The Berret-Racoupeau-designed Hanse 460 turned heads as a 2022 Boat of the Year nominee with a fresh take on comfort and volume but with an eye better sailing performance. The second model in the new range designed by the Berret-Racoupeau team, the Hanse 510 is set to make its US premiere at the 2023 Annapolis Sailboat Show—again as a Boat of the Year contender. From what our editors saw at the model’s recent showing in Cannes, the 510 is expected to be a formidable opponent in its category during CW’s Boat of the Year judging.

As for dockside demeanor, this new range’s calling card appears to be a marked chine on the bow and an inverted bow to optimize sailing performance. According to the designers, attention was also paid to refining the hull shape to maximize interior space. The result is an easy-on-the-eyes 51-footer that values smooth sailing and fast, comfortable cruising.

According to the builder, the Hanse 510 offers unrivalled volume in the 50-foot class, courtesy of an optimized hull design. Chines at the bow and aft further allow for a slim waterline, ensuring prime performance and easy sailing.

The 510 is equipped with a large, practical dinghy garage, capable of holding an inflated dinghy of up to 8.8 feet; and the optional, newly developed Hanse Smart Tender System makes launching that dinghy as simple as “driving a car out of the garage.” Convenience and style dominate the interior. Even the crew cabin gets in on the volume action, as it’s much more than the typical (read: small) crew sleeping space—it is a room worthy of staying a while. The options list is lengthy, and the boat can be highly customized to meet owners’ needs.

“Expectations were high after the outstandingly successful Hanse 460, which has been awarded European Yacht of the Year,” says Hanjo Runde, CEO of HanseYachts. “The new Hanse 510 is the logical and consistent further development of the new concept. With her impressive volume, tremendously dynamic lines and countless options, she is redefining the 50-foot class. It is an easy to sail and enormously spacious private retreat.” 

The key talking points of the 510 are numerous. A hydrodynamic design with a slender waterline promotes better hull speed. Chines fore and aft allow for a wider hull and more interior space. The reverse, wave-piercing bow makes the yacht pitch less in strong winds, while the pronounced bow chines keep the foredeck as dry as possible. On deck, the strategically placed helm position promotes total control of the Hanse 510 in any situation, with all navigation and performance information easily accessible, as well as all lines and even the electric winches on the port side. An optional hardtop shades the entire cockpit including the steering positions, and it blends seamlessly with the boat’s silhouette. It is also available in several colors and accommodates special lighting and solar panels. A fixed windscreen is another option. 

The novel dinghy garage is capable of holding a dinghy of up to 8.8 ft without having to deflate it. Combined with the optional automatic comfort stairs and the newly developed Hanse Smart Tender System, a single crew member can safely and comfortably deploy the dinghy, including engine, in minutes.

Another novelty on the Hanse 510 is the easy-to-open life raft storage space in the cockpit. Situated just in front of the companionway, it’s easily accessible and has space for standard 8-person life raft containers. An optional wet bar with grill and sink is hinged at the stern so as not to absorb precious cockpit space. 

The boat comes rigged with a self-tacking jib, and all lines run back to the cockpit for simple sail handling of the 710 sq. ft. mainsail and various headsails. The jib is 570 sq. ft. and the reacher measures 1,011 sq. ft., set up using a Solent-style rig on the custom bowsprit. Air draft of the deck-stepped mast is just over 77 feet above the waterline. Optional electric furling systems and winches make light work of handling halyards and sheets for the optimum in performance, short-handed sailing. The standard boat comes with a single, 80 hp saildrive, although an upgraded, optional 110 hp diesel is also available.

Within the interior, 14 well positioned opening hatches and eight opening windows and portholes permit maximum light and ventilation below deck. A long list of layout options are said to be available for the interior arrangement, from an “owner’s yacht” with a best-in-class sized master cabin, to a “charter yacht” with 10 berths, three bathrooms and an additional skipper cabin. The galley can be fully adapted to the owner’s needs as well: In addition to various refrigerator and freezer options, there is room for a wine cooler, dishwasher and a three-burner gas cooker plus an oven in the longitudinal pantry, which can be customized with a vast choice of colors and materials. Another option is a fully equipped navigation area with a forward-facing seat and a large salon table. The extensive options list, ranging from a washing machine in the utility room to flatscreens in the master cabin and salon, is crowned by the Flagship Package, which includes highest-end fabrics and materials, not to mention a “hidden” bar behind the folding backrest in the salon.

