Helen has been launched!

[coopec43]

Helen (Roberts Mauritius 43) was launched at Two Rocks Marina last month but had to be motored 40km to Hillarys Marina to be rigged. Once rigged we sailed her back to Two Rocks Marina.

[Spot]

Outstanding! Thanks for the update and pics.

[rslifkin]

Congratulations!

[Jim Cate]

Well done! That must have been a great day for y ou when she floated on her lines and you stepped aboard for the first time on the water.

Jim

[Chotu]

Coop!!! Nice work! You did it!

How does she sail?

I was wondering where are you have been but now I see. You have been very very busy.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well done! That must have been a great day for y ou when she floated on her lines and you stepped aboard for the first time on the water.

Jim

"floated on her lines"

That surprised me very much as I'd left 300kg(?) loose as I presumed I'd need "trim ballast". But no! I didn't need any at all and I have since sealed it in f/g.

When the Tammy Lift operator announced she weighed 11.6 tonnes I was initially surprised as the designed weight is 12.2 tonnes. But then the penny dropped that the weight saving resulted from the fact that the hull is cored (Airex) and the deck is cored (Divinycell). (Cored construction results in considerable weight saving.)

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Coop!!! Nice work! You did it!

How does she sail?

I was wondering where are you have been but now I see. You have been very very busy.

Chotu

Well I've (and my Son these days) certainly been busy over the last two months that is for sure. I can't believe what I've achieved. (I have to pinch myself) Built a boat, launched it, motored it 40km in open seas, rigged her and then sailed her back to Two Rocks (All with help of course)

When you launch a yacht for the first time you worry about it leaking, will the motor start, will the steering be OK......

My biggest worry was the weight of the mast as I only had to compare it with other masts on similar sized yachts. I was helping a rigger transport the mast and he said he'd never seen such a heavy mast section. (that didn't help) However now that Helen has been rigged I realize it is the SS shrouds that are very heavy)

Luckily a few years ago a rigger suggested I use lead ballast instead of iron in view of the heavy mast section. I melted down tyer weights in a metal saucepan to get three tonne of lead.

You ask "How does she sail?" We had the sail maker skipper her 40 km back to Two Rock Marina. I asked him how she was sailing and if she was "tender". He said she sails very well. (He ought to know as he has sailed in 6 Sydney/Hobart races)

But I still have a way to go. Right now I'm busy installing fresh water tanks and the black water tank but have turned my attentions to navigation lights (ordered this afternoon) and the navigational plotter. I have decided to use a Panasonic CF-19 with Open CPN (free) software application.

You might be interested in this link too?

https://www.bobjohnson.com/blog/toug...tronic-charts/

Looking forward to a further update on your progress.

Cheers
Clivei