HelmsmanTrawlers

Just ran across this builder who seems to be fairly new (based on my limited knowledge researching and as a lurker here) and wanted to tap the vast experience of the forum members as to their overall reputation, market niche, quality, etc. they seem to be very reasonably price for a coastal cruiser ... And wow a builder that posts their prices online! Looks like they just rolled In the Camano line too unless I am mistaken. Thanks in advance.

keb.

If I remember right, a few months back someone was thinking about buying a Helmsman and there was a great deal of info on the subject. May be you can search for the post or someone will post the link for you. I am sure you will get some feed back on this subject as well.

And yes. Helmsman did take over Camano. Again there is a post on that subject as well.

I had a look at Helmsman trawler, but it did not fit my needs so I really did not dig into them that much to give a opinion on them.

All the best to you in your search and Happy cruising.

H. Foster

H, thanks. I did do a search for Helmsman yesterday before posting my note and only found two posts with nothing relevant which I found odd. Got my fat fingers going on the iPad with fresh coffee this morning and of course the search found all kinds of references. Good morning to all of the early risers and wishing I was enjoying my coffee in the cockpit of my future life changing boat, with sun coming up and the temp about 72 degrees. But alas having the coffee indoors with the furnace going to take the chill off in Portland Oregon.

Okay who has the best anchor? Just kidding!

Keb.

You are more than welcome. As far as the search here on TF, the post I seen may have been on cruiser or yacht forum. I really cannot remember which one now that I think about.

I am sure many of these great fellows here on TF will give you their opinions in due time.

Enjoy your coffee and your search.

Happy cruising to you.

H. Foster

keb said:

Just ran across this builder who seems to be fairly new (based on my limited knowledge researching and as a lurker here) and wanted to tap the vast experience of the forum members as to their overall reputation, market niche, quality, etc. they seem to be very reasonably price for a coastal cruiser ... And wow a builder that posts their prices online! Looks like they just rolled In the Camano line too unless I am mistaken. Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

I have had my Helmsman trawler for 5 years now and am quite satisfied. What do you want to know? Where do you live? There's a dealer in Seattle and someplace in Florida, I believe.

windmist said:

I have had my Helmsman trawler for 5 years now and am quite satisfied. What do you want to know? Where do you live? There's a dealer in Seattle and someplace in Florida, I believe.

Click to expand...

I live in Portland, Oregon. I was generally interested in Helmsman quality, reputation etc as I wasn't familiar with them? Which model do you have? What type of cruising do you do ... Weekends, overnighters, weeks, great loops, fishing, ??? I have read many of the articles written that are posted on the their website so have the general positive take on them, but from your perspective what would you change if given the opportunity for a "do-over"?

Hi Keb,
Welcome to TF! What model are you interested in?

keb said:

I live in Portland, Oregon. I was generally interested in Helmsman quality, reputation etc as I wasn't familiar with them? Which model do you have? What type of cruising do you do ... Weekends, overnighters, weeks, great loops, fishing, ??? I have read many of the articles written that are posted on the their website so have the general positive take on them, but from your perspective what would you change if given the opportunity for a "do-over"?

Click to expand...

During the past five cruising seasons I have owned my Helmsman 38 Pilothouse, she has been to Alaska once and the Broughton's 3 times. My first year we didn't go further north than Desolation Sound. We normally spend 3 months on the boat in the summer. In fact this weekend we are on a club cruise and I am writing this on the boat in Brownsville.

I think their quality is superb and after I fixed all the new boat bugs, she has been trouble free. Would I change anything? No boat is perfect for everyone but overall I like the boat. Maybe I wish she was 5 or 6 feet longer. If you want to buy her, let me know.

What model are you looking at?

What initially sparked my interest to research further was the price for a new trawler style vessel that wasn't a stripped model starting at $1 million and when fully outfitted pulling in $1.6m. And of course one that best matched my needs and then wants. I like the full walk around decks, forward raked pilot house windows, flybridge, cockpit although small can still do some fishing and relaxing, molded stair/no ladders, main deck galley, a decent VIP stateroom, and a reasonably accessible engine room. I like parts of several of their models - I would prefer not having a master stateroom jammed into the bow. Would prefer either an aft stateroom or a midship (preference) stateroom. Still working on priorities, needs vs wants. What range of fuel efficiency do they achieve? I read here I believe that some Nordy owners have downsized into these, and that says something. We plan to cruise the Columbia to start with and then up the coast to Pugent Sound area and then south to Mexico, through the canal and then the Caribbean eventually.

Although I own a Helmsman 38 and am very happy with it, the accommodations and lack of side deck walk around do not fit your description. I had the pleasure of touring a Selene 40 the other day and it was all that you described except no covered aft cockpit but a nice area aft none-the-less. The aft stateroom was a palace, guest forward very nice. Full standup walk in engine room and workmanship outstanding.


Sent from my iPhone using Trawler Forum