Design and Construction
The 315's hull is a thoughtful piece of molding for a boat in this size range. Above the waterline it is foam-cored, while below the waterline it is solid laminate, and the deck is balsa-cored to keep the center of gravity low hull is foam-cored above the waterline. The outer skins of the solid lower laminate are saturated in vinylester to protect against osmotic blisters, and the hull is solid and hand-laid. At the deck joint a built-in lip at the gunwale gives better footing when the boat is heeled, a small but telling detail for a 10,361lb cruiser with a 31.9 percent ballast ratio. The deep, L-shaped keel—offered in 6ft 1in or 4ft 5in drafts—is secured by nine bolts, and the inner tray molding forms the saloon seat bases while providing recesses for the bulkheads.
Rig and Handling
What sets the 315 apart in casual sailing is the self-tacking jib, which makes the crew redundant through tacks and pairs with a 98 percent headsail on a Furlex above-deck furler. The deck-stepped tapered mast carries double sweptback spreaders with shrouds set far outboard, and the rig, vang, and traveler are all from Seldén. A curved sheet track just ahead of the mast serves the self-tacking jib, and buyers could option jib tracks on the side decks with a 105 percent overlapping genoa, though the outboard shrouds would limit sheeting gain. The split backstay is shaped so taller sailors can stand and drive on either side without snagging. Test sailors found the boat stiff and well-balanced: she reached 5.8 knots at a 45-degree wind angle and 6 knots at 60 degrees in 8 to 12 knots of breeze, tacked through 80 degrees, and held 5.3 knots on a broad reach at 120 degrees apparent without the helm being touched tracked perfectly without anyone touching the wheel. The Jefa steering was light and responsive, as good as on bigger, more expensive boats.
Accommodations
Below, the standard layout is two cabins and a single head, finished in satin mahogany with optional light Italian oak or warm American cherry. The saloon gets good light from an overhead hatch and large fixed cabintop ports, with a table between two straight settees and a small aft-facing nav station to port; headroom runs 1.74m. The master stateroom aft and below the cockpit holds a large athwartship berth minimum 1.93m by 1.65m, while forward the V-berth can be a standard 2.05m shape or opened up without the bulkhead. The L-shaped galley to starboard has a circular sink, Waeco top-loading refrigerator, and two-burner Eno stove, with black quartz counters. The head to port is roomy though without a separate shower stall. A civilized companionway with walk-down steps and a touch-panel dimmable lighting system round out the interior.
Equipment and Cockpit
The cockpit favors low maintenance: apart from optional teak slatting, the deck is free of teak trim, and there are no cup holders. Twin wheels are standard with a tiller option; B&G chartplotter and instruments sit at the port wheel, Lewmar primary winches are close to the helms, and two more winches with Spinlock clutches manage halyards and single-line reefing on the cabintop. A manually controlled drop-down transom extends the cockpit and gives a swim platform at anchor. The single 90Ah service battery lives under the starboard berth with a second optional, and all seacocks have slides to prevent accidental opening.
Known Issues
The cockpit lacks cup holders, and the test boat reviewed by Yachting Monthly had not yet received its fold-down transom and aft guardrails, a configuration the reviewer felt would address worry about dogs, children, or helmsmen going over the short stub transom. These are amenities and delivery-state variations rather than faults.
The Verdict
The Hanse 315 is a compact, well-engineered cruiser that punches above her length. She offers genuine short-handed capability through her self-tacking jib and balanced hull, a surprising amount of light and livable space below, and a construction approach—foam core above, solid below, vinylester outer skins—that speaks to durability. Minor omissions like cockpit cup holders are easily lived with.
Pros
- Self-tacking jib and excellent balance make short-handed sailing straightforward
- Foam-cored topsides with vinylester to protect against osmotic blisters and solid below-water laminate
- Roomy aft cabin and walk-down companionway in a 31ft 6in hull
- Light, responsive Jefa steering praised by testers
Cons
- No cockpit cup holders
- Fold-down transom and aft guardrails were not fitted to early test boat
