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From their beginnings in 1965, over 17,000 Princess Yachts have been manufactured. Now, they build an amazing average of 270 yachts a year. This means that every few days another yacht is completed which is incredible!

Over 21 miles of cable go into a 40 M yacht. If you laid the cable along the road, it would take you all the way from Plymouth to Totnes.

In the furniture factory, the team processes 500 sheets of wood a day. The sheets of walnut or oak are produced in Holland and the trees they are taken from are hand-chosen for Princess.

Around 7 times each month, roads in Plymouth are closed between 2.30am – 4.30am so the yachts can be pulled around the roundabouts and down streets in the wrong direction!

The biggest boat has only 13 mm height clearance under the Marsh Mills flyover and in warm weather the tyres need to be deflated to make it under and through.

Princess Yachts own 4 police cars which are driven by police officers (on non-emergency duty) to escort the boats during the early morning moves.

Princess Yachts

Princess Yachts are famous for building some of the world’s finest and most luxurious yachts, which they manufacture at their  5 different sites in Plymouth and sell all over the world.  The company is extremely proud of their Plymouth heritage – their logo includes the words “Crafted in Plymouth”. 80-85% of everything you see on a Princess Yacht has been made in-house by the company’s Plymouth teams.

“Where there’s warm weather and water, you will find Princess Yachts. There’s always a carefully crafted part of Plymouth floating around some of the most beautiful places in the world”   Antony Sheriff, Executive Chairman, Princess Yachts

Princess Yachts is also honoured to be the first luxury yacht manufacturer to officially partner with the Marine Conservation Society. Since 2016 they have worked together to support marine environments, preserving reefs and sea life for present and future generations.

Typical job roles include: Marine Engineering, Fabrication/Welding, Carpentry, Computer Aided Design,Composites, HR, Learning and Development and Finance

Apprenticeships: Princess Yachts has a variety of four year apprenticeship courses available each year including; Marine Engineering, Carpentry/boat building, CAD Development, Fabricating and Welding, Business Administration, HR, Finance, IT and Composites. Find out more about the company’s Apprenticeship Scheme below in the Get to Know Princess Yachts section.

Princess look for potential apprentices with the right attitude, the right qualities and the desire to fulfil their potential – people who can stand out from the crowd and deliver the high standards of quality and service expected in the luxury yacht business. Applicants need to be dedicated, eager to learn, and keen to combine hands on work with study in their own time.

University Placements  are available in the CAD department.

Graduate Programme : Princess Yachts also offers a graduate programme for those who are leaving university, with opportunities in Accountancy and Finance, Business Operational Management, Commercial, Sales, Human Resources, Naval Engineering, Naval Architecture, Marketing and Communications, Development

Princessyachts.com

3000 Employees Worldwide

5 Plymouth Manufacturing Sites at Stonehouse, Coypool, South Yard, Langage, Lee Mill.

Distributors in over 100 countries.

Get to Know Princess Yachts

Princess yachts apprenticeship scheme (section 1 of 2).

Princess works in partnership with the South Devon Marine Academy which has a dedicated Princess Yachts workshop, equipped with a V40 hull where apprentices can learn skills in all aspects of the business, offering a truly immersive experience.

The Scheme offers a mix of classroom-study with practical work and real experience and gives participants the chance to work with world-class boat-builders and other professionals who are passionate about passing on their knowledge.

The first year of the apprenticeship programme, is undertaken at South Devon College where apprentices complete additional marine qualifications such as RYA Powerboat Level 2, RYA Sea Survival, RYA VHF Radio Operators Licence and RYA First Aid as well as taking part in off water activities.  SEE NEXT SECTION FOR MORE INFO…

PRINCESS YACHTS APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME (Section 2 of 2)

In the third week of an apprenticeship, the apprentices can undertake a week long residential programme at Heatree, Exeter with activities such as canoeing, rock climbing and abseiling to learn new skills including team working, self-motivation and leadership.

Apprentices’ are also taken to the Southampton Boat Show where they enjoy attending the Princess Yachts stand to really help them grasp the bigger picture and understand the exceptional global luxury brand that they are now part of.

After their first year is completed, each Apprentice is assigned to work at one of Princess Yachts’ five sites around Plymouth where they will be fully trained in their specialism.

