Valhalla V-28 Bay

The Valhalla V-28 hardly listed when I stepped on board, putting all of my weight on its starboard side. Because of their low freeboard and shallow draft, many bay boats are tippy. Not this one. My first impression: This Valhalla is super stable with a 9-foot, 3-inch beam. My second impression: This boat offers a ton of fishing space. The forward casting deck can easily accommodate two anglers with room for a third if need be. 

“We designed this boat to provide as much surface area on the forward and aft casting decks as possible,” says Sean Healey, son of Viking Yachts President and CEO Pat Healey. Sean and his younger brother Justin played a pivotal role in the development of the Valhalla line of center consoles, which now includes seven models. While the 28-footer is roughly half the size of Valhalla’s largest model, the brand’s signature DNA is all over it. 

I was quickly impressed with the boat’s hole-shot, midrange power and maneuverability. The V-28 is rated for 600 hp, our test boat had twin 300-hp Mercury Verados. The V-28 popped up on plane in less than three seconds, and topped out just shy of 60 mph, though Valhalla’s performance reports indicate a top speed in the low 60s. The V-28 Bay rides on a Michael Peters Stepped-V Ventilated Tunnel running surface that reduces drag while increasing speed and efficiency. But the real test for me was making a hard turn at 40-plus mph. Some bay boats slide or skip in a tight turn at speed, but the V-28 did not.

We headed for Palm Beach, Florida’s Lake Worth Inlet and were greeted by flat-calm seas. So we purposely ran over a few large wakes to get a sense of how the boat lands coming off a wave—it was soft, quiet and dry. At a 4,000 rpm cruise, we zipped along at 43 mph, burning 23 gph. Whether you’re motoring across Mobile Bay or running out of the inlet, it won’t take long to get to the fish. 

Trolling motors and shallow-water anchoring are key components on bay boats. Valhalla mounts the Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Quest trolling motor on a custom-made pad to keep the motor from coming in contact with the beautifully painted faux-teak toe rail. 

Every inch of space under the forward casting deck is utilized. There’s a massive storage locker with a battery charger for the trolling motor on centerline, flanked by two smaller (yet still large) lockers on either side that can serve double duty as fish boxes. The curved aft radius of the casting deck gives the boat a Valhalla look, and it’s augmented by rod lockers. There’s an optional forward livewell underneath the step that leads up to the casting deck.

Valhalla offers a ton of options for the V-28 so owners can pick and choose. Each Valhalla is a bit different. This particular boat had a pair of 19-inch Garmin 9000 series multifunction displays at the helm with EmpirBus digital switching, which gives the dash a very clean appearance. These touchscreen MFDs are compatible with several transducers to meet any angling need. 

The U-shaped windshield looks sharp, and visibility is unimpeded. Buyers can choose from various windshield options. Two paddle controls stand out just below the Edson steering wheel. Similar to paddles used in the automotive world, these let the captain control engine trim and tilt on one side and jack plate height on the other without taking hands off the wheel. The combination of the teak helm pod and paddle controls is the star of this command center. 

Our test boat had the standard hardtop, which provided ample shade and the perfect mounting location for the Gemlux outriggers. Valhalla also offers the V-28 with a stand-on-console second station, which is great for spotting cobia or any other sight-fishing situation.

Inside the console is an electric head and access to the backside of the electronics, battery switches and wiring, which Valhalla color codes, numbers and labels to make chasing down electric gremlins way easier. The leaning post seating has room for three with Release Marine captain’s chairs with teak arm rests and handsome diamond-stitched upholstery. On the aft side of the leaning post is a sizable tackle drawer above a fiberglass cooler that slides out smoothly without so much as a whisper. Two in-deck fish boxes sit port and starboard, another thing you don’t often see on bay boats because of the need for shallow draft. Everything about this boat is stout, from the retractable cleats and scuppers to the grab rails. 

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The entire cockpit has a toe kick to give anglers a bit more room on deck and some security when tangling with trophy fish. There are two 25-gallon insulated aft livewells, one in each corner, that double as coolers. The livewells have aft friction hinges, which is helpful if you’re standing in the water at a sandbar and want to open the hatch without jumping into the boat. And because they’re friction hinges, they don’t come crashing down. This V-28 had two Power-Poles to keep the boat locked in one spot with no spin. I also liked the small, integrated swim steps on both sides of the transom to help you get back in the boat after a swim. 

An aft seat with room for two folds down and stows away when fishing. The entire aft seat lifts up to provide access to the lazarette revealing the Hooker Sea Chest, bilge pumps, manifolds, seacocks and other equipment. The gelcoated space is sparkly clean, expertly laid out and pure Valhalla. It’s a thing of beauty. Valhalla also offers a designated engine flush to remove salt water from the outboards at the end of the day. 

The V-28 is a high-end fishing machine that isn’t cluttered with a bunch of seating options. It was equally happy running down the beach at 43 mph as it was fishing in 2 feet of water for reds and snook. That’s the beauty of a bay boat, and with the amount of options Valhalla offers, owners can really make it their own. 

“You can personalize the boat however you want it,” Healey says. 

Specifications

Valhalla Boatworks – Egg Harbor City, New Jersey; valhallaboatworks.com