Design and Construction
The 315 has a thoughtfully molded hull for a boat of this size. The hull is foam-cored above the waterline and solid laminate below it, while the balsa-cored deck helps keep the center of gravity low. The solid lower hull laminate is hand-laid, and its outer skins are saturated in vinylester to protect against osmotic blisters.
At the deck joint, a built-in lip along the gunwale provides better footing when the boat is heeled—a small but useful detail on a 10,361lb cruiser with a 31.9 percent ballast ratio. The deep, L-shaped keel was offered with either a 6ft 1in or 4ft 5in draft and is secured by nine bolts. Inside, the tray molding forms the saloon seat bases and provides recesses for the bulkheads.
Rig, Sailing and Handling
The 315’s defining feature for short-handed sailing is its self-tacking jib. It leaves the crew with little to do during a tack and is paired with a 98 percent headsail on a Furlex above-deck furler. A curved sheet track just ahead of the mast handles the self-tacker.
The deck-stepped, tapered mast has double sweptback spreaders and shrouds set far outboard. The rig, vang and traveler are all from Seldén. Buyers could specify jib tracks on the side decks and a 105 percent overlapping genoa, although the outboard shrouds would limit the gain in sheeting angle. The split backstay is arranged so taller sailors can stand and steer on either side without snagging it.
Test sailors found the boat stiff and well balanced. In 8 to 12 knots of breeze, she reached 5.8 knots at a 45-degree wind angle and 6 knots at 60 degrees, and she tacked through 80 degrees. On a broad reach at 120 degrees apparent, she held 5.3 knots and tracked perfectly without anyone touching the wheel. The Jefa steering was light and responsive—judged as good as the steering on bigger, more expensive boats.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
The cockpit is set up for low maintenance. Apart from optional teak slatting, the deck has no teak trim, and there are no cup holders. Twin wheels are standard, with a tiller available as an option. B&G instruments and a chartplotter are mounted at the port wheel.
Lewmar primary winches sit close to the helms. Two additional winches and Spinlock clutches on the cabintop handle the halyards and single-line reefing. A manually controlled drop-down transom extends the cockpit and creates a swim platform at anchor.
The single 90Ah service battery is beneath the starboard berth, with a second battery optional. All seacocks have slides to prevent accidental opening.
Accommodation
The standard interior has two cabins and one head. Satin mahogany is the standard finish, with light Italian oak or warm American cherry available as options. Headroom is 1.74m.
An overhead hatch and large fixed cabintop ports bring good light into the saloon. A table stands between two straight settees, and a small aft-facing navigation station is fitted to port. The walk-down companionway uses proper steps, while a touch-panel system controls dimmable interior lighting.
The master stateroom is aft and below the cockpit. Its large athwartship berth measures at least 1.93m by 1.65m. Forward, the V-berth can retain its standard 2.05m shape or be opened up by omitting the bulkhead.
To starboard, the L-shaped galley has black quartz counters, a circular sink, a Waeco top-loading refrigerator and a two-burner Eno stove. The head compartment to port is roomy, although it doesn’t have a separate shower stall.
Known Issues
The cockpit has no cup holders. The test boat reviewed by Yachting Monthly also had not yet received its fold-down transom and aft guardrails. The reviewer felt those additions would ease concerns about dogs, children or helmsmen going over the short stub transom. These points reflect missing amenities and the test boat’s delivery state rather than faults with the design.
The Verdict
The Hanse 315 is a compact, well-engineered cruiser that performs beyond what her length might suggest. Her self-tacking jib and balanced hull give her genuine short-handed capability, while the bright interior offers a surprising amount of livable space. The construction method—foam core above the waterline, solid laminate below and vinylester outer skins—also supports the impression of durability. Minor omissions such as cockpit cup holders are easy enough to live with.
Pros
- Self-tacking jib and excellent balance make short-handed sailing straightforward
- Foam-cored topsides, solid below-water laminate and vinylester protection against osmotic blisters
- Roomy aft cabin and walk-down companionway within 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 the early test boat
