Travels of "Emma B" (JD powered Helmsman)

[Durant F]

Thanks lads
It’s been fun sharing....
After biz and visits back home, will be a slow drive to Florida with no set schedule.
Yep...blue green water awaits ...
Funny, both it and out here are extremely beautiful but in totally different ways.

 

[Northern Spy]

Sorry I missed you yet again. Next year!

 

[MurrayM]

Thanks for the grand tour

When I retire in a couple years our plan is to dip below Cape Caution for about three months...this has whetted my appetite.

 

[Durant F]

Murray, it seems so odd to hear “dip below Cape Caution” with 99% going the other way. How’s the weather in Kitimat? Snowing hard back home today and I’ll be flying into it tomorrow.

 

[MurrayM]

Murray, it seems so odd to hear “dip below Cape Caution” with 99% going the other way. How’s the weather in Kitimat? Snowing hard back home today and I’ll be flying into it tomorrow.

After 5 months of little rain, record low river levels, sparse salmon and hungry grizzly bears, the rain forest is finally happy again. No cold snap with wicked northerly outflow winds yet, but snow got to 500' off the valley floor yesterday.

Yup...not many boaters around here and lots of space to spread out in, especially when you avoid the Inside Passage treadmill. Going to be weird adjusting to crowded anchorages down south. Should have a storm anchor and rode by then with the first 100' being chain, so will fit in better than we did wandering all over the place compared to other boats like what happened to us in Pruth Bay, Calvert Island, on the central coast.

 

[Durant F]

Last sunrise for this season....
Just a beautiful morning out there!

 

[Pack Mule]

Thanks for taking us along. I'm sorry to say that I've never been to these parts but I want to go even more now.

 

[Doug]

Thanks for a delightful journey. Great to see our favourite summer cruising grounds from a different perspective (season). Thinking of going earlier or staying later in the future.
Good luck with your southern cruising over the winter. Have you considered posting about your adventures there?

 

[Durant F]

Thanks lads
Doug, my southern boat has a stick on it....a blow boat ��
Pretty sure a rag boats adventures won’t quite fit “trawler forum’s” format
Maybe I’ll post a good water shot now and then...

 

[Durant F]

Well....”Emma B” is hauled, bottom pressure washed, engine flushed and she is tucked away inside until next year.
The beauty of “heated inside” is no winterizing and except for minimal,dust, your boat looks “as left” upon your return. No mould, sun fade, dock rash etc to contend with.
While it costs a bit more, I’m sure the boat will retain more value looking good as well.

 

[Conrad]

Last sunrise for this season....
Just a beautiful morning out there!

Looks gorgeous Frank!

 

[Conrad]

Well....”Emma B” is hauled, bottom pressure washed, engine flushed and she is tucked away inside until next year.
The beauty of “heated inside” is no winterizing and your boat looks “as left” upon your return, except for minimal dust. No mould, sun fade, dock rash etc to contend with.
While it costs a bit more, I’m sure the boat will retain more value looking good as well.

Who does your boat towing Frank? Is it arranged via the storage company or do you look after it?

 

[Durant F]

Nothing to do with storage company Conrad.
It’s “Chuck boat and RV hauling”
Good guy!
He can do 10 ton max so not up to your 42’s requirements ��

 

[Conrad]

Nothing to do with storage company Conrad.
It’s “Chuck boat and RV hauling”
Good guy!
He can do 10 ton max so not up to your 42’s requirements ��

Darn, I wanted to keep Blue Sky on the street in front of my house.

 

[Durant F]

There is another mover capable of bigger boats.
I lost his contact info as I ended up with Chuck
but I’m sure if you ask around you’ll get his #

 

[Conrad]

There is another mover capable of bigger boats.
I lost his contact info as I ended up with Chuck
but I’m sure if you ask around you’ll get his #

A bigger issue is dealing with my neighbours!

