Another new start for Helmsman

Nancy n Larry said:

We went with the 380 Cummins, ice blue hull, arch rather than mast Going to add the NL genset. Standard propane cooktop and oven. Upgraded heating system and a few other small details. Am really enjoying this thread! June cannot get here soon enough.

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I hear you!

Helmsman said:

The hull is Kingston Gray, which we really liked on some of the images of the boat we viewed both live and on the web. Helmsman has plenty of color options, with the standard being white. For some reason, we liked the white on the 43 very much, but not so much on the 38E. A lighter hull color helps with the maintenance, and is easier on the gel coat than the darker tones.

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How is the visibility on the gray? I'd worry about being seen at dawn and dusk, but you've seen it so clearly think it is visible I assume.

BandB said:

How is the visibility on the gray? I'd worry about being seen at dawn and dusk, but you've seen it so clearly think it is visible I assume.

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I don’t think it will be a problem. The upper body of the boat will be white.

Scooby5959 said:

Nothing like the new boat smell , so they tell me I wouldn’t know . I’m glad people are buying new boats so there are used boats for people like me . I very much like the boat that you’re buying, I wonder if you could get one without a flybridge

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With the way the used market has been, the value received for the price paid narrowed the distance sufficiently for me. Good if you are a seller, not so good as a buyer.

We looked, but at the time there was almost no boats fitting our criteria and those that were remotely close were gone within a day.

Helmsman said:

Helmsman has what appears to me to be a tried and true process for delivering a high quality boat. That is usually accomplished by doing the same thing over and over again, while making incremental changes that add up to big improvements. Having said that, the company is very flexible in terms of getting the boat to you with the modifications that you would like to have.

They are very open to possible changes, while being clear about modifications perhaps tried or suggested before that may have a downside to them that perhaps the purchaser wasn't thinking about. To me, open discussions about this were important, because it would be easy to "over commit" to a change that might be regretted later. Scott and Gary both helped a lot in these discussions with their knowledge. I was very impressed with this aspect of it.

Over the years of developing the boats, there have been various options requested and incorporated into them that bring satisfaction to the owner. My "options" were minor compared to John's (N4061) changes, in which the footprint of the salon was reversed from port to starboard. I liked what he did, but would not want to give up the full height refrigerator for an under counter one. One of John's concepts was the 90% rule, which I think many experienced buyers of boats intuitively use when looking at both new and used boats. The same was true for us, as we moved 12 times around the country during our working years. The same applies to boats.

The hull is Kingston Gray, which we really liked on some of the images of the boat we viewed both live and on the web. Helmsman has plenty of color options, with the standard being white. For some reason, we liked the white on the 43 very much, but not so much on the 38E. A lighter hull color helps with the maintenance, and is easier on the gel coat than the darker tones.

We decided on the Cummins (480 hp version) for propulsion. We don't need a lot of speed, but there are times where river current and or tidal currents may make us happy that we went with the larger engine. As a result of the engine size, it was suggested to also get trim tabs, which we did.

Since we are eastern river boaters, with the occasional east and gulf coast trips, we started the rest of our option list with a generator and two HVAC heating, cooling systems. We had two HVACS in the Carver, and they were sufficient to heat and cool that boat. There was at least one prior build with three HVAC's on a 38E which home ported in the Charleston SC area, but we felt we would be ok with two, again based upon experience. After sleeping on the Carver in hot summer weather on the hook once without AC, we knew that no AC would be a show stopper on any boat. If we were in the Pacific NW, I am not sure that it would have been a requirement.

We stayed with the 6kw Northern Lights generator with it's excellent reputation. I was a little concerned with whether it was a sufficient KW size for the boat, but after some good discussion decided to stay with it.

Since we knew we needed a gennie, the next step was to go with an induction cooktop with the convection microwave installed underneath it instead of using a propane stove. I realize that propane versus electric is a personal design choice for the purchaser with strong opinions either way. It was easy for me because my wife wanted it this way, and so that is what we are doing. We found on our previous boat we didn't use the cook top that much preferring to grill outside and will probably do the same with this boat with a small magnum grill.

