The History of Princess Yachts | Luxury Motor Yachts
The highly exceptional Princess Yachts started in Plymouth England in 1965. The current shipyard has a unique history seeing that the former naval yard dates back to the 17th century, coming from a rich heritage of famous voyages. The History of Princess Yachts began with a man named David King and two friends that started what was known as Marine Projects in 1965.
Project 31 | History of Princess Yachts
The first model created was Project 31, built on the hull of Senior 31 and fitted out in a rented shed. Over 150 Project 31’s were built and sold between 1966 and 1969. Over the years, the company would advance to launch larger models such as the Princess 32; the first model to bare the Princess name and one of the company’s best sellers to date. In addition, Marine Projects launched the Princess 37 V Hull, introduced in 1974. This was the first flybridge motor yacht to be built with high-performance inboard diesel engines.
Princess 30 DS | Olesinksi Designs
A few years later in 1980, Bernard Olesinksi designed his first Princess Yacht, the 30DS, which marked the beginning of a design relationship that continues to this day. Other notable models include the Princess V39 and V52; with the 39 being the inception to the V-Class range. Both models showcased outstanding performance standards and sea-keeping abilities. These models laid a strong foundation for today’s high-performance V Class range.
The Inception of Princess Yachts America
One year later in 1995, Marine Projects formed an alliance with luxury yacht builder Viking Yachts. The alliance was formed as an introduction of Marine Projects inventory to the American market. Both companies knew to enter the U.S market a new product design was required to appeal to American buyers. This meant redesigning interior spaces with more spaciousness to accommodate more people, generator systems were upgraded to handle hotter climates, and engine rooms were reconfigured to account for more horsepower. Today, Princess Yachts America, formerly Viking Sport Cruisers, remains a major distributor of Princess Yachts in the U.S.
Marine Project Becomes Princess Yachts International | History of Princess Yachts
It wasn’t until 2001 that Marine Projects became what is known today as Princess Yachts International. Production was split into three sites; Devonport, Plympton, and Lee Mill. The same year, Princess Yachts launched the Princess 25 Metre motor yacht, making their debut in the mega yacht market.
In 2008, further expansion took place with a buyout by L Capital which took the Princess range over the 100ft mark. The L Capital Group consists of over 60 international luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Krug, and more. Princess soon after introduced its M Class superyacht series with the launch of the Princess 32M motor yacht in 2011.
Launch of the 40M | Largest Princess Yacht
The very next year, Princess Yachts introduced the Princess 40M in 2012; the largest yacht the company has built to date. The 132’ yacht made history as the biggest composite motor yacht to be built in Britain. It also went on to win a prestigious World Superyacht Award. The 40M is still in production today.
Modern-Day | History of Princess Yachts
Today Princess shipyards cover an area more than 1.1 million square feet and operates in 119 countries, employing over 3000 people worldwide. Princess Yachts prides itself on being exceptional, whether its design, function or ride. Princess Yachts is also the first luxury yacht builder to partner with the Marine Conservation Society to help support and conserve the marine environments for future generations.
The Princess line ranges from 35-132 feet in length categorized by different ranges of classes; the M Class Superyachts, Y Class Motor Yachts, F Class flybridge, V Class sports yachts, S Class Sportbridge yachts, and the latest launch— the R class. In 2018, Princess Yachts partnered with BAR Technologies to create the R class yacht; a fully-carbon fibered yacht featuring Princess’ Active Foil System, resulting in Princess’ fastest yacht to date. Princess Yachts has something for everyone! One thing for sure, whatever yacht you choose will be sure to deliver unforgettable experiences with family and friends.
Your Princess Yacht Specialists
Being an authorized Princess Yacht Dealer since 1996, there is no one better certified to help you with your quest to find your next Princess Yacht. Galati Yachts’ Princess Yacht Specialists go through countless hours of product training at the Princess factory each year. Learning the ins and outs of new models and retaining old model information. This ongoing training benefits our Princess yacht buyers in many ways. You can rest assured that your Galati sales professional understands the product, performance, and build process. Our Princess Specialists can help you determine the best features and options for your boating needs. Whether you are looking to purchase a new or pre-owned Princess Yacht, our Galati Specialists will be able to help you find the boat of your dreams.
