Princess V65

Ian Dale and his wife are not your average boaties. For starters, they have one of the best berths money can buy on Sydney Harbour. It's not far from the Heads, wide and lined with beautiful fenders, just perfect for spur-of-the-moment adventures. And it is equally convenient for parking after a dinner cruise.

But for a large part of the time their berth is empty. You see, Dale and his wife aren't your typical 50 hour-a-year boaties. They head out on the water almost as often as the Manly Ferry wends its way from Circular Quay.

Christmas holidays, for example, were spent living it up at sunny Port Stephens, which they reached from Sydney in four hours at a cruise speed of around 24kt. The twin V10 MAN engines, ticking over at 1800rpm, consumed around 200lt an hour.

Their son and daughter-in-law raced them by road and arrived just 15 minutes earlier. If Dale had decided to put the throttles down, he would have had little trouble taking the chequered flag.

But it's cruising comfort and finding new places that the couple enjoy most. The highlights of their holiday were numerous wonderful day trips to Broughton Island. They snuck into that little beach on the northern side, the one that looks for all the world like something out of the tropics, with a boatload of friends. Lazy days were spent swimming, diving and, well, holidaying afloat in style.

As Murphy's Law dictates, the seas took a turn for the worse when it was time to return to Sydney. Unperturbed, Ian Dale still made it home in four hours, with his wife and daughter-in-law aboard, whereupon the boat was berthed easily.

Dale and his wife are not your average boaties because, well, not everyone owns and drives a Princess V65 sportscruiser. The plush passagemaker is tailor-made for travelling inside and out in grand style. To make life that much more pleasant it has a push-button cabriolet top, jet-powered tender, electric windows and telescopic passerelle.

HELLBENT ON SPORTSCRUISERS
A happy cruising couple, the Dales didn't procure their Princess V65 by chance. They started out with a Dominator flybridge cruiser before moving into a Wellcraft Portafino. They followed this boat with a Princess V52, which they ran for four years.

That boat helped nurture their passion for sportscruisers. Dale says the single-level layout, where the helm and cockpit are side by side, is perfect for cruising with friends. He also discovered that the V52's low centre of gravity means it travels on an even keel at sea, and that the lack of windage is a boon for parking. Having said that, the Dales were struck by the desire for a bigger boat.

The Princess gave them such good service they decided to stick with the British marque. They ordered a Princess V65. It was the couple's Christmas present. While it is a big 65-footer, it is anything but a tug to drive.

More often than not, Dale heads out with just his wife. To date, the couple have operated their new boat without a problem. Parking is a breeze, not only because of the aforementioned berth, but thanks also to the bowthruster and the optional sternthruster.

The Princess V65 is also rather handy for catering for a boatload of merrymakers. Over Christmas, the cruising couple had up to a dozen friends aboard. The boat's big spread of amenities were always right at hand. Guests could eat and drink and converse with Captain Dale while he kicked back at the helm.

Dale and his family are more than happy with the V65's performance offshore. After 30 hours running, not a second has passed when the boat has inclined towards broaching. The weight down low in the hull, not up in a flybridge, helps keep it on an even keel.

WORLDLY CRUISER
While Dale's V65 makes waves when it saunters about Sydney Harbour, it is not exactly a rare boat on the world's waterways. Launched at the Miami Boat Show two years ago, some 40 have already been built. Dale's V65 is hull No 33.

Aside from ease of handling, the other big attraction of the Princess is, of course, its finish. Princess owners get an extensive choice of patterns and materials for benchtops, curtains, bedspreads, carpets, classic or natural cherrywood joinery and more. The swatches of leather for the lounges alone span around 30 colours and textures.

As seasoned boaties with a decade of sportscruising experience, the Dales ordered a few modifications to their Princess V65. They went for a full-width owner's cabin instead of sharing the beam amidships with a second guest's cabin.

With just two cabins, both with ensuites, they turned the leftover bathroom for their deleted third cabin into a generous dayhead, omitted the shower recess - there are already two below and a handheld at the transom - and made the head one big loo and vanity. The extra floor space gained through this will be appreciated by guests, particularly those unaccustomed to using the head at sea.

Also ditched was the aft crew cabin, which in the standard V65 layout is a small space aft of the engines in a lazarette, comprising a single berth, loo and washbasin. Instead, the Dales used the area for extra storage for long-term provisions.

The only other options are the sternthruster, a 17kVa Onan generator in place of the standard 11kW model, a Raymarine navigation kit, teak companionway down below in place of carpet (experience taught them that carpeted steps wear quickly) and the piece de resistance, an electric sunroof.

BOTTOMS UP, TOP DOWN
The electric cabriolet-style roof on the V65 is among the best I've seen. Some are too small, others flimsy, but this one is a doozey. Pushing a button is all it takes to dramatically change the ambience in the cockpit.