We decided on an arch as opposed to the mast. We like the look of the arch more than the mast (again personal design choice), and also like the ability it gives to "spread" the electronics.

We added side doors to both pilot house bulwarks, and to the cockpit. The forward side doors will help with the times I single hand, while the cockpit side doors will be the main access to the boat, for the most part. We also added a set of cleats to the cockpit area.

More on the options to follow.

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We heard from Scott Helker that your hull and deck are in the molds and will be removed by the end of next week. He expects ours will start by the end of the month.

We elected to go with the standard engine which is also the standard engine for the 43. We opted for a generator set, solar panels and a full bank of batteries. We also selected a pipe hoist, cockpit side doors and a gunwale door at the starboard pilot house door.

We went with an all electric galley and hydronic heating. We’re thinking about adding a Reverso oil change system. We visited a 38E that just returned from Alaska that had one installed. The owner highly recommended it.

We went for a radar arch, mostly because it frees up deck space and makes enclosing the fly bridge more straight forward. We’re going with a Bimini top for now with the idea that we could adapt it to a full enclosure. Our plan is to stow our Hobie pedal kayaks on the boat deck and carry the dinghy on swim step davits. We’ll use the hoist to raise and lower the kayaks and our bikes.

We requested a list of systems and appliances so we could start looking at online manuals. Kinani from Helmsman immediately sent us a great list of all the components with links to the relevant online documents.

We’re also getting close to settling on a name.

I love the grey! It reminds me of cashmere or London Fog! It will be beautiful!

Doug_Snider said:

We heard from Scott Helker that your hull and deck are in the molds and will be removed by the end of next week. He expects ours will start by the end of the month.

We elected to go with the standard engine which is also the standard engine for the 43. We opted for a generator set, solar panels and a full bank of batteries. We also selected a pipe hoist, cockpit side doors and a gunwale door at the starboard pilot house door.

We went with an all electric galley and hydronic heating. We’re thinking about adding a Reverso oil change system. We visited a 38E that just returned from Alaska that had one installed. The owner highly recommended it.

We went for a radar arch, mostly because it frees up deck space and makes enclosing the fly bridge more straight forward. We’re going with a Bimini top for now with the idea that we could adapt it to a full enclosure. Our plan is to stow our Hobie pedal kayaks on the boat deck and carry the dinghy on swim step davits. We’ll use the hoist to raise and lower the kayaks and our bikes.

We requested a list of systems and appliances so we could start looking at online manuals. Kinani from Helmsman immediately sent us a great list of all the components with links to the relevant online documents.

We’re also getting close to settling on a name.

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We decided against the Reverso. Most who have it like the convenience and I can’t blame them. I have a pump and container I use to change fluids and didn’t feel the need for it. Yes, mine is underway and has been for about three weeks. Thanks for the tip on the list of systems and appliances. That is a good idea that I will request from Kinani also.

Our flybridge on the previous boat was fully enclosed, but with the inside helm, I have decided not to do that. We plan to use the upper deck for get togethers and will put the dinghy on the swim platform.

Helmsman said:

We also like the wide steps to the fly bridge, and the higher than usual railings that Helmsman supplies. We look at this boat as our last rodeo with large boats, so safety as we age is important to be able to continue to use it. Safe access is important, particularly for those of us who are not getting any younger!

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These are two of the features that drew us to the Helmsman 38E. I’m Doug Snider’s (Hull 50) wife and we were involved in a bad car accident 3 years ago and I lost most of my right hand. I couldn’t get out to the bow of our 3288 anymore and we weren’t ready to give up on boating so we started looking for a boat that would be comfortable and safer for me. The 38E meets our requirements beautifully.

PattiS said:

These are two of the features that drew us to the Helmsman 38E. I’m Doug Snider’s (Hull 50) wife and we were involved in a bad car accident 3 years ago and I lost most of my right hand. I couldn’t get out to the bow of our 3288 anymore and we weren’t ready to give up on boating so we started looking for a boat that would be comfortable and safer for me. The 38E meets our requirements beautifully.

