New here – Helmsman 46 vs Nordhavn 475 vs Selene 49 for liveaboard?

[LJJ]

Hi everyone, I’m LJ.

Totally new to boats, but I’m a long-time RV user dreaming of living part-time on the water.

I’m looking at three boats – Helmsman 46, Nordhavn 475, and Selene 49.
If the main goal is comfortable liveaboard life with some small adventures (not extreme expeditions), which one do you think makes the most sense?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[KMAL]

Hi everyone, I’m LJ.

Totally new to boats, but I’m a long-time RV user dreaming of living part-time on the water.

I’m looking at three boats – Helmsman 46, Nordhavn 475, and Selene 49.
If the main goal is comfortable liveaboard life with some small adventures (not extreme expeditions), which one do you think makes the most sense?

Thanks for any advice!

All very nice boats - but for a live aboard - simply, you will be blown away by the beam to beam space on the Helmsman. Note that all of these boats, while rated blue water, serve very different cruising profiles. your question is best answered through a determination of your needs and good diligence to match those needs with the right boat.

 

[tiltrider1]

What to look for in a live aboard boat? STORAGE SPACE!

Kitchen storage space is the most over looked. Next, is clothes space. Most cruising is summer based and we don’t need many clothes for two weeks. Liveaboard is different we need all our clothes summer, winter, casual, work, and formal.

 

[ksanders]

All nice but the Nordhavn, and Selene are built for a different mission than the Helmsman.

The Nordhavn, and Selene are ocean crossing passagemaker boats, while the Helmsman is a boat built for Coastal Cruising.

Get aboard lots of boats, and decide what you need based on what you want to do...

As an example we are currently cruising our Bayliner 4788, which is a wonderful boat for extended time aboard, at around half or less the money than any of the other boats you mentioned, something to think about.

 

[chanprr]

I've looked at all three makes, and came close to buying either a Selene or Nordhaven. What made us choose the Helmsman 46 is the way Helmsman operates after sale (Owner: Scott Helker), the 46's interior spaciousness, especially the beam wide salon, and its amazing storage. You should know that the 46 is our second Helmsman, the first being a 38E.

 

[LJJ]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I think I have read almost every word and looked at every picture you’ve posted about your Helmsman – your boat is truly beautiful. It’s very inspiring for someone like me who is just starting to learn.

 

[LJJ]

Thanks a lot for your reply! I also noticed that point – at first I thought all of these boats were mainly for crossing oceans, but later I realized the Helmsman seems to be more suited for coastal cruising.

Your explanation about the beam-to-beam space really helps me understand why it could be a great choice for liveaboard comfort. Much appreciated!

 

[LJJ]

All nice but the Nordhavn, and Selene are built for a different mission than the Helmsman.

The Nordhavn, and Selene are ocean crossing passagemaker boats, while the Helmsman is a boat built for Coastal Cruising.

Get aboard lots of boats, and decide what you need based on what you want to do...

As an example we are currently cruising our Bayliner 4788, which is a wonderful boat for extended time aboard, at around half or less the money than any of the other boats you mentioned, something to think about.

Thank you for the clear explanation! I understand now that the Nordhavn and Selene are really passagemakers for ocean crossings, while the Helmsman is more for coastal cruising.

That makes a lot of sense for me as a beginner who is mainly thinking about liveaboard comfort with smaller adventures, not long ocean passages. I’ll also keep in mind your advice to get aboard as many boats as possible. Really appreciate your guidance!

 

[Mac2]

One feature that is a must for me is the full length upper deck that covers the cockpit. Not only does this provide shade and protection from the rain, but you can enclose the space to create another living space. You can also put the dinghy on the additional space on the upper deck, which creates better views from the cockpit/salon (no dinghy/davit blocking views).

 

[amxr39]

Don’t rule out the North Pacific. There are 3 at my marina on the east coast and they are beautiful and very well built. With their nice high bow, cutting through heavy water should be easy. The 45’s and 49’s might be of interest to you.

 

[Jklotz]

Don’t rule out the North Pacific. There are 3 at my marina on the east coast and they are beautiful and very well built. With their nice high bow, cutting through heavy water should be easy. The 45’s and 49’s might be of interest to you.

My wants were similar to the OP's, and I choose a North Pacific NP45. (After sales support has been exceptional). So many considerations, however, need to be taken into account. For instance, My cruising grounds are the East Coast and Bahamas. A lot of shallow water, so I wanted a boat with 5' or less draft. That ruled out Selene's and most Nord's, despite great admiration for both makes. The place you need to start is determining your needs. Where will you cruise? How much range will you need? How many passengers/guests? How much blue water passages will you be doing and how remote will these locations be? Stand up engine room or are you ok crawling around? Are you comfortable with a single, or would you need a wing/get home or will you only feel comfortable with twins? Decide on the mission at hand then buy a boat that fills those needs as closely as you can find.