At its core, the Hanse 510 emphasizes a roomy cockpit, large but manageable sail plan, and overall performance that is easily managed by a couple, but perhaps what really sets the Hanse 510 apart from other sailboats in its class is the limitless level of customization the builder is willing to offer. The Hanse 510 also comes with a CE rating of A-12, so it is well suited for those who want to venture longer distances. 

Hanse 510 Specifications

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We had the chance to get on board the Hanse Yachts 460 at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival. This yacht, Hanse’s first by the French yacht designers Berret-Racoupeau, combines maximum innovation and traditional Hanse values, such as fast cruising and easy sailing — all with a consistently modern sporty look. The result is a 46-foot yacht that promises pure adrenaline for skippers and an individual, stylish home at sea for families. Come on board with us and check it out.

Learn more about the Hanse 460.

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A funny thing has happened in the world of production boatbuilding since the German company Hanse Yachts launched its first model, the relatively modest Hanse 291, in 1993. To put it mildly, Hanse has exploded and is now a certifiable behemoth, trailing only Group Beneteau in the ranks of the world’s largest sailboat builders (the firm’s holdings include the Moody and Dehler brands, and Privilège Catamarans as well). Pay a visit to the Hanse stands this fall at the big U.S. boat shows in Newport, Rhode Island, and Annapolis, Maryland, and see for yourself. The Hanse exhibit is a veritable boat show within the boat show.

This past fall, the builder unveiled three new models, the largest of which was the Hanse 548 (all three boats were part of the company’s 8-Series, an ongoing upgrade of almost the entire line). It’s a voluminous yacht that sails well, boasts ­gargantuan accommodations, and has a list of available options—with regard to interior layouts, keels, hull and furniture colors, fabrics, electronics, and on and on—that’s longer than a giraffe’s neck. You can trick out this boat to your very own liking.

That said, no matter what the degree of customization, the basic platform remains the same. And it’s quite the platform: With its maxed-out waterline, low-rider coach roof, extremely tall topsides and double headsails (the inner is a self-tacking number), and a half-dozen hull windows to each side, the 548 cuts a thoroughly contemporary figure. This is the basic template, more or less, that defines the modern sailboat aesthetic as interpreted by a whole host of European naval architects, including Judel/Vrolijk & Company, who were responsible for this design. Admittedly, not everyone is wild about straight-razor ­profiles that don’t exhibit a little rake or angle in the bow and transom. But I think they’re pretty cool.

The other visual (and practical) accoutrement in the yacht is the carbon-fiber T-top that extends over the cockpit—a solid Bimini with a canvas enclosure within it that can slide forward from its spot above the twin wheels for some sunshine and a good look at the main. It’s quite functional and extremely well-executed. (An additional hard dodger is also available.) So too is the “dinghy garage,” or tender bay, beneath the cockpit for stashing the inflatable; the associated, hydraulically controlled drop-down transom with a retractable ladder that raises to the deck is also useful for boarding the boat—not an easy task otherwise given its outsize dimensions (there’s another useful ladder in the lifeline gates for side boarding).

There’s nothing particularly fancy about the sandwich construction—it’s a “wet” layup of glass, vinylester and gelcoat surrounding an end-grain balsa core above the waterline, with carbon reinforcement in the chain-plate areas. A grid of solid fiberglass anchors the keel-stepped mast and the keel itself, of which there are three options: a deep T-shaped foil that draws better than 9 feet, and a pair of slightly shallower L-shaped foils in the 7- and 8-foot range, respectively. Soundown insulation in the flooring and cabins makes for a surprisingly quiet boat. There’s a substantial, sturdy composite bulwark that rims the deck, and a single rudder. The engine is a Yanmar 110 hp with a straight shaft (not a sail drive). C-Zone digital switching controls and monitors the electrical systems. Retractable thrusters fore and aft are helpful in gliding this handful of a boat in and out of tight places.

