On Test. Prince 25: when the hull is the trademark

An extraordinarily seaworthy hull. This is, in our opinion, the main distinctive characteristic of the new Nuova Jolly Marine Prince 25. The sea trial that we experienced in the choppy sea of Genoa some weeks ago gave us further confirmation about the genuine seaworthiness of the RIBs built by the Milan-based boatyard.

After all, it is sufficient to look at the Prince 25 from her stern to realize how such a deep V-hull (25 degrees) covers the lion’s share in a boat that boasts high safety and comfort standards.

The rest, including design and build quality, is the consistent outcome of a great engineering effort whose main goal was to provide the yachtsman with an agile, safe, seaworthy vessel.

The Prince 25 is the entry point in an already rich open range that includes many models ranging from 21 to 43 feet. From an aesthetical point of view, the main designer’s priority seems to be a perfect combination of distinguished elegance and strong ergonomics.

This aspect is immediately suggested by the deck of the Price 25: highly spacious, it was custom designed to enable passengers to move free within a versatile environment where spaces are convertible and offer a multitude of stowage compartments.

In the whole, the boat features a welcoming character which is immediately perceivable when you climb on board from the deep stern boarding platforms. A passage located on the left of the outboard – the model we put on test was powered with a brand-new Suzuki DF 350 engine – leads to the stern dinette. The genuine versatility of this boat is all there. Positioned on the starboard side, the sofa can become a comfortable sun pad and therefore an additional relaxation area that represents the stern counterpart of the sunbathing platform located at the bow and accessible through a side-deck on the left.

The choice to place the steering console centrally has resulted into a real walk-around that contributes to multiply the sense of movement on the deck of the Prince 25. In addition to the left side-deck, in fact, an additional passage on the starboard side enables passengers to move free from the bow to the stern and viceversa. The central position of the helm station is enhanced by two elements: the first is the well-equipped wet bar positioned just behind the helm’s seat; the second is a marine wc located underneath the console. Actually, this space is so wide that it can function as a large locker.

The Prince 25 features unparalleled stowage volumes to the total benefit of her 16 passengers. The lockers located underneath the fore and aft seats are wide and deep and can accommodate marine equipment, clothing, shoes and food supplies.

Openly inspired by the automotive world, the steering console is highly ergonomic and custom designed for comfortable stand-up driving.

Available both on the left and the right side, the handrails are very useful and provide further safe especially when sailing in rough sea. An additional, comfortable settee is positioned opposite the helm station, under the windscreen.

Even though not available on the model we put on test in Genoa – however, you can see it in the pictures below – a roll-bar can be installed not only to accommodate antennas and lights but, above all, to serve an awning.

The hull is made of “Rowing Mat” glass fiber. In short, the layers are laminated with crossed arrangement in order to improve the sturdiness of the hull.

The tubes are made of Neoprene-Hypalon, an excellent UV- and hydrocarbon-resistant material.

Sea Trial

Fresh mistral, short and steep waves: the conditions we found in the sea of Genoa during our sea trial were very interesting and enabled us to test the genuine seaworthiness of the Prince 25. Actually, we already knew these boats and their attitude since we had tested the 38-footer in Miami and the 23-footer on Lake Maggiore.

Powered by the brand-new Suzuki DF 350, the rib from Nuova Jolly Marine is highly reactive. It moves fast and brilliantly, with powerful accelerations and excellent balance even under the tightest turns. At full throttle and with the trim in its negative position, we got the boat on plane in just 4.2 seconds at 14 knots; within 4.8 seconds, speed went from 0 to 20 knots.

At 5,550 rpm, we reached a speed of 45 knots. We intercepted our wave after a very tight turn. The mistral waves added to ours: the Prince 25 planed by guaranteeing soft passages over them. In the head sea, we could travel at high speed, taking care not to do sudden decelerations when we were in the cavity of the wave.

At 3,500 rpm, the boat travelled at 25 knot with a fuel consumption of 33 l/h. A following series of turns didn’y upset the trim of the Price 25 and didn’t engender that annoying pendulum swing that is commonly found in the less deep hulls.

Performance and fuel efficiency are great, also thanks to the so-called Lean Burn System, a Suzuki-patented system that, with the help of an electronic control unit, guarantees the best air/fuel ratio in any condition.

The waterlines of the Prince 25, too, play a key role in terms of fuel consumption. At 4,000 rpm, we reached a speed of 30 knots. However, compared with the previous situation where the trim was in its negative position, fuel consumption dropped from 50 to 40 liters per hour.

Technical Specifications

The boat was put on test in the Gulf of Genoa with a 15-knot mistral, slightly rough sea, 50% of fuel capacity, 20% of water capacity, 4 passengers on board.

Suzuki DF350 engines – Performance and fuel consumption