Find out more about the Apprenticeship Scheme here

LUXURY MOTOR YACHTS AND SUPER YACHTS

Princess Yachts craft a range of highly developed luxury yachts, which are said to be the envy of the yacht manufacturing and retail community.

At 40 metres long, the Princess 40M is the company’s largest yacht to date and is classed as a super-yacht. It has the luxury price tag of £18 million! Across the yacht’s three decks, there are sunbathing hideaways, a spa bath, dining areas and even a walk-in beach club.

Click here to take a 360 tour of the Princess 40M and see the amazing craftsmanship of the Plymouth yacht building teams.

The M Class super-yachts are constructed in one of Plymouth’s most historically important areas at South Yard, which is a former naval yard dating back to the 17th century and where the city’s dockyard originally began.

CAREFULLY DESIGNED INTERIORS

As you can see here, the Y85 caters for relaxation as well as speed. The flybridge has a fantastic deck for enjoying the sights and sounds of the ocean and marinas while the saloon creates an elegant space for seating and dining.

There is a careful design process for every element of a Princess Yacht. Each newly designed yacht goes through a Mock-Up stage. This is a one-to-one scale replication of the final yacht to test exactly how the new layout works, to check head heights, door way functionality, and how the furniture and materials will feel in the space. You can watch a film about the Mock-Up Stage here.

NEW PERFORMANCE SPORTS YACHTS

The R Class is the brand new range of performance sports yachts by Princess. The R35 pictured here, is a revolutionary yacht which was designed in conjunction with Ben Ainslie Racing Technologies (yes – Ben Ainslie – one of the most successful Olympics sailors of all time!) and legendary Italian car designers, Pininfarina.

This yacht can reach a top speed of 50 knots. Only the fastest swimming fish in the world could keep up with the R Class yachts.

To confuse the eye and help conceal its design until its official launch, the prototype R35 was actually covered in dazzle camouflage which was created by Plymouth College of Art student, Katie Sheppard. Take a look at the sea trial of the prototype R35 in its dazzle camouflage design here.

SEE INSIDE PRINCESS

If you would like to see more inside Princess Yachts, watch some of their manufacturing processes, find out how the yachts are tested on water and understand the company’s amazing history and craftsmanship – visit the Princess Yachts webpage here  “Inside Princess” and scroll down to watch their interesting video.

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Plymouth's Princess Yachts set for growth after being taken over by US private equity giant

KPS Capital Partners takes controlling stake in Stonehouse-headquartered boat-maker and promises investment

• 10:00, 14 FEB 2023

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Princess Yachts has been taken over by a major American private equity firm in a deal which will take the Plymouth company “to the next level”. New York-headquartered KPS Capital Partners has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Princess Yachts (Holdings) Ltd, and said the investment will accelerate the company’s growth and innovation.

Existing shareholders will retain ownership in the company under the deal. Completion of the transaction is expected by the end of March.

KPS runs a family of investment funds with more than US$14.4bn of assets under management. For more than 30 years it has been acquiring manufacturing businesses and its current portfolio includes component maker Autokiniton, light vehicle manufacturer AM General, Briggs and Stratton engines, battery maker C&D Technologies, and plant-based foods business Primient.

Antony Sheriff, chief executive of Princess Yachts, said the deal will enable the Plymouth firm, the UK’s largest manufacturer of luxury yachts, to grow and bring out new models. He said: “We are thrilled to partner with KPS for this exciting new chapter for Princess Yachts. KPS and the Princess Yachts team are deeply committed to investing in the company’s future while continuing to further strengthen our portfolio of best-in-class motor yachts.

“With a current order book nearing a record US$1bn and many model lines sold into 2025, we have never been in a stronger commercial position. Together with KPS’ tremendous track record of manufacturing excellence and investing in leading brands, we are now positioned to take Princess Yachts to the next level of industry leadership in quality and innovation. Under KPS’ ownership, we will accelerate a range of growth and operational initiatives to build upon our long and successful history.”

KPS’ portfolio of companies already generates total annual revenues of about US$22bn, operates 232 manufacturing facilities in 27 countries and combined has about 53,000 employees. KPS said it creates value “almost exclusively through operational and performance improvement”.

