Hanse 311

It's natural that Sydney yacht importer and broker Peter Hrones would represent the Hanse range of production yachts from Germany. He is a proponent of low-stress sailing and the systems that make this possible, one in particular being self-tacking headsails. The Hanse range seems to fit the bill extremely well.

If you haven't heard much about this builder, well, that's likely to change in the future, because the company is growing rapidly.

Hanse Yachts is based in Greifswald, a Baltic town with a long tradition of boatbuilding, in what used to be East Germany. It was established by Michael Schmidt, one of Germany's top yacht-racing campaigners, after the nation's reunification in 1989.

The current range includes four models from 31-41ft. All are from the drawing board of Judel/Vrolijk, one of Europe's highest profile yacht design teams, with a strong background in the international racing fleets.

According to Peter Hrones, the company built around 250 yachts last year and has been doubling in size annually over the past four years to become the second largest yachtbuilder in Germany after Bavaria.

Hrones says the company is already well advanced towards production of a 52ft model, with a 46 to follow. This echoes the push towards larger new craft by other European companies like X-Yachts, Jeanneau and Grand Soleil.

While there's clearly a demand for the bigger craft, their price tags and running costs put them beyond the reach of most sailing enthusiasts. So it's encouraging to see some new vigour and ingenuity being injected into the smaller end of the size-range by a number of the major builders. Beneteau has several interesting new performance-orientated models, including a First 27.7 and a new Figaro one-design racer. And there were three new 30-32ft production models on display at this year's Sydney International Boat Show: the Sydney 32 from Australia's major yachtbuilder, Sydney Yachts; a new Sun Odyssey 32 from Jeanneau (also reviewed in this issue); and the Hanse 311.

INTO CHARTER
The 311 was introduced in Germany in 2001. The first boat into Australia (hull no 89) is going into the Pittwater Yacht Charter fleet, so at the time of this review it was being modified to meet survey requirements with the addition of a third set of linelines, bilge alarm, etc. The yacht is built to the CE Category A (Ocean), and is quality assurance certified by German Lloyds.

Hull construction is solid fibreglass (GRP) to the waterline, with end-grain balsa/GRP sandwich topsides and deck. Bulkheads are glassed in top and bottom, and the separate inner ceiling moulding is finished with padded vinyl headliner panels that can pull out to provide access to the deck fittings.

The standard specification includes a pressurised hot-water system, 12V refrigeration, a Muir electric anchor winch, dacron mainsail and headsail on a Facnor roller furler, stainless- steel fuel and freshwater tanks, Simrad log and depth instruments and Plastimo binnacle compass, toilet holding tank, plus basic safety and mooring equipment.

Besides the modifications for charter work, the test yacht was set up with a number of optional extras, including wheel steering (an extra $2870), Lectra/San electric flush toilet system (an extra $3900), and a stereo system and VHF radio (around $3500 together).

Other options include a spinnaker package, and a couple of keel options. The standard keel is a cast-iron fin attached with stainless-steel keel bolts, while the rudder has an alloy shaft.

A lead bulb keel drawing 1.45m is available for an extra $2450, while a swing keel option drawing ) 0.95-1.80m with twin rudders can be included for an extra $12,500.

INTO CHARTER
The rig is seven/eighths fractional with anodised aluminium Sparcraft mast (deck-stepped) and boom, supported by two sets of swept-back spreaders, shrouds and lowers. The backstay is adjustable with block and tackle, as is the boom vang.

The mainsail is set up with lazyjacks and boom bag, and the headsail furler is twin foil. There is only one jib sheet, leading to a car on the foredeck traveller and then aft to one of the pair of Harken 16 self-tailing winches at the rear end of the coachhouse.

There are also two Harken 32 self-tailing winches mounted on the cockpit coamings in case a conventional headsail set-up is preferred, or for running spinnakers.

There is a Pfieffer mainsheet traveller system across the cockpit. A different set-up on the coachhouse can be provided if a clear cockpit is preferred, but by keeping the mainsheet within easy reach of the helm, Hanse is sticking with its declared goal of providing a boat that is easy to sail singlehanded.

