boatinternational.com• 072019othing shows off the new Princess Yachts
better than the pair of helm seats in the
forward corner of the S78’s salon. These
are not demure seats that a designer fretted
mightblock someone’s view, but mighty black
monolithsmore likely to be spotted on Game of
Thrones.They are the perfect symbol of the leadership
ofPrincessunder new executive chairman Antony
Sheriff,who joined the company after heading
UK-basedsupercar-maker McLaren.
Infact,these seats might have been taken from a
McLaren,because they are also tricky to get into (a
McLarenisjust 47in high, the Princess seats are atop
awaist-high console) but, once you’re settled, they
envelopyou as though Savile Row-tailored to your
body.Highbacked with headrests and with Formula
Onesidebolstering, they exude the aroma of fine
leatherandyour fingers will delight in finding the tiny
ridgesofhand stitching.
Dotheyblock the view forward through the massive
windshieldfrom the salon? Absolutely. Does it matter?
Absolutelynot,becausethesecushy seats are the province of the owner/
operatorandlifecontinuesinthe salon separately.
Thesearethebestseatsinthehouse.
Anyonewhobuildsa 250mph, $2.25 million
automobileforthestreetsisclearly detail oriented, and
soitiswithSheriff,whowastasked with re-energizing
Princess by its owners, which include Groupe Arnault.
Name doesn’t ring a bell? Think Louis Vuitton, Moët
& Chandon, Hennessy, Dior: companies that know
a bit about luxury.
This Princess is the difference between having a first
cup of decaf in the morning and having a triple
espresso latte: the S78 fairly throbs with energy, and
Sheriff and his crew have imbued it with a mainline
injection of pure caffeine.
The starting point for the S78 is Bernard Olesinski’s
seaworthy hull and, lest you think this is a retool of a
tired motor yacht hull, keep in mind that Olesinski, a
Princess designer for nearly four decades, has more
than a few offshore racing powerboats in his portfolio,
including competitors in the legendary Cowes-
Torquay Powerboat race. For years, he drove a Jaguar
XK-E; Olesinski understands performance.
“The S78 is based on the Olesinski low deadrise hull
form, optimized for greater lift and less drag, leading
to lower planing speeds, greater efficiency, yet still
maintaining an eye-watering 39 knots,” says Olesinski’s
head designer Jonathan Cantrell. Some might dispute
using “eye-watering” and “39 knots” in the same
sentence, but remember that you’re moving 50 tonnes
of leather, teak and pure luxury through the water.N
Princess has made
the most of the
space on board with
furniture that slides,
converts and
conceals, such as
the under-cushionstorage in the main
salon couch
(bottom). The salon
itself is light and
bright with 4ft
windows and white
upholstery116