The discussion between Meyers and the Helmly couplebegan in the Spring of 2021 and by June they had secured a contract for hull #169 of the Sabre 48 Salon Express. Meyers helped throughout the process with recommendations on equipment and options based on the couple’s extensive cruising experience. They also visited the Sabre Yachts facility in Raymond, Maine, twice during the build process. “We really enjoyed working with Lynn [Beaudoin] and the team at Sabre throughout the build,” Helmly says. Their new Sabre 48 initially arrived at Safe Harbor Bluewater in Hampton, Virginia in August of 2022 for outfitting, ahead of the final delivery inOctober. The couple’s decades of cruising experience would serve them well aboard this new boat with one caveat: the pod drives Sabre has installed exclusively on every model built since 2008. LEARNING TO DRIVE AGAIN “This is a first for us,” Helmly admits. “But a huge shout out to Chuck for teaching me how to drive the boat with pods,” Helmly exclaims. “Coming from years of piloting a boat with conventional shafts you have to unlearn some aspects of driving and docking, like no more bumping the engines in and out of gear.” Helmly continues, “Thanks to Chuck’s knowledge of the pods, I have put this Sabre into some tight spots in hairy situations and the pods do the trick!” Another game changer, as Jack puts it, is the Dynamic Positioning System, or DPS. “This system is great if I want to leave the helm and go up on deck to scope a space to anchor with Caroline.” Helmly explains the system: “You bring the boat to a complete stop, orient the boat and hit the DPS button, and the boat is effectively parked, using GPS to automatically stay in position. I use it all the time for anchoring and helping set lines when we’re right outside the marina ahead of docking in our slip.” More upgrades they love about their new Sabre include the cockpit Sureshade, additional lighting in the engine room, a washdown for the anchor, the hydraulic swimplatform for launching their center console dinghy and the Northern Lights generator with auto-start. “The purpose of the auto-start system is to have the generator start up and charge the house batteries before they get too low and then shut down again once the batteries are topped off,” Helmly explains. “It is a very impressive system to have, and it allows us to walk off the boat and know the generator will shut down once it is no longer needed.” Helmly continues, “We also spec’d a very good Garmin configuration with a dedicated screen for engine conditions along with a chain counter which is key when anchoring.” So much impressive outfitting of their new boat was all in preparation for a dream adventure: touring The Bahamas. The Helmlys had adventured up and down the East Coast from the Florida Keys to Nantucket and back, but never had theymade the crossing. Their new 48 Sabre, Right Royal changes that. Helmly explains the meaning behind their boat name which also adorned the transom of their previous boat: “In short, it’s an old English term that means ‘a great night on the town.’ The long of it is that it’s also a poem by John Masefield.” After taking delivery, the Helmlys enjoyed a shakedown cruise on the Cheseapeake followed by a brief return to Bluewater in Hampton for a couple service items. They departed Virginia in mid-November and ran to Hilton Head Island to winter the boat there. They took their time preparing and planning for their big trip south to Palm Beach ahead of making the crossing to The Bahamas. Helmly reminds us, “You do not want to be on a hard schedule, or you’ll be forced to make a decision that could put yourself at risk if a safe weather window is not available.” They departed Hilton Head on Sunday, March 26th and ran down to Palm Beach to stage for their crossing. “The purpose of our tripwas to spend it in the Bahamas, so we made that southbound leg as quick as we could, running outside in the Atlantic when possible,” Helmly says. A week later, they made the crossing and settled into a protected cove in Great Sale Cay. From here, they ventured through the Abacos for two weeks exploring both popular spots like Green Turtle Cay, Marsh Harbour and Hopetown along with many of the protected coves and anchorages along the way. THE COMMUNITY Throughout the journey, the Helmlys have taken great joy in meeting new friends and fellow boaters who can share their experiences and help one another. “We have loved meeting new people and learning their experiences,” Helmly exclaims. “This is our first time doing a big trip like this and you can build a community really fast with docktails and talking to folks about their adventures.” Jack and Caroline receive many compliments on their 48 Sabre and have welcomed couples for tours aboard the boat, some with older Sabre models and some with other styles of trawler and Downeast boats. As they’re gaining Caroline takes her turn on the pod joystick 8 BLUEWATER
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