Ryan Harrison, a partner of KPS Mid-Cap Investments, said: “We are excited to make this significant investment in Princess Yachts, a leading company in the luxury global yachting industry with an iconic brand grounded in British tradition, a remarkable and growing product range, and world-wide reputation for quality and innovation. KPS’ investment will accelerate Princess’ growth trajectory and fund numerous investments for its future. We look forward to working with Princess’ existing stockholders, chief executive Antony Sheriff, the senior leadership team, and the talented employee base at Princess Yachts.”

Princess Yachts was acquired by L Capital 2 FCPR, an investment group co-sponsored by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) and Groupe Arnault in 2008. In January 2016, L Capital merged with Catterton to become L Catterton, now recognised as the largest global consumer-focused investment firm.

Last year L Catterton hired bankers at Macquarie to find a buyer for Princess Yachts . At the time, Princess Yachts told PlymouthLive it was looking to start discussions with potential investors to provide financial support needed to build a huge new factory at its Devonport operation.

In late 2021, PlymouthLive revealed Princess Yachts wants to build another factory in Plymouth’s freeport area in the South Yard so it can produce more vessels, employ more people and fulfil a US$1bn order book. The company was also undergoing a sales boost, now selling more than 300 boats annually.

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Experiencing a Historic Ship-building Town with Princess Yachts

Sep 20, 2022 | Magazine , News , Princess Yachts | 1 comment

Plymouth, England is home to Princess Yachts Limited and all their ancillary operations. Plymouth is also recognized as having the largest operational naval base in Western Europe, originally built in 1690. Their history dates back even further to the early eleventh century as a major port and trading hub, called Sutton. King Henry VI officially changed the name of the town to Plymouth in 1440—after over 200 years of this being the town’s nickname. Plymouth is derived from ‘Mouth of the River Plym’ which lies to her East, and River Tamar to her West.

The historical allure of Plymouth is undeniable for anyone who visits, and Princess Yachts’ hospitality ensures the visitors are frequent and plentiful. Bluewater Sales Professional Chuck Meyers returned from his fourth visit to Plymouth in the spring of 2022 and explained, “You could spend weeks there on end and not see it all!” For Princess dealers and their new build customers, factory visits are highly encouraged. Meyers enjoyed hosting customers who are currently building a new Y72 with an expected summer 2022 delivery.

Princess Y72

Taking cues from the larger Y-Class yachts, the Y72 is completed to the highest standards and offers several interior finish options. The refined hull form and twin MAN V12 engines provide sprightly acceleration, exceptional handling and commendable fuel consumption. The full-length hull glazing adds to the Y72’s stunning appearance while providing generous amounts of natural light to her well-appointed cabins and full-beam master stateroom.

The spacious salon is designed for both entertaining and relaxation, offering a free flow of movement from the covered cockpit dining area up to the helm, thanks to a continuously flat flooring surface and large sliding glass doors. Above, the expansive flybridge provides two unique seating areas along with a wet bar to port. The aft section of the flybridge offers a standard sun bed that acts as a continuation of the U-shaped seating forward. Owners can opt instead for individual sun lounges or utilize the space for a crane and tender storage.

The open bow offers a retreat for sunbathers and star gazers alike thanks to the large convertible lounge and separate seating area with table. The sweeping lines of the cabin and flybridge hardtop provide a sleek look whether tied to the dock or maneuvering through open water.

This exciting member of the Y-Class family offers a tremendous amount of entertaining space for a yacht of this size while featuring the highest standard in luxury finishes we have come to expect from Princess Yachts.

Great article! Kathy and Erich are great people and I am pleased to know that I helped bring them into the Bluewater/Princess fold. I think I know the guy in the UVA hat as well. I sold him his first Princess too!

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British luxury yacht builder Princess Yachts manufactures fibreglass yachts ranging from 13 to 40 metres in length. French luxury group LVMH is the parent company of Princess Yachts. The shipyard is headquartered in Plymouth, UK.

History of Princess Yachts

Luxury yacht builder Princess Yachts was founded as Marine Projects (Plymouth) Ltd in 1965, in a region of England known for its seafaring tradition. The first Princess GRP luxury motor yacht, featuring a flybridge, launched in 1974.

