Another new start for Helmsman

What a beautiful boat Doug! Congratulations, and wishing you many years of fun use!

Our completion photos arrived yesterday. Here are a couple of pics. You can see the true craftsmanship that is put into everything about the boat. We are really happy with the way it turned out and really like the lighter settees and counter top. The planned arrival is set for late November.

I still need to get on a recently built 38e to look at the electronics cabling and positioning of the various pieces. While I have decided what I think would work best, being able to measure some wire and antenna runs would be extremely helpful.

Since this is an "east coast boat" with HVAC and a gennie, we opted for the induction stove top and microwave set up. in other words, we will not have propane on board. We also do not have the Webasto diesel heaters. We don't think that will be an issue other than possibly very early in the season when we leave the boat up north over the winter while underway on the great loop. We will also have an electric grill and additional fridge up top. They are part of a cabinet across from the settee.

Really clean looking boat. Stoked for you guys.

Helmsman said:

Our completion photos arrived yesterday. Here are a couple of pics. You can see the true craftsmanship that is put into everything about the boat. We are really happy with the way it turned out and really like the lighter settees and counter top. The planned arrival is set for late November.

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Your boat looks beautiful. We’re as excited to see your boat out of the nest as we are to see ours ready to ship. We also went the no propane route and our salons look very similar.

The ship that’s carrying Alba Bella to Seattle docked in Xiamen yesterday and we expect it to leave Shanghai on Sunday.

I noticed in our photos and yours that there is a metal fitting or device on the underside of the cockpit overhead at the centerline of the aft edge. I haven’t seen that in other Helmsman photos and was curious what it might be.

I am pretty sure that it is a light. Which will come in handy. I want to have a camera back there somewhere, so having a light back there will be handy.

Looking sharp Helmsman!

Wow, how exciting. Congratulations!!! Keep us updated on the progress.

Looks fantastic Helmsman.

We know just how you feel about the finish. Absolutely beautiful. Just wait until you step on board for the first time. Congratulations.

Helmsman! Fantastic! Nice ride for sure! Can’t wait to follow your adventures. For the moment we must live vicariously through your eyes! Congratulations

Question about the Helmsman:


Are all the Helmsman boats full displacement, slow speed trawlers, or do some have some speed capability to get up on plane? All single engine?


Thx

Seevee said:

Question about the Helmsman:


Are all the Helmsman boats full displacement, slow speed trawlers, or do some have some speed capability to get up on plane? All single engine?


Thx

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All of the models I know of are semi-displacement and single engine. The 31 is basically the old Camano 31, so it'll definitely exceed hull speed by a decent margin. Most of the other models will exceed hull speed, but they're fairly slow SD hulls and won't plane, so especially with the standard engines, they're not fast by any means. None of them will cruise in the mid teens unless you add rocket boosters.

Seevee said:

Question about the Helmsman:


Are all the Helmsman boats full displacement, slow speed trawlers, or do some have some speed capability to get up on plane? All single engine?


Thx

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The 38 and 43 are both single engine boats. I put the 480 hp version of the QSB in mine. The Helmsman folks suggested adding trim tabs for the additional HP. So the bow would probably lift out of the water without them at higher RPM’s. (the higher HP engine was my wife’s requirement to outrun storms, etc., I wasn’t interested in the additional speed it could provide). If I had wanted a planing boat, I would have gone a different direction.

Seevee said:

Question about the Helmsman:

Are all the Helmsman boats full displacement, slow speed trawlers, or do some have some speed capability to get up on plane? All single engine?

Thx

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I spent a lot of time talking about and looking into this. As others have opined, Helmsman boats are not planing hulls. However, they are on the semi-displacement spectrum (flat aft sections in the hull, somewhat similar to some Maine-built 'downeast' designs such as Wilbur). I've been told that the 38, when fitted with a 480 hp engine, can reach 16 knots.

The design target of my 38 Sedan (currently being built), with a 550 hp engine, is to be able to achieve 15-17 knots.

Nick14 said:

I spent a lot of time talking about and looking into this. As others have opined, Helmsman boats are not planing hulls. However, they are on the semi-displacement spectrum (flat aft sections in the hull, somewhat similar to some Maine-built 'downeast' designs such as Wilbur). I've been told that the 38, when fitted with a 480 hp engine, can reach 16 knots.

