Sports Cruiser vs Flybridge

[Smooth Sailing]

Hi All,

It's been awhile since I have posted here !

There is a short story behind the title of this thread : my v52 was exhibited at the BoatAsia show next to a 60 and a 72. I am supposed to take final delivery of the boat in early May as there were some issues they had to fix after doing an initial round with the dealer a few days before the boat show. You may be able to see the v52 as part of the flotilla during the launch of Princess South East Asia (I think it's on the PYI website). There were interested parties during the boatshow for my v52 and my wife stepped on the P60 and that's how the debate began....

My dealer has a slot for a new princess flybridge model that will be out soon (slightly smaller than the p60) and showed me the info pack / pricing / layout etc... She looked v beautiful !!

I do admit that the space of the flybridge does transform the boat by creating 2 different living spaces and whilst at anchor, sitting at the flybridge having a clear view of Phi-Phi island is quite something else...

I am still at a cross road whether to take delivery of the v52 or upgrade to a flybridge. One of the salesman said that your 3rd boat will be the final right boat for you!!!

Appreciate any views here !

 

[Nick_H]

In general the sun comes from above and warms you, and the wind comes from the side and cools you.

In cooler climates you more often want to be warmed than cooled, so having the sun on you but protection from the wind is ideal, so you'd buy a hardtop

In hot climates, like, ooh I don't know ... Southern Thailand for instance, you more often want cooling than warming, so having a completely open deck with protection overhead from the sun is ideal, so you'd buy a flybridge with a bimini cover.

Either way, if you spend lots of time inside the boat, you'd surely want a flybridge, unless you've always wondered what it would be like to go to prison

 

[stuartwineberg]

Flybridge

I've always thought of sailing/boating as an outdoor sport and for me you can't beat the all round visibility from a flybridge. Not just for safety but because you really feel you are out there. On the other hand you definitely feel like you are going slower and there is a certain remoteness from the sea a few metres below you

Finally you have more options - there is nothing stopping you going down below on a flybridge boat

 

[EME]

In general the sun comes from above and warms you, and the wind comes from the side and cools you.

In cooler climates you more often want to be warmed than cooled, so having the sun on you but protection from the wind is ideal, so you'd buy a hardtop

In hot climates, like, ooh I don't know ... Southern Thailand for instance, you more often want cooling than warming, so having a completely open deck with protection overhead from the sun is ideal, so you'd buy a flybridge with a bimini cover.

Either way, if you spend lots of time inside the boat, you'd surely want a flybridge, unless you've always wondered what it would be like to go to prison

aarrgghhh ... the perfect logic for the 'Open" on Mole Sud it REALLY is personal to the owner ...

 

[Smooth Sailing]

Wanted to thank everyone with a few pics of the V52. The night light is courtesy of Lumishore! I think its the only boat in Asia with Lumishore lights!

The marina is keppel bay marina.

 

[Smooth Sailing]

Sorry just to add that the blue colour lights is from the P60 on my port side. The green lights were from my v52 which had multicolor settings !

 

[Nick_H]

Ah right, I was thinking of V53 type layout, I forgot the V52 has patio doors and deck level saloon, so my previous comparison not so relevant. Having said that I think deck saloon hardtops make even less sense in very hot climates (they're very popular in the med though, which is in-between temperature wise). You basically have a flybridge boat without the flybridge, and the benefits of the opening roof don't make up for that in my book. They're obviously cheaper, but you get less useable space.

As always, it depends what you want to do with the boat, and I can see there are specific requirements where they could make sense, f'rinstance if you've got young kids on board or the owners are less mobile so you don't want the flybridge stairs. In my opinion though, in very hot climates, most of the time for most people though, I think a flybridge makes more sense.

 

[henryf]

Can I start by saying I hate you, you're boating in my favourite location

I was out there again over Christmas and the new year and managed a couple of day afloat in Phang Na bay cruising out of Klong Muan near Ao Nang. I presume you are planning to keep your boat in the Boat Lagoon Phuket.

We had the very same descision and battle prior to buying our P50 flybridge. http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310421 We looked time and time again at the V52 but it isn't quite us. There is no right and wrong answer so my views are purely personal but here goes:

We really like the cockpit area on the flybridge. The flybridge it's self is very exposed to the sun, although we have a Bimini cover as you would. The natural overhand of the flybridge makes for a really solid feeling space. If it does rain - as it does in Thailand, then canvas sides slide in quickly to form a totally weatherproof space, ideal for drying wet clothes.