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Wifey B: So sorry to hear of your accident.

So happy to read of your perseverance and determination and glad you found a boat that would allow you to continue boating.

So many happy Helmswoman owners here. Oh I like that, you should say you're getting a Helmswoman 38E since you're such a significant part of the choice.

Can't help it, I just concluded an hour web call with two 7 year old girls back home while I'm out playing around. They make me feel fun and giggly like I hope your new Helmswoman 38E does. Someone should let Scott know that he has an additional brand now. If he's wise, he'll quickly trademark it and I won't even ask for credit.

Helmswoman! Yes! Has a nice ring to it! From this day forward this, is whom I shall be! Great coin of the phrase Wifey B and Patti S. Woman power for sure!!!!

I'll chip in here, and echo an agreement with Patti. Its a safe boat. Built as much like a tank as any coastal cruiser, and protective of its occupants. Not like a passage-making ocean-crossing Nordhavn, but for the mission it need not go there. And better than that for coastal cruising and ICW.

And I'll go further, for us it checked every single "must have" box, almost all "it would be nice if" box, and importantly and way too often ignored point, it DOESN'T have things whose absence is actually a plus.

A few examples.

It doesn't "need" stablizers for reasonable conditions. Just keep an eye out for the unreasonable. Got it. Check. Avoid the complications. Its a boat with simple but solid systems.

It does not have a second enclosed sleeping cabin. It does have acceptable quarters with the convertible settee. Why is that an advantage? Many of us have "that one" family member or friend who will be pushy about inviting themselves and then overstay their welcome. We have several. LOL. Were we to get a luxurious second cabin I fear we might have them as liveaboards for months, until we flat made them walk the plank at some dock and off-loaded their baggage and left them standing there. For us, tolerable for 3 days or so is perfect.

Its a package that is big enough, and small enough, and strong enough. For us a sweet spot.

Add in, we like the standard boat. But the ability to customize, with a builder perfectly happy to do it, is a major plus.

Its a total package that is one heck of a value.

I briefly pondered the H43. That's a great boat as a big brother. I'd love the extra salon room. But for us, beyond that, the more was actually less, for more money. That calculation would absolutely be different for others.

Always nice to see someone else's boat choice. I prefer having full length walkable gunwales, but can appreciate where it's a useful trade-off for salon space.

I love the "don't make it too comfortable for guests" vibe! The pillows on our guest bed are all the failed experiments (foam, memory foam, weird shapes, etc). More than one guest has commented how comfy the bed was but the pillow were terrible. No, ya don't say?

Flybridge

"No flybridge, for me I don’t like them I’ll give you a numbered list why I don’t like them maybe you can tell me why are you do"

I have never even been on a flybridge. I have zero preference and stated none. I asked a simple question about disadvantages.

After reading the responses I think I would consider one as the extra room makes a lot of sense to me and my main reason for cruising is to sight see.

The H37 is seldom discussed and I gather less popular. Only slightly less money than the H38, so call it close to even on price.

Walkaround decks. Has an option for a second guest cabin. Sedan style layout.

It therefore becomes the best true comparison I can think of for the tradeoffs between the fantastic feature of walkaround decks vs. living spaces. The give-up in living space is really quite big. More so, in my judgement, than the give-up in the loss of the walkaround decks. Hence my choice, and the choice of most (but certainly not all) Helmsman buyers.

Now, having said all of that, as you go up in boat size a bigger salon (which is where the real interior space give-up is) is just a bigger salon. Said differently, once you have the dining space and sitting space you need, more is nice but not critical. But the larger boat can use better deck access. The tradeoffs shift.

If I were in the market for bigger, then you darned betcha I'd be looking for side decks. Let's say roughly 50 ft., but that's rough and your 47 would be there for me. In that 50 one would likely have availability of BOTH side decks AND a good salon.

