HANSE

[LarryLevine]

Does anyone have any comments or experience with this german boat. I would appreciate all comments good and bad.

[SailorMitch]

Larry,

If nothing else we have to give you A for effort. You are finding all sorts of possibilities, huh?

To answer your question, I only know what''s on their website, and some general dock talk. Hanse had a boat or two at the Annapolis show last year but I missed them. A friend saw them and wasn''t overly impressed. Will look for them myself this year. Dock talk is that they fall between Dehler and Bavaria in the German quality scheme........but exactly where is open to question. Their website makes the models look interesting if nothing else, although the English version is a bit short in translation. Interestingly, the interior layouts seem more "American" than European in that the galleys are aft rather than along the port or starboard side of the salon. Also appears that they don''t really have separate shower stalls, although they could -- just hard to tell from the drawings in the website. Also not as beamy as most other newer designs (assuming I have my metric conversions right), which puts them more in the Dehler arena, which are really nice boats BTW.

FYI.....the smaller boats have iron keels per the website. The 37 and up have lead keels, although the 37DS model has something about "cast iron keel with low lead center of gravity." Not sure what that is all about. They also mention that all rudder posts are cast iron rather than stainless steel. (I''d prefer a carbon fiber composite over metal myself, not that anyone asked or cares.)

Only other comment is that Hanse now has only 2 dealers in the US, both in Calif. If that''s where you happen to live, then you''re cool. If you''re in Chesapeake Bay country, for example, that may present a problem.

As always, good luck. Now, I''ll await my main man Denr''s response, although from the tone of some of his recent posts he may be back on his meds. (Just kidding, Denr!!!)

[LarryLevine]

Sailer Mitch,
Thanks for your comments on this boat very helpfull. I cant wait to hear from denr! I know I am obsessing a bit but for the money I am spending I want to exaust all possibilities and probably myself as well. The fact is I want a new boat not used and I am getting as much good and bad feedback as possible. If that is a crime so be it. My budget is between 125 and 150 grand. I want a sailboat not a trawler(lol) and I need to satisfy the wife as well as myself or I will have no boat. I am not going offshore 99% coastal cruising with an occasional trip to Catalina (oh no i mentained that word please excuse me denr

[tarmand]

Larry-
Have you priced the Hanse yet? I did, and these boats aren''t cheap. Particularly if they in fact fall in between Bavaria and Dehler in quality as suggested. I think in your range you could get the 31 footer, maybe the 34. Maybe. I spoke with the east coast dealer and got all the price lists during my own search. I was particularly drawn to the 37'' version which has an optional seperate shower (as in completely seperate from the head... nice concept). My price range and wife-related "requirements" were similar to yours, but I was looking for a 36-38 footer. I don''t know what size you''re thinking of, but if its bigger than 32'' and you want it to be new you''d better start thinking Benehuntalina... There''s a reason why the axis of evil sell so many boats!

[Denr]

I have never seen or heard of this vessel before visiting their website yesterday. There is very little technical information about how the boat is constructed (typical for most builders) so my humble opinion would be subject to change after I was able to crawl through the boat.

Setting aside the technical aspects, I like the 9/10 fractional rig for cruising, should allow you to point a couple of degrees higher when the situation requires, plum bow and long water line a plus for speed, it appears as if the 37 has a lead keel...good! Looks as if it has a fat ass (read powerful) stern but, I’ll concede to all of you naval architects out there on this matter. Sandwich hull construction which means strong and lighter than solid glass. Bulkheads and stringers tabbed to hull but can''t tell if boat has a pan or liner. Cabin layout appears well thought out; I prefer the galley location on the 37 to the ones at the widest part of the boats like the other euro vessels. I''m not fond of the teak cockpit surfaces but this is also common on euro boats, see Beneteau. Sail drive not my favorite, requires a rather large hole in the bottom of boat, maybe this is where we''re supposed to throw our money into?! (I know that I should not end the sentence with a preposition sailormitch but I am a professional)

It appears is if this vessel is worth further investigation however I too would be concerned about support with only two US dealers on the payroll.

By the way I don’t need drugs, I’m high on life. I listen to NPR and watch PBS.

[SailorMitch]

Denr,

''Tis perfectly OK to end a sentence in a preposition. Break any rule you want as long as you know you''re breaking it. If someone doesn''t know, then I guess it doesn''t matter anyway. Besides, my rule of thumb is all that grammar stuff gives editors something to do besides chopping up my article!

As for the .....uummmm......POWERFUL stern, don''t you recall from the other exchange that the wider the stern is the faster the boat? I found that a most interesting tidbit of naval architecture. Makes me wonder why sailboats aren''t shaped like a piece of pie. Not even Benehuntalinas are shaped like that -- altho some are close.

Glad you''re drug free. I''m usually high on coffee and chocolate myself.

[DuaneIsing]

"...Shaped like pieces of pie..."

Imagine the interesting rafting geometry you could conjure up!

[Denr]

Sailormitch

I had a piece of Tiramisu at lunch today, it went down very quick. To take your piece of pie theory to the next level, do you think a boat in the shape of a piece of Tiramisu would be fast? If you were to add some of the Sailkote you love so much to the Tiramisu, would you have a vessel was unbeatable? Now this is powerful concept!

[SailorMitch]

Denr,

Please don''t get me started on the Sailkote thing again. My list of alternate uses for it is an obsession, as you well know.

I just got off the phone with a genuine naval architect in Annapolis. Too bad I didn''t read your tiramisu comments before I chatted with him to get his opinions. As it is, he is not a fan of wide ass sterns anyway. Too bouncy a ride for him in anything other than flat calm seas. He did point out that those boats have roomy interiors as the trade off. The more room to get bounced around in the merrier I guess. Seems that all the naval architects I talk to preach moderation. By that do you think they mean just one piece of tiramisu at lunch? With a Sailkote chaser?