There are multiple interior plans from which to choose—including a pair of four-cabin versions with a set of double cabins and heads forward—but the standard, most popular layout, which was on our test boat, is a three-cabin model with a roomy owner’s suite in the bow (with a nice head and shower) and two ample double cabins aft (there’s also a small workroom to port that could also be specified as another head or a dedicated stateroom with bunkbeds). The main saloon is spacious and airy, and includes a straight-line galley aft to starboard, a navigation station to port, and lengthy settees, including an L-shaped one also to starboard that wraps around the dining table.

We test-sailed the boat on a day of rather fitful breezes that never reached even 10 knots, but it was plenty to get the 548 moving well. The two helms are independently connected to the rudder post, and feature big pedestals with two sets of controls for the engine, lights, thrusters, B&G instruments, autopilot, and so on (you hit a “select” button at whichever postion you’re driving from to take command). The cockpit is big, continuing the overall theme, with two dining tables split to each side, leaving a nice walk-through space in between. There’s a windscreen forward of the companionway, which has integral slats that disappear into a recess when not required.

The triple-spreader rig is tamed with a Seldén in-mast furler with an Elvstrom performance mainsail with vertical battens that was pretty and effective. The mainsheet is a German double-ended affair that leads aft to the helms. The smaller of the two headsails, as previously mentioned, is a self-tacking jib on its own track that makes tacking as simple as turning the wheel. The larger genoa, on the forward stay, is available for off-wind work. The versatile solent arrangement is really a sound solution for a cruising boat with a primary attribute of making miles in whatever the conditions.

And from what we saw, even in the light stuff, racking up miles won’t be an issue for the 548. In just about 7 knots of true wind hard on the breeze, the speedo touched 7 as well. It’s an easy boat to steer, with a balanced helm, and tracks beautifully. That low coach roof provides wonderful visibility forward. I jotted down a couple of notes as I jogged back and forth between wheels after tacks, one of which was in all caps: “FUN!”

And that’s precisely what sailboats are supposed to be, right? With the 548, and other recent launches, Hanse seems to have sorted that out. I guess it’s no wonder they’ve become a colossus.

Hanse 548 Specifications

Hanse Yachts
978-239-6568
hanseyachts.com

Sea Trial

WIND SPEED
7 to 9 knots
SEA STATE
Slight chop
SAILING
Closehauled 7.0 knots
Reaching 6.8 knots
MOTORING
Cruise (1,800 rpm) 6.9 knots
Fast (2,300 rpm) 8.3 knots

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Amid the design stampede to bring every conceivable comfort of home aboard, I found the new Hanse 418 to be refreshingly straightforward in both looks and performance. Below, accommodations are comfortable. On deck, things are orderly. And under sail? Well, I’ll let Boat of the Year judge Alvah Simon address that one. “The helm was — I have one word here — sweet,” he told his colleagues during their ­post-sea-trial deliberations.

The Judel/Vrolijk-designed 418 is built at the Hanse yard in Greifswald, Germany, and replaces the 415 in the middle of the brand’s nine-boat range. It shares the same slippery hull as its predecessor, but sports an updated interior and completely new deck layout that includes twin wheels, fold-up helm seats, a stout centerline drop-leaf table in the cockpit and modest bulwarks, upon which the lifeline stanchions sit.

As Boat of the Year judge Tim Murphy pointed out in his description of the boat, the Hanse “look” favors relatively high freeboard and a low-profile coach roof. Besides good looks, that design decision translates directly into excellent visibility from either wheel when sitting or standing, and decks that are easy to move about on once one has stepped over the somewhat wide cockpit coamings.

Out on the water, Hanse keeps things simple. All sail-control lines are led aft from the mast under removable seahoods to a bank of clutches and a Lewmar winch just forward of each wheel. Line bins adjacent to the wheels keep the cockpit clutter free. Upwind, the self-tending jib makes tacking a turn-the-wheel endeavor; off the breeze, the double-ended mainsheet ensures control of the full-batten main is close at hand to either wheel. The boat we sailed had a second set of winches mounted forward on the cockpit coamings for handling a downwind sail, definitely an option I’d choose to spice things up when reaching or running.

