helsal iv yacht

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Suitable for 12 year olds and up and all levels of experience.  Available every Thursday from mid October to mid December.

Be a part of the crew (as active as you want to be) in a real yacht race aboard a 62 foot Sydney to Hobart veteran, Helsal IV.  No experience necessary.  Learn the ropes or sit back and hang on.  Wear clothes to keep warm and dry on the river and grippy shoes (sole colour doesn’t matter). 

Twilight yacht races on the River Derwent are a magnificent tradition in Hobart; be a part of it and get your heart racing too.  

Helsal IV leaves King's Pier Marina (last yacht on the far left) at 5:30pm and returns to the same spot after the race (usually about 7pm, depending on the wind).  You will need to be at the yacht between 5pm and 5:15pm.  

OPEN CHARTER  $105 per person 

PRIVATE CHARTER $530 for up to 6 sailors

Cancellation policy

If we cancel for whatever reason, we provide a full refund.  If you cancel for whatever reason more than 48 hours prior to sailing, we provide a full refund.  If you cancel less than 48 hours prior to sailing, we keep the full payment  (we will consider the circumstances of course). 

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Day Charter on the Helsal IV Yacht - Hobart Yachts

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Day Charter on the Helsal IV Yacht

My husband and I had the most memorable day aboard the stunning Helsal IV. We did the full day charter and loved every minute. From the delicious food, the great coffee, the stunning views and great chats with the professional, informative crew - it really was a day we will never forget. Such a perfect way to spend the day in Tassie. We couldn't recommend this more highly. Thorpman and Fee xo

Thanks so much Fiona. We loved having you both onboard and wish you all the best on the good ship marriage : )

Cannot fault the hospitality in the endless cups of coffee and Mushs' home made gorgeous lemonade scones, excellent conversation, history lessons, local information, company in the other passengers and crew. Awesome way to wile away an afternoon on the Derwent River cruising on such a beautiful yacht. Thanks guys. You rock!

Thanks for the very kind review. We enjoyed your company too and hope to see you again some day.

The four of us joined Mark and his jovial crew for the 3hr cruise on the Derwent. It wasn't long enough, the weather was glorious, the yacht was super. We got involved and had a go at everything it was great fun . Mark and his deckhands told us plenty about Hobart and they went out of there way to cater for our morning tea and light lunch requests. Thanks fellas. Rgds Jas, Jules, Blake and Jill

Great morning of sailing! You can participate as much or as little as you like. Mark and the crew were great in explaining how the boat worked.

We went on board for a great half day tour with mark and his lovely crew we had a perfect day a must do Lisa & Andrew

We just did the full day charter with Hobart Yachts. A huge thank you to Mark and his crew for making this a worthwhile experience. Being Northerners Mark's team had made sure there was an additional doona, gloves and accessories if we required them. on board to ensure we weren't getting too cold. Mark and his crew pointed out all the famous landmarks and he had a rich knowledge of Hobart's history. We were allowed to help steer the boat, if we wanted to and do some hands on activities. The trip was well catered for and we got to choose the meat for our lunch. My favourite was the afternoon tea which was a selection of Tasmanian cheeses, fruit paste with some cracker biscuits. Dan's favourite was the wide selection of Tasmanian beers (if we wanted alcohol it was complimentary with our lunch). Dan and I highly recommend the full day charter because it was a real WOW experience.

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Helsal to pay respect for Joe Adams

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Helsal tribute to Joe Adams in Rolex Sydney Hobart

• 12 Dec, 2012 12:20:00 PM

Helsal, arguably the flagship name of the late Australian yacht designer, Joe Adams, will pay its respects to him in a special way in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Rob Fisher's Helsal III will sail the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's annual race with decals on each side of its hull in tribute to the man responsible not only for designing three of the Fisher family's four Helsals , but the highly successful Australian marque of Adams 10s and 12s.

