Cruising World – August 2019

BOATS & GEAR

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dimensions (there’s another

useful ladder in the lifeline

gates for side boarding).

There’s nothing particularly

fancy about the sandwich con-

struction—it’s a “wet” layup

of glass, vinylester and gelcoat

surrounding an end-grain balsa

core above the waterline, with

carbon reinforcement in the

chain-plate areas. A grid of

solid fiberglass anchors the

keel-stepped mast and the keel

itself, of which there are three

options: a deep T-shaped foil

that draws better than 9 feet,

and a pair of slightly shallower

L-shaped foils in the 7- and

8-foot range, respectively.

Soundown insulation in the

flooring and cabins makes

for a surprisingly quiet boat.

There’s a substantial, sturdy

composite bulwark that rims

the deck, and a single rudder.

The engine is a Yanmar 110 hp

with a straight shaft (not a sail

drive). C-Zone digital switch-

ing controls and monitors the

electrical systems. Retractable

thrusters fore and aft are help-

ful in gliding this handful of a

boat in and out of tight places.

There are multiple interior

plans from which to choose—

including a pair of four-cabin

versions with a set of double

cabins and heads forward—but

the standard, most popular

layout, which was on our test

boat, is a three-cabin model

with a roomy owner’s suite in

the bow (with a nice head and

shower) and two ample double

cabins aft (there’s also a small

workroom to port that could

also be specified as another

head or a dedicated stateroom

with bunkbeds). The main

saloon is spacious and airy, and

includes a straight-line galley

aft to starboard, a navigation

station to port, and lengthy set-

tees, including an L-shaped one

also to starboard that wraps

around the dining table.

We test-sailed the boat on a

day of rather fitful breezes that

never reached even 10 knots,

but it was plenty to get the 548

moving well. The two helms

are independently connected

to the rudder post, and feature

big pedestals with two sets of

controls for the engine, lights,

thrusters, B&G instruments,

autopilot, and so on (you hit a

“select” button at whichever

postion you’re driving from to

take command). The cockpit

is big, continuing the overall

theme, with two dining tables

split to each side, leaving a nice

walk-through space in between.

There’s a windscreen forward

of the companionway, which

has integral slats that disappear

into a recess when not required.

The triple-spreader rig is

tamed with a Seldén in-mast

furler with an Elvstrom perfor-

mance mainsail with vertical

battens that was pretty and

effective. The mainsheet is a

German double-ended affair

that leads aft to the helms. The

smaller of the two headsails,

as previously mentioned, is a

self-tacking jib on its own track

that makes tacking as simple as

turning the wheel. The larger

genoa, on the forward stay, is

available for off-wind work.

The versatile solent arrange-

ment is really a sound solution

for a cruising boat with a pri-

mary attribute of making miles

in whatever the conditions.

And from what we saw, even

in the light stuff, racking up

miles won’t be an issue for the

548. In just about 7 knots of
     true wind hard on the breeze,
     the speedo touched 7 as well.
     It’s an easy boat to steer, with
     a balanced helm, and tracks
     beautifully. That low coach
     roof provides wonderful
     visibility forward. I jotted
     down a couple of notes as I
     jogged back and forth between
     wheels after tacks, one of
     which was in all caps: “FUN!”
     And that’s precisely what
     sailboats are supposed to be,
     right? With the 548, and other
     recent launches, Hanse seems
     to have sorted that out. I guess
     it’s no wonder they’ve become
     a colossus.

Herb McCormick is CW’s

executive editor.

Abundant living space is the central theme in the 548,

whether in the cockpit (top) or the main saloon (above).

SEA TRIAL

WIND SPEED

7 to 9 knots

SEA STATE

Slight chop

SAILING

Closehauled 7.0 knots

Reaching 6.8 knots

MOTORING

Cruise (1,800 rpm) 6.9 knots

Fast (2,300 rpm) 8.3 knots

SPECIFICATIONS

HANSE 548

LENGTH OVERALL

53'3" (16.22 m)

WATERLINE LENGTH

48'11" (14.90 m)

BEAM

16'7" (5.05 m)

DRAFT

9'2"/7'3" (2.8/2.2 m)

SAIL AREA (100%)

1,485 sq. ft. (138 sq. m)

BALLAST

14,555 lb. (6,602 kg)

DISPLACEMENT

43,652 lb. (19,800 kg)

BALLAST/DISPLACEMENT

0.33

DISPLACEMENT/LENGTH

166

SAIL AREA/DISPLACEMENT

19

WATER

203 gal. (770 L)

FUEL

137 gal. (520 L)

MAST HEIGHT

81'0" (24.6 m)

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

Volvo 110 hp

DESIGNER

Judel/Vrolijk & Co.

PRICE

$800,000

Hanse Yachts

978-239-6568

hanseyachts.com

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