Helia 44: Cruising Weight

[StarryHorizons]

The FP website lists the Helia at an unloaded displacement of 10.8 tons, but it hit me as I'm working on sizing various things (anchor, storm gear etc) for Starry Horizons that the unloaded displacement isn't a very helpful number. What I'm curious about is what do your Helias weigh with all your gear onboard?

Recognizing that each boat is set up differently, perhaps you could share the large options you have on board ie: genset, air conditioning etc, to give some sense of where your boat falls on the spectrum of "lightship" to heavily optioned cruiser. Since it's tough to accurately weigh a boat, even an estimate would be appreciated.

Thanks!

David

[Nasa]

Hi. My Helia was lifted out of the water in MacKay Aust, last Sept. Just out of the water weight was 12.4t (presuming the scales were correct!). The lift included the tender (144kg) an 8kva Fisher Panda Genset (96kg), Bauer Jnr dive compressor (50kg), a 4 x dive tanks and minimum other personal kit. Fuel approx 65% (approx 305kg), water 50% (325kg), 33kg Rocna anchor and 75m of 10mm chain (I think 2.2kg per metre so 165kg). Spare anchor and another 20m of chain (64kg)This make the boat a tad under 11.2t dry weight. Probably another 200kg of other stuff! That makes an approximate lightship weight of 11t. Accounting for manufacturer exaggeration allowance (10.8) it seems pretty close.

[Cheechako]

Just for reference. We sold a long waterline 47 mono and bought the Lagoon 42 cat. They were docked next to each other on moving day. All we had to do was move everything across the finger pier. The mono came up 5" on the waterline. The Cat went down about 1.75".

[Nasa]

Just adding to that we have just done a three day run down the NSW coast. With 15 - 18knots of breeze over a 7hr over night period at 40-60deg off the port bow (Easterly)we averaged over 7knots. We had one reef in (for comfort and due to frequent squalls)Thats about 1/2 wind speed.We also had a hydro generator down which knocked about 1knt off. Much better speeds achieved on the beam round to 120deg with way less leeway. With an assym kite we are up around 10-11knts @100deg. We are doing NSW coast to New Caledonia early May with SE trades. Hoping to average 8-10knots. Just for info regarding boat weight.

[StarryHorizons]

Originally Posted by Nasa

Hi. My Helia was lifted out of the water in MacKay Aust, last Sept. Just out of the water weight was 12.4t (presuming the scales were correct!). The lift included the tender (144kg) an 8kva Fisher Panda Genset (96kg), Bauer Jnr dive compressor (50kg), a 4 x dive tanks and minimum other personal kit. Fuel approx 65% (approx 305kg), water 50% (325kg), 33kg Rocna anchor and 75m of 10mm chain (I think 2.2kg per metre so 165kg). Spare anchor and another 20m of chain (64kg)This make the boat a tad under 11.2t dry weight. Probably another 200kg of other stuff! That makes an approximate lightship weight of 11t. Accounting for manufacturer exaggeration allowance (10.8) it seems pretty close.

Nasa - that is incredibly helpful, thank you! I was being extra cautious and estimating an even higher weight than your 12.4t so it's good to know some actual numbers and give me a range to work with. Can't wait to experience your type of performance actually on the water!

David

[DtM]

Nasa,

Is your Helia the one that will be at the Pittwater Show?

daniel

[Nasa]

Yes. 1 Giant Leap will be at the Pittwater Sail Expo.

Nasa

[Rustic Charm]

Does anyone know how to work out the weight of a boat?

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by tedsherrin

Does anyone know how to work out the weight of a boat?

Try a scale.

If you're too cheap to get the boat weighed (like most of us), pull on the boat with a known weight, track the boat's position vs time, and report back.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

Try a scale.

If you're too cheap to get the boat weighed (like most of us), pull on the boat with a known weight, track the boat's position vs time, and report back.

HOW? Do I weigh a boat? It's not like it can be lifted and put in a scale?

Does anyone have any sensible knowledge of how to go about obtaining the weight of a 36 steel ketch?

[skipdaichainer]

Sorry to say that but the Helia's weight is about 15T minimum !

[Rustic Charm]

I've done a bit of searching and it seems if I calculate the area displaced in water, or the amount it's sitting in the water then multiply that by water density I would have the weight. Can anyone concur with that?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by tedsherrin

I've done a bit of searching and it seems if I calculate the area displaced in water, or the amount it's sitting in the water then multiply that by water density I would have the weight. Can anyone concur with that?

Correct (except, it's "volume", not "area") - as Archimedes worked out a couple of thousand years ago.

The problem comes in calculating the volume of an irregular shape like a boat hull and keel below the waterline.

[StarryHorizons]

Originally Posted by skipdaichainer

Sorry to say that but the Helia's weight is about 15T minimum !

Just curious, what are you basing this off of?

[Factor]

Originally Posted by tedsherrin

HOW? Do I weigh a boat? It's not like it can be lifted and put in a scale?

Actually its exactly like that. Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland for example regularly has days where they weigh boats - even very large - 16 metre cats etc, necessary for OMR Handicap processes.