Yachting USA – September 2019

42 YACHTINGSEPTEMBER2 019

Round tables might even be called relaxed.

Round tables are democratic. ¶ And if

there is one feature of the Princess Yachts

Y85 that defi nes the personality of this

model, it’s the dining table in the salon.

It’s round. ¶ With the Y85, the British

builder looked to create a yacht that has

all the luxuries that fans of the Princess

brand expect but with comforts that also

make the spaces feel relaxed. The Y85 is a

yacht that can be owner-operated or run

with a captain, and its features imbue the

rich onboard spaces with casual touch-

es. The combination of luxe design and

family-friendly amenities is a credit not

only to Princess but also to naval architect

Bernard Olesinski and the Italian design

fi rm Pininfarina. ¶ As one example, just

steps from the dining table is an open

galley, unless you press a button. Then, a

partition rises, separating the galley. With

the partition open, the space is family style

with built-in stools at the counter. Closed,

the space becomes formal. There’s a casual

touch—only if it’s desired. ¶ The ambience

also helps to set the mood on board. There

is a 9-foot-8-inch-wide window next to

the table, starting just a few inches off

the walnut sole and stretching up nearly

5 feet, forming what used to be called a

picture window. The bulkhead outside

is low, with teak-capped stainless-steel

rails, so there is nothing to block ocean

views. Forward, a bar has a hidden wine

chiller, drawers fi tted for glassware and

bottle stowage. ¶ Just abaft the table is a

sprawling U-shaped couch facing a pop-up

TV, creating a comfortable media room

for just that: sprawling. And the casual

touch continues from there through twin

sliding doors to the cockpit. The doors

disappear behind the outboard panel,

creating an alfresco feel in the salon.

¶ The new decor of the Princess Y85

serves as a precursor for future models’

styling. There are swoopy curves in the

recessed ceiling, which has glossy walnut

trim. These identical swoops are replicated

in the headboard of the master stateroom.

In the curves of the galley divider. In the

top of the vanity in the master stateroom,

REVIEWED> PRINCESS Y 85

A round table is less formal

than a rectangular one.

Round tables have equal seating,

and everyone converses

comfortably across the meal.

HAPPY CREW, HAPPY YACHT

The Y85 accommodates three crew, with a captain’s cabin for one and a bunk cabin for two. Crew have a galley, a lounge with a dinette,

and two means of access to their quarters: from the transom at rest and from the main deck underway. There’s also a

watertight and soundproof door from the crew space to the engine room, making the crew cabin as quiet as the master stateroom.

86'

LENGTH

OVERALL

20'8"

MAXIMUM

BEAM