kashurst
Well-Known Member
That sort of design choice really annoys me - why reduce functionality over aesthetic. you will remember the step much more than the level alignment of window with worktop. They could have solved that in other ways.
Princess P52 flybridge
- Thread starter henryf
- Start date
gjgm
Well-Known Member
yea, only short people allowed in the galley !
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
You'd need a clever bimini that can be half opened. or two biminis, a manual one over the table, and a hydraulic one over the helm/sunpad. It's feasible, though it may end up looking a bit of a dogs dinner.
Thing is, it's not hard to design a flybridge that works, Princess can do it on a 42 footer, so why cause this problem on the 52? Keep it simple, two helm seats, big table/seating area opposite, and a sunpad at the back, and just scale it up with boat size.
Actually, I thought the Bimini idea on both the P52 and the P56 is a step in the right direction.
Both these designs allow the bimini to fold down inside the spray dodger.
This means that they can be dropped quickly without all that scafolding effect you see on a lot of boats.
You can then fit a toneau cover to protect the FB (teak etc) from the elements when you are away.
Dear old Jim from JB Covers designed us a bimini like this for our old Sealine T51
Our current one covers the whole FB and folds against the radar arch and is massive but still quite easy for one person to deploy.
henryf
Well-Known Member
I'm not averse to a galley up arrangement. I'm not even averse to a galley located by the patio doors. The issue is the wasted space and useless kitchen.
I think the solution lies somewhere along the lines of having the dining area opposite the galley which needs to be swapped to port side. Fit the ice maker, drinks fridge, TV in place of the settee opposite the sitting area which replaces the current dining area. I would also sacrifice full windows in the galley and probably continue high level storage around to make a division between galley and sitting space. The full height fridge freezer goes just inside the patio doors under the flybridge stairs (which are swapped over to the port side).
The flybridge isn't solved by magical Bimini covers, it's solved by a very simple re-design. The helm position swaps to port side. The large table is placed opposite as per P42 or 50. By all means extend it and even have the seating curve round at the aft. I suspect there is enough space behind the stair entry point to have a sun pad. The advantage of this is the sun pad is light so no risk of stress to the rear of the flybridge. A P52 is too small to store jet skis etc on the rear of the flybridge anyway.
Henry
I think the solution lies somewhere along the lines of having the dining area opposite the galley which needs to be swapped to port side. Fit the ice maker, drinks fridge, TV in place of the settee opposite the sitting area which replaces the current dining area. I would also sacrifice full windows in the galley and probably continue high level storage around to make a division between galley and sitting space. The full height fridge freezer goes just inside the patio doors under the flybridge stairs (which are swapped over to the port side).
The flybridge isn't solved by magical Bimini covers, it's solved by a very simple re-design. The helm position swaps to port side. The large table is placed opposite as per P42 or 50. By all means extend it and even have the seating curve round at the aft. I suspect there is enough space behind the stair entry point to have a sun pad. The advantage of this is the sun pad is light so no risk of stress to the rear of the flybridge. A P52 is too small to store jet skis etc on the rear of the flybridge anyway.
Henry
Nick_H
Well-Known Member
I really like the extra sofa, it means a bunch of you sit round in a circle rather than all sitting on one side staring at the furniture. Having the drinks fridge up there also means dripping all over the saloon carpet if you've just been for a swim and fancy a beer. I suppose there's no pleasing everyone, so the manufacturers just have to try and give the boats broad appeal, and accept that they wont suit everyone.
Nick_H
Well-Known Member
What do you mean by the spray dodger Mike, the wind deflector at the front? I haven't seen the biminis on the P56/52, so can't picture what you're saying. My bimini folds down inside the front wind deflector, but of course it only has to cover the front half of the boat, as the sun pad is aft.
henryf
Well-Known Member
You won't have to go anywhere near the drinks fridge in the saloon area. You will have a massive full height fridge freezer just inside the door from where you can grab a cool drink. You also won't have to get down on your knees because the fridge section starts at waist level.
As for extra seating opposite the saloon seating there is a solution for that as well. The dining table will have seats for the non wall side which store somewhere (possibly either side of the forward cabin bed or in the dining area), Which can be placed in Front of the TV / drinks fridge unit.
In my world we think of everyone
Henry
benjenbav
Well-Known Member
Henry, thanks for the review.
A couple of thoughts that struck me:
Galley Up: I would have thought most 50 footers wouldn't be stabilised and, obviously the further from the waterline, the more movement there will be. So it probably rules out any food prep on the move?
Sofa in master cabin: I can't see the attraction of this. A couple of armchairs would be nicer. But a really decadent touch which might only fit on something a fair bit bigger than this boat would be to have a sofa or a fainting couch in the bathroom. Obviously a full-size bath would be an essential too.
A couple of thoughts that struck me:
Galley Up: I would have thought most 50 footers wouldn't be stabilised and, obviously the further from the waterline, the more movement there will be. So it probably rules out any food prep on the move?
Sofa in master cabin: I can't see the attraction of this. A couple of armchairs would be nicer. But a really decadent touch which might only fit on something a fair bit bigger than this boat would be to have a sofa or a fainting couch in the bathroom. Obviously a full-size bath would be an essential too.
