Past Meets Present
It was a bold move. In 1965, most British boatbuilders targeting the newly prosperous middle classes were making speedboats and runabouts that could be towed behind the family Ford Cortina. Down in Plymouth, a young engineer named David King had other ideas. With two associates he bought a set of molds for a twin-engine, 31-foot cruiser, fitted it out in a waterside shed, and sold it for £3,400—the same price as a family home. But orders came in, the Project 31 evolved into the Princess 32, and one of the most famous brands in boatbuilding was born.
Princess Yachts marked its 50th anniversary by tracking down an original 31 and restoring it to
