Another new start for Helmsman

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We are #52! Picked out all our Furuno systems last week. Getting excited. Best of luck everyone!
 
“Water Music” hull number 44 arrived in Seattle this evening thanks to Scott and Van Helker steaming her from Longview WA on the Columbia River. Shipping from China to North America is in a mess but the Helker’s persevered and after many delays finally got the boat booked on a general cargo ship calling at Longview instead of the container ships calling Seattle. There were still delays at both ends of the voyage but she is finally here. A couple of weeks for commissioning and installation of electronics and we should take delivery before the end of October. Getting excited.
 
Water Music said:
“Water Music” hull number 44 arrived in Seattle this evening thanks to Scott and Van Helker steaming her from Longview WA on the Columbia River. Shipping from China to North America is in a mess but the Helker’s persevered and after many delays finally got the boat booked on a general cargo ship calling at Longview instead of the container ships calling Seattle. There were still delays at both ends of the voyage but she is finally here. A couple of weeks for commissioning and installation of electronics and we should take delivery before the end of October. Getting excited.
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Congratulations to you and the Helmsman team! Yay!!!
 
Water Music said:
“Water Music” hull number 44 arrived in Seattle this evening thanks to Scott and Van Helker steaming her from Longview WA on the Columbia River. Shipping from China to North America is in a mess but the Helker’s persevered and after many delays finally got the boat booked on a general cargo ship calling at Longview instead of the container ships calling Seattle. There were still delays at both ends of the voyage but she is finally here. A couple of weeks for commissioning and installation of electronics and we should take delivery before the end of October. Getting excited.
Click to expand...

It’s amazing what Scott and his team did. They left Astoria yesterday morning and crossed the treacherous Astoria bar. The traveled up the coast and transited the Strait of Juan de Fuca during gale warnings. The 38E had no electronics permanently installed. A portable radar was attached with bungee cords. I’d love to see Scott do a blog post on this journey. It says a lot for the boat and for the Helmsman team. Congratulations on your new boat.
 
Doug_Snider said:
It’s amazing what Scott and his team did. They left Astoria yesterday morning and crossed the treacherous Astoria bar. The traveled up the coast and transited the Strait of Juan de Fuca during gale warnings. The 38E had no electronics permanently installed. A portable radar was attached with bungee cords. I’d love to see Scott do a blog post on this journey. It says a lot for the boat and for the Helmsman team. Congratulations on your new boat.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would be very interesting to know how long total hours it took from Astoria to Cape Flattery. Quite a trip for sure!
 
Doug_Snider said:
It’s amazing what Scott and his team did. They left Astoria yesterday morning and crossed the treacherous Astoria bar. The traveled up the coast and transited the Strait of Juan de Fuca during gale warnings. The 38E had no electronics permanently installed. A portable radar was attached with bungee cords. I’d love to see Scott do a blog post on this journey. It says a lot for the boat and for the Helmsman team. Congratulations on your new boat.
Click to expand...

Crazy trip. Glad they made it in safe and sound. Good people taking care of their customers! Certainly gives me a lot of confidence in the boat.
 
Doug_Snider said:
It’s amazing what Scott and his team did. They left Astoria yesterday morning and crossed the treacherous Astoria bar. The traveled up the coast and transited the Strait of Juan de Fuca during gale warnings. The 38E had no electronics permanently installed. A portable radar was attached with bungee cords. I’d love to see Scott do a blog post on this journey. It says a lot for the boat and for the Helmsman team. Congratulations on your new boat.
Click to expand...

Just wow.

A worthy boat.

Confidence in the boat to do it.

Seamanship.
 
Water Music said:
“Water Music” hull number 44 arrived in Seattle this evening thanks to Scott and Van Helker steaming her from Longview WA on the Columbia River. Shipping from China to North America is in a mess but the Helker’s persevered and after many delays finally got the boat booked on a general cargo ship calling at Longview instead of the container ships calling Seattle. There were still delays at both ends of the voyage but she is finally here. A couple of weeks for commissioning and installation of electronics and we should take delivery before the end of October. Getting excited.
Click to expand...

Congratulations!
 
Water Music said:
“Water Music” hull number 44 arrived in Seattle this evening thanks to Scott and Van Helker steaming her from Longview WA on the Columbia River. Shipping from China to North America is in a mess but the Helker’s persevered and after many delays finally got the boat booked on a general cargo ship calling at Longview instead of the container ships calling Seattle. There were still delays at both ends of the voyage but she is finally here. A couple of weeks for commissioning and installation of electronics and we should take delivery before the end of October. Getting excited.
Click to expand...

Congratulations!
 
This will deflate the Homeric proportions established by the previous posts...