 

[Durant F]

Sitting here, reflecting on the season.
Yes....a bigger boat would at times be nice...but...
Emma B was so easy to dock and anchor solo.
She also handled a “couple” easily for a month!
She is too easy to trailer load-haul to storage...then
re-launch next year. Her storage rates are relatively low.
She is pretty stingy on fuel.....and gets lots of compliments at marinas!
Yep...pretty happy...
A great season!!

 

[dhays]

Thanks for taking us with you on this trip Frank. I hope you invite us along again next year.

I also agree that your boat is pretty idea for what you are doing.

 

[bogranjac1]

Thanks for taking us with you on this trip Frank. I hope you invite us along again next year.

I also agree that your boat is pretty idea for what you are doing.

I agree with dhays and thank you greatly for the truly inspiring accounts of your adventures and of course the splendid pictures.
regards.

 

[Durant F]

I spec’d a Forespar Y valve engine intake designed for easy engine flushing. Simply turn the Y, attach your water hose, turn water on, turn engine on and let run to flush. Note to self....turn Y back to sea water setting
If any of you are replacing your pick up through hull, consider one if these.
Makes it too easy.

_/)

 

[Fletcher500]

Safe travels Frank. Look forward to seeing more pics next year.

 

[Durant F]

I want to thank everyone for the nice comments.
After 3 flights, a quick hotel sleep, then a 2 hour drive, I safely arrived home to 20 degrees F and this....
All good tho. Put the fire on and am winding down.
Hope everyone has a great winter!
Thanks again.

 

[rochepoint]

Clear & sunny here for the next while, you left to soon...........
Looking forward to next season!

 

[Durant F]

Well...awoke to -18 C this morning. The fresh snow is glistening outside in the sun. Beautiful actually! I’m snug inside, looking at pictures with the fire on. Nothing....simply nothing like wood heat on a cold day! Thought I’d leave a favourite shot of Emma B from early this season at Heriot Bay. Couldn’t have asked for a better cruise or a better little cruiser.
Happy thanksgiving to my American friends.
We all have lots to be thankful for.

 

[BandB]

Well...awoke to -18 C this morning.
We all have lots to be thankful for.

Wifey B: I'm most thankful it's not -18 C or below zero F but today it was perfect Thanksgiving weather of 80F (27C) and a low tonight of 69F (21C).

 

[Durant F]

I’d like to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone on Trawler Forum.
This is a great community.
Hope all my fellow Helmsman owners enjoy themselves and 2019 is a wonderful boating year for everyone!
A special shout out and Merry Christmas to the crew at Helmsman Yachts and in particular Scott. I worked in the same community I was born in for 40yrs building homes. I prided myself in my word being good. During my first inspections of Helmsman yachts, we boarded a 38 getting commissioned and while the owner, an experienced yachtsman, gave the tour, I asked him what Scott was like to deal with. His simple response was “Scott does what he says he will”. That short reply meant a lot to me. Now, over 2 years after that meeting I can assure anyone that yes, he was correct and Scott will do what he states he will.
In a day of needing a Philadelphia lawyer for contracts, it’s refreshing to do business with an honourable person.
Scott, a special Merry Christmas to you and Lisa!
Enjoy yourselves!
Take some time away.
Continued success in 2019!

 

[Durant F]

Good luck with your southern cruising over the winter. Have you considered posting about your adventures there?

Thought I’d tempt some of you south.....
Brought the “new to me” sailboat around from Charlotte Harbour (west coast Florida) to the Keys, then, with a very short weather window, a 200nm, 25 hour run up the Gulf Stream before turning onto the Sea of Abaco at Memory Rock and continuing on another 50nm to Great Sale Cay before anchoring....34hrs in total. 2 tired ole lads.
Been to Allan’s-Pensacola, Manjack, Green Turtle Cays. Currently anchored in Marsh Harbour. Headed to Hope Town Monday.
2nd pic is sunrise, open ocean
Last picture is “just now”

 

[Doug]

Thanks Durant, needed a warm up. 0 C and snow in Victoria today. Beautiful photos.

 

[Nomad Willy]

New thread .....?

 

[Fletcher500]

Tempting indeed. Looks like a beautiful day on the water.

Lots of rain in SoCal the past couple months, but we needed it.