Ride on time

Looking at the seamless structures that make up the modern flybridge yacht, its amazing to think how far the flybridge concept has progressed in just over three decades.

Moving from being merely an elevated driving position, to the modern use of the flybridge as an entertaining, dining and even tender storage area, the development has in no small part been driven by Princess Yachts, the 40-year old composite motoryacht builder based in the southwest of the UK.

While its new flybridge ranges from the 13.48 P42 to the showpiece 29.3-metre 95MY launched this year, you only have to look back at the annals of Princess' history to see its flybridge heritage with the first open-topped fly sprouting in 1973 on the 11.23-metre Princess 37 Y-Hull.

Powered by standard twin 80hp diesels, she would certainly be a different ride to her modern antecedent, the twin 500hp, 33-knot P50 brought to Dubai by Leisure Marine Middle East.

Sporting an older external profile than her larger M-Series sisters and the stylish V-Class open sports range, the P50 is one of the Plymouth-based company's most popular selling models, combining excellent sea keeping performance with a three-cabin arrangement that allows a large family or two nuclear families to cruise over an extended period.

But that is not to say the P50 is simply a family caravan, for combined with its coachroof sunpad, useable aft cockpit and spacious flybridge, there is more than ample entertaining space out in the sun.

In fact, the P50 was the yacht of choice bought by David Beckham for his wife Victoria in December 2003 following the intense media interest the couple were under. Reportedly named Brooklyn-Romeo, after their two sons, the yacht was intended to act as a private family environment where they could get away to relax.

The popularity of the P50 is in part down to the strength of the Princess build, designed to be tested. This sea keeping ability was verified by Leisure Marine's Service Manager Pierre Waked, who was involved in the P50's maiden voyage from Jebel Ali Port to Dubai Creek.

"It was lumpy four-metre swell with quite a wind blowing, but we needed to get the boat around to the Creek, and she just rode the waves - even coming around the top of the Palm that is usually quite nasty in any weather. Having a luxury yacht is one thing, but one that is also practical is not to be overlooked."

Stacking a lot into its 15-metre length, the Bernard Olesinski-designed 1.12-metre deep-V provides a steady counterbalance for the superstructure, which is stacked high to provide good headroom throughout the interior and a spacious flybridge for socialising and pilotage.

Following the straight sheerline, the solid grabrail is joined by extra handholds mounted to the superstructure to ensure anyone venturing forward to the double sunpad, or to set the prow-mounted anchor can do so even in non-ideal weather conditions.

Further family cruising considerations continue throughout the design by virtually always placing a barrier between the guest and the sea. Even when stepping onto the high bathing platform, both quarters extend to offer more security to those using the teak platform - especially useful in a busy anchorage when some tender drivers do not consider their wash.

A single transom entrance to the aft cockpit is to port, while an optional passerelle can also launch and retain a small tender on the aft deck while underway.

The aft cockpit has the advantage of being completely sheltered by the extended flybridge above, allowing the whole area to be covered by fabric panelling to keep the weather out if extending the cool air conditioning of the saloon without.

High bulwarks emphasise the strength of build and give a feeling of security to guests in the cockpit, from where they can either proceed forward by teak steps to both side decks, by further teak stairs to the flybridge above, or to simply rest on the padded transom bench, which can be joined by freestanding deck furniture to create a dining environment.

To maintain the hull balance, the twin power units are placed well forward under the saloon, allowing one of the twin hatch access ways below the aft cockpit sole to lead down into a large lazarette for battery, genset and deck equipment storage.

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