dkm
Well-Known Member
One of the options I'm considering as a next boat is a Princess V45. If you have experience of this boat I would appreciate some advice on how well the fabric roof keeps out the weather.
Thanks
Thanks
Any current or previous V45 owners out there? advice needed
- Thread starter dkm
- Start date
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
Nice boat but in my view a little large for out drives , also I'd consider the extra maintainance and get a service quote programme for say the length of time you aim to keep it , then add on the fact you will need new steering rams, hoses , trim rams , hoses, heat exchanger strip downs on the d6 engines . If your happy to swallow that go ahead, if not buy a targa 47, a lot nicer boat in my view and won't have the maintainance woes of an out drive boat . I know a v45 owner on the hamble , he is selling his at two years old for the reasons above and other issues to do with the boat itself , some of which I found hard to believe from such a great yard but sadly true.
The cloth roof won't last like a grp one either, I've always been a princess fan so I am not biased towards fair line at all.
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Bandit
Well-Known Member
TH Fairline Targa 47 is a good boat and very practical with the sliding roof. With a pair of D9's its very practical.
kanajobe48
Well-Known Member
We nearly on two occasions bought a v45, both times was put off by engineers which we trusted, saying exactly what Volvo Paul has said, having had a sealine 38 on outdrives the maintenance bills got higher and higher, so we have just traded in and bought a targa 47, on shafts, have to say the layout is so similar to the v45 , but the grp hard top makes a huge difference especially in the winds that we have been having, one owner of a v39 I spoke to was not happy with the "flapping " noise of the canvas hard top, don't know weather this is just his boat or all are the same?
jimmy_the_builder
Well-Known Member
Hopefully kcrane will be along shortly, he's got a V48 with the canvas roof; and if they are still active on the forum timbad/fendergirl had the V45 hull #1.
Lozzer
Well-Known Member
Cloth roofs will always be an issue. In the med they last about 4 years due to UV damage. Plus they flap when going at speed.
From a. Mechanical perspective I would go shaft over OD every day of the week if budget allows. As volvopaul says the maintenance issues speak for themselves. Also shafts give better boat handling in close quarters.
I have drive V40,v42, V45, V46, V48, V50, V56, V58, V65, V70 and V78.
The best was the V70. Goes like a rocket withe the CAT C32 engines, lovely hull. Top boat.
But at the lower end I would go for the V48 if I were choosing Princess. I can't talk about Fairline or sun seeker as I haven't driven the equivalent.
From a. Mechanical perspective I would go shaft over OD every day of the week if budget allows. As volvopaul says the maintenance issues speak for themselves. Also shafts give better boat handling in close quarters.
I have drive V40,v42, V45, V46, V48, V50, V56, V58, V65, V70 and V78.
The best was the V70. Goes like a rocket withe the CAT C32 engines, lovely hull. Top boat.
But at the lower end I would go for the V48 if I were choosing Princess. I can't talk about Fairline or sun seeker as I haven't driven the equivalent.
emibel98
Member
My mate has one, 2008 I think he bought it. Always maintained and he had the various Volvo recalls or whatever done. Goes well and hasn't cost a fortune to maintain as far as I know. Unless you go out in a Thunderstorm deluge (we did once) and do 35 knots the roof is weather proof (when shut!!!). Nice thing is that it opens 80% of the roof area so almost an open boat when the suns out (the other sort I think only open about a third?). A bit of weather gets in where the back cover attach's, don't know if that bothers you. We've had loads of fun on it, goes very fast, very agile and a great sea boat. My mate has no issues with the boat generally to my knowledge, certainly hasn't moaned. Been on an F47, very nice but heavier and bigger I think, also more expensive for same year boats looking on yachtworld. Is the targa 44 not the same size as a v45 to compare? Good luck, nice problem to have making a choice like this!!
dkm
Well-Known Member
Thanks all for your comments, much appreciated, but I'm not sure I have a clear decision yet.
Volvopaul- pm sent, thanks
Volvopaul- pm sent, thanks
