Princess S72 MBY First Drive

exclusive first drive

PRINCESSS72

A flybridge with attitude or a sportscruiser with space?

We take the new S-Class for a blast in Miami’s blue waters Text: Jack Haines Photos: Princess

Y

ears ago it used to be so easy to slot boats into their different categories. There were flybridges, for people who wore slippers on board and had a penchant for patio doors, and sportscrusiers, for those who had deep bronze tans and billowing chest hair.

Since then, flybridge boats have got sexier and sportscruisers have acquired patio doors of their own and the sort of accommodation the chest-hair gang could formerly only

dream of. And now we have the sportsbridge, which throws up even more questions and ensures that every niche has been catered for.

Last month we had a blast in Sunseeker’s first effort, the 68 Sport Yacht, and this is the first of its kind from Princess, the S72.

The boat made its international debut at the Miami Boat Show in February, partly because there’s a bit of a dearth of boat shows in Europe at that time but also because Princess feels that the US market is going to be keen on a design like this. You can see why, unless it’s got a hardtop and air-conditioning US boaters aren’t that keen on a flybridge

because (my heart bleeds) it’s just too hot. But having a much shorter flybridge the size of a 50-footer’s should be right up their street, because it’s only going to be used as an elevated seating area to escape crowded pontoons for sundowners and getting the wind through your hair on passage.

Back on this side of the pond the attraction is going to be the S72’s handsome looks and its fly/sport combination. It may share an underwater profile with the V72 but the topsides, hull windows and obviously the superstructure are all totally new. The proportions are absolutely spot on and it

MAY2014 33

exclusive first drive

Helm oozes class and the side door makes access to the side decks hassle free

manages to be sporty and aggressive while maintaining Princess’s timeless look. It looks nowhere near its 74ft length either, especially in comparison to a true 70-odd-foot flybridge like Princess’s own 72. You get the same feeling on board where the smaller flybridge and a saloon blissfully short of blind spots make the boat feel far more compact, which is nice when it comes to slipping in and out of tight berths. Despite the crew cabin it feels like three or maybe even two experienced people could handle this boat on their own.

In the engineroom, owners will choose from three tasty set-ups. There are two options from Caterpillar, both C32 As but one offering 1,620hp a piece and the other 1,725hp. The largest option is a pair of MAN V12 1,800s, which we reckon would just about top 40 knots at full whack. Our test boat had the largest CATs and hit 38 knots with a near full complement

The driving position is spot on at both helms

of fuel and water, a Seakeeper gyro and a 550kg tender in the garage.

The driving experience changes remarkably depending on which helm position you are using. From the lower helm, where those enormous windows and clear sight lines aft make for a superb 360° view, the boat is quiet and refined. It wafts through the water and eases into a 25-knot cruise, feeling not dissimilar to a certain other luxury barge with S Class written on the side.

Initial turn in is quick but then the rudders hit the stops and the boat settles into a docile and quite wide turning arc. It felt like the hull had more to give, like it really wanted to dig in and turn sharply but the rudders were set to sensible mode.

Step up to the flybridge, though, and settle down into the central helm seat and it’s a different matter. With the wind in your face, a cracking view of the bow peeling out in front of you and the sound of the water rushing past it feels like you’ve picked up the keys to a different boat. She seems to throw herself into the turns more – the lean accentuated by being that bit higher up. This is when you begin to see the benefits of the sportsbridge concept and it’s not just when you’re driving the boat. You get a sizeable flybridge up here, with enough seating for six to dine in comfort plus a wet-bar and also a large retracting sunroof over the lower helm position. It really is lovely to have both options and, of course, you have more dining space in the cockpit and yet another sunbathing space over the tender garage.

Ah yes, the tender garage. This boat being based on a sportscruiser means you get one of these and, although not everyone agrees that they are the best way to store a tender due to

This boat has the coffee table aft but you can spec a proper dining table With the galley below decks the cockpit wet-bar is a very useful addition

The proportions are absolutely spot on and it manages to be sporty and aggressive while maintaining Princess’s timeless look

Detailing to die for: no one does the little touches better than Princess

MAY2014 35

exclusive first drive

Stunning master cabin is packed with natural light thanks to the vast windows

Elongated windows look great from the outside and pump light into the interior

inherent size and height limits, it’s hard to argue against such a handy storage space.

Keep your tender on the optional hydraulic bathing platform and you’ve effectively got a ready-made watersports cave to store all sorts of exciting water-based paraphernalia.

Princess has put a lot of effort into making the most of the vast space at the bow. You get the standard-issue sunpads but these ones have adjustable headrests so it’s easier to sit up and sip your mojitio. There is a neat storage bin beneath this area to stow cushions and covers easily and you get two large fender bins on either side. The cut-out walkway between the sofa and the sunpads is a nice touch, too, and that sofa would be a lovely spot for a drink or a place to sit on slower passages.

Princess has said right from the beginning that the S72 would showcase a sportier and sparklier side to its design, especially on the interior. It’s not exactly a radical change in style, she’s unmistakably a Princess, and it’s been done in a typically elegant manner.

There isn’t the glitz of, say, an Azimut but there’s an effortless cool resonating throughout the boat’s accommodation. The bold rug and bright scatter cushions teamed with walnut, satin and dark, lacquered cabinets in the saloon plus icy-cool grey highlights in the cabins add a certain edge whilst staying firmly on the right side of bling.

The internal layout is an interesting one because Princess has totally ignored the galley-up fad and stuck it on the lower deck.

There is a quirky circular seating pod forward, to port of the helm, which also conceals two wide stools that can be removed and pulled up to the coffee table aft. I really like this forward seating area; it’s cosy and comfortable but also makes for a fantastic chart work area for the navigator. The only issue is that it doesn’t quite feel big enough to cater for a meal for a full complement of six guests – it would be a very tight squeeze.

Our test boat had a laid-back lounging area with squishy main seating area to starboard and a couple’s couch opposite, behind which the television rises from the sideboard.

The S72 shares a lower-deck layout with the V72, meaning you get an ensuite VIP forward (although the S gets larger, more stylish windows than the V), a twin guest cabin to starboard and a palatial master amidships.

All three cabins get beautifully appointed bathrooms but the guest cabin is also the day head. The master ticks all the right boxes with

Galley is small for a boat of this size and a few steps down from the saloon

vast amounts of floor space and stunning views out of the enormous panes of glass either side. The ensuite, which lies between the bed and the engineroom bulkhead, spans almost the entire width of the boat.

What struck me most during our day on board is how the S72 genuinely deserves its place in the market. It shouldn’t be viewed as a compromise between fly and sportscruiser but as a great piece of design in its own right. We had better get used to it, too, because Princess seems set to get an S80 into mould this year and there are noises about two further S models in the pipeline both larger and smaller.

An S62 could make for a very interesting proposition indeed.

Who needs to categorise boats, when mixing things up produces such good results?

We’ll see if the S72 continues to impress in our full test later in the spring.

Contact Princess. Tel: +44 (0)1489 557755 Web: www.princessyachts.com

Master bathroom gets an enormous shower cubicle and bags of storage

Drawers throughout glide shut and self close with engineered precision

MAY2014 37