Princess V65 review: Performance meets family comfort in this 20m sports yacht

Blending speed, space and smart design, the Princess V65 proves that a high-performance sports yacht can still deliver everyday usability for owner-operators and families alike, says Julia Zaltzman...

If Princess Yachts built cars, the V65 would be the love child of a Range Rover and a Porsche 911 Targa. The new 20.6-metre flagship in the British boatbuilder’s V Class range mates family-forward comfort and convenience with the sporty thrill of speed and performance. Topping out at a zippy 36 knots, and with the largest retractable sunroof on any model in her class, the V65 serves up a healthy portion of form and function.

The V Class range (V standing for “velocity”) was introduced by Princess in 1994 with the launch of the V39 to mark the builder’s entry into high-performance yachting. More than 30 years later, the range is still defined by racy looks and an open cockpit. The V65’s exterior, designed by Pininfarina, serves sculpted hull lines and a purposeful stance that makes it an undeniable sports yacht.

Then there’s the thrill of ripping across water at high speed on a lightweight, deep-V hull penned in collaboration with naval architect Olesinski. Five hulls of the V65 have been sold to date, each one enjoying the latest generation of a deep-V hull form that has been precision-engineered using lightweight resin-infused composite construction to allow for greater internal space.

“The V65 hull builds on a long tradition of Olesinski-designed deep-V planing hull forms for Princess Yachts,” says Gerard Grandcourt, head of naval architecture at Olesinski. “Our design procedure involves a natural selection process whereby an array of hulls with varying geometric parameters are analysed using computational fluid dynamics. The results are then processed by machine-learning algorithms to develop a ‘surrogate model’ that can be used to screen all possible hull parameters to determine the best fit.”

It’s through this process, closely integrated with Princess to ensure the hull fulfils structural and performance requirements, that Olesinski selected a hull for the V65 that “planes effortlessly, minimising fuel burn over a typical operating envelope while maintaining our trademark seakeeping characteristics in both head sea and following sea conditions”, adds Grandcourt.

Space planning is integral to the entire design when talking about a boat this size, and paying close attention to the use of space enables the V65 to bring the family element to the fore. Creating a large single-level main deck helps to unite guests in one place while also being roomy enough. It’s particularly relevant for owner operators, says Thomas Richardson, Princess Yachts’ regional sales director, and for families with younger children who like to remain on one level.

“The V Class is our most sleek, performance-focused model, yet it’s extremely popular for family boating,” says Richardson. “The cliché with a flybridge yacht is that someone goes upstairs to drive, it gets a bit windy or cloudy and everyone returns to the main deck leaving the helmsman on their own. On the V65, you have all the family together, it feels very safe and you can look over your shoulder and know where they are.”

Princess has dominated the 15- to 21-metre size range for the past 40 years with success concentrated in the Mediterranean market, largely with American boat owners. Such pedigree means “we would avoid doing a seismic shift at this size”, says Richardson, yet subtle design evolutions make each new launch feel relevant. “The internal volume feels larger, the mullions are narrower, the windows larger and the furniture details are more refined.”

A pièce de résistance is the massive attention-grabbing sunroof, which fills the main saloon with natural light when I step aboard on the French Riviera. “It was a feat of engineering fitting the laminate so it stays in the right shape across such a span, but having a big opening roof sets the benchmark for this flagship model,” says Will Green, Princess Yachts CEO. “It also adds simplicity for the customer, whereby you can press a few buttons to close the openings and walk away without worrying about covers. It’s convenient.”

Bespoke furniture designed and built in-house at Princess, such as the grey Majilite coffee table in the saloon and headboards dressed in Milan Corzo Driftwood fabric, bring a touch of elegance to the interior decor. On the 26-square-metre main deck, an aft window hinges open to extend the aft deck bar top into the interior, ideal for serving drinks or snacks. Three-panel sliding doors increase the sense of being connected to nature and water. They allow a free flow of movement on the single-level deck and let a cool sea breeze pass through the walnut-clad interior.

At the aft end of the saloon, a fully equipped galley with full-height fridge/freezer and slim dishwasher connects directly to the large cockpit. This placement is appreciated by many owners in this size range so meals can easily be served on the aft deck table and conversation can flow between the indoor and outdoor living areas. 

Optional layout variations include an extended serving area, providing more room to prepare and plate meals, which is particularly useful when entertaining larger groups. When it’s time to entertain, owners can crank up the Fusion audio system that comes standard or have the option to upgrade to Naim for even more enhanced sound quality.

In the cockpit, a U-shaped seating area surrounds a teak dining table. Richardson notes that the cockpit inherently feels larger on their  V Class boats versus the fly models without having a staircase to the flybridge taking up space. Sunpads placed all the way aft overhang the swim platform, giving sun worshippers the sense of levitating over the water. When it’s time to cool off, a teak electro-hydraulic bathing platform makes for easy access to the water. Further loungers and modular seating are found at the bow, with an optional coffee table.

The V65 packs a lot into her 21-metre form. The four-cabin boat has one forward VIP, a full-beam master with a walk-in wardrobe, dressing area and 50-inch TV, one single or bunk-bed cabin and a twin that can be converted to a double – complemented by three bathrooms dressed in Carrara white satin marble. An optional crew cabin is located aft, along with a generous tender garage capable of housing a Williams SportJet 345 plus toys and fitted with an electro-hydraulic door and tender launch system.

Other optional extras include both gyro and vector fin stabilisation systems, along with variable-speed bow and stern thrusters. Powered by twin MAN V12-1400 engines, the V65 features the largest fuel capacity in its class, allowing for a cruising range of up to 550 nautical miles, and easy handling akin to the sportiest of race cars. 

Whether racing along at nearly 40 knots or anchored in a bay for a leisurely family meal, this new Princess hits the mark.

First published in the February 2026 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.