Princess V65

Savvy boat buyers base their decisions on a number of things. Superficially, the boat has to look good, but it also has to perform well, fit your needs, entertain and engage, mollycoddle, and lots more.

However, as you progress through the ranks and enter the big league something called after-sales service and support counts for just as much. On this basis I would expect UK-built Princess cruisers to get a real shot in the arm now that Australia’s biggest boatbuilder, Riviera, has taken over the Australian distributorship.

Indeed, new Princess owners can tap into Riviera’s national dealer network when at home or heading up and down the coast and avail themselves of the after-sales service that has made that brand so popular.

Oh, you pay for it. Believe me. But when you are also paying six figures for a boat then you should expect at-call service. And with service history comes reliability, happy boating and better resale value, which I would expect to be relevant for Princess in the years ahead.

Unsurprisingly, present Princess owners were said to be thrilled with the new arrangements and future benefits. But upon further discussion with Princess and Riviera it soon became apparent to me that there are more synergies and doubtless other benefits than just a distributorship and co-branding. Both companies manufacture similar numbers of boats – about 350 per year – and although Princess plans to increase production, both companies are building bigger boats these days.

Riviera says it took on the Princess agency as a safety net to catch those owners who want boats that are bigger than its present flagship, the 60ft flybridge. I’m also told there will be exchanges of technology in future – people from both yards in both factories – and within a year or so Riviera will have stocked about a dozen Princess boats in a major monetary commitment to the marque.

Though they start at 42ft, the intention is to carry boats from 50ft upwards and, perhaps, even the new 95ft Motor Yacht due for release at the coming London Boat Show.

 Meantime, at the Sydney International Boat Show where Riviera made its announcement – existing dealerships will now be known as R Marine outlets to accommodate the Princess badge – there were four Princess boats worth $14 million on show.

It was at the Sydney event, as dark clouds loomed overhead, that this writer and his beloved boat-owning in-laws sought refuge aboard the Princess V65.

The V Class Sports Yacht with single indoor/outdoor entertaining decks, electric roofs and aft tender garage is very much where the market is at on big-city waterways like Sydney, where entertaining is as important as long-range cruising. Or holidays on the Hawkesbury...

So, I reasoned, what better Princess to reacquaint myself to the fold and, after the show, I leapt aboard for a cross-town drive. Meanwhile, the in-laws, who have made known their changing tastes and predilection for the single-level cruiser, could see the merit in this boat. Only the $3.5 million price tag stands in the way. Oh, and a berth.

TRADITIONS OF A PRINCESS
Like most UK-built luxury motoryachts, Princess has matured in leaps and bounds in the last decade. The mouldings have improved, the build quality has risen thanks to quality control programs courtesy of the automotive industry, the engineering has stepped up a notch and the styling has become more contemporary.

However, the Princess factory makes a conscious decision not to make its boat too trendy. You won’t see the hips and curves of its main compatriots, for example. The reason given is that Princess will be held for a longer term. However, you do get up-to-the-minute engineering and, for the long term, hand-laid GRP hulls with composite decks built to a strict laminate schedules to ensure accurate displacement and projected performance. And hand-painted gelcoat.

Besides after-sales support, Riviera intends to enhance the Princess boats by way of its own soft furnishings, blinds, and customisations for the local market such as deleting the infrequently used passerelle.

The V65 that Trade-A-Boat tested had the paserelle and optional aft crew quarters, with a single berth and separate head including vacuum loo, recessed ceiling shower rose and Avonite counter. Yet it is still very much an owner/driver boat and a lot less foreboding to dock than an equivalent-length motoryacht. Especially as the V65 had an upgraded bowthruster and sternthruster. I would also recommend a plug-in remote.

Aft of the crew quarters, which has optional air-con, is the lazarette with gelcoated hatches revealing storage space for the fenders and more, plus access to the steering gear. Forward is a watertight door leading into the walk-in all-white engine space that welcomes you with a centre checker-plate walkway and full head room.

