2012 Bravada Helios Trip #7 (AUGUST 14-22)

Helios is a 75-foot by 22-foot aluminum houseboat built in 2012 with a reverse floorplan designed for entertaining and extended cruising. The boat is powered by twin Mercruiser 260-horsepower fuel-injected V8 engines and equipped with a 22.5-kilowatt Westerbeke generator, 4000-watt inverter, and dual helm stations with Micro Commander controls. Navigation equipment includes a combination depth finder and GPS, underwater and spotlight lighting, a windlass anchoring system, and backup cameras at both helms. Fresh water runs through a UVB processing system, and the boat carries 600 gallons of main fuel, 300 gallons of auxiliary fuel, and 750 gallons of holding capacity.

Below deck, Helios accommodates guests across multiple cabin configurations: a private master suite with king bed and full bath, two queen suites on the upper level, two queen cuddy cabins, and a kid cuddy room. The main salon features a deluxe leather sectional with ottoman, custom granite countertops, and summerlite maple cabinetry. The full galley includes a stainless steel range and oven, 30-inch refrigerator and freezer, microwave, dishwasher, trash compactor, and commercial icemaker. A full-size washer-dryer combo, central heating, and a 5-ton air conditioning system serve the interior throughout.

The boat's entertainment infrastructure spans multiple levels. A custom U-shaped bar on the top deck includes a sink, icemaker, freezers, gas stove, and dishwasher with seating for 17. The 22-by-25-foot third-level sun deck features loungers and a sound system with seven speakers on the top deck and four on the sundeck. Additional TVs are mounted throughout: a 55-inch HD in the main salon with surround sound and BluRay, a 55-inch LCD in a weatherproof cabinet on top deck, a 32-inch in the master, and 22-inch units in the upper caddies. Satellite television feeds multiple sets.

Outdoor spaces include an upper deck bathroom pod, a slippery slide on the rear deck with water pump, full mesh screening for shade and privacy, an outdoor BBQ grill, and four personal watercraft ramps with winches. Safety gear includes life jackets, anchors, lines, docking and mooring equipment, swim platform, swim ladder, boarding ramps, and two ship-to-shore marine radios. The boat is equipped with three heads and includes below-deck storage throughout.