Princess owners' spirit of adventure
by Princess Yachts Australia 2 Sep 2020 00:22 PDT
7th Heaven © Princess Yachts Australia
Rob and Rose Ungar have enjoyed the boating lifestyle for close to four decades, even branching out into owning a prestige dealership in early 2000.
Over the many years, the couple and their three children sojourned on trailerable boats in Port Phillip Bay, scaling up to mid-size cruisers spanning various brands, before moving into larger vessels to undertake more ambitious voyages along the east coast and right around the top end to the Kimberleys.
Owners of the highly customised Princess 88 Flybridge named "7th Heaven", Rob and Rose are passionate Princess devotees with a unique tale to tell, several in fact.
This is their seventh Princess, hence the name. There's a deeper significance too. When he was diagnosed with leukemia, Rob was told not to make any major life decisions and to prepare for months of chemo and recovery.
"So, he bought a new car, a house and the new boat," said Rose, quite obviously Rob's fan, ally and capable First Officer.
Rob and Rose were hands-on with the layout and décor of their new vessel, working from samples sent from Princess' UK headquarters and in regular communication with designers.
"It was a great distraction," said Rob. "And it certainly did help with my recovery. It was something to look forward to."
Their relationship with Princess began 20 years ago when Rob and Rose bought a pre-owned Princess 45 and cruised from their home port of Melbourne to Hamilton Island. At that time, they brought onboard Captain Mike Percy, a professional skipper from Tasmania who whet their appetite for exploring the Apple Isle.
Their next Princess, a new 54 model took the Ungars south to Tassie and north to the Whitsundays.
A couple of years later, the Princess 57 called "Cracklin' Rosie" had a short-lived stay with the Ungars. "They brought out a new version called a 58 with a midship master cabin and so we went to Princess and said we'd prefer that model. They were very responsive which really cemented our loyalty for the brand."
That boat was followed by the second-hand 21M (70-foot) Princess, "Mia", aboard which the Ungars cruise to South Australia, including Port Lincoln, Kangaroo Island and Adelaide.
Upsizing to a brand new 72, named "R&R" (for Rob and Rose), the Ungars undertook an epic six-month voyage along the east coast from Melbourne to Darwin and the Kimberleys.
Publishers by trade, Rob and Rose were inspired to share their marvellous cruising experiences with friends, family and fellow boaties through a hard-bound book covering the coastal scenery, diverse landscapes and breath-taking vistas.
They published 500 copies and through sales raised funds that they donated to the junior sailing facilities at Sandringham Yacht Club and Sailability Australia.
In 2019, Rob and Rose set off to circumnavigate Tasmania at the helm of their new Princess 88 Flybridge, "7th Heaven", leading a fleet of 10 from Sandringham and other Clubs. "We had previously cruised the east coast, with a handful of other boats, and each year, the number grew," recounted Rob.
"So, we decided to make a major trip of it and of course, we made a book of our travels with all the other owners contributing their impressions and pictures, and put together by fellow traveller, Peter Turrell."
Tapping into Captain Mike's local knowledge, fellow boaties were able to fully appreciate the pristine cruising grounds on the east and west coasts of Tassie.
The massive opus created as a result was in high demand. "There were over 120 people at the launch party, which was wonderful! We were very grateful for the advertising support from Princess, Club Marine, the trades and marinas."
Once again, the sales and ad proceeds from the 500 books raised money for junior sailing facilities and Sailability Australia.
"Then we had the idea of making an e-book and providing it at no fee for people who were interested," said Rob. "When it was promoted on the Princess Facebook page, it was downloaded 3,700 times in a week. That was a thrill!"
The Ungars' impeccable Princess 88 Flybridge, "7th Heaven", boasts impressive space over three levels, a foredeck with walk-through seating area, deep-V hull and sizeable fuel tanks for long-range cruising. The cantilevered balcony from the starboard side deck is a favourite vantage point for fishing, dining à deux or simply savouring the views.
Aboard this exceptional motor yacht, the absolute pinnacle of customisation is largely imperceptible. "7th Heaven" has been specifically wired and equipped to run all the creature comforts of home without the hum of generators.
The vessel is fitted with substantial lithium batteries and invertors to run the entire ship with state-of-the-art technology, entertainment, nav equipment and air-conditioning.
"We have an impressive set-up of a top of the range entertainment system for the full theatre experience, 85-inch TV, two recliners," Rob explained. "Every cabin is hooked up with Foxtel, Netflix, we have five cameras onboard, an incredible sound system and air-conditioning.
"We wanted to be able to stream, access the net with fast wifi, whether we're in the Broadwater or 200 nautical miles offshore. There's 18kms of wiring under the panelling! And everything is controlled by one panel remote, using a Böning system control."
The Melbourne couple recently cruised from their home base to the Gold Coast, taking a full week to savour some favoured haunts, as well as new stops such as Bermagui which has added larger berths and adequate power for larger vessels.
Departing Sydney, they stopped at Newcastle, Port Macquarie then Yamba on the peaceful and picturesque Clarence River.
"Yamba is one of our favourite stops," said Rob. "We moor at the Yamba Shores Hotel where they have a fantastic 50m berth and great pub meals. People come to see the fish which gather at the marina. It's quite a popular evening event for visitors.
"But our boat was literally stealing the spotlight. The tide had come in and she had floated up to eye level."
In preparation for springtime cruising north to Hayman Island for the upcoming Princess Owners' Rendezvous, "7th Heaven" spent two weeks at The Boat Works for service and some maintenance works, including air-conditioning, watermakers, hydraulics, antifoul, propellers, dry cleaning the furnishings and repairing some scuffs in the timber floors.
"7th Heaven" will be making an annual pilgrimage to The Boat Works for servicing under the guidance of Princess Yachts Australia service manager, Andrew Picart.
Now more than ever, as the worldwide pandemic imposes restrictions on travel, people are looking to boating as a safe, fulfilling pastime for their families. Brokerages and dealerships report a surge in sales of boats of all makes, models and sizes, and syndication too is booming.
Aboard their new Princess 88 Flybridge, "7th Heaven", the Ungars are in tranquil repose, soaking up the delights of Hamilton Island and looking forward to heading to Hayman Island in October, joining Princess owners and guests in a soul-soothing migration they'd craved during weeks of 'lockdown'.
"We are planning to visit Magnetic Island, Townsville, Port Douglas, Cairns, the Reef. It always signals the countdown to summer and time spent with family," said Rose, referring to three now-adult children and their five grandchildren.
Also on the Bucket List is a return to the Kimberley Coast in 2021, departing Melbourne in April, heading north to Hamilton Island and then up and over to the Top End by July. They aim to travel with eight boats and local guides to share all the compelling sights, swimming holes, fishing grounds and Aboriginal rock art.
"Then who knows? Maybe New Zealand and the South Pacific in 2022."