Helmsman Trawlers is introducing a new 46 Pilothouse, the first in its Expedition series. The largest Helmsman to date, the new 46 Pilothouse, powered by a single 490-hp Cummins diesel, is designed as a sturdy, efficient and comfortable long-range trawler.
In the past few years, Helmsman has staked out a position in the marketplace where it delivers more boat for the money, and the 46 Expedition Pilothouse means to keep that promise. It is a low-maintenance trawler with simple systems; with a 1,500 nm range at 7.5 knots it will carry you to any cruising grounds you want to visit, whether on the West Coast and up to Alaska, the ICW or Down East on the East Coast, or around the eastern half of the United States on the Great Loop.
The new Helmsman has a semi-displacement hull with soft chines, a deep forefoot, broad sections aft for stability and a full keel. It also has a stainless steel skeg and a large rudder. Bow and stern thrusters are standard to make docking easy.
The raised pilothouse is bound to be the center of the boat underway. It can seat six people, with two helm chairs and a settee aft with a table; the settee can serve as a pilot berth during passages. Hinged, watertight Dutch doors lead to the side decks.
The wide-beam salon has a convertible U-shaped settee to starboard and room for two easy chairs to port. The galley is large enough to support a long cruise, with plenty of fridge and freezer capacity and lots of countertop and storage space. A sliding aluminum door leads to the cockpit, which is fully protected by an overhang from the boat deck above. It has an entertainment center forward, plus a transom door and doors on both sides for easy access.
From the side decks, wide stairs lead up to the flying bridge, which has two helm seats and a settee with a table to port. There’s cushioned seating on the foredeck, which also has storage lockers for fenders and lines and other gear.
Below, the 46 has two staterooms with en suite heads and shower compartments; a day head is easily accessed from the salon. The master is forward with a raised queen-sized berth and lots of storage space. The guest stateroom (which can also be set up as an office) is to port; it also has a queen-sized berth plus a drop-down single.
Specs.: LOA: 51’6”; Beam: 16’8”; Draft: 5’0”; Disp.: 45,000 lbs.; Fuel: 800 gals.; Water: 300 gals.; Power: 1×490-hp Cummins QSC8.3 diesel.