Also, if you were to order new, I'm not convinced all this tariff business is over with yet, but you are in China, so that probably won't be an issue.

Hope this helps.

 

[N4061]

Having owned three Nordhavn's, one Helmsman 38E and a few other boats I would say your requirement or mission fits the Helmsman. You will also save some money compared to the Nordhavn. Sometimes simple is better.

John T.

 

[chanprr]

Having owned three Nordhavn's, one Helmsman 38E and a few other boats I would say your requirement or mission fits the Helmsman. You will also save some money compared to the Nordhavn. Sometimes simple is better.

John T.

The Helmsman 46E is more than adequate for coastal cruising, is a SE Category A vessel, and as such should be capable of ocean crossings. I don't intend to do much open ocean cruising but I am confident that it will 'weather' most any manageable sea condition in the coastal PNW and up to SE Alaska on the Inside Passage.

 

[Helmsman]

As a new boater, I might suggest a few things.

Where do you plan to keep your boat? Your location states China.

If you haven’t boated before look at trawler training schools. That experience would go a long way towards helping you feel more comfortable. Then, I would suggest a charter, such as the Amy Ann, a 38e charter in the PNW.

Based upon what you have stated in your OP, it appears that a Helmsman would fit your plans the best. The support during a build, and after sales has been extremely good for us, along with several other owners who I have gotten to know. That goes a long way towards customer satisfaction.

We own a Helmsman 38e, but I have also spent time on three 43e’s. As you step up a size level, the storage space grows markedly, much more than you would expect. I have not been on Chanprr’s 46 yet, but imagine that it steps up the same way with space. The pictures bear that out. If you plan to live aboard, space does matter.

Another consideration is single handing. If you plan to do that very much, then consideration needs to be given to what size you would be comfortable with. The access through the PH doors works really well for this, for tying off for locks and for docking.

We also like using the flybridge for travel when the weather is nice. That is a feature that really “opens” the boat up. The windows are another great feature, allowing for a really good field of view when piloting at the lower helm station.

The final point is that the Helmsman team does a great job working on custom changes to make the boat your own. That is one of their best attributes, along with their first class technical training and service,

We have been really happy with our 38e, and if we choose to move up in a couple more years, we will be looking hard at both the 43e and the 46.

Hope that helps!

 

[LJJ]

As a new boater, I might suggest a few things.

Where do you plan to keep your boat? Your location states China.

If you haven’t boated before look at trawler training schools. That experience would go a long way towards helping you feel more comfortable. Then, I would suggest a charter, such as the Amy Ann, a 38e charter in the PNW.

Based upon what you have stated in your OP, it appears that a Helmsman would fit your plans the best. The support during a build, and after sales has been extremely good for us, along with several other owners who I have gotten to know. That goes a long way towards customer satisfaction.

We own a Helmsman 38e, but I have also spent time on three 43e’s. As you step up a size level, the storage space grows markedly, much more than you would expect. I have not been on Chanprr’s 46 yet, but imagine that it steps up the same way with space. The pictures bear that out. If you plan to live aboard, space does matter.

Another consideration is single handing. If you plan to do that very much, then consideration needs to be given to what size you would be comfortable with. The access through the PH doors works really well for this, for tying off for locks and for docking.

We also like using the flybridge for travel when the weather is nice. That is a feature that really “opens” the boat up. The windows are another great feature, allowing for a really good field of view when piloting at the lower helm station.

The final point is that the Helmsman team does a great job working on custom changes to make the boat your own. That is one of their best attributes, along with their first class technical training and service,

We have been really happy with our 38e, and if we choose to move up in a couple more years, we will be looking hard at both the 43e and the 46.

Hope that helps!

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed reply! Your advice is incredibly helpful for a newcomer like me.

You've given me a lot of great points to consider. To answer your question, I am indeed based in China. The idea of a trawler training school is excellent, and I wish that were an option here. Unfortunately, there are no dedicated trawler training schools in China at the moment. I have just recently earned my yacht operator's license, so I am still very much in the learning phase.

Your strong recommendation for the Helmsman is very much appreciated. The details you shared about the build support, after-sales service, single-handing capabilities, and customization options are exactly the kinds of things I'm looking for. It's reassuring to hear from a satisfied owner. I will definitely be doing a deep dive into the 38e, 43e, and 46 models.

My current plan is to gain more practical experience. In the near future, I might take the boat on a cruise around Southeast Asia. This will be a great opportunity to learn and build confidence at the helm.

Thanks again for your invaluable help and for sharing your experience! Happy boating!