Boat & Sail

Builder · Luxury · Plymouth, England

Princess Yachts

British luxury motor-yacht builder, 1965-founded. Flybridge yachts and V-class sport yachts 35 to 40 meters.

Princess motor yacht at coastal cruise
Founded
1965
Headquarters
Plymouth, England
Ownership
L Catterton (private equity)
Tier
Luxury
Website
princessyachts.com

Princess Yachts is the British luxury motor-yacht builder from Plymouth, England, founded in 1965. The brand has been owned by L Catterton (the private-equity firm) since 2008. Production stays at the Plymouth facility on the Devon coast.

The brand argument is British luxury yacht-building heritage, the Bernard Olesinski-designed planing hull form, and the F-Class and V-Class flagship lines. Princess competes head-up with Sunseeker on the British luxury motor-yacht segment.

Lineup

Current platforms.

Model breakdown

Each platform, what it does and where it falls short.

Princess Yachts F-Class flybridge (F45 / F50 / F55 / F58 / F65 / F70)

F-Class is the volume flybridge line. Twin MAN or Volvo IPS rigging, full master stateroom, generator and A/C.

Things we like

  • · Bernard Olesinski-designed planing hull is segment-leading on ride quality
  • · British yacht-building heritage shows in fit-and-finish

Things we don't

  • · Pricing competes with Sunseeker and Azimut at flagship segment
  • · US dealer coverage thinner than European

Princess Yachts V-Class sport (V40 / V50 / V55 / V60 / V78)

V-Class is the sport-yacht line. Open helm with hardtop, twin MAN or Volvo inboard.

Things we like

  • · Sport-yacht layout gives entertaining-friendly open helm
  • · Bernard Olesinski hull translates to sport-yacht use

Things we don't

  • · Open layout limits weather-protected use
  • · Smaller used market than F-Class

Princess Yachts Y-Class flagship (Y72 / Y78 / Y80 / Y85)

Y-Class is the flagship superyacht line. Twin MAN or MTU inboard, master suite with separate dressing area.

Things we like

  • · Y-Class master suite layout gives full superyacht experience
  • · British luxury yacht-building tradition

Things we don't

  • · Pricing competes with Sunseeker Predator and full-custom yards
  • · Crew accommodations on smaller Y-Class are tight

Buyer's guide

The Princess Yachts story and what to know on the used market.

Origin and ownership

Princess was founded in 1965 in Plymouth, England by David King and a partner who started building boats in a Devon backyard. The brand grew through the 1970s and 1980s into one of the heritage British motor-yacht builders.

L Catterton acquired Princess in 2008. Production has stayed in Plymouth throughout. The Bernard Olesinski hull-design partnership has continued across multiple generations of platforms.

Design philosophy

Princess hulls use Bernard Olesinski-designed planing forms (typically 18 to 20 degrees at the transom on the F-Class flybridge line). The hull design is widely considered segment-leading on ride quality.

MAN diesel inboard is the dominant rigging on the larger hulls; Volvo IPS available on the smaller F-Class platforms.

Used-market notes and known issues

MAN i6 1200 fuel-injector pattern on 2017 to 2020 hulls warrants inspection at 1,000 hours.

Hull-side cosmetic gel coat on Mediterranean-stored hulls shows oxidation at 8 to 10 years.

Generator service is a 100-hour preventive item.

British dealer network supports nationwide UK service; US coverage runs through limited authorized dealers.

Resale

Princess holds resale tightly in the European luxury motor-yacht segment. Three-year depreciation runs 12 to 18 percent. Five-year depreciation runs 22 to 30 percent.

Where Princess Yachts fits

Buyers cross-shop Princess against Sunseeker, Azimut, Ferretti, and Prestige at the European luxury motor-yacht segment. The argument is British yacht-building heritage and Bernard Olesinski hull design.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

Princess or Sunseeker?
Both British luxury motor-yacht builders with similar build tier. Princess uses Bernard Olesinski hull designs and gives slightly more conservative interior styling. Sunseeker has more aggressive sport-yacht heritage. Cross-shop on hull-form preference and interior styling.
What's the maintenance cost on an F55?
Annual service on twin MAN i6 1000 inboards runs $8,000 to $14,000. Bottom paint $1,800 to $4,000. Storage $8,000 to $25,000 indoor. Insurance for a $2.5M hull runs $15,000 to $25,000.
Where are Princesses built?
Plymouth, England. L Catterton-owned facility on the Devon coast.

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Categories Princess Yachts fits.

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