The Croatians? Bewitched by Hanse 315 and Jeanneau 54

Once again this year in Croatia, the 2016 boats of the year have been decreed according to nauCAT, the country’s leading online magazine. For hulls under 36 feet, victory went to the Hanse 315, while for boats over 36′ the jury chose the Jeanneau 54.

We the Hanse 315 had tested it in preview…

HANSE 315 – OUR TEST

I am at the Fiera di Genova, just days before the start of the Boat Show. Today I will try out the new Hanse 315, which we had already had a chance to see on the dock in Cannes.

Externally, Judel and Vroljik opted for a “classic” design (no edges or “mainstream” solutions), characterized by a clean deck and a well-sized teak cockpit, where all maneuvers are deferred and with a fold-down transom. The mainsail sheet (rigged with German-style circuit), the self-tacking jib sheet, and the furling jib line are within the helmsman’s reach (at least in the double wheel steering version we tested; the standard version involves tiller rigging), so the boat is easily handled even when solo. The rudders perhaps could have been brought a few inches higher-I being 5’9″ felt them low when standing, preferring to helm while seated.

INTERIOR
The interior, as it is a 9.62-meter (overall, because the length of the boat is 9.10 m) is spacious, high and bright thanks to the many windows. In the square, to the left is a very spacious bathroom with shower (we really liked the German-style arrangement of the sea outlets, very neat and clear under the sink). To the right is the well accessorized L-shaped galley. In the sink block is a space for the switch that allows all lights below deck to be controlled in “day” and “night” modes. Only the charting table, on the left, at the bow of the bathroom, is somewhat sacrificed: it must be said, however, that the practice of manual charting is now being replaced by instruments and that on a boat of this size very long sailings are unlikely to be undertaken.

Two design variants are available in the bow: one with an open bulkhead and double berth (ideal for young families with lots of children), or one with a closed bulkhead (in the version we tested), extra closet, small seat and double berth. In the stern, however, there is a king-size guest berth arranged transversely to the cockpit. All bunks are over 2 m long. The base price of the boat is 59,900 euros excluding VAT.

IN NAVIGATION (MANEUVERING AND MOTORING)
I put on my Sailing Newspaper T-shirt, fire up the 20-hp engine (optional, the basic version calls for the 11.8) and drop my moorings. The responsiveness of the boat, when maneuvering, is really good. I have a way to verify this because in the process of setting up for the Genoa Fair, the dock is more crowded than ever, forcing me to zig zag and suddenly “brake.” As soon as I leave the breakwater I test motor speeds (the sea is flat and there is not a breath of wind): 5.1 knots at 2,000 rpm, 5.9 at 2,400 rpm (what I think might be cruising speed) and 6.9 at full throttle. Launched at full speed I try a sharp turn: the boat maintains good stability, almost does not tilt and draws a very narrow diameter circle in the sea (which I estimate to be around 10 meters).

FINALLY SAILING
I head west, where I encounter a slight 3-4 knot north wind. There are two of us aboard: more than enough to easily pull up the 29.5 sq. m. mainsail (with lazy bag and lazy jack) and unfurl the self-tacking jib (17.5 sq. m.). I tack upwind wide (45°) reaching 1.8 knots, tightening, up to 30° I touch 1.6. But these are data that should be taken with a grain of salt because this is a receding wind characterized by very pronounced holes and good and poor. The air drops again, time a few minutes and the sirocco mounts, tending to midday. Here again I go upwind: with 3-4 knots of air, smoother in direction, I get up to 2.5 knots at 38°. With 4.5 knots, at 35° I do 2.8. I didn’t think the autovirant could be so “performing”: the mura is well closed and allows me to tighten the wind well, it could almost be (provocation) a winning solution in ORC. I try a tack: while once you change tack the boat continues to lean and needs some sort of – pass me the term – countersteer, it must be said that it possesses very good inertia and the loss of speed is very minimal. On the traverse I touch 2.6 knots with 4 knots of air. Not bad at all! I return with curiosity to see how the boat performs in so much wind! Eugene Ruocco

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET.

Length ft 9.62 m
Hull length 9.10 m
Maximum beam 3.35 m
Draft 1.85 (standard) / 1.37 (optional)
Displacement 4.7 t
Ballast 1.5 t
Water tanks 230 l
Fuel tank 160 l
www.ciniwebster.it

JEANNEAU 54

There are surprises that succeed better than others. Jeanneau’s came out great. In fact, the French shipyard managed to keep the launch of its new 54-footer, the big news of the coming season, under wraps until the last moment, which will be officially unveiled in Cannes in September.

This is a model with attractive lines, characterized by the large fenestration on the sides of the deckhouse, which manages to maintain a low profile without limiting interior brightness (the four portholes on the broadside also intervene here), a distinctive feature of the Philippe Briand and Andrew Winch pairing, already authors of the 64-footer.

. The focus, also following market demands, is on an extra-large cockpit, which is even more livable thanks to the fold-down transom, which does not just become a bathing platform, but as can be seen in the photos is equipped with cushions to create two real sunbeds.

The winches are positioned immediately forward of the two rudder wheels, in a position that, at first glance, appears correct for working comfortably on the sheets. The split backstay appears, and this is an apt detail, away from the helmsman’s head (how often do you have to dodge it?). The sail plan counts an elongated mainsail and a low-overlap genoa, a clear sign of the desire to achieve a boat that is easy to handle and maneuver.

Jeanneau is thus aiming, after the launch of last year’s 64-foot flagship, to revamp its top of the range, completing a truly comprehensive offering that starts at 34 feet.