henryf
Well-known member
Firstly congratulations. I've always seen Broom as a purveyor of pink carpets and dated interiors. I met with Tom from this forum whilst in Brixham recently and he mentioned the new 455. Wow, what a transformation. Gone are the garish colours, fabrics and rather home made interiors of old, replaced by bang up to date materials, contemporary design and a feeling that you couldn't create the space yourself. There's a bit of added magic in there which is just what you want.
Secondly some humble pie. I recently said on here that Fairline has always been a bugger of a company when it came to getting on boats. Well I managed to walk straight on unchallenged on 2 occasions without a problem. I felt as though they knew what I'd previously typed and had been instructed to allow me free passage! Yes, there is a glass fence meaning you have to enter via the central hub but I just walked straight in both Saturday and Sunday.
My target was the Squadron 50. I ended up speaking with James Barke a director of Essex Boatyards at length. Our paths have crossed on the phone in relation to a couple of Porsches & I like him as someone to deal with. We had an open discussion about the 50. Not one for us but I'm sure others will disagree and vote with their credit cards.
What put me off? Rear cleats that were hidden and hard to use, a folding cleat on the bathing platform which is a bit fiddly. I don't like the small seat in the cockpit which conceals the impossible crew cabin with it's sliding bed, lift out section to house you whilst you set the bed, hidden toilet and so on. James quite rightly pointed out that the smaller cockpit seat meant entry was possible from both sides when moored up and he is absolutely correct. It doesn't look right though, possibly this would change with the addition of some nice free standing furniture.*
I'm on the fence re: the rear galley but my biggest shock was the lack of a full width mid-ships owner's cabin. This has become a must have on all circa 50 foot flybridges. Indeed Fairline set the trend with their 48. James pointed out that the front cabin was most generous in proportion and he is correct, but it's in the front of the boat. I want the luxury of a mid cabin with large windows. The 2 double cabins made me think of a sports boat traditional layout rather than a second cabin you are proud to show friends when they come for the weekend.
Heading down from the saloon you are met with a blank wall and have to turn through 90 degrees. It's a bit gloomy.
On the flybridge I was left gobsmacked by the seating arrangements. A seat and a half forward facing helm position with a sun lounger to starboard. You have to lounge rather than sit! There is a window hidden under the cushion so no option to adjust things. James told me that was likely to change. Should it have been there in the first instance? I could just imaging being spread full length as a wave breaks over the bow and spray drowns the flybridge leaving you wallowing in water!
Then there was the coffee brown hull..... I suspect there will be some changes taking place to tweak the design. Oh, and I can't see what all this folding work top over the toilet is all about. Very odd ?
A final observation from Fairline make sure your staff know their onions. My favourite overheard moment from the show was when someone asked the girl if there was fender storage? There is plenty of storage in the boat she said whilst helpfully opening cupboards in the saloon
Or am I just cruel to my fenders not keeping them cosy warm under the telly
Sealine had the C48 on debut. The boat physically injured me. I can still feel it now. It's a very busy arrangement of floor and ceiling heights particularly in the galley area. I haven't a clue what's going on underneath that galley but you keep having to step up, step down, duck to get into bed and so on. The stairs from the saloon to the galley are lethal. I guarantee you someone will slip and break an arm, leg or pelvis. It's an open drop of some distance off to the left as you descend. They really must sort this out. It needs a rail and also a small lip to the side of the stair treads. Ignore that advice at your peril. I have first hand experience of how a shattered pelvis can ruin your life and those steps are broken bones in the making I guarantee you.
As you climb up the stairs back towards the saloon the top step has a higher rise and the angle between your toe pad and knee means your shin catches on the hard edge of the dining room floor. It bloody hurt as well. I left feeling very disappointed.
Now for my declaration of interests. I was at the show courtesy of Princess having purchased from them in 2007. They drove me from the Novatel where we were staying to the show in a combination of Mercedes van, Range Rover and Rolls Royce - both a Phantom and a Ghost*
We were asked if we could come back a little later when going to see the Sealine as a potential customer was on board. I so nearly said "do you know who I am" recollecting my descent from the Phantom moments earlier
Princess also kept us watered for 2 days threw in a couple of glasses of wine, some biscuits and the odd canapé. I want to get that out of the way because my review of their boats is favourable and I dont want you to later discover their hospitality and think it had anything to do with my kind words. I will be putting my money where my mouth is when the right deal comes along so it's not just a case of feeling I owe them something.
The new 60 flybridge is a masterpiece. It's too expensive for me so I can't have one but it felt like being on something 20 metres plus. Loads of space and beautifully executed. A fantastic crew cabin even had me doing the maths for some overnight charters!*
The P54 is equally lovely, not a new model but still fresh with a lovely feeling of space particularly as you descent to the cabins from the dining area. The P50 closer to my budget is a boat I have explored extensively in the past and defies logic in the way it fits everything in without feeling crammed. The steps down to the galley are the only place where you feel the designer was beginning to panic that they might not get everything in.The 50 was working for it's supper ferrying people around on the premier boat show experience so I only saw it from afar.
