Jaysen's Helms 24

Questions about boat repairs with our resins and fiberglass: hull patches, transoms and stringers, foam, rot etc.
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Jaysen
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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by Jaysen »

VT_Jeff wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 6:44 pm
Jaysen wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 4:48 pm VT Jeff,

The angle is exaggerated in the photo. You are 100% on the back stabbing. I have proof. My hope is that those winches you’re looking to unload are self tailing or I will be moving the cam cleats and winches aft to allow easier single handing. The cleats would mount on risers addressing mounted on at 50% drum height angled to tiller.
My winches are self-tailing, as in you need to tail them your self.

:lol:
Ha! It took a while to explain that to the Mrs without me giggling.

I actually prefer manual tailing. Problem is that I expect a significant amount of single handing without automatic steering. Self tailing kind of becomes important. My take is going to be using those blue rings that emulate self tailing. I have a few to test with.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

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VT_Jeff
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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by VT_Jeff »

Jaysen wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 7:25 pm I actually prefer manual tailing. Problem is that I expect a significant amount of single handing without automatic steering. Self tailing kind of becomes important. My take is going to be using those blue rings that emulate self tailing. I have a few to test with.
I'll be interested in your feedback on those blue rings when you get there. I single-hand nearly exclusively and I don't think I have longed for self-tailers too much. The way the cleats work on the C&C is pretty clever and makes it pretty easy. Beating upwind in a narrow channel is the toughest challenge sheeting/winching-wise, that's when you really need 3-4 hands. I've found that(yes, I know you know how to sail, probably a lot more competently than me, but I'm the one typing, I have the conch!) if you can get the new working sheet all the way in and wrapped before the jib fills on the new tack, it's pretty effortless: you don't need to tail because you don't need to winch, it's already all the way in. Admittedly this means you really need to keep some way-on throughout the turn to ensure that sheeting tight on the new tack will actually be effective: if you lose too much speed then you're going to need to reach a little deeper initially, which then means winching, which then means tailing, which then means you need 3-4 hands again. Of course, 50% of the time the jib sheet will hang on some damned thing mid-tack; the open bow hatch, a stanchion, the chute pole, a paddleboard, or a spouse/sibling/niece/nephew/pet, and the whole thing goes to !@#$ in a hurry and threatens to upend your gin/tonic, but that's why I sail around in circles in Henderson Harbor and am not rounding the horn. Got to know your limits!

If you don't already have one, get a tiller-tamer. My boat is wheel and I swear I have the wheel lock on 90% of the time.
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by VT_Jeff »

Here's a typical picture of me "sailing" in Lake Ontario. Bow full of crap, doing 6+ knots nearly straight into the wind with just the main out. Something tells me there's a diesel clicking away somewhere out of frame......

Been a long winter, I'm jonesing to get back on the water!
20160817_130344.jpg
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
Started Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie

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Jaysen
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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by Jaysen »

Let’s remember one thing... I refuse to use common sense. I expect to be smashing (notice the proceeding word) though waves with sails that should have been reefed a while back. Because common sense isn’t fashionable these days!!!

Seriously though...

The issue really comes home under the circumstances you describe but with a bit more weather. I really will sail in a storm (planned to learn) and that’s where I worry about not having self tailing. I was spoiled on the J30 as I could just slam the winch handle and make progress.

Mrs has declared the boat “sailable”. Apparently I need to get all excess tooling moved off so I can take her on a trip. Dates TBD.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by narfi »

Jaysen wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 1:11 pm Dates TBD.
call me old fashioned, or maybe practical.... but you should probably only consider her....

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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by Jaysen »

narfi wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 1:25 pm
Jaysen wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 1:11 pm Dates TBD.
call me old fashioned, or maybe practical.... but you should probably only consider her....
Valid position to take. She may be the one suggesting “you may need to find someone as stupid as you are for this”
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by TomW1 »

Ah Jaysen going from a J30 to a Helms24 is a big step down. The Helms will never handle the weather the J30 could and it sounds like you are being foolish in thinking it can. I don't know how much experience you have, but stalling during a jibe is dangerous especially in a channel with boats all around. There were only 750 built so not a popular boat. With 1885lbs of ballast she should keep you out of trouble. But don't push her. Reef the jib and main when you encounter nasty weather. She has a nice interior for cruising. May you and your wife enjoy her.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

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Jaysen
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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by Jaysen »

Tom, a lot of that is me poking myself in the eye. I tend to take educated risks for learning/gaining experience but tend to be overly cautious otherwise. The J30 solidified my love of sailing in the middle of a “blow”. I have no expectations that the H24 will handle or perform as well. The H24 is a coastal camper for the Mrs and myself to decide how much we want to make cruising a part of our long term plans.

The problem is that the Mrs isn’t really capable of “helping” once the sailing gets sporting. I have to be able to manage the boat 100% solo. I’m very confident that I can. I just need to prove it.

A few things on the safety front that are already in place or are being added:
1. Roller furler jib for easy sail reduction.
2. 2 deep reefs on main. New main will have 3.
3. Boat has storm/try sail for “why the heck are we out here?”
4. New washboards will have “capture” for lower board to add height to companion way entrance reducing opportunities for water down the companionway.
5. Full jack lines with dedicated tie points from bow to transom.
6. EPIRB required before we pass the end of channel (lots of interior sailing to do before that)

It may not seem like much but it is more than most of the ocean racers had on board.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

TomW1
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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by TomW1 »

That is great sounds like you have a plan. Take a few sails and learn your limits with her. I think 20kts of wind will be as much as your wife :lol: will want to deal with but time will tell. :D Enjoy her when you finish her.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

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Re: Jaysen's Helms 24

Post by terrulian »

Jaysen,
I've had your page up on my computer for a long time but for some reason the site isn't updating...so now I have to go back to page 19 to see what you're up to. More after that...sorry.
Tony
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