Production of this model was exceptionally limited, with records from the Hans Christian Owners Association indicating that only nine hulls were ever completed. This low production run makes the 39 PH a true "unicorn" on the brokerage market—a boat built without compromise for a tiny niche of sailors who demanded pilot-house convenience in a classic, heavy-displacement package.
Design Brief & Intent
The 39 PH was designed specifically as an uncompromising passagemaker for high-latitude sailing and long-term, all-weather cruising. At a time when mainstream manufacturers were moving toward lighter, flatter hulls and minimal wood finishes, Hans Christian doubled down on structural mass and traditional aesthetics. The hull features a length overall of 46 feet (which includes the substantial bowsprit), a length on deck of 39 feet, and a waterline of 33 feet.
Stepping below, the interior reflects the highest tier of Taiwanese boatbuilding from the late 1970s and 1980s. The joinery is dominated by solid teak and rich veneers, with hand-carved details, heavy bronze portlights, and the brand's signature tiled-and-marble heads. The "convertible layout" includes a spacious galley to port and a raised dinette to starboard that offers panoramic views through the large pilothouse windows. Forward of the saloon, the master stateroom utilizes a pullman berth to starboard, leaving room on the port side for a dedicated vanity, hanging lockers, and deep cabinetry. The cabin sole is incredibly thick, laid over a massive structural grid that houses the vessel's primary tankage and mechanical systems.
Sailing Performance & Handling
At the heart of the 39 PH’s sailing characteristics is its massive 27,585-pound displacement, paired with a full keel and an attached rudder. With a Displacement-to-Length (Disp/LWL) ratio of 342.68, the boat is a classic ultra-heavyweight cruiser. It does not "hop" onto a plane or accelerate quickly in light air; rather, it relies on sheer momentum to punch through chop.
The boat’s comfort ratio of 39.98 is exceptionally high, translates to an incredibly gentle, slow-rolling motion in a seaway. Crew fatigue is minimized because the hull absorbs the shock of head seas rather than slamming. With a Capsize Screening Ratio of 1.66, the vessel is mathematically categorized as extremely stable and highly resistant to roll-overs, providing great peace of mind during blue-water crossings.
Its Sail Area-to-Displacement (SA/Disp) ratio of 17.78 ensures that, despite its heavy displacement, the 39 PH is not under-canvased. When sailing as a cutter rig with its standard 1,015 square feet of sail area, the boat tracks beautifully and carries its speed well. It is at its best when the wind rises above 15 knots, where the heavy full keel and 37.29% ballast-to-displacement ratio keep the boat upright and tracking like a freight train. The interior helm station provides a completely dry, secure haven from which to pilot the boat via hydraulic steering, while the deep cockpit aft remains available for fair-weather sailing.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Because only nine hulls were built, the 39 PH occupies a highly insulated segment of the brokerage market. It rarely transitions between owners, and when a hull does appear, it typically commands a premium compared to standard aft-cockpit Hans Christian 38s of the same vintage.
Prospective buyers must approach the 39 PH with a realistic financial plan for retrofitting. Due to the boat's age and the complexity of its systems, it is common to see asking prices vary widely based on the state of the teak decks, the age of the standing rigging, and whether the mechanical systems have been modernized. An original, un-refitted model will require a substantial secondary investment to bring up to blue-water standards, but the inherent rarity and high build quality of the hull ensure that modernized examples hold their value exceptionally well.
Known Issues & Triage
Like all double-enders and traditional cruisers built in Taiwan during this era, the 39 PH has specific, well-documented failure points that require careful inspection:
- Teak Decks and Core Rot: The original teak decks were laid over a fiberglass-and-plywood sandwich core and secured with thousands of screws. Over the decades, water can seep past the screw bungs and black caulking, rotting the plywood core beneath. Triage requires a thorough moisture inspection and sounding of the decks. Remediation often involves removing the teak entirely, digging out the soft plywood, re-coring with epoxy or foam, and laying down a modern non-skid fiberglass surface.
- Black Iron Fuel Tanks: The original fuel tanks were made of black iron and built deep into the bilge structure before the deck was joined to the hull. Condensation and trapped bilge water cause these tanks to rust from the outside in. Replacing them is a major undertaking that typically requires cutting open the cabin sole and extracting the tanks in pieces. Modern refits replace these with custom-shaped aluminum, fiberglass, or poly tanks.
- Chainplate Crevice Corrosion: The heavy stainless steel chainplates are partially glassed into the hull sides or hidden behind the extensive interior cabinetry. Because they are shielded from oxygen, they are highly susceptible to crevice corrosion where they pass through the deck. Inspecting them requires removing wood trim, and most insurance surveyors will insist on their complete removal and replacement if they are original.
- Bowsprit and Sampson Post Decay: The massive wood bowsprit and the structural Sampson posts can collect freshwater in their seams, leading to internal rot. The metal fittings, including the crans iron and bobstay attachments, must be checked for pitting and movement.
Modernization & Upgrades
Modern owners of the 39 PH have found that the boat's structural design is highly adaptable to 21st-century cruising upgrades. The large, flat coachroof of the pilothouse is an ideal mounting surface for solar power. Veteran owners regularly install rigid solar arrays of 600 to 1,000 watts on the coachroof, which easily offsets the daily draw of modern refrigeration, autopilot systems, and watermakers.
Additionally, the transition from traditional lead-acid house batteries to LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) battery chemistry is highly favored. The deep, protected compartments under the pilothouse sole provide a dry, temperature-stable environment for large lithium banks, reducing overall weight and providing rapid charging capabilities from high-output alternators or generators. Finally, because maneuvering a 27,000-pound full-keel boat in tight modern marinas can be nerve-wracking, the installation of a high-thrust bow thruster is one of the most common and valuable physical upgrades performed during major refits.
The Verdict
The Hans Christian 39 PH is a legendary, overbuilt "unicorn" of the cruising world. It is not a boat for those who prioritize light-wind speed, slip-to-slip agility, or low-maintenance exterior plastics. Instead, it is a floating fortress designed to keep its crew dry, warm, and safe in conditions that would turn back lesser vessels. If you can find one of the nine hulls ever constructed, and are prepared to address the inevitable maintenance of a classic Taiwanese build, it remains one of the ultimate blue-water cruising platforms ever conceived.
Pros
- Exceptional heavy-weather protection via the secure, dry interior helm station.
- Unrivaled interior volume, headroom, and hand-crafted teak joinery.
- Incredibly comfortable, motion-dampening ride in rough seas.
- High stability and ultimate safety margin for transoceanic passages.
- Large coachroof provides an ideal platform for high-output solar arrays.
Cons
- Extremely rare and difficult to find on the brokerage market.
- Traditional full-keel design makes handling in tight marinas challenging without a bow thruster.
- Significant maintenance liabilities, including aging teak decks and original black iron fuel tanks.
- Sluggish performance in light winds (under 10 knots) due to massive displacement.
