Princess 54

Renegade_Master

Renegade_Master

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Just been reading the short test on the P54 in MBM. It does seem to tick all the boxes and under £700k too.

They were down a bit on the flybridge, sadly they did not show a good pic of it so one could see what they meant. What does the panel think of this vessel?
 
The layout is superb, probably best in class. I do have reservations about build quality though based on my own experience. It's for that reason mainly that I've decided to look elsewhere for the next Magnum.
 
Hi Mark well as you can see I've now got a Princess albiet an early one P560 and I am none the less pretty impressed with her. Perhaps your 67 was blighted a bit but I believe your P42 was ok yes?
 
Clive, there were problems with both boats but the 42 was sorted in the end. Nothing too serious really. The 67 was a different story. An absolute nightmare from start to finish. Maybe we were just unlucky. I dunno. I saw both boats in build on a number of occassions and to be honest wasn't hugely impressed with the quality of workmanship I saw.

I think Princess build great looking boats with good layouts except maybe for the flybridge which has always been a weakness of theirs. But both boats were delivered to Princess Motor Yacht Sales in a condition I would consider unfinished. Lots of gel-coat and woodwork repairs and more serious stuff.

It's a shame vecause I really like the look of the V65 but I don't have any confidence in the brand anymore.
 
I think there was a full test in MBY. We looked at one vs the 57 we eventually bought. The 54 scores on the main cabin of course, which is full beam and a great size for a mid fifty footer, but we came to the conclusion you give up quite a lot for that full beam cabin. By not having a full beam cabin the 57 makes room for an internal staircase, seperate utility, bigger heads with proper shower doors, twin crew cabin, bigger more accessible galley, and looks better proportioned externally IMO.

The flybridge layout on the 54 is simple but OK, space for 6 to eat comfortably, 8 at a push, with seperate sun pad.

Personally I'm not too keen on the full length sideboard on the port side of the saloon. I prefer seating both sides of the saloon and Princess would not do a mod to change some of the cabinet on the port side to seating, i think to protect the market for the new 58.

The report I read reckoned it was a bit on the slow side, not able to reach 30 knots with 715hp D12's. Our 57 is surprisingly a couple of knots faster with the same engines

Generally a sound boat though, and buyers do want the full beam cabin so will probably sell easier. There's apparently a new Sq 54 or 55 on the way, so will have some stiff competition.
 
I think the Squadron 54 or 55 will def be a winner
I think Fariline have really upped there game recently, and all I hear is good about the new models!
There finish have improved and are more stylish then ever, and there past weakness, which was cheap exterior stainless steel fittings (cleats, railings etc) have def been upped in the new models
 
Hi Mike we have a P61 on my pontoon which I have skippered many times for the owner. As you know they dropped it from the range now as it did not have the fashionable full beam cabin. Nonetheless a fine boat. The hull is superb turns faster than mine like a bloomin sports boat.

The owner of this one is a tight bugger and chose 715hp volvos which only manage about 25kts tops. The hull is far capable of more so the 850s would be better. That said he charters it and we dont need lots of speed on charters its all about pleasant cruising not banging away at 30kts.

Not sure if I like the galley down behind the helm seat. Also the internal staircase uneccesarilly robs the saloon of space IMHO.

Regards Clive
 
I'm surprised you only get 25 kts out of it, its only 3 feet longer and 2 tonnes heavier than our 57, and we get 31 kts flat out with the same engines and v similar hull.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Lots of gel-coat and woodwork repairs and more serious stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]Gel-coat and woodwark repairs on a new boat is something I'd already rate as serious flaws. Makes me curious about what else even more relevant was wrong?...
 
Mike

We didn't really consider the 61 as the 57 fits a 15m berth in Antibes. The layout is virtually the same as our boat, except you get the third heads so all cabins are en-suite, which is a definite plus if you have 3 couples on board.

I agree with Magnum that the flybridges on bigger Princesses are off the pace now, they need to re-think them to make more space for proper al fresco dining for 6 or 8 people. We're probably going to have a mod done to ours over the winter to make it a bit more sociable.

Otherwise they are fine boats, generally regarded as the best hull in the Princess range. I like the galley in that mid position, saves climbing up a steep set of stairs with trays of drinks or food, and I also like the internal stair case for convenience and 'cos it looks a bit grand. Its also a nice safety feature as you can see down to the saloon when driving from the upper helm, and its a real plus safety wise if you have very young kids on board.

The biggest problem we've had is the cupboard doors flying open due to the cheap plastic latches fitted, but apparently they were specified by the original owner against Princess' advice /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I'm going to have them all changed.

I think the layout works really well for long spells on board (we stayed a month in one go), and the seperate utility also then comes into its own. Unless you want cutting edge styling I think the Princess interiors are the best around, though i'm sure others will disagree.

I'm happy to share with you privately what we paid for ours, and I think you'd only expect to pay a little more for a 61, as its a slightly more dated model.

Personally i don't think you'd go far wrong with one.
 
Thanks Nick and Clive

Usefull feedback.

We hope to be moving house to Torquay over the next few weeks. So the boat hunting has gone oh hold at the moment. No rush anyway - just like something before next season.

I think I agree with you, Nick, on the galley and inside stairs. At previous boat shows we've poo pooed the internal stairs idea but having now owned a T51 I would have appreciated better communication between the two helms. It also makes the the whole saloon a bit more cosy IMO. I'll PM you once I've shortlisted a few and get your comments - if thats ok.

Thanks all - all information is greatfully accepted.

Mike
 
houghn, I saw some preliminary pics of the new Sq55 at the last LIBS and she did look fantastic. I reckon Fairline will be on to a winner with that boat if they can keep the price around £700k as promised
Have you looked at the new P58? They've dropped the internal flybridge steps for some reason. Stupid IMHO
 
Will you be moving your boat to Torquay too? If so have you looked at the berthing situation there? It's pretty grim for anything over 42'.
 
it will be interesting to see which of the big renowned builders, will go on and make the first IPS powered flybridge first....
I would not be surprised if the new 55 Squadron would be the first
now I know Rodman hava a 41 fly model with IPS, but I am speaking about the heavywieghts here
like Ferretti, Azimut, Fairline, Princess, Sunseeker etc

interesting to note that altough Azimut where among the first to introduce the IPS with the 43 S they never did the same on the flybridge model and is still a traditional direct shaft drive cruiser, both boats to my knowledge have identical hull shapes underneath
the S with IPS goes very well indeed and I can bet Azimut did experiment on a flybridge model with the same propullsion system.
could they have observed a bit of windage problem as was the case with stern drive powered flybridges?
 
"We didn't really consider the 61 as the 57 fits a 15m berth in Antibes."
______________________________________________________________

well they must use differnet tape measures here cos theres no way they would let me put my 56 on a 15m berth. This would be their response to yours:

"Let me see now 57ft x .304 = 17.328m sorry senor you will have to pay for a 20m berth".
 
According to a recent article in MBY, Azimut have already tested a flybridge model (AZ55 I think) with IPS with good results. I don't think there is a particular problem with windage and slow speed handling in the same way as sterndrives with flybridge boats. IPS may position the engines further aft compared to shaftdrive, but the props still drive the boat well forward of the transom. Then IPS also offers joystick control which takes all the hassle out of slow speed handling any way
 
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