Princess V39

[marcochi76]

Hello All,
in my long search for the "perfect" open sport boat, and after having abandoned options like Sarnico Spider or Itama 40, as my wife found them "too much open" and felt unprotected,
I am finally settled on a nice Princess V39 (model year 2015). It appears as a good compromise between hard tops and open.
The boat is very well maintained, regularly serviced by Volvo Penta professionals, and comes with only 400h on the engines.
I know the major weakness of this boat are the DPH drives. Hopefully, the 2015 version already come with the last updates and reinforcements?

What are your thoughts about this boat?
How is her sea-keeping?

Thanks!
Marco

 

[PalmaTarga]

If you haven't seen it, you'll find a good review of the boat here..

 

[marcochi76]

Thanks PalmaTarga
I have watched them in a loop 10 times ))))))

 

[JB]

I think the V39 is a nice boat.. they pack a lot into a sub-40ft boat. Nice to be able to open the roof and enclose the cockpit during the winter. The drives should be ok once they are serviced regularly and looked after

 

[[164147]]

They are very nice however when I was looking at one it was an earlier V40 with shafts. I don't think I'd want one on drives.

 

[tico]

Don't let Porto hear you say that. Next thing you'll find a horses head tonight.

 

[Portofino]

Hello All,
in my long search for the "perfect" open sport boat, and after having abandoned options like Sarnico Spider or Itama 40, as my wife found them "too much open" and felt unprotected,
I am finally settled on a nice Princess V39 (model year 2015). It appears as a good compromise between hard tops and open.
The boat is very well maintained, regularly serviced by Volvo Penta professionals, and comes with only 400h on the engines.
I know the major weakness of this boat are the DPH drives. Hopefully, the 2015 version already come with the last updates and reinforcements?

What are your thoughts about this boat?
How is her sea-keeping?

Thanks!
Marco

Remind us of your and wife’s boating experience in particular where ? Also your intended berth area Eg Cote D Azur ?

 

[LBRodders]

Hello All,
Sarnico

Would love a Sarnico.

Too open? just buy a 55 - job done

 

[marcochi76]

Hello Porto, the boat will stay in Beaulieu sur Mer.
I navigate off season between Monaco and Saint-Tropez, and during summer I will certainly do Corsica, Sardegna, Elba.

 

[Piers]

We had one of the first V39 models in 1995. Lovely boat, great handling. Needed a bow thruster which we added. later.

 

[spannerman]

The DPH drive hasn’t really had any problems,the problems were with the steering cylinders, steering and trim hoses which are sorted now. There have been more teething troubles with the D4/6 engines in fact, injector problems, leaks from intercooler end caps and exhaust corrision, happily all sorted now so a 2015 should be fine. The main weakness on all Volvo drives is the lack of protection for the prop shaft seals, seagrass or fishing line frequently damage the seals allowing water in, easy to fix if caught early, if not the gears in the lower unit get damaged, I have been doing this repair on all volvo drives for years. I would seriously want to see the oil in the drive as it happens very frequently.

 

[EricJ]

The V39 is a cracking boat, lots of volume. I recall reading on this forum that there were some structural issues with early examples of the V39, but this might well be sorted in a 2015 boat. Don‘t know the details of the issue unfortunately.
There was also a review as used boat in MBY in Oct 2017.

 

[[164147]]

Not a V39 but just viewed a 2005 boat with twin KAD300s and DP-G drives. VP survey advise both drives and engines need rebuilding at a min cost of £20k - possibly £30k (lack of maintenance it seems). Avoidable I'm sure but this is why I prefer shafts and Yanmars!

 

[marcochi76]

Thanks all for your comments. All very interesting
I will pray every night for the Gods protecting the DPH Drives...if they ever exist )

 

[ari]

Not a V39 but just viewed a 2005 boat with twin KAD300s and DP-G drives. VP survey advise both drives and engines need rebuilding at a min cost of £20k - possibly £30k (lack of maintenance it seems). Avoidable I'm sure but this is why I prefer shafts and Yanmars!

Are Yanmars immune from lack of maintenance?

 

[Portofino]

Hello Porto, the boat will stay in Beaulieu sur Mer.
I navigate off season between Monaco and Saint-Tropez, and during summer I will certainly do Corsica, Sardegna, Elba.

Shaft, MAN powered Itama 40 will easily do this ^^^ .Any weather .
Wind gets up , waves get up a lot around those areas even rounding cap Ferrat crossing the bay of Nice on the way to the Lerins .

Your maintenance will just be annual consumables only .

You ought to try before buying just buying based on whims like curtain colour , or bathroom sink material is folly .
Start with the hull , the machinery then the other stuff .
You are lucky at 40/ft there are Pershings , Baia’s and a Magnum 40 as well on shafts in the same league sea keeping as Itama .

 

[Momac]

Are Yanmars immune from lack of maintenance?

You read my mind.

A friends Yamar bellhousig cracked like a egg after light contact between the prop ad a submerged log at very slow speed. The gearbox was found to be suspect also so was replaced . The prop was only lightly damaged. However that is not a reason to suggest it is best to avoid buying Yanmar or shaft drive

 

[QBhoy]

You might just be the first person ever to question the sea keeping ability of a Princess...haha. Looks a lovely boat.

 

[[164147]]

Are Yanmars immune from lack of maintenance?

No which is why I said Avoidable. That said Yanmars in my experience are a lot more hardy, reliable and cheaper to service and maintain.

 

[ari]

Equally avoidable on the Volvo Pentas surely?

I've always found Yanmar parts to be (even!) dearer.