Style, functionality and luxury are set to make the new Hanse 460 one of the big sailing drawcards of the Auckland Boat Show.
The Hanse 460 has been a star attraction at recent European boat shows and now Kiwi yachting enthusiasts have their chance to check-out all the features of the award-winning luxury cruiser from well-respected German sailing brand, Hanse Yachts.
The Auckland Boat Show running from March 23-26 will mark the New Zealand premiere of the Hanse 460.
A completely new design, the 460 represents a potent new dynamic for the brand – combining powerful lines from renown French naval architecture firm Berrett-Racoupeau and precision German engineering inherent across the entire Hanse sailing range.
Overlayed on this exciting new platform are Hanse’s well-established core values of performance cruising and easy sailing for two people or a couple. Add cockpit space usually associated with a 50-foot yacht with highly enviable cabin dimensions and you have a template for an unrivalled sailing experience in a boat of this class.
Press reviews have praised the 460’s sleek and purposeful lines – “this boat exudes style”, along with the opportunity to highly personalise each yacht with the choice of no fewer than 12 layouts. Versions range from a 3 cabin, 2 head ‘Classic’ layout with nav table to cater for long distance cruising, to a 5 cabin 3 head version that will appeal to sail charter and training operators and can sleep 10 in private, generous accommodations.
“Code”, the 460 being exhibited at the Auckland Show is a three-cabin version with a distinctive dark grey painted hull which showcases the Hanse 460’s emphasis on sailing performance and handling with a knuckle and hard chine above the waterline leading to a broad, flat contour aft producing an efficient hull shape that leaves minimal wake. A test sail of an Australian delivered 460 saw the Berret-Racoupeau design easily reach at 8.5 knots in 12 knots of wind.
Equally impressive are Code’s high-quality interior finishes complemented by French Oak furniture and joinery, as well as spacious accommodations for a yacht this size. The 460’s generous 4.79 metre (or 15 ft 9 inch) beam allows for two exceptionally roomy aft staterooms, one of which has been converted to a utility room with an additional freezer to cater for planned passages to Fiji and other cruising destinations in the South Pacific.
The Owner’s stateroom in the bow is configured with maximum comfort while cruising with semi walk-around island double berth, overhead storage lockers, a hanging locker, plus large private en-suite.
Unlike many European cruisers, the Hanse 460 is laid out so everything is within easy reach of the helm, living-up to Hanse’s ethos of easy sailing characteristics. A self-tacking jib (pioneered by Hanse), all lines and halyards running to the helm, as well as electric winches means the 460 can be confidently handled short-handed. Add to that the options of a second forestay and in-mast furling for the main sail and you have a sail plan that is quickly adjustable to rapidly changing conditions.
The large cockpit is a multi-function space thanks to twin lowerable cockpit tables that can convert into sun lounges while an optional wet bar is handily located between the helm stations.
Manufactured by the Hanse Group in Greifswald, Germany, the Hanse 460 has proved a big hit on the international yachting scene, winning a coveted European Yacht of the Year Award in the Family Cruiser category and an astounding 260 hulls sold to date – making it one of the most successful new yachts ever produced by the leading global brand.
Kiwi and Australian sailors have also been quick to recognise the 460’s class and pedigree with a dozen examples of the new model on the way to owners in both countries.
Windcraft’s Managing Director Anthony Bishop will joining Windcraft’s New Zealand team at the Auckland Boat Show and is looking forward to talking with many of those eager to inspect the 460.
“People love the initial look,” he agrees. “It is a stunning looking boat but then as you peel back the layers you find that’s underpinned by real substance and the thought gone into the little details,” Bishop says.
The all-new Hanse 460 will be located on the Windcraft stand at M8 on the Marina