PRINCESS V40
BUILT: 2019 PRICE: £500,000
An evolution of the Princess V39 that launched almost exactly a decade ago in January 2012, the V40 takes that boat’s winning formula and brings it bang up to date. The most obvious change is the stylish hull glazing replacing the portholes for a more modern look but without losing any of the core values that made the original such a success.
INTERIOR One of the best things about the Princess V40 (and its V39 forebear) is that, despite being the least expensive boat in the Princess line-up, there’s no sense of compromise in the finish. You’ll find the same quality of woodwork (satin finished walnut in this boat although lighter oak was also offered, both with a high gloss alternative), the same fittings in items like light switches and door handles, and therefore the same sense of quality. What you lose, of course, is space, but this is still a 40ft boat, so there are two decent cabins, a single but generous heads and a comfy dinette opposite an L-shaped galley.
EXTERIOR One of the great things about the V40 is the sense that both interior and exterior living spaces get equal billing.
So despite a pretty generous cabin, you’re far from short changed in the cockpit.
A standard fit open-backed hard top features a fabric sliding roof, and a canopy encloses this area completely.
One interesting option on this boat is the sunpad at the aft end of the cockpit because, instead of encroaching on seating space, it extends out across the top of the tender, a sliding backrest allowing you to choose between more sunbathing or more seating.
Length: 41ft 6in (12.6m) Beam: 12ft 5in (3.8m) Draught: 3ft 4in (1.0m) Displacement: 10.1 tonnes Fuel capacity: 730 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6-330 330hp diesel engines
PERFORMANCE Princess only offered one engine option on this model, twin Volvo Penta D6s, although the power rating has recently been upgraded from the 330hp engines of this boat to the latest spec 340hp engines on all future boats.
Impressively, the top speed is north of 35 knots, allowing for an easy mid 20-knot cruise.
SEAKEEPING The V39/V40 hull was designed with a more variable deadrise than normal, its deep vee forward segueing into flatter aft sections for a lower planing threshold and better economy. The result is a slightly firmer upwind ride but it’s still a very capable hull.