Princess V55

| LOA | 17.81 m |
|---|---|
| Beam | 4.65 m |
| Engines | Twin Volvo Penta D13-1000 (1,000 hp each) |
| Fuel capacity | 2,500 litres |
| Accommodation | 3 cabins, up to 6 guests |
| Hull | GRP deep-V planing |
| Configuration | sports yacht, glazed hardtop with sunroof or open options |
| Class | V Class |
A step up in space and power
The V55 sits in the upper half of the V Class, above the V50 and below the flagship V65. At 17.81 metres it gains a third cabin and a noticeably larger main deck, which changes what an owner can do aboard across a week. Six guests can sleep in comfort, and the cockpit seats a full party for lunch under the sun. It is the model that lets a family cruise for a proper holiday while keeping the sporting character of a V. For many buyers it hits the balance of usable space and manageable size better than anything else in the class.
The V55 carries the muscular styling of the current V Class, with a purposeful bow and a low, glazed superstructure that reads fast from any angle. It can be specified with a glazed hardtop and opening sunroof for shade and shelter, or in a more open configuration for owners who chase the sun. The extra length over the V50 shows most in the volume of the saloon and the size of the sunbathing areas fore and aft. A confident couple can still run it without crew for most trips. It feels like a proper yacht while still handling like a sportboat.
Deck design built for entertaining
The main deck is the V55's stage. A large cockpit runs aft to a wide bathing platform, with a wet bar, a dining area and seating that reworks into sunbeds as the afternoon wears on. Long hull windows and a low screen give the profile its fast, planted look. The foredeck carries a second sun lounge for quiet time away from the aft deck action. Guests can spread out across the boat instead of gathering in one space.
Underway the hardtop and side glazing keep the helm sheltered, while the sunroof opens the whole space to the sky at anchor. The teak-laid platform makes an easy base for swimming, paddleboards and a small tender. Stowage for water toys is worked into the transom and lazarette so the decks stay clear. Clean detailing runs across every surface in the way the marque is known for. The V55 is drawn to make time at anchor the best part of the day.
Big Volvo D13 power and a genuine three-cabin layout make the V55 the sociable core of the V Class.
Three cabins for a week aboard
Below decks the V55 offers three cabins, a genuine advance on the smaller V boats. The full-beam master sits amidships with an ensuite and the calmest motion in the boat, the forward cabin takes a double, and a third cabin handles guests or children. Long hull windows fill the saloon and cabins with daylight. A well-equipped galley and a comfortable dinette support real cruising and the odd meal out of the weather. It is a layout that turns a fast boat into a holiday home.
The interior follows the current Princess look of pale timber, soft leather and restrained metalwork. Stowage is worked into the layout to keep a week's kit out of sight, from hanging lockers to under-berth drawers. Headroom and light make the lower deck feel open despite the sporting profile above it. The ensuite master gives the owners privacy from guests forward. Up to six guests can live aboard without stepping on one another.
Big-block performance
The V55 is driven by twin Volvo Penta D13-1000 engines rated at 1,000 hp each, giving it strong, sports-yacht acceleration and a lively turn of speed. The deep-V planing hull stays composed at pace and dry through a chop, so fast passages stay comfortable. Joystick control makes light work of berthing a 17 metre boat single-handed. Trim tabs let the owner tune the ride to the sea state. The result is a yacht that feels quick and secure in equal measure.
A 2,500 litre fuel tank gives the legs for coastal cruising and longer passages between anchorages. The powertrain is set up for relaxed high-speed running with an easy, economical cruise for covering ground. Engine access supports routine servicing and daily checks. The hull carries its speed without drama, settling quickly when the throttles come back. This is a boat that covers distance fast and slips into a comfortable rhythm.
Who the V55 is for
The V55 suits the owner who wants the sporting feel of a V Class with room for a family to cruise for a week. Its three cabins and larger deck make it a genuine holiday boat, while the size still allows a confident couple to run it themselves. Owners who entertain at anchor will use the wet bar and convertible seating constantly through a season. It rewards those who value both pace and space and refuse to choose between them.
It also appeals to buyers stepping up from a V50 who want more accommodation without moving to a flybridge and a taller, heavier boat. The V55 keeps the low, fast look that draws people to the class in the first place. Its blend of speed and volume makes it a strong all-rounder for a coastal owner. For the person who wants performance and a real week aboard in one hull, it is a compelling middle ground.