In 38 feet, we have to choose one or the other.

PattiS said:

These are two of the features that drew us to the Helmsman 38E. I’m Doug Snider’s (Hull 50) wife and we were involved in a bad car accident 3 years ago and I lost most of my right hand. I couldn’t get out to the bow of our 3288 anymore and we weren’t ready to give up on boating so we started looking for a boat that would be comfortable and safer for me. The 38E meets our requirements beautifully.

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Sorry to hear about your accident. Great that you aren’t going to let it stop you from doing the things you care about! I have found that safety features have taken on more importance, the more experience we have.

FWT said:

The H37 is seldom discussed and I gather less popular. Only slightly less money than the H38, so call it close to even on price.

Walkaround decks. Has an option for a second guest cabin. Sedan style layout.

It therefore becomes the best true comparison I can think of for the tradeoffs between the fantastic feature of walkaround decks vs. living spaces. The give-up in living space is really quite big. More so, in my judgement, than the give-up in the loss of the walkaround decks. Hence my choice, and the choice of most (but certainly not all) Helmsman buyers.

Now, having said all of that, as you go up in boat size a bigger salon (which is where the real interior space give-up is) is just a bigger salon. Said differently, once you have the dining space and sitting space you need, more is nice but not critical. But the larger boat can use better deck access. The tradeoffs shift.

If I were in the market for bigger, then you darned betcha I'd be looking for side decks. Let's say roughly 50 ft., but that's rough and your 47 would be there for me. In that 50 one would likely have availability of BOTH side decks AND a good salon.

In 38 feet, we have to choose one or the other.

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Well stated.

That trade off is key, and not for everyone. When we looked at the Swift Trawler 35, the loss of space in the salon was one of the two deal killers for us.

The Helmsman 37 seemed like it also had a larger cockpit than the 38E. I liked the layout on it almost as much as the 38E. There is just something about the lines of the 38E I liked a little better. Either are great looking boats, and it is nice to have the choice.

Helmsman said:

Well stated.

That trade off is key, and not for everyone. When we looked at the Swift Trawler 35, the loss of space in the salon was one of the two deal killers for us.

The Helmsman 37 seemed like it also had a larger cockpit than the 38E. I liked the layout on it almost as much as the 38E. There is just something about the lines of the 38E I liked a little better. Either are great looking boats, and it is nice to have the choice.

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I agree. With the sedan layout and loss of the midships steps to the flybridge, the cockpit ladder needs some depth to the cockpit, which then becomes an interior space give-up in addition to the side deck give-up.

And then the ladder access up on the flybridge eliminates a lot of dingy storage area. So the issues just compound.

But turn that around. If I preferred dingy storage on davits off the stern, if I preferred a sedan layout, and I were single-handing without guests for most of my cruising (and thus didn't need the extra salon space), the 37 would be high on my list to consider.

I suspect most will at least glance at the Swifts. For me and my needs, that became the definition of what I did NOT want. I found one to take my wife aboard at a show so she could see what I was talking to her about, and I am glad I did. She was already sold on the Helmsman but seeing the Swift cemented it and erased any lingering doubts.

Some friends were looking at the Swift series, and finally ended up getting an Azimut Magellano 43. It really has an amazing amount of useful space. Granted, they're more expensive.

wkearney99 said:

Some friends were looking at the Swift series, and finally ended up getting an Azimut Magellano 43. It really has an amazing amount of useful space. Granted, they're more expensive.

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I have not been aboard an Azimut, but I'm guessing it also has significantly better build quality. Making it worth it.

FWT said:

I have not been aboard an Azimut, but I'm guessing it also has significantly better build quality. Making it worth it.

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Not to hijack this thread, but yeah, the overall build on their 43 is pretty nice. We were fishing around in the ceiling above the forward berth for a spring that had snapped off a light fixture (wifi inspection cameras are great for this). We both noted that even though the ceiling was hidden behind panels the undersize of the deck still had gelcoat finished surfaces. None of the usual raw side of fiberglass you might see in other boats.

