Hanse 375: A Sporting Design
This German cruiser was the zippiest and the easiest sloop to singlehand out of this year’s Midsize category.
The hull structure is a sandwich construction of E-glass and vinylester resin, laid up by hand, with foam core below the waterline and balsa core above. For the record, vinylester’s the good stuff: It resists osmosis and bonds more thoroughly than polyester.
On deck, such hardware as winches and genoa tracks are tapped into aluminum plates that have been laminated into the composite part. This is a fine solution, so long as you keep the gear properly bedded so salt water will be prevented from migrating down to where the stainless-steel fasteners and the aluminum plate meet.
The interior layout, with a double berth aft and a V-berth forward, is simple and clean. With its open, L-shaped galley and limited tankage, the 375 isn’t really designed to be a long-term liveaboard boat, but it should function well as a cruiser or racer. Good handholds overhead and outboard lend a feeling of security under way. The white surfaces of the cabin are set off by mahogany trim and produce a simple and traditional look; African espruda or American cherry are optional.
“Of all the boats we sailed during BOTY,” said Ed Sherman, “without question I enjoyed sailing the Hanse 375 the most. It’s a singlehander’s boat, and it’s very easy to manage.”
Tim Murphy, a Cruising World editor at large and a veteran Boat of the Year judge, is based in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
Specs
LOA 37’ 3” (11.35 m.)
LWL 33’ 0” (10.05 m.)
Beam 12’ 4” (3.75 m.)
Draft (shoal) 5’ 3” (1.60 m.)
(deep) 6’ 5” (1.95 m.)
Sail Area (100%) 1,134 sq. ft. (105 sq. m.)
Ballast 4,773 lb. (2,165 kg.)
Displacement
(light ship) 15,873 lb. (7,200 kg.)
Ballast/D .30
D/L 197
SA/D 28.67
Water 86 gal. (324 l.)
Fuel 37 gal. (140 l.)
Mast Height 58’ 3” (17.75 m.)
Engine 27-hp. Volvo
Designer Judel/Vrolijk & Co.
Price $190,000
Hanse Yachts
(978) 903-0380
www.hanseyachts.com
