From Mahi to Margaritas Aboard the Valhalla V-33

Natalie Lucia purchased a custom center console from Valhalla Boatworks’ V Series fleet for fishing excursions that end with a toast to the perfect day

George LaBonte

November 18, 2022

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Lucia’s beautiful custom Valhalla V-33. Photo by George LaBonte — Lucia’s beautiful custom Valhalla V-33. Photos by George LaBonte

It doesn’t take long after meeting Natalie Lucia to surmise that this is a woman who takes her leisure time seriously. She’s also somewhat of a rare gem in the mostly male-dominated sport of fishing. The last several years have been a world of discovery and an uphill climb for Lucia in her quest for the perfect boat to accommodate her very discerning taste, but she is now the owner/operator of a gorgeous Valhalla Boatworks V-33 center console.

Natalie Lucia (left) and her girlfriends, Ciara Dixon and Kaylin Hertenstein, show off their mahi catches of the day. Photo by George LaBonte — Natalie Lucia (left) and her girlfriends, Ciara Dixon and Kaylin Hertenstein, show off their mahi catches of the day.

Lucia was searching for a boat that could hold its own as a serious fishing vessel while also offering a luxurious venue for leisure cruising. On any given day, she might start out early fishing in the Gulf Stream, wind down relaxing at the Jupiter sandbar midday, and wrap up the day on a quest for the best waterfront margarita. After a turn at the wheel with a pair of 25-footers (one a center console, the other a dual-console catamaran), she had enough experience to know with certainty what she liked and disliked in a boat. A lengthy search for something bigger and better concluded with a chance meeting with a broker who not only had a 2022 V-33 ready for delivery due to a client trading up but also had a buyer for Lucia’s trade-in. The rest was history.

Three-person ladderback chairs at the helm. Photo by George LaBonte — Three-person ladderback chairs at the helm.

You’ll find the aptly named Always in Trouble turning heads everywhere she goes, as Palm Beach Gardens resident Lucia and her crew of women enjoy fishing and cruising together. The Valhalla V-33 is one of a fleet of luxury center consoles offered by the Viking Yacht Company, a premier builder of sportfishing yachts. A collaboration between Viking’s design team and Michael Peters Yacht Design resulted in a twin-step tunnel hull that raises the bar in both style and performance.

Always in Trouble is a custom-colored Kingston Gray over Whisper Gray accents trimmed in black powder coat for a very striking look. The aesthetics found on her larger sportfish yacht counterpart are evident at every turn. Graceful curves, a classic helm pod and toe rail in a faux teak finish along with ladderback helm chairs all suggest sportfish luxury. Meticulous mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems on par with the best in the industry set her apart.

The center console boasts yacht-quality electronics at the helm as well as overhead. Photo by George LaBonte — The center console boasts yacht-quality electronics at the helm as well as overhead.

Ample plush seating with Bentley stitching all around the deck. Photo by George LaBonte — Ample plush seating with Bentley stitching all around the deck.

A SeaKeeper 2 Gyrostabilizer and Hooker Sea Chest/Pump live-well system, Lumitec RGBW spectrum LED lighting from top to bottom, twin Mercury Verado 300 V8 four strokes, and yacht-quality electrical systems are just part of what makes this model sparkle. The balance of comfortable seating on deck and fishability (both 360 degrees around her deck) along with the perfect gunwale height and visibility across the helm would ultimately close the deal for Lucia. From mahi to margaritas and everything in between, the V-33 looks like a perfect fit.