I didn't see anything at the show to touch Princess this year, not in my interest zone anyway to the point where we are cautiously exploring ways of getting into something which starts with a 5 !!!
Coming from the current P42, the small flybridge of choice for many everything in the Princess range is a natural progression and very familiar territory. Fit, finish and importantly detailed design were all very well sorted. A couple of little snags on new boats not yet fully PDI checked prior to delivery but that's it even after over a week of high traffic prodding and poking.
We spent some time aboard the relatively new V52. A more economic way into a large owner's cabin and an interesting concept with it's hard top and patio doors. We had 10 or 15 minutes alone in there just imagining it was ours and seeing what we thought. Roof open, roof closed, patio doors open and closed etc. For us the flybridge arrangement works best overhanging the cockpit to create a roof. An extremely easy cover arrangement to fully enclose the cockpit & in a couple of minutes you end up with an extended saloon. Princess do offer a retractable cover framework to enclose the V52 rear sun deck but the boat show example didn't have it fitted.*
We are not sports boat people. But that's just us. I have a friend who owns a sports boat and he would kill for a V52. I think it's the best boat in it's class, just not a class of boat that works for us.
We also spent time on the Princess 98 foot motor yacht which was stunning. To be fair I am no expert on vessels of this size so am probably a bit of a push over but enjoyed 15 minutes living the dream and feeling the warmth of the sun on deck If you have a spare £12-14 million the 40 metre yacht currently in production looks sublime, especially when you have the concepts explained to you. The closest I will ever get to owning one is the brochure but as something to dream about it hits all the branches of the tree.*
If the new owner of the Princess 98 Motor Yacht is reading this we will be in Thailand over Christmas so if you need any help or want to know how anything works feel free to invite us over from Krabi for a couple of days. We know where the Boat Lagoon is and can make our own way over
The Navy presence was noticeable and a good practical exhibit for hundreds of visitors. We also saw the BananaShark racing */ E-Lites race boat owned by Cookee from this forum which brought back memories of the Cowes Torquay powerboat racing weekend.
I had a chat to the MBY team who sadly offered nothing by way of sustenance We discussed the issues of electronic media and it would appear that for the moment at least a monopoly exists which will see prices kept relatively high and exclude a link in subscriptions between printed and electronic media.
I like Southampton for it's feeling of reality. When the wind picks up the boats get a bit of movement and you know you're afloat. You're looking out over familiar water and so the transition from display boat to you own property is an easy one to bridge. Yes, a can of pop and a sandwich costs more than it does in Tescos but to be fair if you put your mind to it you'd be able to cover several times the difference in complimentary drinks or nibbles, especially if you're genuinely there to spend a few quid.
For me it was an enjoyable couple of days made all the more enjoyable for having a base at Princess to return to. We didn't even get to have a small glass of something with the guys from our Marina at Haslar! Ah well, next year.......
Henry
Secondly some humble pie. I recently said on here that Fairline has always been a bugger of a company when it came to getting on boats. Well I managed to walk straight on unchallenged on 2 occasions without a problem. I felt as though they knew what I'd previously typed and had been instructed to allow me free passage! Yes, there is a glass fence meaning you have to enter via the central hub but I just walked straight in both Saturday and Sunday.
My target was the Squadron 50. I ended up speaking with James Barke a director of Essex Boatyards at length. Our paths have crossed on the phone in relation to a couple of Porsches & I like him as someone to deal with. We had an open discussion about the 50. Not one for us but I'm sure others will disagree and vote with their credit cards.
What put me off? Rear cleats that were hidden and hard to use, a folding cleat on the bathing platform which is a bit fiddly. I don't like the small seat in the cockpit which conceals the impossible crew cabin with it's sliding bed, lift out section to house you whilst you set the bed, hidden toilet and so on. James quite rightly pointed out that the smaller cockpit seat meant entry was possible from both sides when moored up and he is absolutely correct. It doesn't look right though, possibly this would change with the addition of some nice free standing furniture.*
I'm on the fence re: the rear galley but my biggest shock was the lack of a full width mid-ships owner's cabin. This has become a must have on all circa 50 foot flybridges. Indeed Fairline set the trend with their 48. James pointed out that the front cabin was most generous in proportion and he is correct, but it's in the front of the boat. I want the luxury of a mid cabin with large windows. The 2 double cabins made me think of a sports boat traditional layout rather than a second cabin you are proud to show friends when they come for the weekend.
Heading down from the saloon you are met with a blank wall and have to turn through 90 degrees. It's a bit gloomy.
On the flybridge I was left gobsmacked by the seating arrangements. A seat and a half forward facing helm position with a sun lounger to starboard. You have to lounge rather than sit! There is a window hidden under the cushion so no option to adjust things. James told me that was likely to change. Should it have been there in the first instance? I could just imaging being spread full length as a wave breaks over the bow and spray drowns the flybridge leaving you wallowing in water!
Then there was the coffee brown hull..... I suspect there will be some changes taking place to tweak the design. Oh, and I can't see what all this folding work top over the toilet is all about. Very odd ?
