321 NAUTICAL MILES

maximum cruising range at 25 knots

deck) that slide and can be pinned into a multitude of arrangements. Two sun pads are in the cockpit as well. The side decks are secure, with 3-inch stainless-steel rails that don’t block the view from the salon. At the bow are facing couches and a removable table under a sunshade, as well as a sun pad. ¶ The lower helm has diamond-upholstered bucket seats and a three-monitor Garmin dash under a hand-stitched eyebrow (to eliminate reflections). A pantograph door next to the skipper leads to the starboard side deck, and the 10-by-4-foot sliding sunroof is above for fresh air. A raised settee under the windshield gives guests a panoramic view of the world. ¶ Inside, the master suite is accessed from the salon via a private stairwell with a concealed washer and dryer in the lower foyer. The master’s centerline berth has an Ultrasuede headboard. A love seat is to starboard, with a vanity/desk to port. A walk-through closet leads to the master head aft with twin vanities, a marble sole and heated towel racks. ¶ A separate stairwell near the helm descends to an inlaid marble foyer, connecting to the three guest staterooms. Forward is the VIP, with windows on each side to bring in light. Drawer stowage is under the berth. ¶ The starboard stateroom is also VIP-size with a walk-around berth and nightstands. To port is a kids space with twin berths, which slide together into a double at the push of a button. ¶ When I toured the S78, I noted several little touches too, including leather pulls on the stateroom bureaus, and indirect lighting throughout that is ideal at night. ¶ And then there’s that easy-to-miss flybridge. It has a centerline helm with twin pedestal seats facing a pop-up panel for two Garmin displays. Couches wrap around the helm station on each side, creating a gathering area. A hydraulic Bimini top sprouts from a recess to shade the bridge, and the wet bar has an ice maker, fridge and grill. ¶ The S78’s transom has a hydraulic swim platform designed to launch and retrieve a water toy weighing as much as 948 pounds, or more than twice as much as a Sea-Doo Spark. The real ship-to-shore tender is hidden inside a garage with a hydraulic lifting transom door. That space can hold an 11-foot-3-inch Williams Sportjet 345 (see “Love Me Tender” sidebar). ¶ The Princess S78 provides an abundance of airy space in 78 feet. If you’re looking for a yacht with first-class accommodations and entertaining-ready amenities, then the Princess S78 should make the short list.