We have now sailed Bliss, a 1978 Model 24' Helms "pocket cruiser," for about six months.
We took delivery on June 27, 2010 at Long Beach Harbor. Her last owner, a young Seabee from the Midwest, kept her for only six months or so before he was deployed to Guam. With his deployment and the active part of the hurricane season drawing near, he lowered her price steeply.
Having sailed small dinghys and catamarans as a youngster, I had often toyed with owning a sailboat. When one of my friends from high school died of a heart attack at age 46, I reevaluated the time frame.
When I began my research, the 24' Helms interested me. Heavily ballasted for her size and having a 4' fixed keel, the model seemed quite capable for any weather I would ever voluntarily encounter. For a 24-footer, she looked as close to a bluewater boat as I could imagine.
The Helms 24 also has the largest cabin I have seen on a 24 footer. It supposedly sleeps 5, but four is more realistic. Four very friendly people, that is.
Nevertheless, I started looking at Catalinas and other swing keel models. These are trailerable and more manageable in Gulf-area waters. Shoals, oyster beds, and underwater obstacles from years of big oil neglect dictate much caution when sailing these parts.
But when I saw Bliss advertised for such a bargain price, I had to look. I couldn't even buy a travel trailer that would sleep 4 for the asking price. Joe, a long-time friend, wanted to go in halves on a boat. He liked the sound of this one also, so we drove down to see her.
When I saw her at Long Beach Harbor, it was love at first sight. Not only had she been meticulously cared for, she was equipped to the nines. Everything you would need to cruise, sail in foul weather, get out of a jam, and maintain her was already on board, included in the price.
We settled up and took delivery. The adventure begins.
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