Hanse Yachts didn’t plan on selling the Hanse 315 in America, but U.S. customers requested its appearance, despite the freight premium on a boat this small. Described by the builder as a family performance cruiser, in its standard form the clean-cut 315 is set up for daysailing and close-to-home cruising.
No dodger base is molded in the cabin trunk, and a bimini is precluded by the mainsheet, which attaches to a single point on the cockpit sole forward of the steering pedestal. Singlehanded sailing would be easier and likely more fun with the tiller-steering option. The full-battened mainsail provides drive, and the self-tacking roller-furling jib, which employs a curved track and mast-routed sheet system, makes maneuvering a piece of cake. Installed genoa tracks allow a quick upgrade for club racing or cruising in regions known for light air.
Below, the interior is bright, simply laid out, and functional, though the Hanse modernist approach to decor threatens fiddles with extinction; galley activities are best done at anchor.
Artful design allows the forward cabin to convert from a normal V-berth to a single with standing room and a seat. A second cabin is aft of the galley; the head is to port of the companionway, with access to the cockpit locker.
In barely 6 knots of wind, the Hanse 315 sailed at about 3 knots under jib and main and responded quickly to the light helm. Under power, flat out at 3,800 rpm, it made 7.7 knots; at a more leisurely 2,600 rpm, it achieved a useful 6.2 knots.
Hanse has recently released a new, updated and highly customizable edition of the 315 which was named a Cruising World Boat of the Year in 2016. The new yacht features a number of interior layout options and a variety of colors.
Hanse 315 Specs
LOA: 31′ 0″
LWL: 27′ 4″
Beam: 10′ 6″
Draft (standard): 5′ 9″
Sail Area: 495 sq. ft.
Displacement: 8,589 lb.
Water: 32 gal.
Fuel: 13 gal.
Engine: 21-hp. Yanmar
Designer: Judel/Vrolijk & Co.
Price: $122,000
Hanse Yachts US, (410) 626-1493, www.hanseyachts.com
