Princess 61

In case you missed the news, Sanctuary Cove has become the place for showing off show boats. It beckoned as a destination for the importers of the UK-made Princess luxury boats. Only trouble was their two newest model Princesses, the P61 (released at last year's Southampton Show) and the P65, were both lying in Sydney.

So what did the dealers do? No problem. They rounded up a few mates and delivered the Princess boats north on what they called 'The Unofficial Race'. Indeed, the crew was fairly rearing to go when I set foot aboard the Princess 61, the subject of this story, just a few days before their scheduled departure.

There were sleeping bags in cabins, DVDs ready to while away the time at sea, charts of the East Coast covering all the ports between Sydney and the Gold Coast and a liferaft should things get really ugly.

When I caught up with the crew again at Sanctuary Cove the following week, they told me the P61 had left Pittwater before sunrise, four hours before the faster 65-footer. It was hardly plain sailing, especially when they set out in the dark, under rain, and fell into messy seas.

There was a 2.5m swell with a 1m sea on top and 25kt of southeasterly wind hitting the P61 beam-on. In fact, they never got to run a DVD because watching movies is the last thing on your mind when you are green around the gills.

The beam sea continued all the way to Seal Rocks, where the coast cuts back in, demanding a 20° course change. This meant the swell came around on the quarter. It was then that the P61 ran up to 23kt, surfing down the face of some big swells. From here things took a turn for the better.

It took 11.5 hours to reach Coffs Harbour from Pittwater in the P61, cruising at a comfortable 1900rpm and 19-21kt. The crew did two-hour shifts. When conditions were at their worst, they found the guest's cabin located roughly amidships perfectly comfortable for a snooze. Despite the absence of leecloths, no-one rolled out of bed in the beam-on seas.

The P61 tied up to Coffs Harbour Fishing Co-operative at 5.15pm and the Princess 65, which left four hours later, rafted up at 7.00pm. The wind abated overnight and swung around to the west, flattening the sea for the next leg of the unofficial race.

Both boats left at 7.30am and the P61 arrived on the Gold Coast at 2.45pm. The Princess 65 got their first to win the unofficial race, unsurprisingly since it had twin 1050hp MAN motors giving high-20kt cruise speeds.

But in terms of efficiency, the new Princess 61 with twin 700hp Volvo motors was impressive. It is not far off the big 65 in seaworthiness, and internally it comes up shy in no department.

DRIVE TIME
During my outing before the P61's passage north, with the boat fully fuelled and a lazarette packed to the rafters with a boatload of spare parts hitching a ride to the Gold Coast, we did 26kt top speed and a 20kt cruise. Top speed is around 29kt, with a 21kt cruise when the boat is half fuelled and not loaded with spares.

Most impressively, the boat delivers a smooth cruise while offering terrific views from either the flybridge or lower helmstation. The trim angle of the P61 changes only slightly from displacement to planing speed, due to the lift generated by the boat's aft tunnels and flat shaft angles, making this a confidence-inspiring big-boat drive.

According to the crew in Sanctuary Cove, the P61 travels offshore like a knife through wedding cake. Its deep-vee hull spreads the swells and throws the spray wide. It has lots of bow lift when running down a big wave - it doesn't bury but instead lifts and surfs back down the next swell.

Darting about the entrance to Broken Bay, I found the P61 a very cruisy motoryacht. This had a lot to do with its steering, which is delightfully direct, unlike so many cruisers I test. Turn the wheel and the P61 responds, arcing around without digging in - as though you were driving a boat half its size.

MORE THAN A RIDE
While the performance of the Princess hulls is well-documented, the new Princess 61 is unique for other reasons. For a European performance motoryacht, which are traditionally low-profile in style, the internal volume is tremendous. One might describe the P61 as a big boat but an agile one.

A bowthruster and, wow, a sternthruster due for retrofitting make life about the marina a breeze. Deck gear runs the gamut from concealed electric stern winches to a telescopic 350kg crane and freshwater anchor wash. The bulwarks, traced by moulded toerails and an extra-high survey-standard bowrail, are what you might find on a small ship.

The only area of compromise is the cockpit, which is shorter than some 60-footers. It has a three-person aft lounge, room to assemble a teak breakfast table and chairs, and an optional aft cabin designed to sleep two crew. The boat comes with twin transom doors and a full-width boarding platform ready to spring you into the water.

What the cockpit loses in floor space is more than made up for by the enormity of the overhanging flybridge. It has a big aft sunpad for four bronzed bods, a circular lounge offering cruising views for seven guests and an amenities centre with barbecue and drinks fridge. A nice touch was the storage under the sunpad for the sunpad cushions, which so often float around the boat annoyingly when not in use.

