Has anyone eles seen this months issue of Crusing World mag. On the Last page there is a green hulled Hunter 460 in which Hunter is calling a "custom Hunter/Helsen 470). There is not much more to the add and Hunter does not have anything about the boat on their web site. Whats up with that? Anybody have any more info on his boat? Steve, s/v The Odyssey (H310)
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Helson 470
Jopie Helsen,the owner of Sailor's Wharf in St. Petersburg has teamed up with Hunter to take the basic 460, extend the swim platform by 1 foot (hence the new name), and do some major custom work inside and out, including custom hull colors. The new boat will compete favorably with some of the custom or semi-custom yachts costing much more. All the work is presently being done in St. Pete and the original Helsen 470 will be on display at the Annapolis show. I have seen the original in various stages of construction and it is 'something else'.
Jopie Helsen,the owner of Sailor's Wharf in St. Petersburg has teamed up with Hunter to take the basic 460, extend the swim platform by 1 foot (hence the new name), and do some major custom work inside and out, including custom hull colors. The new boat will compete favorably with some of the custom or semi-custom yachts costing much more. All the work is presently being done in St. Pete and the original Helsen 470 will be on display at the Annapolis show. I have seen the original in various stages of construction and it is 'something else'.
Speculation
I haven't heard as thing yet, but my hunch is that Jopie is buying fairly raw 460 hulls from Hunter and finishing them as a semi-custom boat. Trevor and I will be at the St. Pete show and I look forward to seeing it there. Anyone going to Annapolis: take pictures!!
I haven't heard as thing yet, but my hunch is that Jopie is buying fairly raw 460 hulls from Hunter and finishing them as a semi-custom boat. Trevor and I will be at the St. Pete show and I look forward to seeing it there. Anyone going to Annapolis: take pictures!!
Hunter/Helsen 470
Had a chance to see this boat a Jabin's Yard in Annapolis prior to the show. It has a number of clever features: 1- It has a different layout for hatches and ports. All are very good looking stainless steel. I believe the large overhead clear windows are gone (not positive). Inside of boat was much darker than stock boat. 2- There is no port door to go to the forward cabin. The Space behind what was the door is converted to a cabinet. It houses a forward facing large TV for the Queen Center forward and the electronics for a flat panel TV which hangs on the wall facing the main cabin. 3- High Gloss teak and holly sole and low luster varnish for the cabinetry with glossed edges and corners. 4- Very fancy green corian counters and vac-u-flush toilets in bathrooms. Glass shower door. 5- Tastefully applied external high gloss teak rails, seats, table folding with fiddles. 6-In boom roller furling 7-The gray soft rubber bumper at the deck hull interface was replaced with a much harder high gloss black extrusion with the stainless strike plate. Really good looking but I don't know how well it will stand up. Probably OK. 8- Really fancy stereo system with different speakers than stock. 9- Very good looking Bimini and Dodger. I think it is difficult to design a good looking Dodger/Canopy for the 460 due to the very long companionway slide. The 470 looks great. When I first saw it it took me quite a while to realize it was a H460. The B&R rig gave it away. We're taking delivery on a new 460 in a few weeks and this boat has provided some good ideas for the future.
Had a chance to see this boat a Jabin's Yard in Annapolis prior to the show. It has a number of clever features: 1- It has a different layout for hatches and ports. All are very good looking stainless steel. I believe the large overhead clear windows are gone (not positive). Inside of boat was much darker than stock boat. 2- There is no port door to go to the forward cabin. The Space behind what was the door is converted to a cabinet. It houses a forward facing large TV for the Queen Center forward and the electronics for a flat panel TV which hangs on the wall facing the main cabin. 3- High Gloss teak and holly sole and low luster varnish for the cabinetry with glossed edges and corners. 4- Very fancy green corian counters and vac-u-flush toilets in bathrooms. Glass shower door. 5- Tastefully applied external high gloss teak rails, seats, table folding with fiddles. 6-In boom roller furling 7-The gray soft rubber bumper at the deck hull interface was replaced with a much harder high gloss black extrusion with the stainless strike plate. Really good looking but I don't know how well it will stand up. Probably OK. 8- Really fancy stereo system with different speakers than stock. 9- Very good looking Bimini and Dodger. I think it is difficult to design a good looking Dodger/Canopy for the 460 due to the very long companionway slide. The 470 looks great. When I first saw it it took me quite a while to realize it was a H460. The B&R rig gave it away. We're taking delivery on a new 460 in a few weeks and this boat has provided some good ideas for the future.
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