New Princess 286 owner

davidjwave said:
Hello,

Just secured a 89 Princess 286, first boat and very excited.

Thought I'd say hello and thanks as I've been using this forum a lot to help!

Ive not actually seen the boat only virtual viewing so doesn't seem real yet but can't wait to get on the water with her.

Any tips or hints around these boats or just in general much appreciated! We will be on the Thames :)
Click to expand...

Congratulations!

If the boat has been on the Thames with these engines for the last 10 years, I doubt any actions this season are going to define its history.
See what the survey says and then enjoy the boat. If there is a way to get the boat up to planing speeds for the survey I would try, after all that's what the boat should do.

Don't overthink the finer detail. Focus on keeping the crew safe and avoid hitting other stuff. You will work out the finer detail and how to run the boat with time. Good luck!
 
I used to keep a SeaRay on the Thames for a few years and used to take it past Teddington every now and then so I could stretch its legs properly. Enjoy, do you think you'll stay river based or move to the sea?
 
LBRodders said:
Congratulations!

If the boat has been on the Thames with these engines for the last 10 years, I doubt any actions this season are going to define its history.
See what the survey says and then enjoy the boat. If there is a way to get the boat up to planing speeds for the survey I would try, after all that's what the boat should do.

Don't overthink the finer detail. Focus on keeping the crew safe and avoid hitting other stuff. You will work out the finer detail and how to run the boat with time. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thank you :)
 
paradave said:
I used to keep a SeaRay on the Thames for a few years and used to take it past Teddington every now and then so I could stretch its legs properly. Enjoy, do you think you'll stay river based or move to the sea?
Click to expand...
At this point mostly river, but I do have the ambition to get to sea as well, but one step at a time for now!
 
davidjwave said:
So as someone not particularly mechanical are you saying that with the right set up I'd be best using one engine for the majority of the time on the river?
Click to expand...

The 286 is on outdrives and the steering set up is likely to be a hydraulic steering pump running off one engine so not really doable to run on only the engine that doesn’t have the pump because the steering will be very, very heavy. You might also find the the boat is very difficult to control running on one engine with an outdrive. It is more of an option for shaft drive boats and it is what we sometimes do. We never did on previous boats with outdrives because it just didn’t work.

The bore glazing issue has been the subject of much debate on here on and off over the years and whilst I would not argue with Gary on a theoretical front the reality is that the Thames (and other inland waterways) is full of seagoing boats with large engines running at low revs and you rarely hear of anyone actually having a problem as a consequence.

The main benefit of petrol engines inland is that they are a lot quieter than diesels.
 
Last edited:
davidjwave said:
At this point mostly river, but I do have the ambition to get to sea as well, but one step at a time for now!
Click to expand...
We need to start a book on this...:)

I think I lasted a year and a half on the river. I found I was doing the same route each time and whilst it was a lovely way to spend a day, the sea beckoned.
 
paradave said:
We need to start a book on this...:)

I think I lasted a year and a half on the river. I found I was doing the same route each time and whilst it was a lovely way to spend a day, the sea beckoned.
Click to expand...
hahah lets see you might be right. The river is right on my doorstep so the sea would be a bigger move. But very keen to go on some longer journeys!
Maybe worth another thread, but towing wise - how easy is that to do ?? Are their companies that will do it - the boat is about a million times bigger than my car!!
 
I have 13 years experience with speed restricted river use plus infrequent sea or fast trips .
Many sea boats are used on the river ,where I am located, with no particular engine issues in general that I am aware of.
Lack of use can, however, cause issues.
 
Quite possibly David (for pootling along at four knots or so), but do check with your marine engineer who can assess your existing prop size /pitch/gear reduction engine type / power etc.
close quarters and docking/coming alongside etc you’ll usually want both for max manoeuvreability, though not in all cases, bow thruster and one engine will work just as well in ideal conditions.
 