The cockpit has a protected feeling, perhaps reflecting the boat's northern European origin. The teak-laid cockpit seats are comfortable, especially at the front end, where you can lean back against the sloping aft end of the coachroof.

There is a boarding platform and swim ladder at the stern, but the transom does not open.

Storage lockers include a very large locker under the port cockpit seat, which is also accessible from inside the yacht (through a door at the aft end of the bathroom).

HIGH GLOSS, HIGH IMPACT
The most striking feature when you first step below is the colour and shine of the interior joinery. The marine plywood and foam sandwich fitout is finished with mahogany veneers, treated with a two-pack varnish for a high-gloss shine enhancing the wood's russet tones.

It's strikingly different from other yachts; you'll either love it or find it overpowering.

"People come on the boat and go 'Wow!'," says Hrones, describing reactions to the high-gloss interior joinery.

I must admit it had that effect on me, not only because it's so bright and shiny, but also because it looks high-maintenance; Hrones assured me that is not the case.

The interior layout provides two private double sleeping cabins. The one in the bow provides a long (2.01m) V-berth that fills all the available space. There are shelves either side along the hull and storage underneath the bunk, but there's nowhere to hang clothes for a longer sojourn afloat.

The master cabin in the starboard aft quarter is better served, with a hanging locker and a big double berth, which is (2.03m) long.

The saloon is kept quite simple, with a central table with dropleaf, mounted on a central stainless-steel compression post supporting the coachroof. To either side are settees that can double as single bunks.

The company says it is "influenced by the style of the sailing yachts originating from the American East Coast." That probably accounts for the rattan doors on the saloon cupboards, a feature which looks good while also promoting ventilation.

The galley at the starboard aft end of the saloon has twin sinks with hot/cold pressurised water supply from a 22lt hot-water tank, a two-burner Triton stainless-steel stove and oven and a Waeco-cooled icebox with a removable door for ease of access.

Opposite is the aft-facing navigation area, with a small chart table and seating provided by the aft end of the settee. Wall space for the electrics panel, radios and navigation electronics is on a cupboard door that is part of the panelling outboard, allowing easy access to the connections. It's simple but effective for day sailing and weekending, while a bit limited for longer passages.

The bathroom compartment is immediately aft on the port side, and houses the marine toilet, vanity unit, washbasin with hot/cold pressurised water supply via the pul-out shower hose, and hanging space for wet gear.

The standard engine is a 19hp Volvo Penta saildrive unit, located under the companionway.

EASY HANDLING
Under motor, the yacht is manoeuvrable and will happily do 6kt at 2600rpm in calm conditions.

Under sail it's an easy boat to manage, and although we did not get more than 12kt of wind during our outing on Pittwater, the311 was lively enough and quite eager to accelerate as the pressure increased.

The self-tacking headsail took all the effort out of tacking and gybing and will be particularly appreciated when sailing singlehanded or two-up, and when there's a cockpit full of friends out for a social occasion and the main aim is pouring the bubbly and not getting tangled up with ropes.

Two drawbacks of self-tackers can be the inability to back the jib to get the boat out of irons (head to wind), and the tendency for the headsail car to bang from side to side of the track in sloppy conditions. On the Hanse 311 there are movable stoppers on the track to allow you to lock the car off if it is banging around. If you get in irons, well, the motor controls are close to hand at the helm.

The boat would have a clearer cockpit and provide more direct steering pleasure with tiller steering, which would be my choice in a boat of this size, but the wheel is certainly a logical option for charter work.

Coming onto the market under the $200,000 mark, the Hanse 311 is certainly an interesting option for yacht buyers in this size range. It makes no pretense at being the latest and greatest speed machine; instead it has a sturdy and solid feel reinforced by the quite traditional, conservative lines of the coachhouse and hull. "It's built for the Baltic Sea," Hrones says. For a boat of its size, it's pretty big on storage space, too.