Design and Construction
The 39 PH shares its hull with the HC 38 MKII, making the pilothouse version an evolution in accommodations rather than a clean-sheet design. It has a solid-fiberglass hull over a long-keel form, with a 33-foot waterline beneath its 46-foot overall length and a modest 12.5-foot beam.
Combined with the 6-foot draft and attached rudder, those proportions give the boat the directional stability and interior volume associated with the marque’s traditional cruisers. A comfort ratio of 39.98 and capsize screening value of 1.66 further describe a boat designed for offshore steadiness rather than speed around the buoys.
The length on deck is 37.75 feet—considerably shorter than the 46-foot LOA because of the long overhangs typical of Ives’s styling. That keeps the working cockpit and foredeck proportions in the traditional cruising idiom.
Rig and Handling
Ives specified a cutter rig, and the published sail plan bears that out. The boat carries a reported 1,015 square feet of sail, including the main and a 120 percent genoa. The foretriangle dimensions are a 15.54-meter I and 6.25-meter J, while the mainsail dimensions are a 14.53-meter P and 4.72-meter E.
A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.86 and an S# of 1.50 indicate a moderately powered offshore cutter with a manageable sail plan. With a hull speed of 7.70 knots and pounds-per-inch immersion of 1,474, the 39 PH rewards patient, well-balanced sailing. The numbers describe a boat that carries its load without drama but won’t be hurried.
Pilothouse, Accommodations, and Tankage
The pilothouse is the defining accommodation choice. It raises the helm and companionway into a protected interior space suited to cold or wet passages.
The practical consequences of the heavy hull are also evident below. Tankage includes 250 gallons of fuel and 100 gallons of water, providing the self-sufficiency expected of a bluewater cruiser of this size.
Verdict
The Hans Christian 39 Pilothouse is a purpose-built traditional cruiser: heavy, directionally stable, and generously tanked. Its cutter rig and shared HC 38 MKII hull reflect an evolutionary rather than experimental design. It suits sailors who value seakindliness and protected pilothouse voyaging more than outright pace.
Pros
- Long-keel, solid-fiberglass hull and 37.29 percent ballast ratio support offshore steadiness
- 250-gallon fuel capacity and 100-gallon water capacity provide extended autonomy
- Cutter rig, with a main and 120 percent genoa totaling 1,015 square feet, paired with a moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.86
- Pilothouse layout based on the proven HC 38 MKII hull
Cons
- Heavy displacement and a displacement-to-length ratio of 342 limit light-air performance
- The 46-foot LOA, 33-foot waterline, and 12.5-foot beam make for a voluminous boat, but not a nimble one
