Princess hulls hold up well. Chris Olsen, the surveyor who writes the surveyor's reports for Motor Boat & Yachting's used boat series, says he has rarely found major structural issues on Princess boats in 24 years of surveying. His advice is to spend the survey on fixtures, fittings, the drivetrain and overall condition. On a boat that has lived in the Mediterranean, he adds a few places of his own.
Sunroofs and roof apertures
The electric sunroof is a feature of the V-class sports cruisers, and a weak spot when it isn't looked after. An owner who keeps his V45 in Spain told MBY the roof mechanism can be problematic at times. MBY has seen one or two V52 sunroofs worse for wear, possibly from poor maintenance. On the V45, Olsen warns about grease slapped onto the slides, which holds salt and grit and wears the sliding gear fast; he recommends dry Teflon spray. On the V58 DS he asks for a check of the radii around the roof apertures for cracking, particularly at the corners.
Where to look. Run the roof through several full cycles. Check the tracks, slides and gulleys for grease, grit and wear, and the corners of the aperture for cracks.
Stanchions and teak
On the V45, Olsen notes that the grub screws holding guard rail stanchions to their bases often work loose, so the rails can lift out if someone grabs them in a seaway. He also often finds the swim platform teak scrubbed out, with heavy graining and proud caulking.
Where to look. Pull on every stanchion. Check the teak thickness on the platform and the state of the caulking.
Outdrives, IPS and engines
On the V45 Olsen calls outdrive maintenance critical: check the scheduled two-year removal for seals and joints was done, and look at skegs and propellers for grounding damage and galvanic corrosion from worn-out anodes. On every model he asks for the engine service history with heat exchanger cleaning, and an extended run at maximum revs to confirm temperatures and pressures stay in spec. On the 23M he adds the fabricated exhaust sections and their support struts, for leaks and corrosion.
Where to look. The drive service record, the anodes, skegs and props, and the heat exchanger cleaning dates. On the sea trial, temperatures at full power for a sustained run.
Stress cracks on fast boats
The 23M is a fast boat, and Olsen warns of potential stress cracking from over-exuberant use: hairline cracks around the longitudinal hull chines, the windscreen mullions inside and out, and the main stringer and frame mouldings.
Mediterranean boats and leaks
On a V45 from the Med, Olsen asks for a check of the gelcoat for UV degradation around the transom, roof and deck. On an ex-Mediterranean V58 DS, it's the dashboard and helm surfaces, for UV damage and cracking. He has also seen underwater light fittings on the V58 DS failing and letting water into the boat, and warns that a distorted swim platform can upset the sensors involved in starting the engines.
What to check on a Princess
| Area | What to look for | Source of the concern |
|---|---|---|
| Sunroof | Smooth operation, grease and grit on slides, cracks at aperture corners | Olsen, V45 and V58 DS; owner, V45; MBY, V52 |
| Stanchions | Loose grub screws, rails lifting out | Olsen, V45 |
| Outdrives | Two-year service done, skeg and prop damage, anodes | Olsen, V45 |
| Engines | Heat exchanger cleaning, temperatures at full power | Olsen, all models |
| Hull | Hairline cracks at chines, mullions, stringers | Olsen, 23M |
| Exhaust | Leaks and corrosion on fabricated sections | Olsen, 23M |
| Underwater lights | Failing fittings, water ingress | Olsen, V58 DS |
| Ex-Med boats | UV damage on gelcoat, dash and helm | Olsen, V45 and V58 DS |
Writing it up
"Sunroof: operates, but the port track is heavily greased and contaminated with grit, and the aft starboard corner of the aperture shows a 40 mm hairline crack in the gelcoat. Recommend the tracks are cleaned and treated with a dry lubricant, and the crack investigated before the boat is used offshore." Note how many cycles you ran and where.