What gets me about the 43 is the amount of space utilization on the boat. Three different seating areas capable of seating 6 adults comfortably.

Anyway, sorry for the sidetrack.

Some more options that we added are listed below. There are many other options that Scott and his team have available, and it is probably a good time to restate that one of their strengths is coming up with solutions for a buyer.

We decided to add the sport rails on top of the pilot house. We felt like we may use those to tie down "stuff" if we don't choose to put solar on the boat. We were thinking kayaks, or big floats if the grandchildren are with us on a day trip to an anchor spot. I also like the ability to use as a hand hold while walking to the front.

We put a set of cleats on the cockpit port and starboard sides. May be a redundant item with the hawse holes but would be handy for fenders and such.

One thing we definitely wanted was a GFCI electrical outlet in the cockpit. Our previous boat had that, and it comes in handy for a Vac, air or water pumps, or other power needs. We plan to have the boat back in Tennessee during the fall. One use for the boat in the fall is tieing up at UT football games as part of the Vol Navy outside of the stadium. We will have a couple of TV's set up to watch games. The cockpit power will come in handy for that.

We are putting the two 30 amp connections on the inside of the cockpit. When at the home port, due to dock position, the sun and rain on the back of the stern will receive more weather than the inside of the covered cockpit.

We went with deck lights on the radar arch, and courtesy light on the flybridge. Can't have too much lighting, and will use them occasionally.

We went with two seats at the flybridge helm, with an L shaped settee. One other option was a U shaped settee with the helm chair offset to starboard. When using the helm top side, people who are unfamiliar with boats enjoy sitting up there by the pilot. It can also provide a spot for an additional look out if in challenging fog or night time conditions. We added a small triangular L shaped table at the settee.

Since we will put our dinghy (low weight and small motor) on the swim platform eventually, we want to think through the use of the aft area of the fly bridge. One approach would be to add seating back there, along with a cabinet for a 4 cubic foot fridge and a small grill. We had a magnum grill on our previous boat and used it much more than the galley cook top. But first, at least for the seating, we want to see how our friends and family use the area. So temporary seating first, and perhaps some portable sun pads for those who like to be in the sun. Helmsman can do both, and it is a viable option for those not disposed to have the dinghy up top. It will be interesting to hear your opinions and thoughts on that aft area.

I will mention that the use of a dinghy on the swim platform will be weight constricted, so that has to come into play with decision making. We use our dinghy to get from A to B, and not to explore miles from the boat. Certainly a use case decision to make.

Inside, my wife makes most of the decisions. The teak and holly finish on the interior is really beautiful and very skillfully done. It is a strong selling point for the boat (really like that there is no wood outside to maintain).

Nevertheless, she wanted to brighten up the salon. We went with lighter seats, and will communicate a lighter ceasarstone countertop to Helmsman. In addition, she requested the stainless steel look on the fridge. We decided against wood blinds, and she will decide what she wants to put up for window coverings. We also went with under cabinet lighting. We found that using over head lighting in our previous boat was a little irritating later in the evening and suspect that the under cabinet lighting will help with that.

We decided upon the drop down tv cabinet aft of the galley. I think that will work well for us. We aren't big TV watchers when we are on the boat. Too many other things to see and do.

We went with the hinged storage access option under the berth.

We added a double wide pilotberth conversion in the pilothouse. Makes sense for the grandkids, and the very occasional times we will need sleeping quarters for more than one set of guests. Incidentally, one of the things I really like about the boat is the salon settee berth conversion. With curtains that and the day head can be quartered off for sleeping quarters, and yet still used the other 90% of the time as a salon.

One thing we decided against, was to put a Splendide washer/dryer in the day head which closes off that engine room access. Access there is not important to us, but we decided that the washer dryer wasn't either. It will be interesting to see after we have had the boat awhile if that sentiment changes. I suspect to add later is some work because of the sound and heat insulation, the electrical, and water lines. We will never be away from a marina for more than a week, though, so just didn't see the need for it for us. Many strong opinions there, both ways.