The 81-year-old Adams was murdered at his home in Baguio City in the Philippines in October. Adams spent most of his life in Sydney before moving to Port Macquarie and then to the Philippines, where he eventually sold his design business and retired.

In 1972 Rob's father, Sydney surgeon Tony Fisher, was attracted to the idea of a ferro-cement yacht to replace his boat Derwent Hunter. He figured he wouldn't have to worry about woodworm or osmosis with a concrete hull. To Tony's mind, there seemed to be a lot of positives, despite the prevailing view that concrete yachts would never be up to racing.

He engaged Bob Miller, later to be known as Ben Lexcen, to design a racing boat capable of taking line honours in the Sydney-Hobart. Joe Adams was working with Miller at the time.

"Bob teamed up with Alan Bond in preparation for the 1974 Southern Cross America's Cup campaign, so Joe took over the design work of Helsal," Rob Fisher recounts.

The first Helsal, named after Tony's wife Helen and daughter Sally, was launched in April 1973 and went on to take line honours in that year's Sydney-Hobart race in a little over three days. It has always been referred to since as "the Flying Footpath".

"There had never been a ferro-cement boat like this one. It was a very different construction," Fisher says. "Dad engaged a bridge engineer named Peter Ellen. He came up with the idea of positioning tension cables 45cm apart throughout the hull. Most other people had just used concrete and reo."

Helsal weighed in at 40.4 tonnes, which was not overweight, considering Fritz Johnson's maxi Windward Passage was 36.3 tonnes and Jim Kilroy's Kialoa III , which broke Helsal's record two years later, weighed 39 tonnes.

By 1975, just before the Kialoa record, the Flying Footpath held every race record on the Australian east coast. She was the first sloop-rigged maxi in the world (most others had been ketch-rigged), but powering her up was a problem.

"It had massive, massive rigging," Rob Fisher says, "and in those days you couldn't build a sail that would hold its shape. With today's materials it would have been much easier."

The Fishers sold Helsal in 1979. She went to the Philippines as a charter boat, but went up on a reef the following year. She was towed into Manila harbour where she sat around during a dispute between the tow company and the insurer.

She was blown onto a breakwater in Manila during a cyclone and sank. She was raised, but the force of the incident broke some of the cables within the concrete and destroyed the famous yacht's integrity. As far as Rob Fisher knows, she is still in Manila harbour "With a half a dozen families living aboard."

In 1979, Adams designed Helsal II for the Fishers, two metres shorter and of fibre glass. She was a pocket maxi, designed to rate the maximum under the IOR rule. The Fishers took her to a second and third across the line in Hobart races in the early 80s and she set a record for the Montague Island race in 1981. They sold her in 1984, but Helsal II may have been the best of them.

"In the 1980 race we were south of Flinders Island, leading Peter Blake's Ceramco New Zealand ," Fisher says, "and we should have won. We misjudged our distance from the coast and hardened up too soon. Ceramco overtook us; we caught up, but then lost it with some bad crew work.

"Blake came on board after the race and asked us to race him to Macquarie Island and back as part of his preparation for the next year's Whitbread. We had to decline, told him this was as far south as we were going."

Ceramco lost her mast in the first leg of that Whitbread, though still managed third place at the end.

The third Helsal that the Fishers owned (and still have) was Arthur Bloore's Adams 20 The Office, which they bought in 1987. Bloore, a Queenslander, had fitted her with a centreboard. She was a cruiser/racer version of Helsal II .

During her time in Queensland, she had a small fire on board and Tony Fisher was asked if he would buy her.

"He wasn't keen, but when he went up to see it, he couldn't help himself," Rob Fisher said.

In 1988 the Fishers broke the Lord Howe race record on Helsal III . It was then put out to charter in Bali. They sold it there in 1995, then it came back to Sydney in 2000 to be gutted into a full cruising boat, but sat around on the mooring for four or five years.

Tony Fisher tried to buy it back, was resisted so went to France and bought Helsal IV ; a Philippe Briand designed cruising yacht. As soon as he bought Helsal IV , the owner of Helsal III decided to sell.