The electric roof is completely waterproof when closed - it was raining for most of my drive - and there is no flapping or movement of any kind when high-tailing it. The roof retracts as far as you want it to, allowing in light and fresh air, which can also be gained via electric helm and co-pilot windows.

The cabriolet hood slides back on yacht mainsheet tracks and, when fully retracted, concertinas neatly against the aft section of the hardtop. Dale was unsure how well it would work at first. In fact, he went to the Miami Boat Show to play with the top. Suffice to say, he is now convinced of its merits.

Top up or down, the V65 has a social cockpit that is built to serve. There is full headroom underneath, terrific views outside through big windows, lots of lounges and easy-clean seating and practical teak decks - to say nothing of the wetbars, icemakers and suchlike.

The V65 isn't a narrow-gutted, high-speed projectile but a generous, high-volume sportscruiser. Compared with the company's flybridge models, the V65 is fuller in the bow and higher in the topsides.

ENGINEERING SPACES
The depth of the V65 becomes apparent after you set foot aboard. While portholes are just a few feet above water level at rest, they are at eye level when you are in the cabins.

There is even full headroom in the sub-floor engineering spaces. It's seven steps from the cockpit to the cabins with full headroom throughout.

A hatch and ladder near the aft sunpad on the starboard side leads to the lazarette and optional crew quarters. Aft of the engines, the space was fitted with things such as a long-term freezer, separate washer and dryer, workshop with a massive toolbox, genset and additional storage.

The engineroom is a massive walk-in number with full headroom and the kind of volume normally reserved for motoryachts. Such is the room, you can upgrade from the twin V10 MAN motors on this boat to V12 MANs.

The 1050hp MAN motors are 'handed', meaning the filters and dipsticks are accessible along the centreline. The strainers can be easily checked forward, and in keeping with the Princess reputation for sound engineering, you get dual fuel filters.

Extractor fans and big breathers with membranes ensure the motors get plenty of fresh air. There is a Sea Drive auto fire system, excellent lighting for doing your maintenance and hatches and floor sections that can be removed in case of serious repairs.

The soundproofing of the engineroom is such that you can carry on a conversation at the helm without needing to raise your voice. At 34kt, the dB levels range from a modest 82-84. The engine exhausts run through mufflers and are watercooled.

Another V65 in the country, with the big block V12s, pulls 41kt top speed. However, Dale says 34kt fully laden is plenty enough for him and, well, he has a point. It's a very cruisy boat to drive.

The only improvements to the V65 in recent times are to the batteries, which were once in the engineroom, but are now in a more accessible location beneath a cockpit hatch.

In the cockpit you will find plenty more surprises.

COCKPIT CAPERS
The foredeck sunpad and big blue and white striped sunpads, perched half-in and half-out of the cockpit overhang, provide outdoor lounging space for family and friends.

A teak balcony backed by rails gives additional entertaining space. Steps lead down to the transom, which has a concealed boarding ladder.

Ian Dale decided to stick with the boat's standard issue, Euro-style electric passerelle. A neat folding number, you operate it from a remote. 'The Nannas' (87 and 90 years old respectively) climbed aboard via the passerelle for the boat's 30-person launch. The kids have since taken to the passerelle, as Aussie kids do, and use it as a diving board.

Either side of the transom are two tremendous garages that also lift at the press of a button. The starboard locker is designed for a jetski. Since they have been banned on Sydney Harbour, Dale decided to fit it out with fishing gear, blow-up water toys, hoses and fenders - lots of outdoor stuff.

The starboard locker shelters a stylish jet-powered Nautica RIB with an 80hp Yamaha engine. Dale likes the fact that the kids can frolic in its wake on watertoys without fear of being chopped by the prop. The jet tender also works wonders as a shopping trolley and watertaxi for accessing foreshore restaurants.

Launching the jet tender is as easy as one, two, three: press a button and open the garage, grab the remote inside and press the launch button to wet the tender.

While on push-button conveniences, the Princess V65 has electric sternline winches and an electric cockpit locker big enough to store deck chairs.

Head the other way, via steps leading from the cockpit and along wide sidedecks that almost rate as half bulwarks, and you'll find the V65's foredeck. A high bowrail, generous foot-space and flattish deck shape make this a safe place from which to stage dolphin cruises.

There is a big clip-in sunpad and lockers for the fenders, which are very handy on both the port and starboard sides.

OUTDOOR LIVING
The indoor/outdoor cockpit, topped with the electric cabriolet top, is what makes the V65 so special. You can attach clear rear curtains for a complete seal. However, with reverse-cycle air-conditioning, you can beat the weather with your balcony door wide open.

