Princess 33 mk2

[Little yogi]

Hi

Having just sold my boat, a Seamaster 30 which was becoming problematic, I'm now looking for a replacement, I've seen a Princess mk2 1987 model fitted with twin volvo tamd 41a engines hours unknown, on shafts, which going by the description looks like it's been well maintained

Has anyone owned one of these boats, and can give me any advice, are there any common faults with the boat or the volvo engines, I'm looking at her at the weekend so is there anything In particularly I need to look for.

She will be used for river and canal cruising
Many thanks

 

[Fullabeer]

Funnily enough I bought one 3 weeks back and I’m flying to Essex tomorrow to have my first trip out on her. Will let you know how I get on.

what I can tell you so far (from my uncle who has had boats for 50 years) is that they appear to be very solid and the tamd40s are fairly bulletproof. I’m refurbish mine to get it more modern (new cushions, kitchen, heads) and will upgrade electronics.
hope we both have lots of luck in princess ownership

 

[Little yogi]

Hi Fillabeer

Just read your other post, agree with what has been said about project boats, don't underestimate the cost, some qoutes I had for work on my old boat were eye watering,
The chap who bought her didn't mind throwing some money at her, but it's made me cautions about finding a replacement, as I want a boat I can use as much as possible this year, don't want to spend my leisure time working on the boat, did enough of that on my old Seamaster, each to there own I guess, best of luck with your Princess , the one I'm looking at looks fairly well maintained but that's reflected in the asking price.

 

[oldgit]

" I've seen a Princess mk2 1987 model fitted with twin volvo tamd 41a engines hours unknown, on shafts, "

Excellent boat just like the Mk1, but topsides revamped with more interior space and more modern lines.
Engines are simple and solid and in theory 165 hp ? This boat did appear with all sorts of engines, we have one in our club with pair of 80hp engines. No electronics and pretty good economy .
If you have got the 165 hp engines it should be pretty quick for boat of that era.
Hint, keep the raw water cooling system clear of crud with a good flush of your favorite barycule killer.
In theory it should have the orginal MS4 gearboxes or possibly the earlier MS3 these should emit a nice clunk when you engage gear.
A rare few might had have their gearboxes changed for the more robust hydraulic type boxes.



Princess 33 MKII

• Year Started: 1981
• Year Finished: 1987
• Length Overall (Inc Pulpit): 33ft 0in / 10m
• Length Overall (Ex Pulpit): 32ft 8.5in / 9.97m
• Beam: 11ft 3in / 3.4m
• Draft: 3ft 0in / 0.9m
• Approx. Displacement: 5.2 tonnes
• Height Above Waterline to top of GRP radar arch: 14ft 7in / 4.45m
• Height Above Waterline to Top of Fixed Structure (Excluding radar arch and light mast): 10ft 9in / 3.27m
• Usual Engines Fitted: Option 1 Twin Volvo 165hp diesels on shafts/sterndrives
• Usual Engines Fitted: Option 2 Twin Volvo 110hp diesels on shafts/sterndrives
• Usual Engines Fitted: Option 3 Twin Volvo AQ151 (146hp petrols on sterndrives)

 

[volvopaul]

As far as I know they never fitted the TAMD 41 engines from the factory so it sounds like it’s been re engined at some point.
check the gearboxes are MS4 or MS5 , if they are MS3 they are from the old 165 hp engines and therefore incorrect .

 

[oldgit]

Windows were weak point, fortunately the notorious leaky front windows of the old Mk1 were designed out on the Mk11.
The glassfibre cabin mouldings around the Mk1 front windows was not simply not thick enough and flexed while underway.
This was fine when new but as time wore on and all the solvent in the old fashioned mastic leached out it become brittle, water or waves dripped into into the cabin.
The bedding underneath would soak up the water for awhile .
The canvas channeling in the side windows also rotted out, making the windows hard to open and they also in turn leaked.
Get the hose out and clear all the drain holes of moss and other gunge.

 

[Little yogi]

Thanks for all your advice, bit concerned about leaking windows, as I spent nearly all last season rectifying window leaks on my old boat
rather not repeat that, .

Not to sure about buying it now, but I guess all boats have there weak points , interesting about the volvo TAMD 41 engine, will check if its been re_ engined and what gearbox it has

Owner says in the description engines are 200 bhp each

 

[oldgit]

All boats leak.
There should be a plate on the engine block with details of exactly what engines are in the boat.
41. 200 HP.

40. 165 HP.

 

[Little yogi]

Thanks the information Oldgit

I've read these big twin diesels need to put drive at speed occasionally if you just potter at low revs this can lead to problems.

As we only ever do lake and river cruising andl like to take things slowly would I be better off with a lot less horse power, and of course with twin diesels it's twice the maintenance costs

 

[oldgit]

"just potter at low revs this can lead to problems. "


8000 boats on the non tidal Thames many with big diesels, some with enourmous diesels and all limited to 8 kilometres an hour.
When was the last time you heard any comfirmed report of a diesel engine being scrapped due to bore glazing ?
On tidal waters, twin engines provide a level of reassurance, on non tidal , two engines gives you useful manoeuvrability in constricted waters that a single can never provide.
Just buy the best boat you can afford find, stick with shafts and avoid outdrives on old boats like the plague.