WATER MUSIC waited on the dock in Longview for nearly two weeks due to labor shortages caused by very busy port facilities. The boat was finally put into the water by a friendly and helpful crew in Longview on Wednesday morning and then towed to a place where we could connect the batteries, get the engine running, and check the systems. We then proceeded 42 nm down the Columbia for a few days in Astoria to ready the boat for the trip to Seattle. But the weather forecast looked bad and (tip of the cap to Commander's Weather Service and their personalized and very detailed trip planning forecasts) we decided to get underway on Friday to beat what could be as much as a month of prohibitive and repetitive weather systems.

Accompanying Van and myself was Dave Carleson, one of our salespeople, who has done this trip in everything but a coracle I think, and who is a hardy and pleasant watchstander too. The personalized forecast and Dave were both invaluable.

From the Columbia bar crossing at slack tide of 0815 to the turn into Juan de Fuca at Cape Flattery took about 17 hours.

Thankfully we knew from our personalized forecast to hug the coast at about 5 miles, instead of the usual distance farther offshore, so the conditions were mostly benign. The worst winds and waves were encountered in Puget Sound on Saturday afternoon, as Commander's had predicted.

The total trip from Astoria to Seattle took 34.5 hours, including the Ballard Locks and a brief stop enroute to change the transmission break-in fluid and filter.

Confidence in the boat, yes, but a lot of preparation and safety equipment too, just in case.

All-in-all a fine adventure and the boat performed and handled (hand-steered all the way) beautifully. Nonetheless, we're hoping the shipping situation allows us to get bookings to Seattle again soon.

We're looking forward to WATER MUSIC's Canadian owners taking delivery, and to hearing about their adventures. She's had a good shakedown!

Scott Helker
Helmsman Trawlers
 

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Oh wow! Such an incredible journey and accounting of your trip! We have been waiting for the details! Thank you so much for posting!
 
OK, the modesty is admirable Scott. :)

But the seamanship comment stands! Preparation. Acquisition of a good read on weather, the right plan, and the right crew for the trip. An important part of seamanship that avoids more "excitement."
 
Hobomack said:
This will deflate the Homeric proportions established by the previous posts...

WATER MUSIC waited on the dock in Longview for nearly two weeks due to labor shortages caused by very busy port facilities. The boat was finally put into the water by a friendly and helpful crew in Longview on Wednesday morning and then towed to a place where we could connect the batteries, get the engine running, and check the systems. We then proceeded 42 nm down the Columbia for a few days in Astoria to ready the boat for the trip to Seattle. But the weather forecast looked bad and (tip of the cap to Commander's Weather Service and their personalized and very detailed trip planning forecasts) we decided to get underway on Friday to beat what could be as much as a month of prohibitive and repetitive weather systems.

Accompanying Van and myself was Dave Carleson, one of our salespeople, who has done this trip in everything but a coracle I think, and who is a hardy and pleasant watchstander too. The personalized forecast and Dave were both invaluable.

From the Columbia bar crossing at slack tide of 0815 to the turn into Juan de Fuca at Cape Flattery took about 17 hours.

Thankfully we knew from our personalized forecast to hug the coast at about 5 miles, instead of the usual distance farther offshore, so the conditions were mostly benign. The worst winds and waves were encountered in Puget Sound on Saturday afternoon, as Commander's had predicted.

The total trip from Astoria to Seattle took 34.5 hours, including the Ballard Locks and a brief stop enroute to change the transmission break-in fluid and filter.

Confidence in the boat, yes, but a lot of preparation and safety equipment too, just in case.

All-in-all a fine adventure and the boat performed and handled (hand-steered all the way) beautifully. Nonetheless, we're hoping the shipping situation allows us to get bookings to Seattle again soon.

We're looking forward to WATER MUSIC's Canadian owners taking delivery, and to hearing about their adventures. She's had a good shakedown!

Scott Helker
Helmsman Trawlers
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good run to me. Would have been a fun trip.
 
Water Music said:
“Water Music” hull number 44 arrived in Seattle this evening thanks to Scott and Van Helker steaming her from Longview WA on the Columbia River. Shipping from China to North America is in a mess but the Helker’s persevered and after many delays finally got the boat booked on a general cargo ship calling at Longview instead of the container ships calling Seattle. There were still delays at both ends of the voyage but she is finally here. A couple of weeks for commissioning and installation of electronics and we should take delivery before the end of October. Getting excited.
Click to expand...

Helmsman Trawlers put some photos of the maiden voyage on Instagram today.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVBp0gfPNAK/?utm_medium=copy_link
 
Tom-Jill-Lilly said:
Hi Helmsman, that's sure is exciting! Do you have a picture or two you can share?
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Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have seen some pictures, but can't produce those. When it starts "looking like a boat" I may post a couple. I believe mine is pretty close to being pulled from the molds, so Doug's will be started very soon, if not already.
 