A final observation from Fairline make sure your staff know their onions. My favourite overheard moment from the show was when someone asked the girl if there was fender storage? There is plenty of storage in the boat she said whilst helpfully opening cupboards in the saloon
Or am I just cruel to my fenders not keeping them cosy warm under the telly Sealine had the C48 on debut. The boat physically injured me. I can still feel it now. It's a very busy arrangement of floor and ceiling heights particularly in the galley area. I haven't a clue what's going on underneath that galley but you keep having to step up, step down, duck to get into bed and so on. The stairs from the saloon to the galley are lethal. I guarantee you someone will slip and break an arm, leg or pelvis. It's an open drop of some distance off to the left as you descend. They really must sort this out. It needs a rail and also a small lip to the side of the stair treads. Ignore that advice at your peril. I have first hand experience of how a shattered pelvis can ruin your life and those steps are broken bones in the making I guarantee you.
As you climb up the stairs back towards the saloon the top step has a higher rise and the angle between your toe pad and knee means your shin catches on the hard edge of the dining room floor. It bloody hurt as well. I left feeling very disappointed.
Now for my declaration of interests. I was at the show courtesy of Princess having purchased from them in 2007. They drove me from the Novatel where we were staying to the show in a combination of Mercedes van, Range Rover and Rolls Royce - both a Phantom and a Ghost
*We were asked if we could come back a little later when going to see the Sealine as a potential customer was on board. I so nearly said "do you know who I am" recollecting my descent from the Phantom moments earlier
Princess also kept us watered for 2 days threw in a couple of glasses of wine, some biscuits and the odd canapé. I want to get that out of the way because my review of their boats is favourable and I dont want you to later discover their hospitality and think it had anything to do with my kind words. I will be putting my money where my mouth is when the right deal comes along so it's not just a case of feeling I owe them something.
The new 60 flybridge is a masterpiece. It's too expensive for me so I can't have one but it felt like being on something 20 metres plus. Loads of space and beautifully executed. A fantastic crew cabin even had me doing the maths for some overnight charters!*
The P54 is equally lovely, not a new model but still fresh with a lovely feeling of space particularly as you descent to the cabins from the dining area. The P50 closer to my budget is a boat I have explored extensively in the past and defies logic in the way it fits everything in without feeling crammed. The steps down to the galley are the only place where you feel the designer was beginning to panic that they might not get everything in.The 50 was working for it's supper ferrying people around on the premier boat show experience so I only saw it from afar.
I didn't see anything at the show to touch Princess this year, not in my interest zone anyway to the point where we are cautiously exploring ways of getting into something which starts with a 5 !!!
Coming from the current P42, the small flybridge of choice for many everything in the Princess range is a natural progression and very familiar territory. Fit, finish and importantly detailed design were all very well sorted. A couple of little snags on new boats not yet fully PDI checked prior to delivery but that's it even after over a week of high traffic prodding and poking.
We spent some time aboard the relatively new V52. A more economic way into a large owner's cabin and an interesting concept with it's hard top and patio doors. We had 10 or 15 minutes alone in there just imagining it was ours and seeing what we thought. Roof open, roof closed, patio doors open and closed etc. For us the flybridge arrangement works best overhanging the cockpit to create a roof. An extremely easy cover arrangement to fully enclose the cockpit & in a couple of minutes you end up with an extended saloon. Princess do offer a retractable cover framework to enclose the V52 rear sun deck but the boat show example didn't have it fitted.*
We are not sports boat people. But that's just us. I have a friend who owns a sports boat and he would kill for a V52. I think it's the best boat in it's class, just not a class of boat that works for us.
We also spent time on the Princess 98 foot motor yacht which was stunning. To be fair I am no expert on vessels of this size so am probably a bit of a push over but enjoyed 15 minutes living the dream and feeling the warmth of the sun on deck
If you have a spare £12-14 million the 40 metre yacht currently in production looks sublime, especially when you have the concepts explained to you. The closest I will ever get to owning one is the brochure but as something to dream about it hits all the branches of the tree.*If the new owner of the Princess 98 Motor Yacht is reading this we will be in Thailand over Christmas so if you need any help or want to know how anything works feel free to invite us over from Krabi for a couple of days. We know where the Boat Lagoon is and can make our own way over
The Navy presence was noticeable and a good practical exhibit for hundreds of visitors. We also saw the BananaShark racing */ E-Lites race boat owned by Cookee from this forum which brought back memories of the Cowes Torquay powerboat racing weekend.
I had a chat to the MBY team who sadly offered nothing by way of sustenance
We discussed the issues of electronic media and it would appear that for the moment at least a monopoly exists which will see prices kept relatively high and exclude a link in subscriptions between printed and electronic media.I like Southampton for it's feeling of reality. When the wind picks up the boats get a bit of movement and you know you're afloat. You're looking out over familiar water and so the transition from display boat to you own property is an easy one to bridge. Yes, a can of pop and a sandwich costs more than it does in Tescos but to be fair if you put your mind to it you'd be able to cover several times the difference in complimentary drinks or nibbles, especially if you're genuinely there to spend a few quid.
For me it was an enjoyable couple of days made all the more enjoyable for having a base at Princess to return to. We didn't even get to have a small glass of something with the guys from our Marina at Haslar! Ah well, next year.......
Henry
