When it came time to move up from the V52, there was no question what brand their next yacht would be—it was just a matter of deciding on a size and model. “We are comfortable with Princess boats,” Hahn says. “Once you own one, you know how they’re engineered and how they function.” Hahn admits their friendship with both Princess Yachts America and Bluewater Yacht Sales also played a role in their decision making. “We go back quite a way with Bluewater, starting with John McDevitt who left us in Chuck’s [Meyers] capable hands once he retired.” Hahn reminisces, “We were also good friends with [Bluewater Yacht Sales President] Jan Boone before she passed away.” LOVELY UPGRADES In 2015, the Hahns took delivery of their second Princess: a 60 Flybridge. However, this boat would not carry on the BuckyHawk name but instead was named ISeaBlu. Hahn tells the story behind their boat name: “We were crossing the Gulfstream headed to the Bahamas and our friends said ‘you’ll love it once you get to the bank—all you’ll see is blue [water]’, and that really stuck with us.” Through the years, the Hahns have attended at least ten Princess Rendezvous events, most in Florida and the Caribbean, but also a couple events in the MidAtlantic. “We meet a bunch of people at the rendezvous events and often stay connected afterwards,” Hahn says. “These events allow us to establish new friendships and rekindle old ones.” Many friendships have thrived through the years of Princess ownership by Erich and Kathy. Another upgrade came into focus for the Hahns and Bluewater’s Chuck Meyers was at the ready to support them through the process of ordering, customizing and taking delivery of their next ISeaBlu—a Y72. “Chuck is a great guy, he has a lot of humility and never comes off as pushy,” Hahn explains. “He is there to help us make the right decisions and he always follows up when we have questions or need help.” THE FULL EXPERIENCE During the build process, the Hahns, accompanied by Meyers and other Princess owners, crossed the Atlantic to visit Plymouth, England, the birthplace of Princess Yachts. “We all became really good friends on the trip,” Hahn exclaims. “A number of folks were with us, and we had a great time for a few days in Plymouth.” Each day featured different activities including sea trials, touring the multiple facilities throughout Plymouth that Princess operates, along with a tour of specific models in production and nearly complete. Their Princess Y72 was optioned from the factory with many extras including stabilizing fins, refrigeration in the crew quarters, and Ultra Anchor in lieu of the standard unit. To help extend their cruising range and ensure multiple days away from the dock, the new ISeaBlu was also upgraded with additional fuel supply, a second generator, an enclosure on the flybridge and Spot Zero added to the watermaker for a near-spotless washdown. “We think of our new Princess as a condominium on the water—tons of amenities in a beautiful and modern package,” Hahn says. All the customizations aside, Hahn explains the bigger boat provides more stability and confidence in adverse weather. “We’re comforted by having the additional weight and length when the weather turns.” Hahn continues, “We wouldn’t deliberately run the boat in Bluewater’s Chuck Meyers recently joined the Hahns at the Princess Rendezvous
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