So that wraps up our options so far, with many decisions still to consider. I would like to hear from others in regards to some of their option decisions and from those folks who have thoughts on possible options not discussed previously...

wkearney99 said:

Not to hijack this thread, but yeah, the overall build on their 43 is pretty nice. We were fishing around in the ceiling above the forward berth for a spring that had snapped off a light fixture (wifi inspection cameras are great for this). We both noted that even though the ceiling was hidden behind panels the undersize of the deck still had gelcoat finished surfaces. None of the usual raw side of fiberglass you might see in other boats.

What gets me about the 43 is the amount of space utilization on the boat. Three different seating areas capable of seating 6 adults comfortably.

Anyway, sorry for the sidetrack.

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Azimut's designs are as good as anyone's. Their Magellano line is very well designed for the audience it's intended for. Their quality of build is average to above average. They fall down in two areas. Their wiring and plumbing is all over the place, both figuratively and literally. Just a lot of issues to drive new owners insane, especially on boats for the US market but that brings to their more serious issue. 100% of their US warranty is controlled and managed by Marine Max and generally is lousy. Many customers leave warranty with issues never addressed. Now in the used market often those issues have been fully addressed over the years.

However, the construction is superior to the Swift Trawler and reflected in the higher pricing. The Magellano is a yacht builder going down in size. The Swift Trawler is a small boat builder moving up.

We seem to have selected many of the same options.

We plan to use swim step davits for several reasons. We found having the dinghy clipped to the swim step makes getting in and out easier and safer. In an emergency, deploying the tender from the swim step is quicker and doesn’t rely on the hoist.

We went for the full size pilot house convertible berth. We’re looking for a comfortable recliner for the salon that reclines completely for one teen age grandson to sleep on. His parents will get the salon berth and his older brother will have the pilot house. We haven’t seen how the salon curtains work and would be interested in seeing photos.

We opted for the drop down TV in the salon and the master stateroom. We plan to boat year round and having everything we have at home will be nice. We used a big TV on our last boat to look at photos we took during the day. We can also mirror our chart app to the big screen so our guests can monitor our progress from the salon.

We also chose the pneumatic lift for access to storage below the master berth. We added the second fly bridge helm seat. It will come in handy for teaching the grandsons how to drive.

We elected for shore power connection at the starboard pilot house door. At home we dock bow in. The midship location works for either orientation. Another Helmsman owner we talked to said he needs an extension cord to dock bow in with the transom connection.

We love the wide open space up top. In addition to our kayaks, we plan to carry my mountain bike and my wife’s recumbent trike on the boat deck. A friend with a 38E showed us some clips that mount to the rails for securing items carried on the upper deck.

Helmsman said:

So that wraps up our options so far, with many decisions still to consider. I would like to hear from others in regards to some of their option decisions and from those folks who have thoughts on possible options not discussed previously...

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Well, I can make this quick. Once again I can just begin with "what he said." Our thinking matches with tiny exceptions.

White hull. Navy bootstripe. Just my preference. The bimini will be in navy.

Getting the blinds.

Keeping the dingy topside, so getting a Jackson davit. Dingy choice still up in the air but narrowed down.

Thought about the extra cleats. For fender use really. Frankly it had just dropped off my radar screen by the time I ordered. Not a priority but perhaps I'll revisit.

Same topside layout. 2 helm seats, L shaped settee. Arch. Arch lights. I spent a lot of time on this issue. It was really up to my wife. She wanted the table seating of the U shape for a dinner option, but also wanted the extra helm seat. Can't work. I played with other ideas not done before too. She just came back to this.

What we do plan to do is just get a folding teak table or two, to use topside or in the cockpit. I just figure we'll see what we really want later. And a couple of folding deck chairs. Storage in the lazarette. Not everything must be built in. So liking B&B's electric grill idea, we can just pop that onto a table up top if we like. A cooler when we have a lot of guests can work and its easy.

