We had a decent sea running during the trial but the V58 brushed the waves away with ease


engines claimed to be good for around 35 knots fl at out, maybe a touch more. The 900s on our boat made mincemeat of


getting the V58 out of the hole and into its 30-knot stride. We topped out at just over 36 knots, a strong performance when you consider that Sunseeker’s Predator 57 ran out of puff on the same motors at 34 knots during our sea trial (MBY April 2015). Princess has such a knack of producing


beautifully balanced shaftdrive boats and the V58 handles as tidily as any of them. The helm is light and slick lock-to-lock so it’s very easy to get the hull to change direction with the fl ick of a wrist. We had a decent sea running during the trial


and photoshoot but the V58 brushed the waves away with ease, though I did engage a bit of tab to keep the hull cutting cleanly through the crests. We were driving the boat far harder through the rough stuff for the sake of the camera than any owner is likely to do in these conditions, so the boat’s refi nement is all the more impressive. As are noise levels, which remain well


suppressed despite the open cockpit. No doubt the deck saloon version will be the more relaxing cruiser but the Open is properly smooth and I see nothing wrong with being able to hear the rush of the water off the transom and the odd throb from the exhausts. The driving position is marvellous, mainly


due to the perfect geometry between the seat, wheel and throttles that means you can sit right back in the chair with the wheel in one hand and the throttles comfortably beneath the other with an excellent view out at all times. The dash looks and feels classy and it’s great to have so many little cubbies to chuck a phone or a pair of sunglasses.


CATERING FOR ALL For such a cockpit-orientated boat, the interior doesn’t feel like the poor relation in the slightest. It’s spacious, well designed and beautifully fi nished, even by Princess’s elevated standards. The galley is endowed with a full-height fridge-freezer and a handy return that not only means you can wedge yourself in when the boat is moving but also creates an ad hoc breakfast bar to serve the dinette opposite. The dinette, though compact, does its job


well enough, which is to cater for quick breakfasts and cosy nightcaps if the conditions don’t suit living on deck. Enter the full-beam master cabin and the fi rst thing that strikes you is how low in the


hull this cabin is. This makes for plenty of headroom – on the port hand side of the cabin, at least – and genuine waterline views from the bed thanks to the pair of one-piece hull windows. The person sleeping on the starboard side of the bed will have to duck their head to get in but you can at least sit up comfortably and read before going to sleep. The ensuite is a bit of a step up from the


cabin fl oor but once in there the level of fi nish and detailing is sublime, plus there is a good amount of natural light and a separate shower cubicle with a solid door. The guest bathroom forward, which is


ensuite to the VIP cabin and a short trip across the saloon from the bunk cabin, is given more space than that of the master and also acts as the day heads thanks to an access door straight from the saloon. The VIP cabin


The optional scissor-action berths add to the VIP cabin’s versatility


is endowed with plenty of headroom and loads of natural light due to the long strip of glazing overhead and the elongated ‘knife’ window that Princess is rolling out across the range. As an optional extra you can have scissor-action berths in this cabin to add some versatility. The third bunk bed cabin is ideally suited to


kids, as the bunks are quite close to each other and the ladder up to the top bunk restricts access to the bottom one. That said, it does get a large window with two opening ports inset, its own fl atscreen television and a hanging cupboard, so adults will be comfortable enough for a short stay.


VERDICT This is an incredibly diffi cult boat to level any criticism at because for what it is – a big, powerful, sexy sportscruiser – it doesn’t really put a foot wrong. The third cabin is a bit pokey, yes, but straws are being clutched at there. If you want a more spacious saloon that sits on the main deck with great views out and doors to shut out the cold and any evidence of the engines running then hold out for the deck saloon version – the Open is doing its own thing.


Lower dinette is better for breakfast and quick snacks than for larger meals


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