Design and Construction
Frers' hand is evident in a high performance, well balanced, strong hull of moderate draft that the designer describes as the product of years of shared experience between the yard and his office. The shell is built from hand-laid woven roving saturated with isophthalic polyester resin and finished in gelcoat, carrying a Divinycell PVC foam core above the waterline for sound and thermal insulation while remaining solid laminate below. A lead keel of 24,250 pounds is secured with fourteen M36 stainless steel bolts that are visible and reachable from the deep bilge, and longitudinal and athwartship stiffeners bonded into the bilges spread mast and keel loads. The deck is a foam-cored GRP sandwich, and the hull-to-deck joint is an overlapping GRP laminate bond intended to keep water out without relying on through-fasteners. A rubbing strake with a stainless strip runs the length, and the 14 mm slow-growth teak decks are glued in place. Sources differ on the beam, with one quoting 16' 11" including rubbing strake.
Rig and Handling
The 62 is built to be managed by a cruising couple despite her size, and the efficient and easy to handle sail plan is matched to that goal. A three-spreader deck-stepped Seldén mast carries hydraulic in-mast, genoa, and staysail furling, with a hydraulic boom vang and backstay managed from the cockpit through push-button controls at the helm. Push buttons at the steering pedestal raise and lower the anchor and set and sheet the sails, making "push button sailing" a standard-feature reality rather than a slogan. The powerful Perkins M225Ti—225 hp at the crank, 6.0 liters, six cylinders, 700 Nm of torque—drives a two-geared three-bladed folding propeller with overdrive and turns 8.2 knots at a low 1,300 RPM. A semi-balanced GRP rudder on a 100 mm stainless shaft with three cast bronze bearings uses a Cardan link steering system.
Accommodations
Inside, the floor is level from bow to stern, which aids movement between the three or four cabins offered by the two layouts. The saloon is genuinely light and airy, with big opening side windows, opening skylights, and fifteen large Lewmar Ocean windows; the interior woodwork is silk-smooth satin varnish teak. A wrap-around lounge and center double seat gather eight adults around the teak table, with vented outboard cabinetry and integrated storage. To port, the signature Hallberg-Rassy captain seats fold inboard to reveal more lockers, including wine and barware storage. The solid teak-and-holly sole sits on rubber cushions with flush lifting rings, and grab rails with fiddled surfaces are placed where a hand naturally falls. The engine room lies off the aft passageway, is massive, and lets a person stand or sit to reach every major machine.
Cockpit and Deck Life
The center cockpit is well protected and generous, with good all-round visibility and self-bailing scuppers, teak-grated floor and seats, and shelter from a hardtop or soft top with an opening mid-section suited to both extreme cold and tropical heat. A three-pane safety-glass windscreen with opening center sits forward of the helm. On deck, dual bow rollers, a 30 mm stainless pushpit, port and starboard boarding gates plus a transom gate, and 16-inch mooring cleats fore and aft with 12-inch mid-ship cleats equip her for easy handling. Double lifelines run from stanchions mounted through the caprail without penetrating the underside.
The Verdict
The Hallberg-Rassy 62 is a thoughtfully engineered flagship that pairs Frers' balanced hull with an exceptionally manageable systems layout for a 62-foot yacht. Her level floor, vast light-filled saloon, and stand-up engine room reflect a builder concerned with liveaboard cruising rather than show, and the awards she collected at launch confirm the reception among serious bluewater buyers.
Pros
- Manageable short-handed via push-button sail and anchor control from the helm
- Stand-up engine room with full machinery access and removable major components
- Foam-cored topsides and deck for insulation; solid below-waterline hull
- Level interior sole and bright, ventilated accommodation across three or four cabins
- CE Category A for unlimited ocean voyages; 425 gal diesel and 412 gal water for serious range
Cons
- Only 25 built, so limited availability by nature of the series
- Teak decks and extensive hydraulic systems imply ongoing owner attention
- Moderate 8'2" draft restricts some shallow cruising grounds