We have not yet picked cushion and countertop colors yet. We have time. But we are definitely going in the same direction as you, for the same reasons.

We are getting the centerline cabinet stack counter in the faux granite material, and also the top of the cabinet next to the day head. Just a practicality judgement call.

Electric galley. Induction cooktop, convection microwave. AC is a must-have in our area, which makes a generator a must-have, so going electric was an easy call. Especially since it reduces appliances from 3 to 2 and frees up the centerline cabinet. Northern Lights generator. I thought about trying to find space for an additional freezer, for both more ice trays and food, but just didn't pursue it.

I expected my wife to want the washer-dryer more than she did. She really didn't see much need. When you know you need to be in a marina no LESS than once every 7-10 days to empty the black water tank, she just shrugged and said laundry at the marina will be fine, or the occasional hand wash. That simplifies life, and is one less thing to maintain.

We are getting the salon TV cabinet too. And also the drop down one in the cabin above the bed. We really cannot truly decide what we are likely to do when it comes to just lounging around watching some old movie. Not 100% sure just how comfortable the salon seating will be for that use after a 2 hour movie. Might just prop up in bed. So I'm preserving options, even at the cost of doing so.

Yes with the spring assists to under the berth

Single conversion for the pilothouse berth.

I did ask for something I thought might be original and have to get it spec'ed out. But it's been done before. At the end of the island, a drop leaf to add counter space. That moves the cabinet door around to face the fridge.

Also, my wife wanted handholds. First, when standing at the chart table facing forward. That will be along the chart table edge, in teak. Second, on the deck above the cabin top above the berth. She wanted something to hold onto if climbing out the hatch in an emergency. For me, coming out of sailing, the idea of handholds on the cabin top when on the foredeck in snotty weather was a natural expectation. So we are having a pair of stainless hand holds installed along the two sides of the hatch, carried forward about an additional 6 inches or so. Fingers crossed they are enough without being too much.

You are going Furuno, I'm thinking Simrad. Its hard to find differences between the brands. All are pretty good from what I see. But Simrad seems to do the best with auto-routing in the autopilot. Not a big deal, but it is a point of differentiation. Also, I am kinda persuading myself on the value of forward looking sonar. That puts you with either Garmin or Simrad, and the Simrad version seems to be cleaner to read. I have yet to find the right dealer in the Kent Island / Annapolis area to work with and may just go with Scott's guy. When the time comes make final choices I really want to pick the brains of the right professional, and I just can't find that yet. My mind can change on this. Heck, I spent a lot of years sailing with paper charts and a compass, and this stuff didn't exist. The worst of it is pretty luxurious.

What I am NOT planning to do is install a fancy sound system. Small portable bluetooth systems have become so good, fed by iphone / ipad playlists, to me that makes so much more sense than drilling holes and running wires for some expensive built in system that's harder to fix and is obsolete next year anyway.

You didn't mention swim platform staples. With your dingy back there you may not be getting them. I am. Dingy up top.

I am getting side access doors in the cockpit, but also amidships opposite the pilothouse doors. I want this boat to be user-friendly to singlehand so I want access options.

To that same point, I am getting not just stern thrusters, but a remote to use bow and stern thrusters. The remote is a cheap addition. My reasoning is simple enough. Scott convinced me I don't NEED stern thrusters, and I agree. But what I do want is the ability to nudge the boat and KEEP it where I put it when scurrying around with docklines especially single handed. This might prove to be overkill, but its peace of mind I'll pay for. Stern thrusters have become expected in resale, I gather, so there's that too. But the last is just rationalization.

380 hp Cummins. So no need for trim tabs. 7-ish knots is my expected normal cruise speed.

Towel bar handrails in the day head are not standard. I ordered it.

I thought about Reverso. Seemed like overkill, so didn't.

Can't think of more. If I do, I'll post.

Interest guy! I thought the 38E came standard with bow and stern thrusters?

Nancy n Larry said:

Interest guy! I thought the 38E came standard with bow and stern thrusters?