The design target of my 38 Sedan (currently being built), with a 550 hp engine, is to be able to achieve 15-17 knots.

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With the 480 that number seems right to me. The variable is that occurs with a clean hull and running gear, according to a couple of earlier discussions.

Well done Helmsman: Looks beauty! We look forward to your visit in Gananoque Ontario when you do the loop. We are open all year - June to August
Barrie

Barrie said:

Well done Helmsman: Looks beauty! We look forward to your visit in Gananoque Ontario when you do the loop. We are open all year - June to August
Barrie

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Will put that in the planner!

On that same note, let me know if you're stopping into Rochester on your loop and we'll make sure to say hi!

Will do!

Helmsman said:

Our completion photos arrived yesterday...

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Wow! Another real beauty! Congrats!

Helmsman 43e

My 43e should ship mid nov. I choose the Cummins 550, still working out prop choice with Scott. I’ll report real world speed early next year. Very anxious to see the new 46.

Helmsman43 said:

My 43e should ship mid nov. I choose the Cummins 550, still working out prop choice with Scott. I’ll report real world speed early next year. Very anxious to see the new 46.

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Congratulations! Great news.

Helmsman 38E checklists

We’re getting close to delivery of our 38E and are getting ourselves ready to operate the new boat. I inquired about published checklists and learned they are not part of the documentation we will receive. With a boat with all the systems this one has, there are only a few ways to do things right and an infinite number of ways to get it wrong. I have seen generic checklists and checklist templates. Do any Helmsman owners have 38E specific checklists they would be willing to share?

Doug, the checklist and operating instructions for the Amy Ann would work to develop one for yourself. That is the boat advertised for lease on the Helmsman web site. I have adopted some of that and will finalize when the boat arrives. Will vastly simplify it for you.

Other current owners can chime in with theirs.

Helmsman said:

Doug, the checklist and operating instructions for the Amy Ann would work to develop one for yourself. That is the boat advertised for lease on the Helmsman web site. I have adopted some of that and will finalize when the boat arrives. Will vastly simplify it for you.

Other current owners can chime in with theirs.

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Sorry if it has already been covered, but where will the boat be commissioned and where will you take delivery? In TN?

BTW, I think this has been one of the best threads on TF in a long time, and I don't own or plan to own a Helmsman. Not that I have anything against them - I'm just not in the market for one. It has meandered through the vast majority of issues, topics, and decision one needs to make when building a boat, explored all sorts of tradeoffs and alternative, and shows why different people choose different things along the way. A must-read for anyone building a new boat!



Congrats on the upcoming delivery, and years of enjoyment ahead!

twistedtree said:

Sorry if it has already been covered, but where will the boat be commissioned and where will you take delivery? In TN?

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The boat will be delivered to Miami or possibly New Orleans. The booking is confirmed to leave Asia on October 30th. We will then bring it up to the Tennessee River to finish outfitting. Then we will head back out from there.

twistedtree said:

BTW, I think this has been one of the best threads on TF in a long time, and I don't own or plan to own a Helmsman. Not that I have anything against them - I'm just not in the market for one. It has meandered through the vast majority of issues, topics, and decision one needs to make when building a boat, explored all sorts of tradeoffs and alternative, and shows why different people choose different things along the way. A must-read for anyone building a new boat!



Congrats on the upcoming delivery, and years of enjoyment ahead!

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Thank you for the kind comments. I personally have learned a lot from everyone who has participated, including you. Been fun working with the Helmsman team, too. Professional, caring group of people both here and at Helmsman.

Doug_Snider said:

We’re getting close to delivery of our 38E and are getting ourselves ready to operate the new boat. I inquired about published checklists and learned they are not part of the documentation we will receive. With a boat with all the systems this one has, there are only a few ways to do things right and an infinite number of ways to get it wrong. I have seen generic checklists and checklist templates. Do any Helmsman owners have 38E specific checklists they would be willing to share?

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I second the Amy Ann recommendation. They did a nice job covering the systems and I used some of their material when I made our personal user manual awhile back. It’s fairly specific to our boat with notes on upgrades, systems.

I have a basic checklist I keep at the helm for startup. PM me your email, and I will forward a copy.

Fletcher / Helmsman / Doug

Thanks for the heads up on the Amy Ann checklist doc. It was news to me. I found and downloaded that, and indeed its pretty good and at the very least a good start to build my own.

Much appreciated.