more internal volume) and it feels it too, with more elbow room


everywhere. That feeling of extra space is augmented by huge saloon windows that let light pour in and offer a fabulous view. Just like the 42, the saloon table is free-standing and moves out of the way to allow the base of the port settee to infill the C-shaped starboard settee, creating a double berth without the need for extra cushions. The galley is now a U shape, proffering more work space and making room for a dishwasher under the combination oven, and there’s space for a washer/drier under the saloon steps. The guest cabin


feels particularly inviting, and you can even specify an electric sliding bed to convert the two single berths to a double at the touch of a button. The master cabin now has far more floor space at the foot of the bed, but the real treat is the two en suite toilet compartments. Rotating shower


uite frankly h brilliant out


q The 43 is “


ere where it matters


” Forward flybridge seating converts to a sunbed


screens are banished in favour of proper separate shower stalls, black tiles grace the floor, and Perrin &


add the finishing touch.


Performance and handling


that had passed through only days earlier. Sea state moderate to rough, says the Met Office, a promise that


Rowe bowls with high-quality faucets Neptune makes good on. Cawsand Bay provides enough shelter to run our speed trials and capture some video. For the record, we make 28 knots flat out, a couple down on the Princess 42, which is to be expected given that it’s a larger boat powered by the same engines. Our test boat has a generator and a hydraulic platform weighing it down, but equally has no water on board, 45% fuel load, a clean hull and no dinghy, so it’s probably indicative of the


Much is made by Princess sales staff of the factory’s Plymouth location, allowing access to a perfect English Channel proving ground. Certainly it doesn’t get more perfect than on our test day, where a brisk Force 5 to 6 southwesterly is still blowing on the tail of a violent storm Force 11


On deck


An interesting fact about the 43 is that, at 10in wide, the side decks are precisely the same width as on the Princess 52, meaning it’s just possible to walk down them facing forward rather than crabbing past the flybridge. Mind the shallow step half way along, though. Up at the bow the anchor chain locker has no partitioned areas, although it’s big enough for a couple of fenders. Back aft the high/low platform has a maximum lift of 400kg. Princess recommends a maximum dinghy weight of 300kg so figure on a Williams Turbojet T285 as the perfect partner. The whole cockpit area and flybridge steps are lit by small blue LEDs and a front-opening locker beneath the cockpit seating provides dedicated liferaft storage. A cockpit safety locker houses emergency fuel shut-off valves, manual override of the automatic fire extinguishing system and a backup manual bilge pump with diverter valve to pump from three separate areas.


January 2014


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8