine. The 41 combines the many benefits of the modern, large center console with the resources, expertise, and backing of the boat’s Viking heritage. The result is a platform that artfully blends the design and finish of Viking Yachts with the speed and portability of a center console.
Nick Galati of Galati Yacht Sales has unique insight on the 41 and what makes it so different. Along with Sean Healey (of Viking/ Valhalla) and Josh Shields—grandson of Bill Royster, the owner of Los Suenos Resort and Marina in Costa Rica, Nick recently wrapped up a Costa Rica excursion on the Valhalla 41.
Fishing six days, including the first leg of the 2021 Los Suenos Triple Crown, Galati, Healey, and Shields showcased the 41’s ability to compete in one of the most competitive tournament landscapes in sportfishing. Much more than a “hold on and go fast” center console, the Valhalla 41’s thoughtful design and performance features impart a dry ride and versatile fishability. Watch the Valhalla anger profile below.
Nick Galati on the Valhalla 41
“We had a great time. We were dredge fishing using custom carbon fiber dredge booms. Many people do not associate center consoles with dredge fishing, but we were able to do it effectively,” Galati begins. “The 41 is equipped with riggers, teaser reels, and everything you need for trolling. We blasted around.”
“The biggest advantage of a boat like that—especially in the mild conditions of Costa Rica—is the ability to get there fast. We had a comfortable cruise at 43 knots,” Galati describes. The 41 Valhalla that Galati Yacht Sales shipped to its Los Suenos office is equipped with quad Mercury 400s.
“The 41 allows you to get to where you want to go. This is especially important in places like Costa Rica where the fishing can change from day to day because there is no structure that holds the fish,” Nick describes.
In blue water tournament scenarios like this– in the absence of rigs, underwater structure, or FADs, the place you have great fishing one afternoon can be slow the next morning. “The 41 is very adaptable. In less than a minute you can pull everything in and be running 45 knots to your next spot,” Galati explains.
Tournament Applications
Competing on even footing in the Los Suenos Tournament series requires more than simply a fast, portable fishing platform. The Valhalla 41’s design and layout are informed by Viking/Valhalla’s team of boat builders.
“One of the things that really sets Viking and Valhalla apart is their resources and ability to invest in their products. They do a great job of living up to their standard of ‘building a better boat every day.’ They always have at least one demo boat fishing each year. They have the same guys using and building the boats—they know what the boats need and how to use them,” Nick explains. “When you go to plug in a dredge reel on the Valhalla 41, the plug is in exactly the right place. There are a lot of little things like that.”
“The company has a finger on the pulse of the market and what people want when using their boats. They understand how things should work and build their boats with that experience and knowledge in mind,” Nick describes. The thoughtfulness and experience of the design team create a center console capable of competing in one of the world’s most high-profile tournament series. “In order to compete, when you hook a sailfish you make a turn and keep fishing to try for a double or triple. When fishing on a convertible sportfisher, the angler who is hooked up goes to the corner and you switch sides with one of the other lines,” Nick says.
“In the 41, the angler who is hooked up can go to the bow. Everyone else can stay in the cockpit without moving lines. Fighting a fish from the bow provides great visibility to the captain—the boat has open sight lines without any obstructions.”
Why Buy Your Valhalla 41 from Galati Yacht Sales
Galati Yachts Sales keeps and maintains an inventory of boats—including the Valhalla 41. It can also lead prospective buyers through the build process with Valhalla.
Each of these approaches has benefits to the buyer. Every boat that Valhalla produces is high-performance and ready to fish. Purchasing an inventory boat avoids build and wait times, but as Nick Galati states, “Inventory does not last long!”
Working with Galati to design your own 41 Valhalla opens a wide array of upgrade and design options. From an aft mezzanine seating option that includes an insulated cooler to teak seating and helm options from Release Marine and customizable fabrics and color options on the boat’s upholstery, design options allow owners to personalize their Valhalla 41.
Power packages for the 41 include triple Yamaha or quad Mercury configurations. All power options can be configured for joystick helm control with GPS station-keeping technology.
The 41 can also be outfitted with a gap tower designed by Palm Beach Towers—the company that builds the towers for Viking and Valhalla vessels alike.
The Valhalla 41’s list of available features and options is rooted in performance and style. Stabilization, hull and console color, powder coating of rails and rod holders, live well options (in deck or in transom—with or without see-through lid or window), just to name a few. The 41 even has a quick connect engine flush system that connects to your dock water supply to cycle through the boat’s motors, flushing each for 15 minutes.
Service and Confidence
Galati Yacht Sales knows and understands the Valhalla 41 as well as anyone– the company has been doing business and fishing with Viking for decades. Combine this relationship with Galati’s dedication to customers before, during, and after the sale and the result is consumer confidence and comfort.
Nick Galati provides perspective, “From a ‘why choose Galati standpoint,’ we were founded as a service company in 1970. That’s actually how we became a Viking dealer. We were performing service work for the local dealer and showed our work ethic and commitment.”
This mission and commitment remain the same today. “For us, service and customer support are as big, or maybe a bigger, emphasis than our sales team. We work hard to give customers the confidence that if anything comes up once they’ve bought the boat that we are there for them. Dedication to customers and customer support is ultra-important for us.”
You can contact Nick Galati at 941.720.1321 // Nick@galatiyachts.com
More on the Valhalla 41 in Action
See Tom Brady’s pass of the Lombardi Trophy to teammates aboard a Valhalla 41 here.
Check out video footage of Nick Galati, Sean Healey, and Josh Shields on their Costa Rica Expedition here.
Valhalla Captain Ryan Higgins provides a walk-through of customization options for the Valhalla 41 here.
