Looking for a Princess 50 /54

[Hurricane]

Another thing to consider:-

Whats the long term plan.

IMO, 54 feet is getting on the large size for the UK
I know it isnt too big to handle but consider the actual cruising that you will do.

For example, we will never bring our 67 back to the UK.
She's just too big to cruise round the little inlets etc in (say) the West Country.

On the other hand, if you plan to eventually move to the Med, the larger boat will be much more comfortable.

Someone once said to me that the boats seem to get smaller in the Med.

Anyway, FWIW, I think that a P50 might be too small in the Med whereas a P54 could be more of a "home from home".

So, my view is to try and do that "crystal ball" thing and work out where you want to cruise.

We managed a few years cruising the South Coast / Holland / Channel Islands / Scillies etc - then we wanted more. For us the Med move was definately the next step - and there's plenty more in the Med when you get there. I'm sure those who cruise the Med will agree.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

On the other hand, if you plan to eventually move to the Med, the larger boat will be much more comfortable.

Someone once said to me that the boats seem to get smaller in the Med.

Again agree with that. The difference between UK boating and Med boating is that in the UK, you're mainly doing day boating whereas in the Med, the boat is your home for a few days. In the UK, you always have the option to go home if the weather is bad but in the Med you're stuck staring at each other until the day you booked your return flight. Whether the P50 is big enough for a Med pied a terre is going to depend on who henryf generally does his boating with. If its mainly just the SWMBO then a 50 footer is more than adequate but if henryf does his boating with several kids and mother in law in tow, then the P54 would be better. The mother in law always goes in the crew cabin of course

 

[Whitelighter]

Not a problem, Princess crew cabins are very comfy

 

[henryf]

Thanks for all the replies both public and private.

Well if ever I was in doubt that I was generally thinking along the right lines starting this thread has confirmed my thoughts. There have been some interesting points made by a number of people that I hadn't really given much thought to.

Spec wise it seems many boats this size end up in the med and so things like A/C open up your resale potential. Similarly if you are going to base the boat in the Med then a 54 might just have the edge in terms of optimum size.

We are a bit odd, well I'm odd the Missus and the daughter are actually quite normal, in that our cruising habits probably don't fit into a standard pattern. We cruise all year round, we will always be based in the UK and if my flybridge didn't have a flybridge it wouldn't particularly bother me. I like it for the roof it offers over the cockpit and support it gives the covers! I like helming from down below.

With that in mind there is a danger of buying a spec which not everyone would want come re-sale. Certainly a lot of the boats on the market, particularly those based in the med have very full specs indeed. The only thing that's an absolute must for us are underwater lights.

I'm only kidding, I couldn't help myself

We don't cruise with a big entourage of family. What I do welcome though is the chance to have a couple on board with us and for them to enjoy relatively spacious accommodation. I keep toying with the idea of a little bit of chartering but we shall see.

The 50 / 54 debate is one to which there seems no right or wrong. In the UK I wonder if I would be able to sneak a 50 into somewhere I wouldn't get a 54 into. We are shunning the marinas more and more these days in favour of alternatives. On our West Country cruise the 50 would have been OK on every mooring be put our 42 onto and of course at anchor it makes no difference. There is no doubt that a 50 feels a little bit compromised compared to a 54 particularly in the steps down to the galley but it's also a bit cheaper and we will get a newer boat.

Anyway, one step at a time, let's get the 42 sale finalised first. They say you happiest days in boating are the day you buy and the day you sell. I can honestly say that's not the case with the 42. We've loved it and the sale is quite sad. I'm excited at the prospect of getting a bigger boat and it's definitely what we want to do but there is a little bit of trepidation.

Henry

 

[Lozzer]

Henry IMHO the P50 master cabin is very poor compared to the P54. Headroom is an issue and it feels cramped. Steps all over the place as well.

I would suggest not bothering with crew cabin, not many 50 footers want to go out 8 up. Plus the extra storage you get is fantastic.

Generally I think you will find the 54 an altogether better proposition.

 

[Nick_H]

I seem to remember from my UK boating days that a few places are 15m max LOA. 15m is 49.5 ft, so you'd be OK in a 50 footer, but may be pushing it in a 54 footer. If based in the Solent, i'd also never buy a boat that couldn't sensibly anchor up in Newtown Creek, because for me its just the stand out place in the area, though you could of course get in early in a 54 footer and accept the scowls from smaller boats coming in who can't find space because of your enormous swinging circle.

Given your comments on the flybridge i'm really surprised you're not considering a hardtop with a deck level saloon. If you're dead set on Princess it would have to be a new V52, as I doubt there are many/any on the used market yet, and maybe that's out of budget, but you never know what deal you might be able to get at the mo'

 

[gjgm]

If based in the Solent, i'd also never buy a boat that couldn't sensibly anchor up in Newtown Creek, because for me its just the stand out place in the area,

Is that specifically for o-nite, Nick? The place is second only to Lulworth Cove for reminding me of the traffic on the M27.

 

[Nautorius]

Is that specifically for o-nite, Nick? The place is second only to Lulworth Cove for reminding me of the traffic on the M27.

I loved Newtown because of the number of boats in a tight space....there was always something to watch...especially as the tide went out! Apart from that just a lovely place to be....if only we had those places on the Costa Del Sol.......

 

[Nick_H]

Is that specifically for o-nite, Nick? The place is second only to Lulworth Cove for reminding me of the traffic on the M27.

I was referring to overnighting (and also the level of protection from any conditions), but anyway I don't mind crowded anchorages. I quite like the party atmosphere of a sunny bank holiday weekend with lots going on, but still having the privacy of being on your own boat. For the same reason we always quite liked rafting up, and some of the best boaty nights we've had have been spent drinking with the neighbours that we'd only met earlier that day.

 

[gjgm]

I loved Newtown because of the number of boats in a tight space....there was always something to watch...especially as the tide went out! Apart from that just a lovely place to be....if only we had those places on the Costa Del Sol.......

I suppose I dont think it is a lovely place to be when crammed full of boats....give me an empty cove.
Ah.. forgotten this.. a small inlet just west of the Helford River mouth.Thanks for reminding me

 

[henryf]

A 50 isn't actually that much bigger than our 42 which comes in at a little over its advertised length. The 50 on the other hand only just makes its 50 feet so most places shouldn't be that much different.

I think the perceived size is far greater due to the increase in freeboard between the 42 and 50.

I didn't think there was that much difference in master cabins between the 50 and 54. I will check though.

Henry