PRINCESS V55
The Plymouth yard’s new rival to the Sunseeker Predator 60 appears to have it all but does it also deliver out at sea?
Getting a head-to-head test between two boats is not an easy thing to get off the ground. Such is the pace of production and the demand for boats to be shipped to dealers, boat shows or customers getting even one for a test can be tricky, never mind two. So though we couldn’t test the V55 side by side against its closest rival, the Sunseeker Predator 60 EVO, it just so happens that the last boat I tested prior to the V55 was indeed the Predator (tested, MBY April 2020). A rare opportunity then to assess a boat against its most fierce competition made all the more interesting by the different approach taken by each yard to designing two boats whose dimensions are almost identical. The Sunseeker is slightly longer and wider but they weigh almost exactly the same, are able to carry an equal amount of fuel and are powered by identical engines with the Sunseeker’s base price coming in at just £55,000 more than the Princess. The boat from Poole is available with two shaft-drive engine options and one IPS whereas Princess has stuck with shafts and offers just one engine option: twin Volvo Penta D13s with 1,000hp each.
COOKING TO PERFECTION
Despite their similarities however, the two boats go about their jobs in quite different ways. The Sunseeker’s galley is on the lower deck in a more traditional configuration with a small lower dinette opposite whereas the V55’s lower deck is solely focussed on sleeping accommodation with the galley up on the main deck. There are benefits to both layouts; the Sunseeker can afford to have a larger galley with far more counter space and better storage but on the V55 the person using the galley isn’t downstairs out of the action and serving the decks is far easier. Despite the galley’s proximity to the cockpit the V55 has a decent wetbar, complete with BBQ grill, fridge and ice maker, though
Thought has gone into every detail, ensuring they are pleasing on the eye
cleaning the grill won’t be easy without a sink. Because of the lack of eye-level lockers in the galley
Princess had to be smart with the use of space so included a threestorey shelving unit that emerges from the galley top at the touch of a button, ideal for stacking tinned food and condiments. When not in use it sinks back down into the counter and you’d never know it was there. The white counter with matching induction hob give the galley a clean aesthetic, important when it is as much part of the furniture as it is a practical cooking station. This is a theme throughout the V55, the amount of thought that has gone into every little detail to ensure they are pleasing on the eye. Whether it’s Olesinski’s attractive swooping exterior lines and the appealing curvature of the mouldings in the cockpit or Princess Design Studio’s beautifully styled furniture, the V55 doesn’t have a line out of place.
Without a flybridge, the cockpit becomes the focal point on the V Class range but the V55 goes one step further by inviting the saloon to become part of the outdoor environment. To boost this feeling the cockpit doors slide to port and then drop (slowly) down into a void between the engineroom and the master cabin bulkhead and in doing so open the saloon to the L-shaped dinette and expansive sunbathing space in the cockpit. Retract the sliding roof above the saloon and in a matter of minutes this enclosed sportscruiser feels almost as open and exposed to the outside world as the traditional V boats did back in the day.
SINGLE-LEVEL LIVING
The Sunseeker has exactly the same trick up its sleeve, though its carbon-fibre roof has more glass in it and peels back further to create an even larger aperture. With the galley below however, you don’t get the single-level-living aspect that works so successfully on the Princess, though it’s a shame that the television fitted to the V55 at Southampton, which could swivel to face the cockpit, wasn’t on the one we tested here.
The cockpit has access down either side of the sunpad moulding to the hydraulic bathing platform but there is an infill that slots between the end of the dinette seating and the aft bench so another person can sit at the corner of the enormous table when food is served. The tender garage is large enough for an 11ft 3in (3.45m) mini RIB, though the moulding for this does eat into space for the optional crew cabin. In reality few people will subject anyone, or at least anyone they hold dear, to actually sleeping in an area that is probably best left as a deep storage void for kit that isn’t used on a regular basis.
No, the place to sleep aboard the V55 is the master suite, which is full beam amidships and finished with real style. The curved timber on the lower deck appears to wrap itself around you as you move through the boat and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere that emanates through all three cabins. The master has over 6ft of headroom, even around the sides of the bed where there are raised sections in the floor. Storage is a major focus and the designers have resisted fitting the ubiquitous, if often ignored, chaise longue and instead opted for a cosy settee with storage to port and a run of deep drawers on the starboard side along with a wide hanging locker.