 

[Little yogi]

Thanks for all your advice, unfortunately the owner has sold the boat, boats are selling fast it had been advertised less than a week, thought things would settle down this year with covid restrictions being lifted, , where are people getting all this money from to buy expensive boats, a lot are being sold to fisrt time boaters, think a lot of boats are going to hit the market when they realise the cost of ownership,
Oh well my search for another boat continues

 

[oldgit]

Thanks for all your advice, unfortunately the owner has sold the boat, boats are selling fast it had been advertised less than a week, thought things would settle down this year with covid restrictions being lifted, , where are people getting all this money from to buy expensive boats, a lot are being sold to fisrt time boaters, think a lot of boats are going to hit the market when they realise the cost of ownership,
Oh well my search for another boat continues

On the up side, after interminably looking at lots of over optimistically priced tired old heaps in the far corners of this country, when the right boat at the right price finally hoves into view, you are more likely to able to decide promptly your course of action.

As for that hope that all this stuff will come back onto the market at sensible prices , H,mmm.
If and when the market goes bits up and the actualitie of boat owning bites, who is going to immediately sell a boat that is worth a lot less than you paid for it unless in really dire straits.
Might be years before the market stabilizes or as some have said this "reappreciation" of an old boats value is here for the forseeable future.
Look at the price of a new(ish) 35 ft fly approaching 1Mn !!!! due to labour and material costs.
Ancient skippers of my acquaintance, relate blimming annoying stories about how they just made money every time they sold , helping them to buy bigger better faster boats very quickly indeed.
Life is so unfair.

 

[25931]

On the up side, after interminably looking at lots of over optimistically priced tired old heaps in the far corners of this country, when the right boat at the right price finally hoves into view, you are more likely to able to decide promptly your course of action.

As for that hope that all this stuff will come back onto the market at sensible prices , H,mmm.
If and when the market goes bits up and the actualitie of boat owning bites, who is going to immediately sell a boat that is worth a lot less than you paid for it unless in really dire straits.
Might be years before the market stabilizes or as some have said this "reappreciation" of an old boats value is here for the forseeable future.
Look at the price of a new(ish) 35 ft fly approaching 1Mn !!!! due to labour and material costs.
Ancient skippers of my acquaintance, relate blimming annoying stories about how they just made money every time they sold , helping them to buy bigger better faster boats very quickly indeed.
Life is so unfair.

When I decided to buy a house instead of living aboard I sold my tsdy (at a profit which made me happy), spent a couple of years boatless and then bought a small raggie.

 

[Jim@sea]

I bought a Princess 33 Brand New in 1979. I made a mistake, Living in the North of England there was only 1 boatyard which sold Princess Boats and when I went there I was only offered (or told about) the boats that they already had in stock or had ordered, consequently they only offered me the Princess 33 with Twin Ford 80hp Mermaids. But their brochure said it would do 12-14 knots which is just about OK when cruising the Irish Sea.
But it was Underpowered. It would only do 10 knots flat out.
I was not told that they had a model of Princess with 120 hp Diesels or even one that had a planning hull. The one I was sold had the Semi Displacement Hull.
Anyway on its maiden voyage the starboard gearbox oil seal sprung a leak and Pricncess had to bring up a new gearbox and fit it.
I then found out that when I was looking at buying a new Princess 33 the dealer had one in the water at another branch and when I went to see it in the water it had a bathing platform (which I did not want) and had obviously been in the water for some time. I particularly remember saying "I dont want that one I want the next new one out of the factory"

Two months later the boat arrived at the dealers. In the April when about to launch the Starboard Engine would not start I had a Diesel Mechanic at my garage who had been a mechanic in the Royal Navy, even he could not get it going. The boatyard obviously got it going I noticed that they must have had the cylinder head off as the White Mermaid paint round the head bolts was cracked and you could see blue paint underneath.

Obviously in 1970 these 80 hp Mermaid Engines were based on the Ford d Series Engine and wre probably more plentiful than Perkins.

Anyway after finding out that the boat that they sold me was the one I refused to buy and that it was made a year before my order, and instructed a solicitor , took the boat back and got a Full Refund.

Build Quality was excellent. Cost new in 1979 £25.000

 

[volvopaul]

I bought a Princess 33 Brand New in 1979. I made a mistake, Living in the North of England there was only 1 boatyard which sold Princess Boats and when I went there I was only offered (or told about) the boats that they already had in stock or had ordered, consequently they only offered me the Princess 33 with Twin Ford 80hp Mermaids. But their brochure said it would do 12-14 knots which is just about OK when cruising the Irish Sea.
But it was Underpowered. It would only do 10 knots flat out.
I was not told that they had a model of Princess with 120 hp Diesels or even one that had a planning hull. The one I was sold had the Semi Displacement Hull.
Anyway on its maiden voyage the starboard gearbox oil seal sprung a leak and Pricncess had to bring up a new gearbox and fit it.
I then found out that when I was looking at buying a new Princess 33 the dealer had one in the water at another branch and when I went to see it in the water it had a bathing platform (which I did not want) and had obviously been in the water for some time. I particularly remember saying "I dont want that one I want the next new one out of the factory"

Two months later the boat arrived at the dealers. In the April when about to launch the Starboard Engine would not start I had a Diesel Mechanic at my garage who had been a mechanic in the Royal Navy, even he could not get it going. The boatyard obviously got it going I noticed that they must have had the cylinder head off as the White Mermaid paint round the head bolts was cracked and you could see blue paint underneath.

Obviously in 1970 these 80 hp Mermaid Engines were based on the Ford d Series Engine and wre probably more plentiful than Perkins.

Anyway after finding out that the boat that they sold me was the one I refused to buy and that it was made a year before my order, and instructed a solicitor , took the boat back and got a Full Refund.

Build Quality was excellent. Cost new in 1979 £25.000

Nice story , my Dad had one way back in 1991 it was a great boat , but like you when buying it we had no idea they did a planing hull or fitted the 140 hp engines until we looked further afield .