With such comforts, the bridge is where sun-seekers will relax at anchor instead of the cockpit. A bimini top is all that's needed for shade and to cut the glare on the predominantly white surfaces. Driver vision is excellent at any speed, with a smart dash harbouring everything from bowthruster controls and rudder position indicator to searchlight remote and intercom system.

Navigation equipment was supplied by Raymarine and the twin Volvo engines had repeat gauges recessed on low-glare walnut panels. The switch panels are automotive-like, as is the sports wheel, which is all you need to drive this responsive 61-footer.

Helmseats are on the boat's centreline, so you get a good sense of control and smooth ride. You can see both the portside corner of the boarding platform and the bow when docking.

LIFE ABOARD
The first thing I noticed when stepping inside the P61 was the comparatively high ceiling. To keep their centre of gravity low, some Euro motoryachts tend towards being low-profile on the outside and inside. The P61, on the other hand, is vast, roomy and accommodating inside - a great entertainer.

The latest model from Princess, the 61 has an open-plan layout, big windows, sumptuous leather lounges and light-coloured fabrics, with natural cherrywood joinery for a sense of timeless style. New designer touches include timber ceiling inlays, a new marquetry line around the boat's furniture and a subtle black trim line tracing the vertical timber surfaces.

Wide companionways make moving about the P61 a breeze. To bring the outdoors in, there are electric windows aft and either side of the internal helm. The big stainless-framed saloon door teams with the trick watertight door alongside the skipper's seat, leading out to the bulwarks, for bow-to-stern access.

The internal wetbar to port, incorporating a fridge, icemaker and glass storage, is easily accessed from the cockpit. Above this is the boat's trick entertainment system with television, DVD player, surround sound and a CD player linked to the external speakers.

A two-seater leather settle alongside the entertainment system faces a U-shaped leather lounge on the starboard side, which is set around a classy cherrywood coffee table allowing seating for four to six people.

Up one step, past the internal ladder to the bridge, is a dedicated dining area that can seat up to six people (when you use the two loose stools tucked under the forward double bed).

Set down to starboard, the galley is close to the skipper, allowing the first mate to deliver a continental breakfast during those early morning cruises. Black ice Avonite counters, a four-burner ceramic stove, convection microwave, fridge and separate freezer, twin sinks and icemaker are all you need for entertaining a crowd.

Liveaboarders or serious cruising couples will need to beef up the small extractor fan and add fiddle rails or pot-holders to the electric hob.

A two-stage access door leads from the galley to a utility room. It will win votes from serious boaties since it has a washing machine/dryer and storage space for long-range provisions, plus a rechargeable vacuum.

I like the use of wrap-around glass, the drop blinds, Roman blinds, pelmets and lighting, which can be tweaked this way or that to make the saloon bright and cheerful or private and introspective. I also liked the drive from inside. The boat runs nice and flat with no need for tabs at low speeds. Vision from the internal helm across the foredeck is terrific at all speeds.

SLEEPING BEAUTY
The P61 takes a further turn for the better in the accommodation department. There are three cabins, two with double beds and ensuites, one with twin singles and a nearby head that doubles for day use. But unlike a lot of those cabs with twin singles, this one has a whacking great amount of headroom and floor space.

Owners are treated to a big amidships cabin, roughly on the centreline, with a double bed that isn't offset - some motorboaties say you don't sleep too well in offset berths.

Niceties include a quilted bedspread, dressing table with stool, separate sound system, AC controls and lots of storage space for clobber.

VIP guests will slip willingly into the forward cabin, which has a useful amount of floor space and a full-length mirror so they can dress their best. Hanging lockers, shoe lockers and drawers will hold a week's worth of boating attire.

The shower stalls in the bathrooms were a pleasant surprise. Whereas a lot of boats have sliding circular shower doors, which can be a handful to shift along the tracks, the P61 has proper doors just like a shower at home. And top-quality Vacuflush loos, extractor fans and light-coloured Avonite counters feature in all three heads.

COASTAL HOPPERS
The boys told me they plotted their course from Sydney, entered the co-ordinates of various waypoints in the GPS and sallied forth for Coffs Harbour before stopping in the pits and making tracks to the Gold Coast. The driving was left up to the autopilot, with one crew on watch and the rest kicking back somewhere.

Even from my short time aboard, the P61 gave the impression of being a serious passagemaker. In rough seas you mightn't feel like watching a DVD, but that's about as bad as it gets. At the same time, it would make a wonderful entertaining boat, thanks to an open-plan layout.

In case you're wondering, Sydney to the Gold Coast took around 19 hours, cruising in comfort and style, doing a comfortable 19kt.

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