Princess 43

[MYAG]

Oooh, perfect, perfect boat for the CI's, Its a cracking boat and I can't think of anything to beat it in its field, I was impressed with the space/layout and build quality when I walked around one. Fwiw, I too would have a gyro fitted, I reckon it could double the usage/enjoyment in Channel waters depending on your rolling threshold. Congrats on your purchase, no faffing about, that's the way to buy'em!

 

[Anders_P42]

Princess can do planus because they put them on p82. You don't want anything from jabsco!

The P43 on display at LIBS had Planus toilets installed.

 

[Greg2]

Lovely boat, many congrats! Look forward to the build thread.
Welcome back to the Forum btw

 

[Prhperio]

Not be alone for long, will be joined by another QSB goupie on this site in May 2016!

You're not alone already.... We have the QSB 5.9s... Lovely engines ? (not that I have to admit I know much about engines!)

 

[Nick_H]

I'd be interested in finding out more about the gyro.

This is our 5th season with a gyro, and it's been transformational.

The biggest plus for us is stability at anchor. You will recall that even on your Pred72 the boat would roll, sometimes quite violently, when a swell or boat wake hit you beam on. That's likely to be more pronounced on a smaller, more top heavy boat like the P43. With a gyro you can forget about boat roll at anchor, it just stays flat, which means no holding onto your plates at dinner, no wine glasses falling over etc. It's equally effective underway at low speed, and we now do most of our cruising at 8-9 knots, and enjoy the trip. We have long lunches, sunbathe, drink and chat while the boat slowly eats up the miles, without having to worry about going beam on to the swell or being hit by a passing wake. I think it's a much nicer way to travel, than to blast everywhere at 25 knots.

I remember we both stayed over in Villefranche one night after a very nice meal, and the next morning you said you'd had an uncomfortable night as there was quite a big residual swell rolling into the anchorage. We've had a few nights like that since, and we just fire up the gyro, run it all night and get a good nights sleep.

Obviously there's a cost to fitting one, but the ongoing servicing costs are low and ours has proved to be reliable over 4 years. The biggest drawback is you have to run the genny, but it may be possible to fit an oversize battery bank and inverter if the genny noise would bother you. Having spent some time on our boat, A&K have just had a gyro fitted to their Sq58.

If the plan is to marina hop at planing speed in good weather, then a gyro would be of limited benefit, but for any other kind of use I think they're a big plus, and the option cost shouldn't be that huge.

 

[Magnum]

Thanks Nick. Very useful info. Yes I remember that night at Villefranche well.

I suppose the only disadvantage apart from cost of fitting a Gyro would be weight and reduction in storage space. Having said that I have no idea what the size and weight of a gyro for the 43 would be.

 

[Hugo_Andreae]

I have just spoken to Dave Marsh who said that having driven a new 43 with the Seakeeper 5 fitted he would have no hesitation in speccing it (cost permitting). He reckons it actually handles better than the standard boat and has an array of unexpected benefits such as stability when crewing, easier low speed handling in the marina and slightly tauter handling under way. It was so calm on the day of the test that he didn't get much of a chance to test its pirmary ability to cope with significant beam on swells under way or at anchor but all the evidence points to it doing excactly what it says on the tin.

He's not one to fall for gimmicks and I think he surprised himself by how impressed he was with it. Full story in the next issue of MBY.

 

[Nick_H]

Thanks Nick. Very useful info. Yes I remember that night at Villefranche well.

I suppose the only disadvantage apart from cost of fitting a Gyro would be weight and reduction in storage space. Having said that I have no idea what the size and weight of a gyro for the 43 would be.

Weight is about 350 kgs for the model 5, so you'd barely notice it, especially with the bigger engines (good choice by the way!). Yes, definitely find out what storage space you lose, so you can decide if its worth the trade off for you.

 

[Hurricane]

I understand that there is no specific recommended place for a gyro.
So, if you are spec'ing a new boat would there be room in the midship bilges.
There always seems to be room in the bottom of these boats - under the accommodation decks.
That way, it wouldn't take up valuable storage elsewhere.
Maybe they could install it during the build.
For example, a great place on the 67 would be under the mid cabin bed - if you remember there is loads of space there.
There must be similar un-used space on the 43.

