Boat Test: 2023 Intrepid 41 Valor

Overview

The Intrepid 41 Valor is three boats in one: a cabin cruiser, a dayboat entertainer, and a competent fishing boat. It is also the result of increasing the length of the 409 Valor, introduced in 2020, by about 2 feet and the beam by 7 inches to accommodate larger outboards. At the same time, the design was tweaked based on customer input.

Interior and Accessories

The most noticeable improvement? The wraparound swim platform. It is unobstructed by hoses or cables and features a new transom door. There’s more space in the aft cockpit, boosting fishability. The new center console is larger to accommodate larger electronic displays, such as the 22-inch Garmin MFD on our test boat. Owners also wanted a better companionway, so Intrepid borrowed the cabin door design from the 438 Evolution.

Our test boat featured every fishing option, including aquarium window upgrades to the standard pair of 25-gallon transom livewells. These also boasted the extra pump option, good insurance for steady flow. The Hooker sea-chest option prevents air from getting in the lines on rough runs. We counted 15 Gemlux rod holders, many of which double as cup holders.

Heading offshore in 3- to 4-foot seas, 33 mph seemed like the happiest speed, and the 41 Valor’s stepped hull delivered a smooth ride. Soon we deployed the optional outriggers. It was hot, so we extended the standard rear SureShade. I called dibs on the rear-facing lounge seat, the perfect place to wait for a bite. This seat raises electrically to reveal a long, deep storage compartment. A Frigid Rigid cooler resides under the helm seats and slides out on demand to preserve deck space. It also doubles as a seat. Underway, crew can sit on a fold-down stern bench, with a high seatback for comfort that stows when fishing. The dive door is fat-yellowfin-huge and features a hefty latch that creates an industrial-strength seal. A stout dive ladder eases reboarding. 

The amidships entertainment zone offers wraparound seating, accommodating up to eight adults under the hardtop. The starboard-side couch has a pull-out seat bottom that transforms it into a playpen. Intrepid adds some practical wow factor with a cooler on the port side that tilts open electrically. And for snack service, an available table features a side-mounted pedestal to keep the deck clear. Order the Riviera option to up your entertaining mojo; this bundles a sink, grill and ice maker, and a refrigerator integrated into the helm seat.

Step belowdecks and it’s hard not to start daydreaming about long fishing trips or cruises. The amount of ambient light is impressive, thanks to the 10 windows. There’s a double berth amidships and a V-berth master with a dining table that electrically serves as a filler section for the bed. A yacht-style head compartment features a separate shower, and there’s an abbreviated galley with an Isotherm refrigerator, single electric stovetop and microwave.

Engines

Unlike most boats, the 41 Valor has a wide range of engine options. One of the first built came rigged with a pair of 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 engines. When compared to another boat rigged with triple Mercury Racing 450R outboards, it provided similar performance, though the extra 150 hp of the triple-engine setup yielded a couple of extra miles per hour on the top-end. Intrepid also optionally offers Yamaha’s new 450 hp XTO Offshore engines.

Our test boat was rigged with three of the even-newer, normally aspirated 400 hp Mercury Verado V-10 outboards, which sport a powerful 150-amp alternator. These are the standard engines for this model, which starts at $1,247,000. The dual 600 hp V-12 option pushes the price up $50,000, but these include some high-tech features, such as a two-speed transmission for better hole shots and independently articulating lower units.

The V-10s showed plenty of snap out of the hole, as evidenced by a zero-to-20 mph time of just 6.5 seconds. Because of the long, enclosed bow, forward visibility was partially obscured for a short time when achieving plane, which might be a problem for shorter captains. But Intrepid added a helm deck that can be electronically raised 4 inches, which helped.

Our performance test was thwarted by a trawler that grounded in the only mile stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway where boats can run on plane in Fort Lauderdale. Sea conditions precluded running at top speed offshore. So, we used Mercury Marine’s test results from when this same boat performed at Lake X in central Florida. Mercury was able to squeeze out a top speed of 61.4 mph.

Searching for a boat to compare with the Intrepid 41 Valor’s trifecta of missions: cruiser, fishboat and dayboat? Factoring in its ultra-premium build and impressive list of standard features that include a gyrostabilizer only makes it harder. We’d suggest shoppers inspect the slightly larger Pursuit 445 OS, though its amidships gathering area is enclosed. It retails for $1,434,300 with triple 425 hp Yamaha XTO Offshore outboards—its only engine option.

How We Tested

• Engines: Triple 400 hp Mercury Verado V-10
• Drive/Props: Outboard/Revolution 4XP 14.6″ x 23″ pitch, 4-blade stainless steel
• Fuel Load: 70 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

High Points 

• Lazarette and center console offer excellent service access to the boat’s underdeck
  systems. 
• Our test boat had a bank of lithium batteries instead of the standard diesel generator.    
• Great ride in rough seas from Intrepid’s proprietary step hull form. 

Low Points

• Shorter drivers may be on their tiptoes to see forward, despite a helm deck that rises electronically.
• Having clear lids on the livewells would help monitor the bait’s condition.
• When open, the transom door’s curved top partially blocks egress for those boarding via the swim platform.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

Intrepid Powerboats – Dania, Florida; intrepidpowerboats.com