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Nick_H
Well-Known Member
You won't have to go anywhere near the drinks fridge in the saloon area. You will have a massive full height fridge freezer just inside the door from where you can grab a cool drink. You also won't have to get down on your knees because the fridge section starts at waist level.
As for extra seating opposite the saloon seating there is a solution for that as well. The dining table will have seats for the non wall side which store somewhere (possibly either side of the forward cabin bed or in the dining area), Which can be placed in Front of the TV / drinks fridge unit.
In my world we think of everyone
Henry
Ah yes, a nice comfortable stool with the edge of the table to rest against, you spoil us ambassador ..
Anyway, Princess have clearly designed the 52 to push you up to the 56 for your next boat. It's more expensive of course, but don't forget you'll save on the cost of a dressing gown
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Nick_H
Well-Known Member
You can see it here, Nick - just in front of the white scatter cushion
So one bimini covers the whole flybridge right to the back? That's far from ideal, because you have to uncover the dining area in order for someone else to use the sunpad, plus that will make it almost double the size of mine, so its bound to be a hassle to put up and down.
henryf
Well-Known Member
It's more expensive of course, but don't forget you'll save on the cost of a dressing gown
Henry
colhel
Well-Known Member
Well after that review I'm not going to buy one. I'll save up for an ambassador instead.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2754226/The-100-ugliest-cars-20-1.html?image=11
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2754226/The-100-ugliest-cars-20-1.html?image=11
jfm
Well-Known Member
Thanks henryf - nice review and enjoyable reading
I'm with you on not liking the galley there, but plenty of folks disagree. EME loves it on targa50 and a colleague here in the office just bought a squadron 50 to replace his phantom 48 partly becuase of the galley just inside the doors.
I think it's tough to criticise builders for the sofas in matercabin. They are covering a bit of floor where the angled hull is exposed. A cupboard wouldn't be as big as you wanted becuase of the floor shape, and you need to see the sofa as decoration. On Match1 they offered me a sofa or chest of drawers. Initially i chose the drawers but then thought they looked too much and chose the sofa. I'm glad I did, even though I never sat on it. I've ordered a sofa/chaise longue thing on Match2 as well, in a new design recognising that it is just decoration
You're dead right on the big windows. While they look fantastic the single porthole makes it impossible to clean the salt off. On sq78 the stnadard window is 4 panels with one opening. I have specced 2 opening, so we can clean the salt off. Great minds and all that...
I'm with you on not liking the galley there, but plenty of folks disagree. EME loves it on targa50 and a colleague here in the office just bought a squadron 50 to replace his phantom 48 partly becuase of the galley just inside the doors.
I think it's tough to criticise builders for the sofas in matercabin. They are covering a bit of floor where the angled hull is exposed. A cupboard wouldn't be as big as you wanted becuase of the floor shape, and you need to see the sofa as decoration. On Match1 they offered me a sofa or chest of drawers. Initially i chose the drawers but then thought they looked too much and chose the sofa. I'm glad I did, even though I never sat on it. I've ordered a sofa/chaise longue thing on Match2 as well, in a new design recognising that it is just decoration
You're dead right on the big windows. While they look fantastic the single porthole makes it impossible to clean the salt off. On sq78 the stnadard window is 4 panels with one opening. I have specced 2 opening, so we can clean the salt off. Great minds and all that...
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Last season, SWMBO called me up from the engine room just as we were preparing to leave the boat.
"I was cleaning the outside of the starboard windows in our cabin" she said.
"Something went Ping - I think it's the little microswitch on the window" she said.
(There are little micro switches that interlock with the engines so that they won't start if the windows are open)
"OK" I said "I'll fix it back"
"No" she said "It went PING - PLOP"
All fixed now though - new micro switches.
But, you are correct, at least with the tall thin opening windows, you can clean the ones you can't reach from the pontoon/shore
acbruce
Well-Known Member
Great review. Thanks. Also great for you as well. You went to the show to see the replacement for your boat and preferred the one that you have now. Much money saved, temptation avoided etc. Also P50 will hold its value well as there will be others who prefer the old to the new and this will keep prices strong for P50. I am probably one such although I haven't seen the 52 yet. I love the P50!
kcrane
Well-Known Member
Did anyone ask about the large joystick you can see top right above the plotter? I'm assuming it links the engines, bow and stern thruster.
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Did anyone ask about the large joystick you can see top right above the plotter? I'm assuming it links the engines, bow and stern thruster.
I thought it was the remote for the Phantom Quadcopter
kcrane
Well-Known Member
My first thought was it was a frothy milk maker for coffee a la Nespresso, but I couldn't get the top off, so decided it was something to do with driving the boat...
henryf
Well-Known Member
I managed to get the top off - I had to use my penknife, and poured milk in but I couldn't get it to froth.
In hindsight it might not have been a wise thing to do. The cracking sound when the top came off and the force required on the penknife blade probably should have told me something. I'm worried that if it was something to do with moving the boat there is a possibility it might not work.
The other thing it could be is a control for the stereo. I once bought one from Halfords which came with a similar (all be it smaller) stick on knob. The penknife and milk won't have helped that to work either.
Oh well, these things happen. The other disaster I had was not being able to get the toilet in the crew cabin to flush. Luckily I'd brought my own toilet paper as I realised too late there wasn't any!
Henry
