There is something about a traditional boat that just feels right. How can you go wrong with a narrow hull, long overhangs and low topsides? By contrast, creating a thoroughly modern design that captures this same feeling can be a challenge, which is one of the reasons why the new Hanse 445 is so impressive.

This is a boat that violates nearly every traditional aesthetic value you can imagine. It’s beamy. It’s got a lot of freeboard. It’s all angles. Yet somehow, the Judel/Vrolijk design office has managed to blend these elements into a yacht that is powerful looking and uniquely elegant.

Equally important, it’s a boat that’s a heck of a lot of fun to sail.

CONSTRUCTION

A product of Hanse’s very large, modern production facility in Greifswalk, Germany, the 445’s hull is solid fiberglass throughout, with a vinylester skin to prevent blistering. The deck laminate includes a balsa core, in the interest of keeping the boat’s center of gravity as low as possible. A fiberglass “strongback” framework helps carry keel and rig loads, and the boat’s main bulkhead is also laminated to the hull and deck to provide additional structural integrity.

Two keels are available, both in a “T” configuration with a long torpedo-like ballast bulb: a 7ft 4in deep keel and a 5ft 8in shoal draft fin.

The double-spreader rig is slightly fractional, with an optional cruising spinnaker flying from the masthead. The tapered mast is aluminum, as is the boom, with wire rigging. A slab-reefed fully battened main with lazy jacks is standard, as is a 106 percent self-tacking blade jib.

ON DECK

I liked everything about both the deck and cockpit layout on the 445. The expansive cockpit aft features twin wheels that provide a wide-open lane to the boat’s drop-down swim platform. They also allow you to get well outboard when steering, so you can keep an eye on the headsail without craning your neck.

Thanks to the low cabintrunk, sight lines forward are excellent, and the sidedecks are encased in low molded-in bulwarks that, coupled with an excellent molded-in nonskid, provide easy, secure access to the bow. Not that there’s much reason to go there. Halyards and control lines are not just led aft, but directly to the boat’s twin helms. Aboard some designs, the resulting line cluster can lead to logistical problems when actually working the boat. But thanks to the 445’s self-tacking jib and the combination of a pair of Lewmar 48 AST winches to port and starboard (electric aboard our test boat) and a well positioned battery of clutches forward of each, shorthanding the boat is simplicity itself.

There is a pair of flip-up helm seats, one aft of each helm (a nice touch), and the drop-down swim platform includes both a beefy Schaefer block and tackle and a gas strut to make raising and lowering a breeze, despite its large size.

The cockpit seats are long and comfortable. The large fold-down table includes a hefty stainless steel framework with hand rails to hang onto when the boat is on its ear, and four pairs of beefy retractable mooring cleats help preserve the boat’s no-nonsense lines when not in use.

The list of nice features aboard the 445 goes on and on…

ACCOMODATIONS

Belowdecks the Hanse 445 couples a fairly conventional layout with a truly tremendous amount of space for a 44-footer. Our test boat, a battleship-gray beauty named Happy Chaos, was outfitted with twin quarter cabins aft and a single owner’s cabin forward with an ensuite head and shower. You can also specify two mirror-image staterooms in the bow, via Hanse’s “Individual Cabin Concept” approach, whereby the boat is divided in three sections fore and aft with different options in each that can be mixed and matched at will. Hanse also offers a plethora of different woods, fabrics and colors to suit a wide range of tastes.

The saloon is enormous and features a sleek Euro-chic aesthetic that belies its practicality. Closer inspection, for example, reveals a number of strategically situated stainless steel handholds, while the L-shaped galley includes plenty of galley space and lots of storage room.

Happy Chaos’s owner, Toronto sailor Sean O’Brien, told me he’d bought the boat the previous spring and spent the summer cruising with his wife, Michelle, and three kids, Evan (8), Laura (6) and Amy (3). It’s not often that I get to test a boat that’s fully provisioned for a family of five. This one had plenty of room for tucking away everything from fenders to a menagerie of stuffed animals. The O’Brien family has clearly been very comfortable aboard their new cruiser.

UNDER SAIL

We had picture-perfect conditions out on Lake Ontario—10-12kts of breeze, with bright sunshine and a slight chop—and the Hanse 445 made the most of what the weather gods had to offer.

Setting out from Toronto Harbor we tagged along beside a small fleet taking part in an informal race around the Toronto Islands. Beating into the chill southerly breeze coming off the open lake, we quickly reeled in the tail end of the fleet. In 12kts true wind speed, we topped 7kts speed over ground without half trying at an apparent wind angle of around 35 degrees.

Coming about was simplicity itself thanks to the boat’s self-tacking jib. Although Happy Chaos was equipped with the shoal keel, the boat still stood up to the puffs and the helm felt light to the touch throughout, thanks in no small part to the 445’s very large semi-balanced spade rudder.

Falling off to reach back through the entrance at the east end of the harbor, the boat responded crisply and maintained good speed as we dodged the traffic headed out onto the open lake.

O’Brien said he’d been doing some weekday beer-can racing aboard the boat and was well satisfied with her performance. He’s thinking of entering Happy Chaos in the Lake Ontario 300 race in 2012. The 445’s motion in the chop felt smooth and easy, both when driving and relaxing belowdecks. Hanses are known for their performance, and the 445 is clearly carrying on that tradition.

UNDER POWER

No surprises here. Doing slow-speed doughnuts in forward and reverse in a cross-breeze, the 445 responded predictably and was under complete control. Our test boat had a bow thruster, but it wasn’t really necessary. Hanse has also designated the 445 as one of the models on which it is offering its new SMS joystick maneuvering system—the company’s answer to Beneteau’s Dock & Go system. However, I don’t really see the point. Obviously, if you absolutely dread docking, feel free to make the extra investment. With the 445’s high topsides, I could also see windage being a problem on occasion. The vast majority of the time, though, it won’t be necessary.

CONCLUSION

The Hanse 445 was a joy to both sail and review. It’s not often you find a new design that combines a unique new look with practicality, comfort and performance under sail, but Hanse has done just that with this new boat. I envy Sean and his family for their great new ride!

Specifications

Designer: judel/vrolijk & co.

Builder: HanseGroup, Griefswald, Germany

US Distributor: Hanse Yachts USA, Rowley, MA, 978-903-0380

LOA	44' 3"
LWL	40' 2"
Beam	14' 4"
Draft (std/shoal)	7' 4" / 5' 8"
Displacement (std/shoal)	24,250lb / 24,912lb
Ballast	7,716lb
Sail Area	1,036 sq ft (main and 106% blade jib)
Fuel/Water	66/120 gal
Engine	53hp Volvo (saildrive)

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