My Story: The Journey to Allegro
How Our Search for a Bigger Boat Led Us to a Helmsman Trawler
Our journey with Allegro began while reading PassageMaker magazine. We came across an advertisement for Helmsman Trawlers, and it immediately caught our attention.
At the time, we owned a Beneteau Swift 30. It was a great boat, but we had reached the point where we needed more space and comfort for longer adventures on the water.
Curious about what Helmsman had to offer, we traveled to Seattle to tour the Helmsman 38E. We were impressed with its design, spacious layout, and overall functionality. It seemed like the right boat for our next chapter, and we decided to move forward with the purchase.
The Road to Owning Allegro
What we expected to be an exciting and straightforward experience turned out to be more complicated than anticipated.
The purchasing and construction process had its share of challenges. Although we were excited about customizing our new boat, several requests required more discussion and persistence than we expected.
After delivery, we encountered additional issues that needed attention. One challenge was that Helmsman does not provide its own repair service. Instead, owners must rely on local boatyards for warranty repairs and other work.
Unfortunately, coordinating repairs was not always easy. Getting reimbursed for those repairs proved even more frustrating, adding unexpected expenses and complications to our ownership experience.
Why We Still Love Allegro
Despite the challenges, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed: we love our boat.
Allegro offers the space, comfort, and cruising capabilities we were looking for when we first started our search. We’ve enjoyed memorable journeys, including an extended trip to Florida and the Bahamas, and the boat continues to provide the experiences we hoped for.
Owning Allegro has taught us that even a boat you love can come with unexpected challenges. The experience has given us a better understanding of what matters when purchasing a new trawler, particularly when it comes to warranty coverage, after-sales support, and the manufacturer’s responsibility for repairs.
Would we buy another Helmsman Trawler? Absolutely.
However, we would insist on a longer, stronger warranty and clearer commitments regarding repair support and reimbursement.
Our story isn’t meant to discourage anyone from considering a Helmsman. It’s simply an account of our personal experience, including the good moments, the frustrations, and everything we’ve learned along the way.
Through it all, allegro remains a boat we’re proud to own and love taking out on the water.