READY FOR TAKEOFF
Our skipper hits the ignition buttons and the V8s bark into life,
barely muffled by the unsoundproofed engine hatch. The mule
hasn’t been through Princess’s rigorous NVH process so it feels
raw and ever so slightly unhinged.
We burble away from the pontoon with the foils in the up
position so I can feel how the hull rides without them doing
their thing. Adam Green, senior naval architect at Princess,
acknowledges that the foil technology can in no way compromise
the workings of the 35 in comparison to a regular hull design.
“We’ve tested it to destruction in a massive variety of conditions
and even run it up the mud flats. We’ve tested it to the extremes
that most customers wouldn’t dream of but we have to be certain
it works.” The foils themselves are designed to sheer off cleanly
if they do come into contact with an underwater object so
as not to leave a gaping in hole in the spot they once occupied.
We up the speed and it becomes abundantly clear that, foils
aside, Princess has designed a serious hull here. It’s grippy, agile
and pleasantly dry given how exposed we are in the sparse cockpit.
We can’t test to full speed but it canters up to 35 knots in no time
before the skipper chucks it into a few turns to give some before
and after foils contrast.
Ultimately, the foils will deploy automatically at around 15
knots and get on with their job without input from the helm
but in its current state, Simon needs to drop them via his tablet.
On board, there’s no perception that they have entered the
water but with them set to ‘comfort’ mode, we up the speed
and it immediately feels as if there’s an invisible hand on the
foredeck, pushing the bow into the water. The bow doesn’t rise
as the speed increases and there’s a tangible feeling that the hull
is extremely well adhered to the surface.
We reach the test top speed of 35 knots and I am given an
instruction to hold on as the skipper whizzes the wheel from
lock to lock and the boat attempts to detach my internal organs
from each other. The poise, the grip and the tenacity is just
extraordinary, and because we barely drop a knot in full-lock
turns, the G-force is ferocious. It physically hurts to hold on
because of the boat’s stubborn will to grip even in the most
absurd manoeuvres. At one point, we cross a triplet of waves
at 45º and chuck a hard turn to starboard over one of the peaks.
I brace with every sinew in anticipation of an almighty lurch
to port when we land but it doesn’t materialise. Accessible
performance? I’d say so; you’d have to be a certified lunatic
to outwit this thing.IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT
Simon comes alongside in the support RIB and puts the foils
into ‘sport’ mode, which digs the bow down even further.
Because of this, even during slower turns, the hull can throw
up quite a bit of water and we take a drenching in the process.
It’s a shame there wasn’t a spare windscreen in the parts bin.
“We’re still fine-tuning it,” he says with a wry smile.
Finally, the time comes for me to slip into the helm seat.
“Take it easy, build the speed slowly and don’t prang it,” says
Adam. With the boat’s occupants’ eyes burning into the back of
my head, I ease the throttles forward and we surge to 25 knots.
Back in ‘comfort’ mode and cracking along in a straight line at
35 knots, the boat carves through the short chop in Plymouth
Sound with remarkable stability. The bow barely undulates as we
take the waves head on and it’s clear after a brief spell at 25 knots
for photographs that the R35 craves the higher cruising speed
with the foils thriving off increased lift and forcing the forefoot
through the water.
We run with the four people on board spread unevenly about
the cockpit and the foils struggle to tilt us back on to the straight
and narrow. The team are debating as to whether some form
of traditional trim system would be beneficial but the last thing
they want is the foils, tabs and sterndrive legs all fighting against
each other. As it is, the legs remain clamped tight to the transom.MONEY TALKS
Though it’s clear there is still some fine tuning to be done, Princess
has already done more than enough to capture the imagination
with this boat. The first year of production is already sold out
before the price has been confirmed (Princess says it will be
around £500,000). The fact that these customers have signed on
the dotted line having only seen a scale model of what the finished
article will look like and with no idea of how it will drive speaks
volumes about the confidence they have in the project. Until
we test a production R35 later this summer, we can’t be quite so
certain that it will live up to the bold performance and efficiency
claims being made for it. But having experienced the extraordinary
ride and handling of the prototype’s active foiling system, we are
confident that Princess isn’t just about to launch it’s most exciting
boat yet, it’s also on the cusp of something truly revolutionary.
Contact http://www.princessyachts.comBRIT PACK