 It’s great to get watertight bulkheads either side of the big – actually they’re rather compact – V10 MTUs, which come with an oil-change system, huge sea strainers with at-a-glance inspection ports and big wet underwater exhausts with idle-relief bypass. The motors breathe clean air courtesy of a fan-forced venting system with dorades and washable plastic membranes.

The bank of Crusair air-con units was forward, the 3800lt fuel in aluminium wing tanks with switchable redundant twin filters per tank, while the 22kW Onan was aft and fitted with a split silent exhaust. I also spotted the hydraulic pump for the Opacmare passerelle and the tender garage, and noted labelled plumbing and wiring (all 24V or 240V), plus protected battery systems and separate battery chargers.

A desalinator and gurney would complement the boat’s 682lt water supply.

MINI SHIP
Move about the decks of the V65 and you get the impression you’re on a small ship. Which you are.

The transom garage hides the aftermarket Zodiac ProJet jet tender. Take the centre stairs from the teak-topped boarding platform to the upper transom deck, face aft and there, concealed behind a stainless cover and built into the stern rail, is a trick control panel that opens and closes the garage, operates the gangway, and switches on the courtesy and/or underwater swim lights.

The teak decks continue forward and encircle the boat, with nice fat cleats and foot-operated aft capstans to assist with mooring. The foredeck has bulwarks and high rails that give a real feeling of security and the flat foredeck will be popular for doing drinks. The sunpad recess needs only a mattress and bronzed figureheads and there was a freshwater wash among the other features on the bow.

Meanwhile, the pantograph door alongside the starboard internal helm station will ensure the skipper’s within earshot of the working crew.

But it’s the cockpit that covets your attention outdoors, with a portside sunlounge that can swallow two couples and a starboard dinette with folding table that can cater for eight or 10 with two folding chairs, which are provided. The amenities centre includes griddle, sink, food-prep space, garbage bin, icemaker and cooler drawer. Seafood is extra.

To its credit, Riviera intends to improve the aft cover arrangement on the V65. It would be great if the cockpit was useable in average weather and, on this calibre of boat, I was expecting a push-button electric awning or an extended Italian awning or some such thing that can be left up while travelling. The covers would be better if they had a more vertical drop rather than the angle that impedes cockpit space on the factory-rolled boat.

A REGAL RECEPTION
If the weather isn’t perfect then there is always the saloon, behind the huge sliding glass doors, which has a glamorous setting for 10 plus two around a glass dining table, before surrounding picture windows, under the retractable sunroof.

Such is the light and fresh air that you’re virtually outdoors anyway or, with the roof closed and air-con on, in a comfortable all-weather living/dining cacoon.

Practical teak timber flooring, with a carpet feature panel, high-gloss natural cherrywood joinery, soft-touch white liners, cream-coloured leather lounges and mood lighting add to the sophistication. Bose sound systems are now standard on all 2007 Princesses.

Opposite the dinette, behind the two-person built-in club lounge, a 32-inch LCD television emerges from the cabinet at the press of a button. It’s linked to the AV gear (Hitachi on this boat). I’m told Riviera will fit electric blinds on future boats for a quicker switch to movie mode. Elsewhere I found the day fridge, supplied crystal in drawers and bootleg locker.

The casual portside passenger seating is delightfully inclusive, with a (circular) lounge around a small fixed breakfast/lunch/coffee table.

Three or four people could sit here and converse with the skipper while watching the ocean highway. The owner or copilot/navigator gets to sit alongside the skipper on a matching leather helm seat, though the skipper’s is electrically adjustable.

The V65 has a sportscar (or perhaps jet aircraft-like) dash sans the toggle switches, all very clean, with MTU electronic controls with go-slow, synchro and cruise modes, Furuno Navnet electronics, audio-visual alarms, analogue gauges, before a windscreen with wipers and handy air-con outlets. As the skipper you feel in total control. As a passenger you are part of the action. And there are no steps or mezzanine levels from bow to stern. Just perfect for entertaining.

PRIVATE RETREAT
Six steps lead down to the accommodation and galley. No matter what you may think, it’s great to get the galley out of view of the aforesaid living areas. All that’s between chef and guests is that one flight of stairs.