RELATED: 2019 Boat of the Year Nominees

We didn’t have a lot of wind the day we took the 418 for a test sail on Chesapeake Bay last fall after the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. Still, in 5 or so knots of breeze, the GPS speed over the ground was a steady 4 knots closehauled and cracked off a bit. And driving the boat was divine, with the single rudder and Jefa steering providing plenty of feedback.

Hanse lays up its hulls and decks with an exterior coating of gelcoat, followed by a layer of vinylester resin to prevent blistering. From there, a balsa core is surrounded by fiberglass and infused with polyester resin. The hull and deck are bonded with adhesive and through-bolted at each stanchion. A cast-iron keel is available as an L-shaped 6-foot-10-inch foil or a 5-foot-9-inch shallow-draft configuration.

Down below, there are a host of choices to be made in terms of layout, gear, and fit and finish. The boat we visited had light-colored French oak woodwork and dark counters and upholstery, but there are several other wood styles and accent colors available. Three large ports in each side of the hull let in loads of light, and multiple overhead hatches kept the air moving throughout.

The 418’s considerable beam is carried forward into the owner’s cabin, making a king-size island berth possible, along with either a pair of hanging lockers or a locker to port, and a head and shower to starboard. In the saloon, a large U-shaped couch and drop-leaf table are to starboard; opposite is a settee with a rear-facing nav station at its aft end, against the head and shower compartment’s forward wall.

The owner has the option of having an aft cabin to port, and to starboard, either a second sleeping cabin or a storage/work area. If the latter is chosen, the L-shaped galley has more counter space, and it’s the layout I’d choose for sailing and living aboard as a couple.

The Annapolis boat had a sticker price of $285,000. That included the standard 40-hp Volvo engine and saildrive, teak decks, electronics, electric winches, and Fast Cruising Dacron sails from Elvstrøm. Forego a few toys to save some bucks or splurge for a 57-hp engine, a second head and some of the other comfort packages Hanse offers — either way, you’ll leave the dock with a boat that’s easy to handle and a hoot to sail. Any way you cut it, that’s a pretty good deal.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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To my eye, perhaps the cleanest-looking yacht to be introduced in 2018 was the Hanse 588, the second-largest offering from the German builder in a line that now encompasses a range of boats from 31 to 69 feet. Look, I enjoy a clipper bow and sweeping sheer line as much as any traditionalist, but lately I’ve derived as much optical pleasure from the lines of all-business performance cruisers like the 588. Perhaps it’s because function follows form, and a yacht like this — with features that include a straight bow and stern, ample topsides, wide beam, maximum waterline, minimalist deck jewelry and razor-sharp sheer — is nothing if not a flat-out sailing machine. You can just see it.

And then there’s this: At first glimpse, it looks rather simple. But on closer inspection, it’s anything but. And I also find broad appeal in that dichotomy. But make no mistake: For all of its ultramodern Euro styling, this is a well-constructed, systems-rich, state-of-the-art vessel, with a host of elements that will make sailing and cruising safer, and more efficient and fun.

Let’s start with the sail plan and rig, a triple-spreader Seldén aluminum spar with no traveler and a self-tending jib. Straightforward, right? Well, not so fast. The ­mainsheet is actually a German-style setup that’s double ended and led aft, port and starboard, to cockpit winches adjacent to the helmsman. The main itself on the boat

I sailed is a powerful, fully battened number stashed on an optimal in-boom FurlerBoom furler. The ­aforementioned jib is unwound from a Furlex manually controlled furling unit, and the code zero genoa riding shotgun in the twin headsail configuration is set off a Reckmann electric furler. All sails are built using composite-­laminate sailcloth by Elvström. In other words, like everything else, they’re high tech.