المحركات والأنظمة
| Engines | Twin Volvo Penta D13, offered at 900hp or 1,000hp a side; Princess lists 34-36 knots on the 900s and 35-37 on the 1,000s, and the 1,000hp pair was the boat both independent sea trials below tested. |
|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | Disputed between sources - 2,200 litres per Motor Boat and Yachting's spec box and YachtBuyer, 2,500 litres per Powerboat Magazine NZ's test. Neither cites Princess directly, so a buyer should confirm the figure on the specific hull. |
| Range | 190 to 250 nm at a fast cruise around 25 knots, depending on which sea trial and fuel reserve you read (Ocean Magazine's 20 percent reserve gives just under 200nm; Powerboat Magazine NZ's unreserved figure gives about 250nm). About 307nm is published at an 11.5-knot economy speed, not a cruising one. |
| Fuel burn | About 220 litres per hour at a 25-knot fast cruise (2000rpm), rising to about 300 litres per hour at 30 knots, per Powerboat Magazine NZ's logged figures. |
| Stabilisation | A Seakeeper gyro is a factory option, not standard - the Powerboat Magazine NZ test boat carried one and the reviewer credited it with the yacht's level attitude through turns. |
| What is not published | No generator spec from Princess or any outlet checked, and no fuel-burn figure for the smaller 900hp engine option - every published figure is from the 1,000hp pairing. |
ما يذكره الملاك والأطقم
Turbo lag blunts the throttle low in the rev range
Ocean Magazine's Jack Haines, testing hull 40 off the UK before its delivery to Australia, found the throttle punchy high in the revs but noted a noticeable amount of turbo lag lower down, and advised easing off only into head seas.
Jack Haines, Ocean MagazineTwo independent testers disagree on how the boat steers
Haines found the helm light and said it lacked the feel and bite Princess boats usually have. Powerboat Magazine NZ's separate trial, on a boat fitted with the optional Seakeeper gyro, called the helm responsive with a level attitude through turns - a real split between two sea trials, not a single verdict.
Ocean Magazine and Powerboat Magazine NZSmall helm-ergonomics gaps a buyer should check in person
Haines named a windscreen mullion that restricts the view to starboard, no wireless phone charging or tablet mount, and a helm storage tray too small for a modern phone.
Jack Haines, Ocean Magazine
نقاط القوة وما يستدعي الانتباه
نقاط القوة
- Soft, solid ride in rough waterOcean Magazine's sea trial reported no rattles from the structure or cabinetry and soft landings when pushed, with the single caveat to ease off into head seas.
- A cockpit that genuinely reconfigures, not just brochure languageMotor Boat and Yachting's walkthrough highlighted the removable cockpit bulkhead on sliding doors and a hydraulic mechanism, plus a main-deck TV that rises and rotates 180 degrees for outdoor viewing.
- Real pace for a three-cabin 55-footer37 knots top speed and a 25-knot fast cruise on the 1,000hp D13 pairing, confirmed independently by two separate sea trials.
ما يستدعي الانتباه
- Turbo lag and a light helm, by an independent tester's own accountOcean Magazine's only real criticisms of an otherwise positive trial - though Powerboat Magazine NZ's separate test, on a gyro-equipped boat, reported the opposite on steering feel.
- Range is short for the size, and the sources cannot even agree on tank capacityBoth published sea trials put fast-cruise range under 250nm on a 55-footer, and the fuel-capacity figure differs by 300 litres between outlets - 2,200 litres (MBY, YachtBuyer) against 2,500 litres (Powerboat Magazine NZ).
- A short list of helm-ergonomics nitsNo wireless charging, no tablet mount, a phone-sized storage gap at the helm, and a windscreen mullion that restricts the view to starboard - all named in the same Ocean Magazine trial that otherwise praised the boat.
معلومات عملية
| New price | About GBP 1.1 million as tested at the 2019 launch, per Motor Boat and Yachting; YachtBuyer separately cites a current factory price nearer GBP 1.5 million, reflecting inflation and spec since launch. |
|---|---|
| Used asking prices (2026) | From about EUR 249,000 for an early 1999-built Mk1 up to roughly GBP 1.495 million or USD 2.65 million for a late 2024-25 hull of the current model, per boats.com and itBoat listings. The nameplate has run since the 1990s, so generation matters far more than age alone - confirm which V55 is being quoted. |
| Range | 190 to 250nm at a 25-knot fast cruise depending on source and reserve; about 307nm at an 11.5-knot economy speed. |
| Fuel capacity | Disputed: 2,200 litres (Motor Boat and Yachting, YachtBuyer) or 2,500 litres (Powerboat Magazine NZ). Confirm on the specific hull rather than relying on either spec sheet. |
| What is not published | No generator spec, no stabiliser-as-standard confirmation, and no fuel-burn figure for the smaller 900hp engine option from Princess or any outlet checked. |
لمين هو: The owner who wants sports-yacht pace with three cabins and a full week aboard, in a hull a confident couple can still handle themselves.