Greg2 said:
The 286 is on outdrives and the steering set up is likely to be a hydraulic steering pump running off one engine so not really doable to run on only the engine that doesn’t have the pump because the steering will be very, very heavy. You might also find the the boat is very difficult to control running on one engine with an apt drive. It is more of an option for shaft drive boats and it is what we sometimes do. We never did on previous boats with outdrives because it just didn’t work.

The bore glazing issue has been the subject of much debate on here on and off over the years and whilst I would not argue with Gary on a theoretical front the reality is that the Thames (and other inland waterways) is full of seagoing boats with large engines running at low revs and you rarely hear of anyone actually having a problem as a consequence.

The main benefit of petrol engines inland is that they are a lot quieter than diesels.
Click to expand...
Old smaller Princess boats (like mine) have hydraulic steering. but not power assisted. I keep mine up the Hamble, it’s about 30 mins potter to Southampton water and the Solent, which I regularly do on one motor at 4 knots on a single out drive. Happy to concede that steering is a little less responsive, but not terribly so. Out/stern drives are a different animal when compared to shafts and rudders, as steerage is achieved by the propulsion, in combination with , but more so than the steering angle. The outdrive itself makes a very poor rudder. You adjust with a little practice to the difference.
I do agree that not everyone will experience the issues I described with the motors running slow, depends on your propensity for risk, I guess, on how you view the subject! I really liked the earlier post that suggests not to worry too much, this is good advice as enjoying yourself should take priority :)
 
davidjwave said:
hahah lets see you might be right. The river is right on my doorstep so the sea would be a bigger move. But very keen to go on some longer journeys!
Maybe worth another thread, but towing wise - how easy is that to do ?? Are their companies that will do it - the boat is about a million times bigger than my car!!
Click to expand...
When you have a boat , you go past teddington , and keep going and you are at sea. good luck nice boat.
 
davidjwave said:
hahah lets see you might be right. The river is right on my doorstep so the sea would be a bigger move. But very keen to go on some longer journeys!
Maybe worth another thread, but towing wise - how easy is that to do ?? Are their companies that will do it - the boat is about a million times bigger than my car!!
Click to expand...
Yes I was about 50 yards from the boat when I kept it on the Thames. To be fair, i was much younger with loads of other stuff going on so totally different mindset to now. When I decided to move, the local marina towed it down to Brighton with a 4x4 for me. Cost a couple of hundred from memory but this was about 10 years back now.
 
GaryJeffery said:
Old smaller Princess boats (like mine) have hydraulic steering. but not power assisted. I keep mine up the Hamble, it’s about 30 mins potter to Southampton water and the Solent, which I regularly do on one motor at 4 knots on a single out drive. Happy to concede that steering is a little less responsive, but not terribly so. Out/stern drives are a different animal when compared to shafts and rudders, as steerage is achieved by the propulsion, in combination with , but more so than the steering angle. The outdrive itself makes a very poor rudder. You adjust with a little practice to the difference.
I do agree that not everyone will experience the issues I described with the motors running slow, depends on your propensity for risk, I guess, on how you view the subject! I really liked the earlier post that suggests not to worry too much, this is good advice as enjoying yourself should take priority :)
Click to expand...
GARY
I am intrigued to hear which model of Princess you owned that had hydraulically operated sterndrives, Was it a custom build as you say it was an older model.
I am Hamble based.
 
stelican said:
GARY
I am intrigued to hear which model of Princess you owned that had hydraulically operated sterndrives, Was it a custom build as you say it was an older model.
I am Hamble based.
Click to expand...
Hi Stelican
It’s a Princess 30DS 1981
Was petrol, but repowered with twin VW deisels in 2004 (long before I bought her). Just has your bog standard vetus steering pump at the wheel and hydraulic lines to the steering actuators. No power assistance
Rgds Gary
 
Congrats on the new boat :-) I think they have a petrol pump at the MDL marinas; Windsor, Bray, possibly Penton Hook. Where will you be mooring?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top