Helms 24

The Helms 24 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Stuart Windley as a cruiser and first built in 1977.^[1][2][3]

Helms 24

Development
Designer	Stuart Windley
Location	United States
Year	1977
No. built	750
Builder	Jack A. Helms Co.
Role	Cruiser
Name	Helms 24
Boat
Displacement	4,200 lb (1,905 kg)
Draft	4.17 ft (1.27 m)
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fiberglass
LOA	23.92 ft (7.29 m)
LWL	20.83 ft (6.35 m)
Beam	8.83 ft (2.69 m)
Engine type	outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	fin keel
Ballast	1,850 lb (839 kg)
Rudder	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
I foretriangle height	30.50 ft (9.30 m)
J foretriangle base	10.50 ft (3.20 m)
P mainsail luff	25.50 ft (7.77 m)
E mainsail foot	9.00 ft (2.74 m)
Sails
Sailplan	masthead sloop
Mainsail area	114.75 sq ft (10.661 m2)
Jib/genoa area	160.13 sq ft (14.877 m2)
Total sail area	274.88 sq ft (25.537 m2)
Racing
PHRF	234

Production

The design was built by Jack A. Helms Co., a furniture maker in Irmo, South Carolina, United States. Production was started in 1977 with 750 boats completed in total, but it is now out of production.^[1][3][4]

Design

The Helms 24 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, a raked stem, a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel or optional shoal draft keel. It displaces 4,200 lb (1,905 kg) and carries 1,850 lb (839 kg) of ballast.^[1][3]

The boat has a draft of 4.17 ft (1.27 m) with the standard keel and 3.00 ft (0.91 m) with the optional shoal draft keel.^[1][3]

The boat is normally fitted with a small 4 to 8 hp (3 to 6 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. A Yanmar 1GM10 diesel inboard engine was optional.^[1][3]

The design has sleeping accommodation for five people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settees in the main cabin, with the port one able to be converted into a double. The galley is located on the starboard side at the companionway ladder. The galley is L-shaped and is equipped with a two-burner stove, icebox and a sink. The head is located just aft of the bow cabin on both sides and includes a sink. Cabin headroom is 68 in (173 cm).^[1][3]

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 234 and a hull speed of 6.1 kn (11.3 km/h).^[3]

Operational history

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "the brochure says she sleeps five, with the port settee converting to a double. But even assuming the starboard settee extends aft under the stove for foot room, it's hard to imagine five full-sized humans sleeping aboard comfortably, especially with the kiddy-sized V-berth forward. Best features: With her wide beam and high sheer, her space ... and headroom are much better than her comp[etitor]s. Her longer waterline and higher B/D ratio also help in the speed department, as indicated by her lower PHRF rating. Worst features: There may have been problems with leakage around the external lead keel seam..."^[3]

See also

• List of sailing boat types