Amtico flooring, a U-shaped work area and solid Avonite counters feature in the galley and, being low and amidships where it’s stable, with opening portlights for natural ventilation and connectivity with the outside world, it’s very serviceable.

Amenities range from four-burner ceramic cooktop – induction would be better – and rangehood to a convection microwave, domestic-sized fridge and freezer, small dishwasher, twin sinks and concealed garbage bin.

 If you really like the cruising side of life you could add extra freezer space in the crew quarters. Princess provides silver cutlery in felt-lined drawers, Villeroy and Bosch crockery, towel sets, first-aid kit and more.

The AC/DC (24V) control panel opposite the galley was one of the most simple, logical and, as such, user-friendly arrangements I’ve seen on a boat. Basically, if you can operate a 30-footer you can jump aboard the V65 and operate its systems. Water and holding tank (233lt) gauges were provided and the washer-dryer was nearby.

SWEET DREAMS
Despite its vast living areas you still get three very generous cabins and three heads and, the piece de resistance, a full-width owner’s cabin flanked by deep oval-shaped picture ports that can be opened for fresh air. I think I would want micro switches on all the port lights to ensure they’re not left open.

But let’s start at the pointy end, the VIP guest’s cabin. It has an expectantly plush double island berth, a regal atmosphere derived from designer reading lamps and stainless steel air-con vents, with jewellery and makeup areas. Opening portlights and a hatch can be called on for fresh air and light. The bone-and-blue bedding from Riv’ was very chic. And the ensuite has a separate shower stall, cool rectangular wash basin, and Italian bathroom fittings including Monobloc mixer. All very swish.

Amidships is the day head/ensuite serving the third cabin, which has bunk beds. Trade-A-Boat’s trusty photographer kicked off his boots and revealed that the beds were well and truly adult length.

Roll on your side on the top bunk and you can enjoy the views out the port light.

Of course, it all pales compared with the full-width stateroom that’s roughly amidships. With the generator aft in the engine room I struggled to hear it running. The king sized bed on the centreline is flanked by a two-seater settee, leather-topped dresser or laptop office (satellite communications would be nice), with a walk-in wardrobe at its foot and a built-in television. The ensuite has separate shower, VacuFlush loo and scope for a bidet, too. Look left or right and, through those portholes: there’s a waiting postcard.

With three cabins you have the means to escape with an extended family and/or friends for summer holidays. Water and fuel capacities, and seaworthiness, are in keeping with a serious long-range cruiser.

Princess has paid attention to the details, hence the removable hemmed carpets, innerspring mattresses, full-length mirror, and classy, uncluttered, modern but stately, somewhat timeless styling.

PRINCESS BY NATURE
I’ve long been a fan of the Bernard Olesinski-designed hulls that Princess prefers, which have tunnels for shallow shaft angles and run flat and efficiently, but also smoothly thanks to their fine entries and aggressive chines. Though mine was a fleeting drive, the V65 felt great galloping across Sydney Heads where it all came flooding back. That trademark handling, the parentage and performance, and most definitely the snappy off-the-wheel power-assisted steering. It’s better than Volvo’s IPS at top speed.

This is exactly the kind of hull that’s well suited to the (upgraded) MTU 10V 1360hp motors, as both boat and motor like to be run hard. As if to prove as much, with full fuel and water we achieved a quick 36.6kts at 2500rpm and a 28-30.2kt cruise at 2000rpm-2100rpm.

Using MTU’s figures you will use about 300lt in total at 30kts for a range in excess of 350nm.

But fast or slow, and even at champagne cruising speed, and thanks also to a low centre of gravity, the boat is oh-so-very comfortable and pleasurable to command. Presently, the biggest V Series Princess is a V70, but in a year the V82 will be released. Riviera has hull number two on order.

I would expect Princess to have muscled into many more local marinas by then. Meantime, I’m booking my berth. Only reality stands in my way. The design is right on the money and the ride and finish excite.

HIGHS

LOWS