 

[petem]

SEAKEEPER 5 Dimensions are:

0.765 L x 0.757 W x 0.628 H (meters)

Quite a lump but should be able to fit is somewhere surely?

See http://www.seakeeper.com/products/seakeeper-5.

Pete

 

[MapisM]

For example, a great place on the 67 would be under the mid cabin bed

Actually, if given a chance, I'd rather fit it as far from the mid cabin as possible M, for noise reasons.
Even if gyros whining is less hectic than fins pistons, it's still a noise source which I wouldn't want to have close to my cabin...

 

[Magnum]

Back to one of jfm's suggestions. Does anyone know what the difference is between the Raymarine e127 and eS127 apart from OS and appearance?

 

[A&K]

Hi Magnum,

As nickh says, we've just had a sealeeper 9 fitted to our boat as we were sick of Mr H sitting there gloating when we were rafted next to him and rolling all over the place while he didn't move. It's a proper transformation. I can't recommend highly enough. It feels like an expensive add on but really transforms the experience on the boat. We've had lunatics go past us at 20 knots while we've been running at 6/7 and the boat doesn't move!

If you can find space, it would be a no brainer for me.

Adam

 

[petem]

If you can find space, it would be a no brainer for me.

Well there must be space if MBY tested a 43 with one (unless is was in lieu of genny, aircon or plonked in the middle of the saloon)!

Question for you guys, what's more important, eliminating roll underway or at anchor (I know stabs and gyros combat both to an extent)?

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

We've had lunatics go past us at 20 knots while we've been running at 6/7 and the boat doesn't move!

As if!

 

[A&K]

Haha, there was one more after you, uninvited! I would have been furious normally but was grateful for the wash to try the gyro out?..

Petem, i'm reluctant to start a gyro vs. stabs debate...For us there was no discussion as the gyro is a relatively easy (in the context of boats!) retrofit, stabs wouldn't have been an option. I thought the difference would just have been at anchor. Certainly it makes a huge difference there as in the SoF you get a lot of large megayacht wake coming into even calm anchorages - so this is a huge benefit. But i'm also very impressed by the difference you get cruising. We always used to turn into boat wake when another motorboat went past us or we'd roll a lot. We don't need to do that any more, the gyro just takes care of it. And i think there's some benefit at 18/20 knots as well, not just 6/8.

 

[admillington]

Haha, there was one more after you, uninvited! I would have been furious normally but was grateful for the wash to try the gyro out?..

Petem, i'm reluctant to start a gyro vs. stabs debate...For us there was no discussion as the gyro is a relatively easy (in the context of boats!) retrofit, stabs wouldn't have been an option. I thought the difference would just have been at anchor. Certainly it makes a huge difference there as in the SoF you get a lot of large megayacht wake coming into even calm anchorages - so this is a huge benefit. But i'm also very impressed by the difference you get cruising. We always used to turn into boat wake when another motorboat went past us or we'd roll a lot. We don't need to do that any more, the gyro just takes care of it. And i think there's some benefit at 18/20 knots as well, not just 6/8.

A&K


i have a 2012 Squadron 58 and was wondering where you fiitted the SeaKeeper Gyro?



Andrew

 

[mjf]

well,well - here you are back!

Congratulations on the boat, when I got my Princess the radars were fitted after they left the factory on all boats.

This might have changed but I would seriously get exactly the gear you want whether or not its an option on the Princess list. Obviously you will need to check the display size will fit etc

White Hull - coward!

 

[A&K]

Hi Andrew, we're the older sq58 - a 2008/9 and so we had to lose the crew cabin - or at least turn it into a store room with gyro! I think the new 58 is an easier fit. Seakeeper actually sent me drawings of where it would go on your boat thinking i had the newer model and it was easier. I don't have them anymore but they're pretty good responding and i know they have them. Adam

 

[admillington]

Hi Andrew, we're the older sq58 - a 2008/9 and so we had to lose the crew cabin - or at least turn it into a store room with gyro! I think the new 58 is an easier fit. Seakeeper actually sent me drawings of where it would go on your boat thinking i had the newer model and it was easier. I don't have them anymore but they're pretty good responding and i know they have them. Adam

Thank you - I will drop them an email now