Helmsman said:
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have seen some pictures, but can't produce those. When it starts "looking like a boat" I may post a couple. I believe mine is pretty close to being pulled from the molds, so Doug's will be started very soon, if not already.
Click to expand...


On September 9, Scott said he expected our build to start by the end of that month. Halfway through October, we haven’t seen anything yet. it looks like the schedule is slipping a little.
 
Looks like several 38E new builds are in progress. Congratulations! I wanted to say a few words about our 38E, hull 40, a new build which arrived in late October 2019.

Our Helmsman 38E (hull 40), christened MV Kiskadee, arrived in Seattle in late October 2019. Since then, we have enjoyed cruising the San Juans, Puget Sound and Hood Canal. Canada was closed last year, so we’re planning now for our extended Alaska trip in 2022.

We are extremely happy and comfortable with our 38E. We have put over 500 hours on the Cummins 380 without any hiccups since we took delivery. We’ve not had any mechanical or other operating problems. The truth is, that overall, she is well designed, well built, well appointed, with excellent fit and finish. So, for those who have chosen Helmsman 38E or 43, you've made a great choice.

I’ll mention some of the aspects of the 38E which we really like. Externally, the textured deck makes moving around safely especially with the sturdy handrails. A classy standard feature is the stainless-steel Bruce anchor, for which we’ve had a lot of compliments! Steps to the flybridge are well spaced and easy to climb safely: great handrails, once again. The flybridge is roomy at the helm, with two captains’ chairs. Aft of the mast our 11 ft Achilles dinghy fits nicely athwart. We have a Nick Jackson #600 davit which is compact and easily operated. Our choice to keep the dinghy and OB below 300 lbs is aimed at mitigating roll in beam seas.

In the cockpit are the port and starboard bulwark doors, and one on the transom. Those doors make getting on and off easily and safely at dockside. We use the bulwark doors for access to the dinghy alongside when we are at anchor. We chose not to have staples on the swim platform for a cleaner look.

Internally, the layout is well planned. As you enter through the solid sliding door at the cockpit, the pleasing and well-balanced appearance of the salon makes us feel at home immediately. The beautiful craftmanship of the wooden finish throughout the vessel gives the interior a warm feel. We have the standard layout with the galley to starboard, and dining area to port. Appliances are of excellent quality and ours have functioned flawlessly. We enjoy the more than adequate storage and beautifully crafted storage cabinets. The overhead fold down glass/dish storage cabinets, both double and single, increase dish storage and when up, are totally out of the way. The large, double sided storage cabinet on the port side, adjacent to guest head, is enormous. The counter top of this cabinet holds our TV and DVD player, with easy access to the 110v outlet. The pilothouse is roomy, with a nice chart locker, cabinets and drawers. Visibility at the helm is excellent, especially looking aft through the cutout when going in reverse or stern-in at a slip.

The single stateroom is very comfortable, with closets and shelves on both sides of the bed. The under-bed drawers are easily accessible places for storing sheets and towels. The queen size mattress is of excellent quality and firmness. Wider steps, high along each side of the bed, simplifies making of the bed. We especially like the separate head and shower, a standard 38E feature. This split arrangement is one of the reasons we chose the 38E. Another is the day head off the salon, very convenient when guests are on board.

Other nice and thoughtful standard features: adjustable overhead LED lights in every compartment, sliding doors of the pilothouse, engine access via the bulkhead door in the day head, engine compartments with enough room to work, large lazarette, sound proofing, and interior hand rails. For useful options, we added extra 110v/USB outlets in the cockpit, and pilothouse, 5KW genset, reverso and extra batteries.

I know you will feel the same way about your new 38E after taking delivery, and finally, thanks to Scott, Lisa and Van, for making our PNW cruising in MV Kiskadee such a wonderful experience.
 
Thank you for your great review! Your comments create even more excitement in taking delivery of our 38E next summer, hull #52. They are such beautiful boats and we hope to see you on the water sometime in 2022!
 
chanprr said:
Looks like several 38E new builds are in progress. Congratulations! I wanted to say a few words about our 38E, hull 40, a new build which arrived in late October 2019.

Our Helmsman 38E (hull 40), christened MV Kiskadee, arrived in Seattle in late October 2019. Since then, we have enjoyed cruising the San Juans, Puget Sound and Hood Canal. Canada was closed last year, so we’re planning now for our extended Alaska trip in 2022.

We are extremely happy and comfortable with our 38E. We have put over 500 hours on the Cummins 380 without any hiccups since we took delivery. We’ve not had any mechanical or other operating problems. The truth is, that overall, she is well designed, well built, well appointed, with excellent fit and finish. So, for those who have chosen Helmsman 38E or 43, you've made a great choice.
.
Click to expand...