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It does. But if you don't want them Scott can talk to you about a credit back. So one way or another its a choice that costs or saves you money.

The remote isn't standard, but its cheap.

I am not the guy to speak for Scott. But my takeaway from conversations on this, is he made them standard because buyers kept wanting them, not because he thinks they are needed.

Which if you go through a lot of posts on this board I think you will quickly find a lot of them advising to learn to dock without using them much. Good advice.

Thank you for your reply! We never used our remote on our last boat but done people do. As far as docking is concerned, we are pretty good at not using our thrusters but do consider them good for resale. Will you have a wifi hotspot on board? If so, which one? We also like to stream music and movies and the Alexa products are great.

Nancy n Larry said:

Thank you for your reply! We never used our remote on our last boat but done people do. As far as docking is concerned, we are pretty good at not using our thrusters but do consider them good for resale. Will you have a wifi hotspot on board? If so, which one? We also like to stream music and movies and the Alexa products are great.

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Now you are getting into an area I have zero answers for ... yet. But need them.

I have been hoping the new Starlink sat broadband would be up and practical for boaters by the time I am ready for it. But at the moment it appears that timeline is too optimistic.

So I suppose the most we can do is just go with cell phone provider connections. On the east coast Verizon seems to have the best coverage. But we will see when the time draws closer.

Blue Ray players that connect via bluetooth are now easy. You can put the player anywhere on board, so long as you are using a remote that is radio frequency (like the Logitech remotes). And just use a Roku TV or a stick adaptor to connect to whatever broadband connection you have.

One thing I won't do is have an Alexa device anywhere around me. The gadgets that work by listening and spying on you just give me the willies. I buy TV's without that stuff. My desktop monitor was selected to not have cameras and mikes at all. I'd pay a premium to NOT have that stuff. But that's just me. Old school and proudly so.

FWT said:

My desktop monitor was selected to not have cameras and mikes at all. I'd pay a premium to NOT have that stuff. But that's just me. Old school and proudly so.

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Wifey B: No cameras? Can't imagine the last two years without webcams. Oh but you do have a camera on your phone.

Just curious as we've lived on cams both businesswise and personal wise during the pandemic, have you not communicated with others by cam at all? Not doctors or family?

Doug_Snider said:

We seem to have selected many of the same options.

We plan to use swim step davits for several reasons. We found having the dinghy clipped to the swim step makes getting in and out easier and safer. In an emergency, deploying the tender from the swim step is quicker and doesn’t rely on the hoist.

We went for the full size pilot house convertible berth. We’re looking for a comfortable recliner for the salon that reclines completely for one teen age grandson to sleep on. His parents will get the salon berth and his older brother will have the pilot house. We haven’t seen how the salon curtains work and would be interested in seeing photos.

We opted for the drop down TV in the salon and the master stateroom. We plan to boat year round and having everything we have at home will be nice. We used a big TV on our last boat to look at photos we took during the day. We can also mirror our chart app to the big screen so our guests can monitor our progress from the salon.

We also chose the pneumatic lift for access to storage below the master berth. We added the second fly bridge helm seat. It will come in handy for teaching the grandsons how to drive.

We elected for shore power connection at the starboard pilot house door. At home we dock bow in. The midship location works for either orientation. Another Helmsman owner we talked to said he needs an extension cord to dock bow in with the transom connection.

We love the wide open space up top. In addition to our kayaks, we plan to carry my mountain bike and my wife’s recumbent trike on the boat deck. A friend with a 38E showed us some clips that mount to the rails for securing items carried on the upper deck.

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Yes, midship would work well. I like to back in when out traveling if possible so on the stern works well for me. With the side doors, that may change. I will have both 25 foot and 50 foot cords. When we do decide to bring her to the home port, the power pedestal is at the stern. I like the idea of connecting the TV to the CP.



Scott suggested the curtains. Seems like a lot of folks may set up that way. Just run a taut line (steel wire maybe) down the center line of the salon and hang them at night. Shouldn't be too much to deal with.