There are twin wheels, each led to the quadrant independently of each other. Stashed below the cockpit, accessed via the transom’s drop-down boarding gate/swim platform when lowered, is a Williams jet-drive tender (I am not making this up), which answers the always intriguing dinghy question (both the type and its storage) in a major way. There are thrusters in the bow and the stern, both retractable, very handy items when pivoting or docking a boat this big. Are you recognizing a recurring theme here? With the Hanse 588, on multiple levels, what you don’t see is what you get.

A raised bulwark rims and ­accentuates the flush deck, which can be specified as real teak (an ­option) or synthetic teak, with a choice of eight different finishes. On our test boat, the sight lines from the dual helms were fabulous, thanks largely to the low coachroof and the absence of a dodger or Bimini. (A fiberglass “T-top” hardtop that covers the cockpit is optional, as is the sort of windscreen seen on many Scandinavian cruising boats.) There are six windows on each side of the hull; the company says it used the largest ones possible that do not ­compromise structural integrity. The windows serve dual purposes, emitting plenty of light into the interior and offering great views while breaking up the expansive hull from a visual perspective.

The boat is well put together, with balsa core employed in the topsides of the hull and deck in a laminate rich in polyester resin and coated with vinylester as a hedge against osmosis (the layup is solid glass below the waterline). The chainplates are reinforced with carbon in high-load areas, and the vacuum-bagged bulkheads are cored for a combination of lightness and strength before they are tabbed into the deck, floors and hull. The iron keel (there are three different sizes and drafts available, ranging from a shallow L-shaped model that draws 7 feet 5 inches to a deep, T-shaped version drawing 9 feet 4 inches) is anchored to keel plates embedded in the integrated floor grid.

Down below, there are literally dozens of choices to make with regard to upholstery colors and fabrics, carpeting, and woods for flooring and furniture, which gives owners an incredible amount of leeway to personalize the interior to their own liking. Our test boat’s ­furnishings were finished in cherry, which was quite pleasing. Likewise, with the floor plan, there are multiple layouts for accommodations from which to choose. The boat we inspected had the single spacious owners cabin forward, with an island berth and a single roomy head (this space can also be two cabins and two heads); a crew’s quarters in the bow (which can also be a gargantuan sail locker); and a big head to port at the foot of the companionway (this can also be a workroom or another sleeping cabin). There were also twin double cabins aft with en-suite heads. The central saloon of our test boat featured large settees to port and starboard, with the U-shaped galley also to starboard. A straight-line galley with an incorporated central island is also available.

Alas, the day of our sea trials on Chesapeake Bay last fall, in conjunction with the 2018 Boat of the Year contest, dawned ­absolutely windless, and we were unable to conduct a test sail. But the boat performed more than admirably under power, registering better than 9 knots at 2,150 rpm. And, in terms of decibel level, it was one of the fleet’s quietest boats, a fact that was not lost on BOTY judge Ed Sherman.

“One of the factors that I have always used to help me sort out a very broad-based quality issue is how noisy the boat is when you’re motoring along,” Sherman said. “All that’s indicative of all these parts — doors that don’t fit right, floorboards that move — that can induce harmonics that go through the whole boat when you’re under power. And here, we have a boat that’s right down there with the highest quality and most expensive yachts in terms of the noise level down below. I guarantee that’s a derivative of the efforts that have been taken in designing and executing all the assembled components in the interior. For Hanse, the tolerances are getting tighter. Whatever they’re doing, it’s really working.”

Yes, Mr. Sherman. It ­certainly is.

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

HANSE 588 Specifications

Hanse Yachts
978-239-6598
hanseyachts.com

The post Hanse 588 Review appeared first on Cruising World.

Value. How does one determine it? Price is most certainly a factor. In the case of new boats, and our Boat of the Year competition, it means something more. As sailors, we wish to recognize good boats that not only are affordable but offer other, tangible rewards. The ability to get couples and families out on the water, to have a weekend escape, to take them on coastal vacations and even maybe a sabbatical to the islands, all without breaking the bank. For 2019, the judging panel determined that one boat had the potential to do these things better than the rest, which is why they awarded the Best Value prize to the Hanse 348.