Your post was very timely. Scott notified us today that our build (Hull No. 50), to be christened “Alba Bella”, has begun. We decided on a Helmsman 38E for most of the features you mentioned. We’re hoping for a late spring 2022 delivery. Just seeing a photo of the empty mold is exciting.

Our Shelter Bay Yacht Club did a cruise that included two days in Port Ludlow in 2019. We really enjoyed your hospitality. I hope we’ll be returning again soon.
 
chanprr said:
Looks like several 38E new builds are in progress. Congratulations! I wanted to say a few words about our 38E, hull 40, a new build which arrived in late October 2019.

Our Helmsman 38E (hull 40), christened MV Kiskadee, arrived in Seattle in late October 2019. Since then, we have enjoyed cruising the San Juans, Puget Sound and Hood Canal. Canada was closed last year, so we’re planning now for our extended Alaska trip in 2022.

We are extremely happy and comfortable with our 38E. We have put over 500 hours on the Cummins 380 without any hiccups since we took delivery. We’ve not had any mechanical or other operating problems. The truth is, that overall, she is well designed, well built, well appointed, with excellent fit and finish. So, for those who have chosen Helmsman 38E or 43, you've made a great choice.

I’ll mention some of the aspects of the 38E which we really like. Externally, the textured deck makes moving around safely especially with the sturdy handrails. A classy standard feature is the stainless-steel Bruce anchor, for which we’ve had a lot of compliments! Steps to the flybridge are well spaced and easy to climb safely: great handrails, once again. The flybridge is roomy at the helm, with two captains’ chairs. Aft of the mast our 11 ft Achilles dinghy fits nicely athwart. We have a Nick Jackson #600 davit which is compact and easily operated. Our choice to keep the dinghy and OB below 300 lbs is aimed at mitigating roll in beam seas.

In the cockpit are the port and starboard bulwark doors, and one on the transom. Those doors make getting on and off easily and safely at dockside. We use the bulwark doors for access to the dinghy alongside when we are at anchor. We chose not to have staples on the swim platform for a cleaner look.

Internally, the layout is well planned. As you enter through the solid sliding door at the cockpit, the pleasing and well-balanced appearance of the salon makes us feel at home immediately. The beautiful craftmanship of the wooden finish throughout the vessel gives the interior a warm feel. We have the standard layout with the galley to starboard, and dining area to port. Appliances are of excellent quality and ours have functioned flawlessly. We enjoy the more than adequate storage and beautifully crafted storage cabinets. The overhead fold down glass/dish storage cabinets, both double and single, increase dish storage and when up, are totally out of the way. The large, double sided storage cabinet on the port side, adjacent to guest head, is enormous. The counter top of this cabinet holds our TV and DVD player, with easy access to the 110v outlet. The pilothouse is roomy, with a nice chart locker, cabinets and drawers. Visibility at the helm is excellent, especially looking aft through the cutout when going in reverse or stern-in at a slip.

The single stateroom is very comfortable, with closets and shelves on both sides of the bed. The under-bed drawers are easily accessible places for storing sheets and towels. The queen size mattress is of excellent quality and firmness. Wider steps, high along each side of the bed, simplifies making of the bed. We especially like the separate head and shower, a standard 38E feature. This split arrangement is one of the reasons we chose the 38E. Another is the day head off the salon, very convenient when guests are on board.

Other nice and thoughtful standard features: adjustable overhead LED lights in every compartment, sliding doors of the pilothouse, engine access via the bulkhead door in the day head, engine compartments with enough room to work, large lazarette, sound proofing, and interior hand rails. For useful options, we added extra 110v/USB outlets in the cockpit, and pilothouse, 5KW genset, reverso and extra batteries.

I know you will feel the same way about your new 38E after taking delivery, and finally, thanks to Scott, Lisa and Van, for making our PNW cruising in MV Kiskadee such a wonderful experience.
Click to expand...


Thanks much for the well done review. You hit on all the points that we like about the boat. Great to hear about how good the fit is for you.
 
Doug_Snider said:
Your post was very timely. Scott notified us today that our build (Hull No. 50), to be christened “Alba Bella”, has begun. We decided on a Helmsman 38E for most of the features you mentioned. We’re hoping for a late spring 2022 delivery. Just seeing a photo of the empty mold is exciting.

Our Shelter Bay Yacht Club did a cruise that included two days in Port Ludlow in 2019. We really enjoyed your hospitality. I hope we’ll be returning again soon.
Click to expand...


Yes, Scott and Van let us know that our boat is out of the mold. So exciting times!
 
Indeed. Thanks. Too late for me to edit. Darned iphone. :)
 
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