Standing on the floating docks at October’s Annapolis Sailboat show next to the new Hanse 675 is a humbling experience. I had seen the top of the mast from across the show stretching high above all of the others around it, but that didn’t prepare me for the sight of this new design up close and personal.
The deck level was above my head and from stern to bow, the look was of a mega yacht instead of what one might consider a family cruiser. The flat sheer line, the broad transom, the slab hull sides and the large black windows combine to give the 675 an aura of hugeness.
The 657 joins a fleet of large, production-built cruisers that includes the Beneteau 62, Dufour 63 and Jeanneau 64. The semi-custom builders like Oyster build yachts of this size and much larger. At the production-boat level, these are massive boats for a couple to consider cruising. But as we keep witnessing, size matters and bigger is better.
In that contest, the new Hanse 675 is now the leader and with its size it also introduces some very cool refinements and innovations. Most noticeable is the carbon-fiber, hard-top Bimini over the cockcpit. Amel introduced a similar concept last year but the Hanse version seems to get it really right. The hard-top stretches aft to offer full protection to both helm positions. In the aft half there is a retractable shade that allows you can see the mainsail from the helms yet still be somewhat protected from sun and rain.
The next refinement that stands out is the dinghy garage built into the transom. This is an idea that has been around for a while, but once again, German engineering has got it right. A Williams 385 dinghy fits neatly on the sliding cradle and can be easily winched into its garage by one person. It launches again just as easily.
The 675’s mast stands 104 feet above the water. That’s 40 feet taller than the height restriction of the East Coast’s ICW, which is to say that the sail plan on this boat is massive. Hanse tends to make their rigs powerful and reliant on a huge mainsail and smaller 100-percent, self-tacking jib. Having sailed a Hanse 51 across the North Atlantic, I can attest that this rig configuration is fast, easy to handle and needs to be reefed early and often. The 675 has an in-boom furling system as an option and this will make life mush easier than struggling with a standard slab reefing system, particularly when you need to get the sail reduced to a third reef; this is something you will want to do more often than you might think.
The cockpit is huge and well laid out with the twin helms aft, a bench settee to port and a dinette that can seat up to eight to starboard. You can install a built-in grill right next to the starboard helm, too. The hard top offers protection from above and a dodger over the companionway can protect the cockpit from spray and wind. It looks like the whole cockpit can be enclosed with Isinglass panels.
Down below Hanse offers several arrangement plans to suit the various needs of owners. The master stateroom forward can have either a centerline double with a separate head and shower layout, or you can have and angled double and a larger head-shower combo. Just aft you can have two large sleeping cabins or you can convert the port cabin into an office. With three cabins forward of the saloon, those onboard as owners or guests will have plenty of privacy.
The saloon is vast and has a ton of headroom. To starboard there is the aft head, the aft-facing chart table and a large L-shaped sofa and coffee table. The TV is built in over the chart table so you can recline on the sofa to watch movies or your favorite shows.
There is one quarter cabin aft on the starboard side that can be configured with a double berth or upper and lower singles. The huge galley is to port in the area usually occupied by a quarter cabin. Instead you have a galley that can be closed off from the saloon. This is a proper kitchen that will make all of the cooks on board happy.
The way the after quarter cabin and galley are set up, and joined by a door, is an excellent arrangement for a captain and cook who could have their own space and tend to chores in the galley out of the way of the owner’s party or a charter party.
The fit and finish of the new generation of Hanses maintains the builder’s modern Euro-styling with wide open spaces, the light-colored bulkheads and large windows. The interior is modern, clean and has just a hint of tradition that many sailors like. Hand holds are a bit scarce in the expanse of the saloon.
At about $1.3 million, the Hanse 675 is not for every family. There are smaller versions that fill that need. But for qualified owners who want a luxurious, spacious yacht, with room for family, guests and a crew, the new design is the new Uber yacht in the marina.
Fore more information: https://www.hanseyachtsag.com/gb/hanse/boats/hanse-675.html#m1564