In 1995, Princess Yachts formed an alliance with luxury yacht builder Viking Yachts of New Gretna, New Jersey, to market Princess yachts in the U.S. Today, Princess Yachts America (formerly Viking Sport Cruisers) remains a major distributor of Princess Yachts.

Throughout the late 20th century, the size of Princess luxury yacht models continued to grow. In 2001, the luxury yacht builder entered the megayacht market with the launch of the Princess 25 Metre motor yacht. Luxury goods conglomerate LVMH acquired Princess Yachts in 2008.

Notable Princess Yachts

Luxury yacht builder Princess Yachts introduced its M Class superyacht range in 2011, with the launch of the Princess 32M motor yacht.

The shipyard launched its new flagship, the 40.16-metre Princess 40M Solaris , in 2014. Superyacht Solaris features exterior styling by Princess Yachts and Bernard Olenski, Ltd. , and interior design by Mark Berryman .

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Luxury yacht builder Princess Yachts specialises in manufacturing high-quality production and semi-production motor yachts in fibreglass composite.

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CRAFTED IN PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND

Perched on the edge of the English Channel lies the city of Plymouth, where Princess Yachts established their home in 1965. Today Princess shipyards cover an area of over 1.1 million square feet, an area rich in British maritime heritage. In fact, South Yard, where their M Class superyachts are constructed, is a former naval yard dating back to the 17th century. From the outset, their goal has been to meticulously sculpt their yachts around their owners’ enjoyment of them. Such dedication and attention to detail resonates deeply with their Plymouth craftsmen. Over 3,000 people, each possessing a mastery of their skill, fastidiously realise this vision in their shipyards. Through a culture of innovation, their yachts are not only some of the most technically-advanced in the world but also the most beautifully realised.

BEAUTY IS ALWAYS IN THE DETAIL

Princess is determined to develop ever more ingenious ways to ensure every last millimetre of your boat is ergonomically sound, highly practical, and spatially perfect. Once their team of naval architects, designers and engineers have determined a design, their craftspeople fastidiously bring it to life. Every beautiful detail is crafted and finished within their Plymouth shipyards. This enables them to consistently monitor quality throughout each build. 

To learn more about Princess Yachts, come see us at one of our Oyster Harbors Marine locations.

Recognized as one of the top performers in the industry, Oyster Harbors Marine features high-quality new and pre-owned boats, and has an award-winning sales and service team. Sales offices are located on Cape Cod in Osterville and Falmouth Massachusetts, Marion, MA , Hingham, MA , Danvers, MA , Essex, CT and in Freeport, Maine .

Not all locations have all product lines. Please call to confirm product is available for your inspection.

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Contact us for more information about princess yachts, you can find princess yachts at.., osterville, ma.

122 Bridge Street Osterville, MA 02655 USA

Falmouth, MA

89 Falmouth Heights Road Falmouth, MA 02540

Danvers, MA

120 Water Street Danvers MA 01923

Hingham, MA

26 Summer Street Hingham, MA 02043

Barden's Boat Yard 2 Island Wharf Road Marion, MA 02738

33 Pratt Street Essex, CT 06426

Newport, RI

3 Christies Landing Newport, RI 02840

South Freeport, ME

31 Main St (at Brewer Marine) South Freeport, Maine 04078

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See Princess Yachts in Plymouth

Book an appointment

Register your interest to see the range of new Princess Yachts in Plymouth this January.

Royal William Yard, Plymouth Open daily, 9am – 4pm

We are very pleased to welcome you to Plymouth to see the Boot Düsseldorf line-up of Princess yachts. From 22nd – 30th January , there will be appointments available with our sales team to view the following yachts on display:

Princess X95 Global Debut – Princess X80 Princess Y72 Princess F55 Princess V55 Global Debut – Princess V50

In order to ensure the safety and comfort of all customers and staff, this event is strictly by appointment only. Viewings of the yachts can only be permitted by a prior-made appointment. Therefore, we ask that you contact us to book yours – fill in the form below with your details or contact us directly by calling +44 (0)1489 557755

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You can amend or withdraw consent at any time here or by emailing us . Further details regarding how we process your personal data can be found in our privacy policy .

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