FIT FOR A PRINCESS
Other neat touches include a cupboard behind the cabin door for a washer/dryer and the use of a sliding door to the ensuite to maximise the amount of space inside. The VIP in the bows doesn’t have the space of the master but it’s an equally wellappointed cabin with a large double berth that can split into a pair of singles as an option. Drawers beneath mean there is no tiresome lifting of mattresses to access storage and a vanity unit to port adds a touch of luxury. This cabin shares its bathroom with the third cabin but guests in here do at least have private access to it. The third cabin is no poor relation, despite it having bunk beds. It’s well filled with natural light and has an unusual amount of storage for a cabin of its size. Interestingly, Princess says it considered including side-by-side twins or a double bed in this cabin but decided against it because of the negative effect the extra beam could have had on performance and seakeeping.
Let’s see if it was worth the sacrifice.
With a succession of storms having battered the UK in the run up to this test there was a significant ground swell running through Plymouth Sound as we ushered the V55 west towards the relative shelter of Cawsand Bay. Though threatening rain clouds hung heavy in the sky, much to the chagrin of snapper Paul, the sea state proved ideal to get a handle on the ability of the boat’s Olesinski hull. This is no super-skinny sportsboat but its confident attitude towards tackling the mounting swell and froth-tipped crests suggests that Princess is yet to succumb to the interior space-over-seakeeping philosophy. It pays to be kind on the throttles and drive the boat into a head sea with sympathy but it will reward with soft landings and nothing in the way of rattles or creaks from the structure or cabinetry. It feels reassuringly solid romping through big troughs with enough power from the 12.8-litre Volvos to haul you out of trouble, though there is a noticeable amount of turbo lag to contend with if you happen to drop off the boost. The V55 is a quick boat, capable of 35 knots in good conditions, but it takes some time
for the dual stage turbos to spool up and work their magic, evidenced by a 0-30 knots time of 18 seconds. That said, with the turbos spinning the reserves are punchy at the upper end of the rev range and the pick-up eager.
The steering is as light – if not lighter – than fly-by-wire IPS steering and lacks some of the feel and bite that Princesses generally have in abundance with less of the grin-spreading heel than usual. This in turn leads to a more laboured turning circle but there are no complaints about the V55’s refinement, even with the cockpit doors open. It’s an accomplished cruising machine and one that will comfortably eat up the sea miles whether you’re taking it easy at displacement speeds or travelling at over 30 knots. Twenty five knots feels like the boat’s natural fast-cruising speed where noise levels are a restrained 74D(B)A and the range just shy of 200 nautical miles with a 20% reserve.
The helm station and driving position play a major role in making the V55 such a pleasure to drive. The seat ergonomics are perfect with enough adjustment that you can pull yourself close to the dash and have the steering wheel and throttles within easy reach. Our test boat had the optional joystick that combines
The curved timber appears to wrap itself around you, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere
the props and proportional bow and sternthrusters to give you Ips-like control at slow speed. It’s a sensible option to have but the boat is so easy to control with throttles and thrusters that it feels surplus to requirements. The dash is all digital with twin 17in Garmin MFDS and a third smaller display that will most likely be used for engine information, though all three are endlessly configurable. There is also a bank of hard keys mounted to the right of the wheel that can be used to control all three screens if it’s too bumpy to use the touchscreen interface comfortably. It’s a great looking helm, too, with more eye-catching design like the moulded contour on top of the dash that appears to peel back and reveal a classy leather top. There are issues though, like the restricted view to starboard because of the large windscreen mullion and a lack of places to put loose items, aside from two shallow cup holders and an oddly shaped tray that won’t fit a modern smartphone. Considering the Sunseeker and other rivals have wireless charging pads and integrated ipad mounts at their helms, the V55 lags behind here.
V FOR VERSATILITY
These minor blemishes aside, the V55’s all-court ability, top-drawer interior and polished manners give it an air of all the boat you could ever need. Given the number of larger boats in its range that’s probably not what Princess wants to hear but the truth is this boat could easily sleep six adults for a week, if not more, yet is manageable enough to be run by two people, or even one if you have the optional cockpit control station. Turn to p108 and you can read about Princess breaking new ground and moving into the next phase of its evolution but boats like this, the brilliant V55, are what its reputation is built on. CONTACT www.princessyachts.com
The Princess V55 has an air of being all the boat you’ll ever need