One of three boats with a price tag under $200,000 (the others being the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319 and the Dufour Grand Large 360), during sea trials the Hanse 348 wowed the judging team from the get-go. “In only about 8 knots of breeze, we were seeing 5.7 knots upwind and pointing very nicely, and even registered 6.5 knots once we cracked off,” said Tim Murphy. “It’s a pretty sweet little boat.”

Alvah Simon agreed. “When we looked at it on the dock, I put a star next to it in my notebook and wrote, ‘Good first impression, nice interior, fairly good layout.’ That continued when we went sailing. The winches were well-placed. The basic cockpit ergonomics made things nice. It’s a relatively little boat with twin helms. At first I thought there wasn’t room for them, but on a boat like this with a wide beam aft, they actually create space rather than take it up. They divide the working area up from the social area in a smart, safe way. Hanse isn’t the only builder to do this, but it’s a concept that’s been developed, and their take on it is quite good. It’s just a winning idea.”

But nobody on the judging panel was more impressed than Ed Sherman. “I really loved this boat,” he said. “It had the most room of any boat in the Midsize Cruiser Under 38 Feet category. The helm area is just terrific. I thought the cockpit table and the multifunction display case just had a look of quality. It was really nice, with a compass right there in the middle. There were good, sturdy stainless-steel rails to rest your feet on. I like the fact that it had a three-cabin layout and a single head. Pretty terrific, in my opinion. They use some composite through-hull fittings that we’ve seen on larger boats. I’m in love with those, just from a maintenance perspective.

“It was just a lot of fun to sail too,” he added. “I think it represents huge value for a young family that’s starting out in sailing and wants a nice, competent coastal cruiser. I’ll leave it at that.” And that was more than enough.

See All Winners:
2019 Boats of the Year

Other Winners:

• Domestic Boat of the Year
• Import Boat of the Year
• Best Midsize Cruiser Under 38 Feet
• Best Midsize Cruiser Over 38 Feet
• Best Full-Size Cruiser Under 48 Feet
• Best Full-Size Cruiser
• Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet
• Best Cruising Multihull Over 50 Feet
• Best Charter Boat

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The new Hanse 315 e-motion incorporates the ground-breaking, Torqeedo-powered Rudder Drive. Replacing a traditional inboard engine, the optional lightweight propulsion system is integral to the rudder, providing superior maneuverability and power generation while underway, without the noise and fumes of a diesel.

The Rudder Drive was developed by Torqeedo in concert with Hanse Yachts and rudder manufacturer Jefa Marine. The core of this innovative concept is the proven Torqeedo Cruise 4.0. Part of the foil blade itself, the streamlined system replaces a conventional driveline or sail drive inboard diesel.

Due to the placement of the 4 kW/8 hp equivalent Cruise 4.0, the rudder blade applies efficient, directional thrust through a 100 degree range. Precise maneuvering is accomplished without the need for a bow and/or stern thruster. The Hanse 315 with Rudder Drive easily spins on its own axis, both in forward and reverse. While docking, the stern is quickly brought into position—a desirable trait on a breezy day or when entering a narrow slip.

Making 4.5 kts with calm seas, the emission-free version of the Hanse 315 equipped with four lithium-ion batteries has a range of up to 30 nm. At lower speeds, that distance is significantly increased. The maximum speed of 6.1 kts nears that of a diesel engine. It will charge in just three hours, either at the dock or while sailing—the folding propeller will actually generate power.

Weighing 220 lbs. less than

Find out more at www.torqeedo.com.

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For more information, visit www.hanseyachts.com

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Vacances Sous Voiles, located in the BVI offers charter vacations on Bali catamarans and Hanse monohulls.

The bali catamarans are available in 40, 43 and 45-foot models.

The Hanse monohulls are available in various lengths from 38 – 45 feet. Hanse’s new model, the 415 will be available for charter starting in March 2016.

For details, contact VSV at www.vacancessousvoiles.ca.

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The new 455 comes in three- and four-cabin configurations to fit your spacial needs. Other options include a traditional settee, or a configuration of chairs to port in the saloon. All four of the new Hanse models have two heads.

For more information visit the Hanse Yachts Website.

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