DISAPPOINTED with PRINCESS

[John100156]

I must say that I am a little disappointed with Princess Yachts.

I know my boat is nearly 20 years old but all I wanted was to see if they could track down (if they had any) some original Princess build info, for my Princess 45.

I was promptly informed by Princess Parts Department that I should contact Princess Yachts Ltd who built my vessel using the email: After.Sales@princessyachts.com.

The former have always been really helpful, the latter, despite three very polite emails, have not bothered to respond. I know we are in a pandemic, but in my line of work we are frequently asked for historic info on Projects from my Clients that we worked on as far back as 25 years ago, and we always use our best endeavours to 'try' to gather any useful info from our servers and respond.

I bought the boat in August 2019, not had much time aboard due to C19. I have quite a bit of info already, but little electrical info and no idea where the Raymarine course computer is located. I have not been able to trace the wiring through on the boat yet, which has Furuno Navigation kit on board that I am thinking of updating. I have looked in some of the usual locations, below seating in saloon, below the decks, in engine room and behind lower helm electrical panels, above ceiling and below bunks in the starboard cabin but so far, no joy. So I sent the Build Cert and the yard number which was R6124, and attached copies of my SSR and the original invoice and asked some questions of Princess after sales.

Not had the courtesy of a response - I always received good responses from my previous boat builders: Sealine and Fairline.....

Is the above request an unreasonable one to ask After Sales? Even if they said they had tried but could not find any, I would appreciate the effort and understand.

Sad thing is, whilst I am disappointed with their after sales, I am so far happy with the boat......!

 

[Reality61]

There is a Princess owners club private facebook group this is mostly owners so information is exchanged easily once you get on the forum as it is regulated. It is not part of Princess so quite good and frank information.

 

[John100156]

Thanks for that, worth a try, I will take a look to see if they can assist.

I did post a thread on here but no joy, not found the little bugger yet, one of the only things left to track down....!

 

[Hurricane]

That yard number doesn't seem correct, John.
I think it should be something like P0450xx and they also have "slot" numbers which I believe relates to the n'th boat down that line.
Maybe a call to PMYS as well because Princess Yachts doesn't really deal with the end user.

 

[John100156]

I just quoted the yard number on their Builders Certificate:

 

[andy59]

Have just asked one of the Princess technicians and he thinks probably centre bilge ( should be on centre line but not 100%) , On our P42 it’s under starboard bunk.

 

[MapisM]

Have just asked one of the Princess technicians and he thinks probably centre bilge ( should be on centre line but not 100%)

Are you sure it isn't the fluxgate sensor he was referring to rather than the course computer, which is what the OP asked?
My boat isn't a Princess, but is equipped with similar vintage Raymarine stuff, located as below.
And I would think that the placement logic shouldn't depend a lot on the boat brand.
Apropos of vintage John, I guess you meant that your boat is almost 20 rather than 10 years old, based on the BC...
Mine (and her instrumentation below) is 2004, fwiw.

Course computer, right inside the lower helm:

Fluxgate compass, down in the bilge:

 

[John100156]

Yes of course 20, 10 years old, I wish......

As you have shown that's precisely what I am looking for; on my old F43 the CC was below the STB saloon seat in quite a nice accessible location and the FGC on the central line below the steps.

I have checked below the bunks in the STB cabin, but not found it yet....

 

[John100156]

Have just asked one of the Princess technicians and he thinks probably centre bilge ( should be on centre line but not 100%) , On our P42 it’s under starboard bunk.

Thanks for asking Andy - I have two AC units and a black tank centre bilges and have been down there several times but not seen it,...

 

[andy59]

As Mapism rightly said course computer up in the dry somewhere , Princess guy presumed compass which is normally as near to centre line and as far from other electrical equipment as poss.

 

[John100156]

Andy, many thanks.

You may have seen a reply from Dave on Princess Owners Club, suggesting its located:

'behind the back rest in the saloon second from rear starboard side'

Not looked there! Makes sense as its a nice and dry place and cables likely run down STB side - we shall see...!

Thanks again chaps.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Bit unfair to expect Princess to have that kind of info. I suspect the precise positioning of the fluxgate compass and the autopilot computer would largely depend on where the electrician decided to fit it during the build. This was 20yrs ago. And the other thing is that you dont know whether that stuff was retro fitted years after the boat was manufactured or the original equipment has been replaced

FWIW these bits of kit are usually placed in the forward bilges under the deck somewhere well away from other mechanical and electrical equipment. Get a torch and crawl around

 

[Orthop]

Princess could at least have given an answer, IMHO. Getting no response is mostly frustrating...

 

[Momac]

.......despite three very polite emails, have not bothered to respond.

Try a phone call rather than email. A phone call remains a more personal form of commutation and is less likely to be ignored / more likely to be company policy always to respond.

 

[NorthUp]

Does the fluxgate still work? If there is an output, even inaccurate, a strong magnet on a string walked around at deck level will soon find it -engage autopilot and listen for the steering actuator, or have someone watch the heading display.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Does the fluxgate still work? If there is an output, even inaccurate, a strong magnet on a string walked around at deck level will soon find it -engage autopilot and listen for the steering actuator, or have someone watch the heading display.

He’s looking for the course computer…

 

[MapisM]

He’s looking for the course computer…

LOL, 'innit amazing how often folks answer a thread without actually reading it? ?

...Though coming to think of it (talking to the OP now), what's the reason for searching the CC?
I mean, it isn't a serviceable part, and if the A/P works correctly, you could as well not bother.
You did mention some Furuno navigation kit which you would like to update, but I guess you mean a chartplotter.
So, if it's just a matter of interfacing a new plotter to the existing A/P, you don't actually need to physically reach the CC.
You can just pick the connection on the old plotter and use it for the new one.
Possibly with some gizmo for interfacing N2K with the old Raymarine Seatalk.
But also for that, having the CC handy wouldn't help.

All that said, I would also be curious to find it regardless...

 

[John100156]

Let me try to elaborate:

.1 Yes, a courteous response saying 'sorry too old' would have been appreciated. As I and many other do with their clients.
.2 A better response if known would have been to say 'originally it was here' likely if retro-fitted they might use same location as none of the original kit has changed.
.3 Yes - course computer location not FGC.
.4 The Auto-pilot all works, I want to trace out all interconnections so I can update the Furuno Chart Plotters and Radar - mind you on my last boat, I left the old radar connected to display at lower helm and installed a new Raymarine chart plotter to upper helm and used the NMEA/Sea-talk converter which all worked really well.

The main reason is that I like to know where everything is on my boat, and sketch how its all cabled, rather do that now whilst everything is working rather than to try to find it later...!

Thanks for responses.

 

[penberth3]

......The main reason is that I like to know where everything is on my boat, and sketch how its all cabled, rather do that now whilst everything is working rather than to try to find it later...!

Thanks for responses.

Surely the previous owner had all this information?

 

[John100156]

No, a very nice chap, purchase went through very smoothly. He was a publican. I think the closest he got to electronics, navigation and the engine room, was opening the hatch to let the engineers in....!

Hurricane will recall the condition the boat was in, he kindly looked at her with a few other friends in the marina for me when I was about to buy her.

I have a good lead from Princess Owners Club thanks to Andy, but if any others want to contribute, ears always open....!