OnBoard Magazine - Summer 2015

few years ago and were more than happy to introduce the Hahns to other Princess yacht owners. Erich and Kathy quickly developed friendships with several of the other families and signed on for an exciting circumnavigation of southern Florida to attend a Princess Owners’ Event. To take part, the group traveled across the Okeechobee Waterway from Stuart through the center of the state, destined for South Seas Resort on Sanibel/ Captiva Islands. Hosted annually and rotated between various destinations by Princess Yachts America, the rendezvous is a great place to meet fellow peers who share many of the same values and boating ambitions. “The Princess events are always top-notch and first class—an unforgettable experience,” recounts Mr. Hahn. For their return trip to PalmBeach, instead of locking through the Okeechobee again, the group departed Captiva and turned south. After a stop in Naples they spent a night on the hook in Little Shark River, an often-used, but remote anchorage in the Everglades’ Ten Thousand Islands renowned for its voracious mosquito population. From there they ventured through the Florida Keys and up for a stay at the prestigious Ocean Reef Club before returning to port in North Palm Beach. After escaping this year’s brutal winter in Palm Beach, BuckyHawk was poised for another great adventure. Another contingent of Princess boats and owners banded together for the next rendezvous weekend in Key West, and fellow Princess owners Don and Ellen Harris joined the Hahns aboard BuckyHawk . The parties chose to make a ten day extended trip out of it, hopping in and out of the Lower and Upper Florida Keys and also making it out to Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas. Raft-ups, dinghy excursions, shopping, cocktail parties, fishing and diving blurred together in a beautiful aqua marine haze as the group made the most of the excellent springtime weather. PLANNING AHEAD One thing the Hahn’s recent travels and experiences have taught them is that they can accomplish anything with a little preparation and willpower. A deep appreciation for the quality of the Princess brand and their people has also been growing during this time, and with the help of Bluewater’s John McDevitt, they are now eyeing their next move up to the new Princess 60 Flybridge. Erich explains, “I’ve always wanted a flybridge boat, I just had to convince Kathy it wasn’t too big for us.” It certainly may seem big in comparison to that original 25’ cuddy cabin they shared in the early 90’s, but they’ve since gained the confidence and experience to handle a large yacht together. And rest assured, the V52 will not be easily forgotten by Hahn. He recounts, “Interestingly, two years ago I happened to be in a [Ozarks area] service station when I noticed a very familiar looking blue and white Checkmate on a trailer behind another car. Turns out, it was my old boat. There it was, twenty two years later, still running strong.” One would hope for such a great outcome for all the Hahn’s vessels as they continue to pen their boating legacy with Bluewater! “John is exactly the kind of person I wanted to buy a boat from. Knowledgeable, informative and provides both sides of any issue.” The Hahns, Hales and other Princess owners enjoy a gorgeous April day in the Dry Tortugas PRINCESS V52 Length: 53’ 2” Beam: 14’ 7” Draft: 3’ 9” Fuel: 528 gal. Power: Twin Cat C12 ACERT @ 715 hp 17 SUMMER 2015