For those in the know, the Princess 58 is a cherished flybridge yacht from a "halcyon" era of boat building that remains a compelling choice
When Princess began building boats 60 years ago, the firm was known as Marine Projects (Plymouth) Limited. Its first boat, the Project 31 was a handsome 31ft cabin cruiser launched in 1965 but it wasn’t until 1969 that the Princess name first appeared on a new 32ft design. The first flybridge model, the John Bennett-designed Princess 37 followed for years later at the 1973 London Boat Show.
The Princess 58 featured here is a direct descendant of that 37 and was built from 2006 to 2010. It was replaced the following year by the Princess 60.
At the time of its launch it was considered the pinnacle of modernity with a lavish full beam owner’s cabin featuring triple vertical hull windows, two further guest cabins and a large saloon divided into an informal lounge area aft and a more formal dining area forward.
It still looks good today, especially that elegant exterior design with its flowing lines, relatively low slung flybridge and distinctive two tier saloon windows. The only thing that gives its age away is the location of the galley on the lower deck. These days cooking is seen as a social activity so the galley tends to be located on the main deck, often at the aft end so it ties in with the cockpit.
Extensive array of flybridge seating is perfect for big groups of day guests
From the outset quality has been a hallmark of the Princess brand and today there can be no doubt that the company continues to make some fabulous boats. For many though, the late noughties represents the halcyon days when sumptuous furnishings, curvaceous mouldings, real wood cabinetry and deep gloss finishes ruled the roost. And that is good news for discerning boaters with half a million pounds to spare.
This 2009 model 58 is on sale with Swanwick-based Solent Motor Yachts for £549,950 including VAT.
The saloon is divided into a lounging area aft and a dining and helm area forward
The owner’s opinion
The current owner of our review boat, Derek Vaughan-Smith, is also the broker selling it.
In fact, this is the second time Derek has owned this particular vessel which, as he explains, matches the needs of his family to a tee: “The Princess 58 is a boat we’ve owned previously and we find that the balance between its length and cabin layout represents the best of all things as far as we are concerned.
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“We’ve also had a Princess 50 Mk III, which is the mid-cabin version, but that gives you a much smaller bunk cabin as your third cabin. This one trumps that by giving you two double cabins and a proper twin, which is great for us as family boaters, because it means our two daughters, aged four and eleven, can each have their own room. The 58 also has a much larger galley and the dinette and the huge saloon just gives you so much more space, even though it hasn’t gone up massively in length. So these are the biggest plus points for us.”
The MFD screen is a little small by today’s standards but the ergonomics are spot on
Saloon and galley
Step inside the wheelhouse and you see exactly what Derek means. The saloon is mightily expansive. Its rear section is occupied by two large leather settees – L-shaped to port and horseshoe to starboard. Nestling into the U of the horseshoe unit is a freestanding coffee table that’s heavy enough to stay put in all but the roughest seas.
Wade forward through the luxurious deep-pile carpet, up two steps, and a second entertaining area awaits. Here a dinette to port is faced on the starboard side by a sleek drinks cabinet. Ahead of this is the helm with its two deep-cushioned, fully adjustable leather seats. With its clean lines, multi-function display, ergonomic control layout and good all-round visibility, the wheelhouse helm provides an excellent alternative to the fly should conditions force you to take shelter.
The lower deck galley is well equipped but can feel a bit cut off from the rest of the party
From here, five steps lead you down to the galley. While you could argue it feels a tad detached from the saloon and aft cockpit, what it lacks in proximity it certainly makes up for in space. It comes fully equipped with a combo microwave oven, a four-hotplate hob, a fridge-freezer, a large sink and bags of workspace. So although you might grumble a little at having to clamber up and down stairs to serve your guests, it’s ideal for a keen chef and if you’re intending to enjoy extended stays on board.
Sleeping for six
Tucked away under the companionway stairs is a washing machine – again handy for longer stays on board. You pass that en route to the full-beam aft master cabin and once again, Princess’s eye for quality really shines through.
Full beam master cabin is a real treat despite a few dips in the floor and ceiling height
The double bed is flanked by gorgeous deep gloss cherry wood cabinetry, including twin dressing tables and a full-size wardrobe. A wide-screen TV is integrated into the bulkhead at the foot of the bed and the ensuite bathroom features a fully enclosed shower stall to keep the rest of the space dry.
Up in the forepeak, the 58’s VIP cabin is what a lot of owners of sub-50ft boats might easily mistake for a master cabin. It features a large centre-mounted double bed with plenty of room to move around, plus a full-height wardrobe and bags of storage on either side of the bed.
High gloss cabinetry in the forward VIP still looks in great condition
Needless to say, there’s stacks of that beautiful cherry wood in here too. And the VIP’s ensuite (another fully equipped and spacious heads with a separate shower stall) has Jack and Jill doors, enabling it to be used by the occupants of the third cabin and as a day heads if required.
As for cabin three itself, it’s a twin room with ample space to move between the beds, as well as a generous wardrobe, plenty of storage space and, in common with the other two cabins, excellent headroom.
Above decks, the Princess 58 makes best use of every square inch. There’s a good sized fixed bathing platform at the stern, large enough to accommodate a tender or personal watercraft. Ahead of that, the cockpit has a five/six seater bench along its aft edge and plenty of room for a freestanding table and chairs. There’s also a large lazarette, plus secondary access to the engine room via a hatch in the deck.
Wide opening glass doors provide a good connection with the aft cockpit
The entrance to the crew cabin is tucked away beneath the bench seat. Some owners use this as additional storage space or even an overspill guest cabin as it’s got everything you need, including twin beds, neatly staggered at right angles, plus locker space and a very decent heads compartment.
There are steps on either side of the cockpit, leading to the teak-clad side decks, which are safely guarded and run flat all the way to the foredeck, where you’ll find a reasonably large sun pad. But for serious outdoor entertainment, the flybridge is the place to be.
Plenty of seating space but it’s not the most sociable layout and there’s no fixed table
Our 2009 review boat doesn’t feature the internal saloon-to-fly staircase of previous models but the seven-step stairwell on the port side of the cockpit is perfectly practical. And once you’re up top, everything is pretty much as you would wish. You get a central helm with twin seats and a lounger/settee on either side, plus a wet bar and a separate chiller unit. There’s also a massive seating area with dining table aft of the central wet bar and behind that, another pair of sunpads.
On the water
Derek seems fond of the way the Princess handles herself in a seastate. “It’s a heavy boat on shafts and with the SeaKeeper 9 stabiliser that’s fitted to this particular example, it’s like driving a tank,” says Derek. “It’s incredibly solid on the water.
Third cabin has proper twin beds instead of bunks
We do most of our boating in and around the Solent and it’s just so comfortable, which is exactly how my family likes it.” That’s a sentiment you tend to see repeated among owners of Princess 58s and with good reason. Because this is a vessel that’s not only capable and family-friendly but opens up a world of exciting adventures without any uncalled for drama.
Princess 58 specifications
HULL TYPE: Variable V planing
LOA: 58ft 0in (17.68m)
BEAM: 15ft 8in (4.82m)
DRAFT: 4ft 2in (1.27m)
DISPLACEMENT: 26,000kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,827L
WATER CAPACITY: 791L
TOP SPEED: 33 knots
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 8L/nm @ 20 knots
RANGE: 283nm at 20 knots with 20% reserve
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