Fisher bought Helsal III for a second time and, with the Fishers all now living in Hobart, Tasmania, had local designer Fred Barrett design a fixed keel and generally update the boat, bringing the mast aft and going to a masthead rig.

Helsal III competed in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart's, took 2011 off to break the Launceston-Hobart race record, and she is back in the Hobart for this year.

"For a 29-year-old boat she's pretty quick for her age," Fisher says.

"It will be a special race for her, given what happened to Joe. That's not the way anybody should go. He'll be with us."

PS The Fishers sold Helsal IV last year, but she's still around Hobart.

By Bruce Montgomery, Rolex Sydney Hobart media team

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Hobart Yachts

Whether it’s a casual afternoon sail on the beautiful Derwent River or an extended epic yacht charter around some of the world’s most spectacular coastline, Hobart Yachts has a trip to suit you! We have a selection of charters to choose from on our website but we are also happy to sail wherever you like. All our yacht charters include a professional and friendly crew to ensure you get the most out of your voyage. All our cruises include the best of fresh Tasmanian food and local wines and beer are available at regular bar prices. At 62 feet, Helsal IV is one of the largest yachts to race in the Tasmanian sailing fleet. A veteran of three Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races, she has the body of an ocean racer and the living quarters of a luxury cruiser; thrills and comfort go hand in hand with experiences that will stay with you a lifetime.

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Sail on a Luxury Yacht, 3 Hours - The Derwent, Hobart

Participate in the sailing or sit back and enjoy the ride, this experience is suitable even for novices! Experience the thrill of sailing in a race whether you wish to take part in the action or just relax! The yacht, Helsal IV is an ex Sydney to Hobart competitor!

Description

• Feel the thrill of sailing on board a 62 foot luxury maxi yacht
• Explore the spectacular scenery on Hobart’s Derwent River
• Get involved and learn to sail or sit back and relax while you cruise

You don’t have to own a yacht or even know how to sail to experience the excitement of it all. Jump on board a 62 foot luxury maxi yacht and feel the thrill of sailing Hobart’s Derwent River with this skippered charter cruise.

Departing from the Hobart docks, you’ll set off to explore one of the most impressive natural harbours in the world - both by size and beauty. For three hours you will sail Hobart’s spectacular Derwent River on a path that typically reaches the gateway to the Southern Ocean and returns through the iconic Sydney to Hobart race finish line. 

The 62 foot luxury ocean racer/cruiser, Helsal IV, is an ex Sydney to Hobart race competitor, and provides maximum comfort. You’ll be in good hands with an expert crew on board, and you can get as involved as you like in the actual sailing of the yacht. So you can choose to be hands on with things like taking the helm or working with the winches, or just sit back and relax if that’s more your speed. Either way, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of Hobart and Mount Wellington while out on the open water. 

While you’re on board there will be tea, coffee, water, and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as a cash bar with Tasmanian wine and beer available. This is an unbeatable opportunity to see what Hobart is famous for and embrace your adventurous side.

Experience Details

Fitness and experience.

• Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access and participants need to be reasonably mobile
• Children must be accompanied by an adult

What to Bring/Wear

• Wear flat-soled shoes with reasonable grip and a jacket for the breeze and sea spray

What is Supplied

• Three hour sailing cruise
• Expert tuition
• Use of all safety equipment and fishing tackle
• The best Tasmanian fare will be provided as refreshments along with tea, coffee, water and non-alcoholic beverages

More Information

• There is a highly qualified skipper and experienced crew
• These are not private charters and other passengers may also be on board
• A selection of local Tasmanian wine and beer can be purchased at the cash bar

Cancellation Policy

• Change your booking up to 48 hours before the start time of your experience
• Changes are not permitted within 48 hours of your experience
• Late arrivals or no shows may result in you forfeiting your experience

  Available Dates

Derwent River (Hobart)

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