Princess 43 Owner: Mike Spark
Join us as we talk to Princess 43 Owner, Mike Spark, on his yacht ownership and experiences especially during the last 12 months.
What’s your boating history?
I have no boating background at all. The Princess 43 is my first ever boat and we took delivery of it in May 2020.
Why did you choose to be a Princess 43 owner?
We couldn’t go on holiday so we looked into buying a boat instead. Originally, I was going to buy a Sunseeker 52 – and then we saw this Princess. It was three years old when we bought it as a Princess Approved Used boat but it was literally like new – and we have no regrets whatsoever.
How have you been using your boat?
We use it with family and friends. We only live 18 miles from the marina so we racked up 100 engine hours in 2020 alone – and it was absolutely fantastic, it really was. We stuck around the Isle of Wight and the Solent. We had weekends when we stayed on board at the marina but we’ve not yet stayed at anchor anywhere else because we’ve never had a boat before. So we’re just taking it easy, learning at our own pace and enjoying every single minute.
What was your 2020 yachting highlight?
To be honest, I originally bought the boat because I just thought boats looked cool and I fancied having one! But once you get out and start using it, you realise what all the fuss is about. We’ve always enjoyed going to the beach and taking the dogs for a walk but we enjoy it more now because we get to see everything from a different perspective. But for me, the outstanding highlight was probably a midweek trip, when the Solent was like a millpond. It was a lovely day and there was not a wave, not a ripple. We just skimmed across the water, looking at the view and thinking ‘Wow!’ We had a fantastic time over in Osborne Bay and it was just gorgeous – such a great memory.
How has your Princess 43 performed?
I just love everything about it. I enjoy the atmosphere in it and I enjoy the usability of it. It’s a user-friendly boat that we were able to get to grips with very quickly, even as first-time boaters. For us, it’s the perfect introduction to the yachting lifestyle. I’m looking to get an S62 next and when I do upsize I’ll be sticking with Princess 100%. Great service. Great product. And the approved used scheme is faultless. I’d recommend it to anyone.
What are your cruising plans for 2021?
What we plan to do long-term is take it down to the Med and have two or three months in it down there. We’ll let the kids run the business. We’ve made sure we’ve got people in place to do that. And then it’ll be “Thank you very much. See you. We’re off!”
The Princess 43 owner luxury yacht was later replaced by the stunning Princess F45, which you can view here.