Seating comprises an aft L-shaped lounge to port and a big U-shaped lounge around a dinette on a chic stainless steel base opposite. There are twin helm and co-pilot seats. All up, there is room for seating 12 people and, with a few loose chairs, eight around the lunch table.

Amenities include a cockpit fridge, icemaker, hot rock barbecue, stainless sink and bin, all in a moulded unit behind the co-pilot seat. There is also a pull-out glass drawer behind the electrically adjustable helmseat.

With so many amenities at hand, the Princess V65 gives top-deck service. Black-ice Avonite benches, white vinyl upholstery and teak decks help make it a low-maintenance living area. The owner opted for an all-white helm with an aftermarket anti-glare dash mat.

The helm offers perfectly clear views while seated, no matter what speed you are doing. The boat travels flat without touching the tabs. The only buttons you'll need to press are those for the cabriolet roof, the electric side windows and the GPS plotter and pilot. The dash has plenty of room for these electronics as well as the engine gauges.

The Dales have been navigating on a Raytheon (Raymarine) RL80C combo radar/plotter, parking using a neat single-action toggle that controls both bowthrusters and sternthrusters and using the Raytheon LCD data screens for at-a-glance info. There are manual shut-offs and fire-system switches alongside the helmseat. Controls are the electronic MAN types.

A PRIVATE PLACE BELOW
The interior of the V65 is contemporary, understated and elegant. This is in keeping with all Princess boats, which seem to have a longer shelf life than some avant garde makes. Lighting, both natural and artificial, helps create a refined but not stuffy feel.

Finishes include high-gloss natural cherrywood, mirrored walls, art deco column lights, novasuede bed surrounds, camel-coloured berber carpet, Avonite tabletops and teak-and-holly timber flooring in the heads.

This was only the second or third two-cabin V65 out of the 40-odd boats made to date, yet it is hard to imagine a more desirable layout for cruising couples. The stateroom back aft runs the full width of the hull. All that is sacrificed is a third cabin with a pipe-cot berth, single bed and hanging locker. Dale worked closely with the factory in designing this full-width cabin option.

The stateroom had an offset double bed topped with a smart blue and gold spread, a hanging locker, two drawers in a lowboy, a settee for two to port, drawers beneath the bed and plenty of lockers for clothes. The bed faces a concealed flat-screen television and DVD hiding behind a mirror. There are two air-conditioning units so you can sleep without cold air blowing directly onto your face.

The ensuite is massive, with a giant shower stall and extractor fan, a Vacuflush loo and all the nice Princess designer trimmings.

The dayhead, conveniently located alongside the companionway, is a generous moulded unit with lots of foot space - perfect for when duty calls at sea.

Nowhere is style more impressive than in the saloon. There is loads of headroom and a chic central ceiling light feature. Art nouveau cylinder lights are mounted on well-crafted timber pillars, which flank a six-person leather settee set around an extendable dinette.

There are two stools fronting the bar/galley return. The stools have gas struts and can be lowered to provide impromptu seats at the dinette. The galley tops and a neat work area above the fridge are topped with contemporary frosted glass.

Gourmets will welcome the big stainless fridge/freezer, convection microwave, sink and three-burner ceramic hob, which can be hidden behind hinged timber leaves. There are lots of cupboards including one at the end of the galley, which holds a television, DVD and CD player.

Guests get a forepeak cabin with an island double berth, topped here with a gold and navy spread, surrounded by camel-coloured novasuede liners. Storage includes his-and-her hanging lockers and holds for personals. The ensuite has a full-sized shower compartment complete with sliding perspex door.

CRUISING THE BLUE
As mentioned above, docking is dead easy with the fore and aft thrusters linked to a boat-shaped block at the helm. You can use the thrusters simultaneously, either in corresponding directions or opposing thrusts, to turn the boat full circle or shift it sideways.

The V10 MANs run on just one bank of five cylinders to reduce idling speed. Not needing tabs, the V65 is a very free and easy boat that planes at 12kt without wallowing. At 1600rpm you can maintain a low cruising speed of 19kt and punch through just about anything.

The boat seems most content offshore holding 24.5kt at 1800rpm. Top speed is 33-34kt. Inside with the roof down it doesn't feel that fast. But stick your head out the side and the eyes soon water.

"I love my boat," Ian Dale reflects. "I can sit on it all day and night, inside and outdoors, offshore and in the calms, on a planned passage or at the spur of the moment, tinkering or cruising. It's a great boat from which to do dinner and offshore passages."

Indeed, there was little in the way of rattles or hard knocks when we charged outside Sydney Heads. Like Dale, I could have run all the way to Port Stephens in just hours, driving seated, without taking punishment. It sure is a nice way to travel.

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