Hallberg-Rassy has worked exclusively with Frers since 1989, and the 310 represents a deliberate redesign of the yard’s earlier 31-foot line. She is shorter overall than her predecessor but longer on the waterline and narrower in overall beam. A slightly deeper bulb keel, which the builder says provides greater stability with less weight, complements the revised hull. The resulting shape is reported to be faster on every point of sail.
Design and Construction
Frers gave the 310 a fine entry and a hollow bow, with the hull widening to its maximum beam at the companionway. The hull is built from hand-laid fiberglass, with a closed-cell Divinycell core above the waterline and solid laminate below. The deck is also cored, with solid laminate retained in load-bearing areas.
Before the interior is installed, the deck is bonded to the hull, a method the builder describes as providing unbeatable torsional stiffness. The deck-to-hull joint follows Hallberg-Rassy’s long-established practice: the connection is heavily laminated on the inside rather than relying on bolts or adhesives for its primary strength.
Below the mast base, a steel beam extends down to the stiffening grid beneath the cabin sole. The lead keel is secured to the keel stub by nine M20 stainless steel bolts.
Familiar Hallberg-Rassy details include a windscreen, integrated rubbing strake, blue stripe, brass rubbing strake, and sumptuous finish. The teak-capped toerail drains rainwater through hoses that discharge below the waterline, preventing streaks down the hull sides. Sturdy mooring cleats sit on top of the toerail. At the stern, an open transom makes boarding easy; at sea, it is closed by a drop-in acrylic washboard with cutaway drains.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The 310 has a fractional, deck-stepped Seldén rig with two sets of swept-back spreaders. The top and lower shrouds terminate at individual chainplates, clearing the side decks and improving sail sheeting for either the slightly overlapping genoajib or the optional self-tacking jib.
A split backstay with a 24:1 tensioning system is standard. The mainsheet has a 6:1 purchase and runs on a cockpit-wide 4:1 traveller. All control lines, including the genoa-car tweakers, lead aft to Lewmar 16 halyard winches or Lewmar 40 primary winches.
A Code Zero or gennaker can be flown between the masthead and a removable bowsprit. With a square-top mainsail and Code Zero, sail area increases from the standard 508 square feet to 768 square feet.
Test sailors found the 310 gloriously responsive, easily controlled, and well weighted. In gusty winds of 16–20 knots, she made 5.6–6.5 knots upwind while sailing at 30–32 degrees to the breeze. Beam-reaching in 21–28 knots with a full jib and double-reefed mainsail, she logged 7.1–9.1 knots and surfed to 9.9 knots on six-foot swells.
The rudder loses its grip at about 30 degrees of heel, though it gives plenty of warning. The boat has also demonstrated her speed in competition, winning her category among 68 boats in the Tjörn Runt, the world’s largest inshore race.
Accommodations
The saloon sits relatively far aft, making it exceptionally long and wide for a boat of this size. Hallberg-Rassy omitted the chart table thanks to modern on-deck navigation gear, creating a more spacious saloon and additional locker space.
Both the L-shaped sofa and the straight settee are a full two meters long. Fourteen sources of natural light help make the interior bright and unusually roomy for its length. These include four skylights—two in the saloon—and nine opening portlights the same size as those fitted to the HR 43 Mk II. Locker doors sit flush and use concealed hinges.
The galley doesn’t interrupt movement through the boat, and a person working there won’t block access to the aft cabin. Its equipment includes deep double sinks, a refrigerator with an organizing basket, and a solid Corian countertop.
The aft cabin has a 206 cm-long berth, measuring 6 ft 6 in by 4 ft 6 in at the wide end. It also has two opening portlights and a hanging locker. Forward, the cabin contains a 6 ft 5 in by 5 ft 6 in double berth, along with its own vanity and hanging locker. Headroom is 5 ft 11 in.
The head has been moved forward and is well ventilated by an opening portlight and skylight. Milk-coloured glass in the skylight provides privacy while admitting light.
Engine and Tankage
The standard engine is a three-cylinder Volvo Penta D1-20 producing 19 horsepower and fitted with a 115-amp alternator. Tankage comprises 26.5 US g of diesel, 52.8 US g of water, and a 13.3-gallon holding tank.
The boat tested by Yachting Monthly had a different installation: a 22 hp Yanmar driving a three-blade Gori propeller through a saildrive. At 2,300 rpm, it cruised at 5 knots in standard mode and 5.9 knots in overdrive. Flat out in standard mode, it reached 6.9 knots.
Verdict
The Hallberg-Rassy 310 is a thoughtfully developed small cruiser. Compared with the older 31-foot layout, she trades some overall beam for a longer waterline and a stiffer, reportedly faster hull, without giving up the marque’s hallmark finish and ocean-capable construction. She is genuinely easy to sail short-handed, unusually roomy below for her length, and proven on the racecourse.
Pros
- Laminated hull-to-deck joint and cored construction above the waterline provide torsional stiffness
- Separate chainplates keep the side decks clear, while control lines led aft suit short-handed sailing
- Unusually spacious and bright saloon, with full-length settees and additional space created by omitting the chart table
- CE Category A rating and proven speed, including a Tjörn Runt class win
Cons
- Rudder loses grip at about 30 degrees of heel, requiring attention when the boat is overpowered
- Standard engine is a modest 19 hp; some boats were delivered with different propulsion systems
