Princess V62 Story

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Stairs lead belowdecks to the salon/galley area, and the open design is illuminated by natural lighting from the windshield above. A settee and stools can accommodate six for dining. A stair leads aft to the master stateroom, where windows in the hull side brighten the full-beam space. With a king-size berth, a settee, a vanity and a private head, those moving over from a motoryacht will find little compromise here! A guest stateroom forward has a queen island berth and private access to the second head. Another guest stateroom has two single berths, and while it is a bit tight, it would be ideal for kids. A redesign of this space as an office for the first V62 customer in the United States is now available as an option. Cherry, light oak or walnut joinery in gloss or satin finish are offered.



A hatch in the exterior cockpit sole and a vertical ladder allow access to the engine room and machinery space. There is headroom and an area for moving about on the centerline, but as is typical of the breed, wing tanks and the tender garage make other spots a bit tight. There is additional access via a hatch in the engine room’s after bulkhead, which leads to the lazarette — it’s big enough to wiggle through. A Euro-style crew cave in the lazarette area is offered; however, I feel this option isn’t very practical since interior panels would need to be removed for access to the lazarette. I suggest keeping it simple and using the space for stowing cruising supplies and water toys. Nobel expects that this will be the choice of most U.S. yachtsmen.

Princess has six production facilities totaling 1 million square feet in Plymouth, England. Like her sisters’, the V62’s design was tweaked with a full-size mock-up and approved for production by the company’s 46-year-old founder and executive chairman, David King. Molding is completed in a dedicated area, as are electrical and mechanical subassemblies and interior joinery modules. These components are fed to stations where JIT (just-in-time) assembly techniques are employed by teams of craftsmen dedicated to the completion of individual boats. The V62’s hull bottom is a solid resin-infused laminate with stitched multidirectional fiberglass reinforcement. A network of closely spaced fiberglass stringers and web frames provides support. Marine plywood structural bulkheads are secured with fiberglass tabbing and mechanical fasteners. The V62’s topsides, superstructure and decks are cored with closed-cell foam. Topsides are offered in white, midnight blue or steel-gray gelcoat. Fit and finish inside and out are excellent.



We conducted our sea trial aboard the V62 in three- to four-foot seas and light winds off Palm Beach, Florida. Our test boat was fitted with 1,150-horsepower Caterpillar C18As. Like all Princess yachts I have sea-trialed, the V62 is a delight to drive. I cannot think of another yacht of her size and type that is as responsive — she handles like a sports car when “cornering” at high speed. This is a credit to her designer, Bernard Olesinski, who has penned all of Princess’ current line. She gets up and goes without a fuss, and I measured a top speed of 35.3 knots. At 2100 rpm I recorded a speed of 31.8 knots on the GPS and a fuel burn of 92 gallons per hour on the Cat electronics. Her quiet ride at speed is worthy of note. Deep pockets allow for a draft of just 3 feet 8 inches — ideal for cruising the Bahamas. The standard twin 1,015-horsepower Caterpillar C18s will save you about $40,000 and cost you a knot at cruise. Nobel says most buyers opt for the upgrade.

While some European builders have made little effort in translation, Princess’ hands-on management and its 16-year relationship with Viking Sport Cruisers has paid dividends. Though there are still more V-series yachts wandering the Med than U.S. waters, the balance may soon change. Designs like the V62 speak a language performance-minded American yachtsmen will understand.

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Test Conditions: Speeds were measured by GPS off Palm Beach, Florida, in 60 feet of water with three- to four-foot seas and light to variable winds, with a full load of fuel and a full load of water, and three people onboard. Fuel consumption was calculated by the electronics engine monitoring system. Sound levels were measured at the helm.

RPM    Knots   GPH     dB(A)
650    8.1    ---    64
900     10.7    8    64
1200     12.8    28    64
1500     18.8    28    66
1800     25.3    76    69
2100     31.8    92    73
2330     35.3    120    78

LOA: 62’8” (excluding pulpit)  
LWL: 49’10”
BEAM: 16’5”
DRAFT: 3’8”
DISPL.: 65,036 lb.
FUEL: 901 gal.
WATER: 132 gal.
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 19 degrees
ENGINE OPTIONS: 2 x 1,015 hp Caterpillar C18 diesels   
ENGINES TESTED: 2 x 1,150 hp Caterpillar C18A diesels
Base Price: Upon request   
Viking Sport Cruisers, 877-846-9874; www.princessyachts-us.com