has anyone owned a Princess 385

[MarianMatthews]

Hi

Has anyone owned a Princess 385, we are looking to buy one and would welcome any comments on what you thought of the boat and fuel consumption with the Volvo Penta engine

 

[hlb]

A strangley retro boat, as Olsinki had come along much earlier with the P 35 and such,which still look good today.

The 385 is a seventies boat, still ok if the price is right.

But I suspect no where near the sea keeping of Olsinki.

 

[solitaire11]

i second hlb's thoughts, a bit brick looking to, p35 much much better.

 

[volvopaul]

Hi ive not owned one had a 388, but mate has and I used to service it for him.

There were then a very dated boat inside and out, the windows always leaked, it has the old bennet hull the same as the old 37, there good in a head sea but not as good in a following sea.

If it has volvos then they are a nightmare to work on as the hull is narow, the stb engine raw water pump is impossible to get at without a major stipdown of saloon furniture etc then after that it not good.

Gludy of this forum used to own one, I think from memeory he had to have one engine reomoved to fit and oil pipe, I can relate to this as at one time all the header tank and heat exchngers had to be removed to remove the sea water pump and water feed pipe that had corroded away.

IMHO the fairline 36 sedan is a lot better boat, more modern for its year and about the same price without all the glitches of the 385, even the early one with the portholes in the top side rather than the hull.

If its cheap then get a survey, ive seen them with osmosis, and a separate engine survey which I can carry out for you, pm me for details if your interested.

 

[SumWaves]

Hi
Bought New in 84 From Projects With TAMD 60Cs
Seakeeping Excellent very similar to my previous P37
Had problems with the shafts and gearboxs which was never realy remeded
Had it for 1 year and sold it back to Projects for same price it was subsequently exported to Sweden
They seem now to hold their value
cheers

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]
p35 much much better.

[/ QUOTE ]

But much much smaller. 385 gives you two heads instead of one, a central double berth instead of offset, and side by side twins instead of bunks in the guest cabin, largr galley and bigger saloon.

Agree it is the "previous generation" style and hull though, basically the P38 with porthole windows and a GRP radar arch, and that boat dated back to 1984 (and the styling back to the likes of the 33 MKII from the '70s).

388 gives the 385 advantages with the more modern style and Olisinski hull, but a 385 if cheap enough represents a lot of boat for the money.

 

[deborahann]

thanks, but for two of us cleaning one head(s) is quite enough /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif