Amour
Well-Known Member
Does anybody on the forum have a princess 35 with 212hp mermaids if so what speed and rpm are you getting .
Princess 35 212hp mermaids
- Thread starter Amour
- Start date
QBhoy
Well-Known Member
Big princess fan. Especially the 35.
Usually came with twin tamd41 VPs at 200hp each. As far as I know they quoted around 25-28 knots wot when new with these.
On such an elderly lady these days. Nothing is certain anymore. Meaning that many have had a prop change. More usually from 3 blade to 4 blade. Some get it right and some don’t. The end result can be dramatically different numbers from the brochure, as you can imagine.
I’m not sure I’ve heard of twin mermaids on these. Heard of a single screw, believe it or not. Usually on the sedan non fly bridge model though.
We have a 385. Very similar hull but with twin 306hp VPs. She has had a prop change. 3 blade to 4 blade. She runs slightly less rpms than quoted range in most cases and has clearly been pitched fiercely for open water. She will do nearly 7 knots at just a tickle above tick over. No use for inland waterways at all as we found out.
Some have been repitxhed the other way to increase the slow speed manoeuvre ability and keep the rpms up at slow speeds.
Not sure I’ve been of much help but worth a mention.
What are you seeing now ?
Usually came with twin tamd41 VPs at 200hp each. As far as I know they quoted around 25-28 knots wot when new with these.
On such an elderly lady these days. Nothing is certain anymore. Meaning that many have had a prop change. More usually from 3 blade to 4 blade. Some get it right and some don’t. The end result can be dramatically different numbers from the brochure, as you can imagine.
I’m not sure I’ve heard of twin mermaids on these. Heard of a single screw, believe it or not. Usually on the sedan non fly bridge model though.
We have a 385. Very similar hull but with twin 306hp VPs. She has had a prop change. 3 blade to 4 blade. She runs slightly less rpms than quoted range in most cases and has clearly been pitched fiercely for open water. She will do nearly 7 knots at just a tickle above tick over. No use for inland waterways at all as we found out.
Some have been repitxhed the other way to increase the slow speed manoeuvre ability and keep the rpms up at slow speeds.
Not sure I’ve been of much help but worth a mention.
What are you seeing now ?
oldgit
Well-Known Member
As mentioned the P35 usually came with a pair of 200HP Volvo 41B, but a 165HP version was sold.
Have a original MB&Y (Dec 1986) boat test report on a P35 which was powered by pair of Mermaid 200HP diesels with a pair of Twin Disc 1.5 : 1 gearboxes with 8 degree output.
Wonder if you have this boat. ?
The odd boat did leave the factory powered with 250HP Cummins.
There is boat in Spain retro fitted ? with the horrid VP 230 HP super/turbo charger combination.
Might be faster but the banshee wail must be grim
The Mermaids were reported to be a "tight fit" and cost a premium of £2.500 + VAT over the Volvo Penta.
The test boat was suppled by a company in Brighton Marina, boat called "Racy Lady"
Top speed recorded was 24 knots with the Mermaids,a later boat tested by MB&Y with the 200HP Volvo option gave identical speed.RPM vs speed at bottom of graph.
Have always considered the 6 lazy Litres of the Mermaid/Cummins block a far better long term bet than the weedy 3.6 litre VP lump.
My boat with all the usual junk aboard once saw 22 knots from the 200HP Volvos with 3 blade props at 3600.
There was an update in the magazine a month later,yet to track down a copy. Anybody out here got one ????
Do have some original promotional material as well.
Have a original MB&Y (Dec 1986) boat test report on a P35 which was powered by pair of Mermaid 200HP diesels with a pair of Twin Disc 1.5 : 1 gearboxes with 8 degree output.
Wonder if you have this boat. ?
The odd boat did leave the factory powered with 250HP Cummins.
There is boat in Spain retro fitted ? with the horrid VP 230 HP super/turbo charger combination.
Might be faster but the banshee wail must be grim
The Mermaids were reported to be a "tight fit" and cost a premium of £2.500 + VAT over the Volvo Penta.
The test boat was suppled by a company in Brighton Marina, boat called "Racy Lady"
Top speed recorded was 24 knots with the Mermaids,a later boat tested by MB&Y with the 200HP Volvo option gave identical speed.RPM vs speed at bottom of graph.
Have always considered the 6 lazy Litres of the Mermaid/Cummins block a far better long term bet than the weedy 3.6 litre VP lump.
My boat with all the usual junk aboard once saw 22 knots from the 200HP Volvos with 3 blade props at 3600.
There was an update in the magazine a month later,yet to track down a copy. Anybody out here got one ????
Do have some original promotional material as well.
Last edited:
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
Keep
One with mermaids just sold from Farndon marina , it was owned by a client which I serviced for a few years , nice smooth engine with smoke on start up, sadly pistons and liners NLA which means a repower if major faults occur.
At least the green lumps go on for ever .
As mentioned the P35 usually came with a pair of 200HP Volvo 41B, but a 165HP version was sold.
Have a original MB&Y (Dec 1986) boat test report on a P35 which was powered by pair of Mermaid 200HP diesels with a pair of Twin Disc 1.5 : 1 gearboxes with 8 degree output.
Wonder if you have this boat. ?
The odd boat did leave the factory powered with 250HP Cummins.
There is boat in Spain retro fitted ? with the horrid VP 230 HP super/turbo charger combination.
Might be faster but the banshee wail must be grim
The Mermaids were reported to be a "tight fit" and cost a premium of £2.500 + VAT over the Volvo Penta.
The test boat was suppled by a company in Brighton Marina, boat called "Racy Lady"
Top speed recorded was 24 knots with the Mermaids,a later boat tested by MB&Y with the 200HP Volvo option gave identical speed.RPM vs speed at bottom of graph.
Have always considered the 6 lazy Litres of the Mermaid/Cummins block a far better long term bet than the weedy 3.6 litre VP lump.
My boat with all the usual junk aboard once saw 22 knots from the 200HP Volvos with 3 blade props at 3600.
There was an update in the magazine a month later,yet to track down a copy. Anybody out here got one ????
Do have some original promotional material as well.
One with mermaids just sold from Farndon marina , it was owned by a client which I serviced for a few years , nice smooth engine with smoke on start up, sadly pistons and liners NLA which means a repower if major faults occur.
At least the green lumps go on for ever .
Amour
Well-Known Member
Many thanks for that do you have the whole repot ? I have the copy of next month you were talking about . I will get my wife to scan in later and send to you .
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Yes, have photocopy of entire report about 5 pages.
PM me with Email address and will send.
Do also have photocopy of original owners manual, pages and pages of it, however most of it appears to assume that the new owner has never owned a boat before, ie. how to polish the boat and the odd diagram showing locations of various bits and pieces inc the engines !
Only criticism seemed to be about carpets not being bound and the totally rubbish cheapskate teeny weeny totally inadequate single bilge pump.