The small crew cabin may be useful though it only takes a single crew member.

The Princess install air con is excellent and will keep all areas comfortable. Obviously the V class sports boats suffer for their beauty in terms of cabin space. Just 2 cabins though you do get a full beam master.

We have got on really well with the layout in the P50. If you have a cook on board then the galley is out of view. The P60 is a head up galley. It is also substantially more expensive than the v52 / P50. Were money no object the P60 is a stunner, as you have discovered the planned P56 replacement to the P54 will save some money for a very similar boat.

In the end we just couldn't buy a V52 sports boat, it wasn't for us. The flybridge gives us an outdoor area, a covered outdoor area / enclosed in foul weather and a large internal space fully air conditioned in your case.

Were I buying for your cruising ground I would spec exactly what we have and not a sports boat.

Others may disagree.

All the best and I shall keep my eye open for you next time I'm over.

Oh, a slightly belated sawadee pee mai by the way

Henry

 

[Smooth Sailing]

Henry - your p50 looks absolutely amazing !! The colour combination was impeccably put together. Funnily for me it was between the P50 and v52. If I remembered there was nearly no difference in price after I specced the v52 with a zf jms. Our main choice of the single level was mainly due to (as Pointed out by Nick) due to having v young kids.

However after we had a tour of the P60 and P72, she immediately fell in love with the idea of flybridge and the larger outdoor space. Agreed that the P60 is quite pricey but the P56 with a very similar layout and galley-up, costing close to the p54 price is more within our budget. It also comes with the new xenta joystick system and a light grey hull option (never seen a princess with this option colour) but the hi-lo transom is an option item now. Must be the CFO's idea !

If money was no object the p72 is a true beauty!!! I met the owner of the p72 who just took delivery of his yacht at the boatshow. Owned by a great great guy - lives in Phuket with a business in uk. I have never seen a boat as beautifully specced as the p72!

If I do decide to keep the v52 it will be parked in Singapore at Keppel Bay Marina. Boat Lagoon Phuket is now the South East Asia distributor for princess yachts.

Henry - pls do email me if u r ever in Singapore. Would be great to catch up indeed !

 

[Smooth Sailing]

Can I start by saying I hate you, you're boating in my favourite location

I was out there again over Christmas and the new year and managed a couple of day afloat in Phang Na bay cruising out of Klong Muan near Ao Nang. I presume you are planning to keep your boat in the ?..

Henry - it seems you know the Princess Boat Lagoon team ? Vrit who is the owner is also one of the best sales I have ever ever met!!! I will never buy a boat from anyone else but him! The team he has put together from service to training is quite amazing...

 

[henryf]

I actually don't know the Princess guys at all there, just the area a little. Princess try to offer very good service, I can not vouch for the Asian team but in the UK we have been / are being looked after very well by the guys.

I wouldn't worry myself too much with joystick controls. My P50 has the CAT C12 engines and the punch when close quarters manoeuvring is excellent. Throw in bow and stern thrusters and you should be able to do yourself proud coming into any mooring slot. Shafts are very intuitive providing you get sufficient push when you engage forward or astern.

I hear what you say about the steps in the P50, they are definitely there, less so as you get bigger. One of the limitations for our cruising is that some of the places we like to visit struggle to accommodate larger boats. A 50 is seen as being on the large size.

When we were at the Nakamanda over Christmas there were some large motor yachts at anchor just over the water by Ko Hong. A lot of guys seem to visit Thailand by boat during the season then return to Singapore or Malaysia. I've never been to either but if we do I'll let you know. We had thought of visiting southern Thailand via Singapore rather than Bangkok, there are direct flights to both Phuket and Krabi I think. We nearly took a Christmas cruise out of Singapore this last year with friends.

Anyway if there is anything I can do to help just ask. Oh, I've seen the grey in the flesh and it looks good. The new V39 had it at the London boat show. My only worry would be fading as the boat aged. You will only know if it's a problem several years down the line. At least with white you know there are no issues, but it does look smart. I think it also lies well with the more traditional looks of the Princess. There will no doubt be some more grey boats at Southampton in September.

All the best

Henry