Hanse 371 twin aft cabins - any experience?

jac

jac

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We're starting to think seriously about next boat (existing not on market yet so offers of boats to sell me not required at this stage!!!)

Two key requirements are better sailing performance and separate bunks (ideally separate cabins) for our daughters age 10 and 8 to reduce the squabbles caused by them stealing teddies in the night, farting on each other, elbowing in the head etc. (Typical sisterly behaviour!)

The Hanse makes the shortlist on the sailing performance and I know that one option was to convert the huge aft locker into an extra cabin which may mean it ticks the other box. However, these seem rare.

Does anyone have any experience of these? Specifically, how much stowage is left in cockpit lockers if this happens - could you still fit the usual cruising gear in? Are they as rare as they seem?

Ta.
 
jac said:
The Hanse makes the shortlist on the sailing performance and I know that one option was to convert the huge aft locker into an extra cabin which may mean it ticks the other box. However, these seem rare.
Click to expand...

The advantage of something like the Hanse 371 is that they're available for charter, so you could try one when you're between boats to see if it suits you.

Link from web search picked at random from the first page:

http://www.topsailingcharter.com/en...decanese/hanse-371-3-cab-charter/308-585.html

I did charter a Hanse about ten years ago (can't even remember if it was a 371 or 341). My overriding recollection was of disappointment at the performance. Ok I was mainly racing at the time so it was going to be a step down in performance anyway but I certainly didn't think it lived up to its rep.

I also spoke to the owner of a Solent charter company a few years ago who had a low opinion of the quality of some of the build details ( I think other forumites may have talked to the same person). Anyway, he rated them well below Bavaria.

If you want a bit of performance in an AWB others to consider are Beneteau First and Elan - although for the Elan you might have to go to 40' to get twin aft cabins.

Also a Bavaria Match 38 would be a very under valued option. Rate well under IRC too if you really want performance. They're undervalued because of the keel problems. That was caused by the laminate around the keel area being understrength but they were all rectified and are good boats. Obviously they'd be undervalued too when you come to sell. Even more obviously you'd want to get a surveyor to check that area very carefully. One for charter on the Hamble it seems.

Also Dehlers would perform better than a Hanse. They tend to have an extra second class cabin, sometimes hidden behind the heads.
 
We had a 400 Hanse for awhile... Fast boat with huge main... Build quality was rubbish interior stapled together. Stainless fitting that went rusty... I had a complete new set of stanchions after 5 months. We just had a single aft with storage in the other cabin.
 
All twin aft cabins at that size loose cockpit locker space as they are only cockpit level deep. On the Hanse 371 you also lose the half of the galley and the loo compartment is small. I had a Bavaria 37 of the same vintage and it was streets ahead of the Hanse for construction and finish, but not as good sailing performance, particularly as mine was shoal draft keel. We looked at the Hanse, and although superficially it looked good, it was built at the time when Hanse were starting in the low cost E German factory and it showed when you looked at the details. Later Hanses are more "production" built but have a reputation for variable quality until recently.

The "best" twin aft cabin boats of the era (early 2000s) are the Bavaria 38, 40 and particularly if you can afford it and the berth, the 42. while not the sharpest sailors, they have the best combination of layout, stowage and robustly built as charter operators will tell you.
 
I can't comment on the 371, but we have owned a 370 from new since 2007 and generally have been very impressed with her performance. Yes, with any boat at that price range some of the fixtures and fittings are not as good quality as a boat twice the price, but in the last 9 years we have had no major concerns.

She's not designed as a racing boat but she is nevertheless a fast boat for a cruising boat, and sails very comfortably. We took part in this years Round the Island and managed a very respectable second in class (although I appreciate some might question the reliability of ISCRS ratings!).

In regard to storage, if the 371 is similar to the 370 in that respect then you will have plenty of space in the cockpit lockers with two aft cabins. We've got two aft cabins, and can easily fit in the cockpit lockers all the usual items you would expect to find as well as quite a bit more that's accumulated over the last 9 years. We sail her primarily as a cruising boat and have done several week long family holidays (including a trip to Vannes in southern Brittany) with two parents and four daughters comfortably on board.

Recently we have been looking at selling and moving on, but to be honest there really isn't that much of a 'push factor' encouraging us to sell. She continues to be a safe, reliable, comfortable, fast and enjoyable boat to sail.
 
I used to sail on a 371 belonging to a friend, he now has a 370. As for locker space, the one in question was a twin aft cabin and besides the reasonably large cockpit lockers there is a very generous lazaret (sp).

It was a fast boat and seem quite sound, I sailed with him from Portsmouth to Cork a few years ago with a boisterous Celtic sea, nothing scary at all. I would agree that the early Hanse are not as good a quality as similar Bav's.
 
Thanks all. Some good pointers there. Big decision for us is one more season with existing boat (house extension also underway ) or sod it and do two at once!

I'm not really looking for an IRC bandit as apart from RTI I don't race. As long as she sails well I'm ok. For well, that means pointing well, fast and easy to tack short handed which a self tacker seems to achieve. With the boys on board I can always put on a 135% Genny and make them work.

Several people have made comments re build quality especially of the earlier boats.

Is there a date after which build quality makes a step change in quality or is it a more gradual thing of steady improvement over the years.

I should also say I'm not expecting halberg quality. I can live with some rough edges hidden away below decks or cheaper hinges, locker furniture etc. I would rather have the quality in sailing equipment than cabinet maker standard joinery. As long as the basic structure is sound, major components are reliable and repairs / replacement possible then I can live with it.
 
The selftacking jib is a mixed blessing. Great for short tacking - but how often do you do that in a biggish cruising boat like that? A Hanse 325 was on my short list partly because of that feature, but the rest of the boat was not friendly for singlehanding and the Bavaria I bought has a 110% jib with aft mounted winches and more room round the wheel. A revelation after the 130% genoa on my old 37, although not so great downwind (but better than a self tacker).

Don't know what your budget is, but might be worth looking at the later (mid 2000's) Bavaria 37 as well. More spacious than earlier boats. All deck gear on Bavarias is good quality, but not oversize!. However, nothing broke on mine after 15 years except the windlass. Unsurprising given 7 years chartering in Greece.

You really have to look at the different boats yourself to get a feel for the differences. Good time to look as there are plenty on the market.

Y
 
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