At 11.32 meters overall, with a 33-foot-9-inch waterline and a 13-foot beam, the 360 is a notably beamy monohull. Hanse says her emotional design and comfortable atmosphere of wellbeing also make a statement.
Design and Construction
The hull form is central to the 360’s character. Hard chines at the bow create a relatively narrow entry at the waterline, then flare into very full sections higher up. Aft, the chines taper into softer lines. Once the boat heels much beyond 10°, the hull produces a huge amount of form stability.
The wide bow helps keep the stern in the water when heeled, while a deep single rudder—almost as deep as the keel—anchors the steering. The deep-keel boat displaces 17,196 pounds and carries 2,295 kg of ballast, making this a substantial 37-footer. The shallow-keel version has 2,470 kg of ballast and a 5ft 5in draft, compared with the deep keel’s 6ft 9in.
On deck, the side decks begin narrow at the stern but widen quickly toward the bow, with decent moulded bulwarks. The anchor locker is neatly finished with a moulded liner, creating a deep well for the chain forward of a sloping drop beneath the windlass.
Below, a moulded headlining gives a clean finish. Most key joinery corners have solid edging and are nicely rounded.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The tall fractional rig carries a high-aspect self-tacking jib as standard. An overlapping genoa is optional, and tracks are already fitted for it. A square-top mainsail is another option, though it requires running backstays. The rig also has an adjustable 16:1 backstay and markedly aft-swept spreaders.
All lines, including the mainsheet and jib sheets, lead aft to the helm along the coaming tops, where they sit in a partial recess behind the seat backs. Twin composite wheels and a helm seat raised off the deck to keep it dry put the crew in command, while fold-down seats are fitted behind the wheels.
In an editorial review, the tester found that the self-tacking jib and mainsheet bridle helped the boat make good tacking angles. Hard on the wind, the log showed 5.5 knots at about 30–32° to the apparent wind. The builder’s polars claim 5.7 knots on the wind and speeds nudging 8 knots on a close reach or reach. The boat was happiest at heel angles of 10°–20°.
The reviewer thought the standard primary Lewmar ST40 winches felt a little small and would upgrade them.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
The cockpit layout puts a plotter at the aft end of the cockpit table, with instrument repeaters on either side at the aft end of the coaming. There are no panels on the wheel pedestals. Canvas bags at the aft end of the cockpit seats keep rope tails under control.
An optional large moulded table includes a built-in fridge, a top-opening cubby, and fold-up leaves. At the stern, a huge bathing platform folds down and incorporates a full-width intermediate step. Two decent lazarettes sit forward of it. One is planned to accommodate a valise liferaft on later hulls, once the engine ducting and heater are relocated.
The moulded bowsprit provides two tack points, and the open pulpit makes boarding over the bow easier. An optional retractable Quick bowthruster stows under the forward berth.
Accommodation
The interior gives a Tardis-like sense of space in the cabins, galley, saloon, and heads. It has a bright, modern finish, and owners can choose from several factory layout options.
The forward cabin is vast for a 35-foot hull, with a full-sized centreline double berth, reading lights, and forward hull windows. Choosing a second heads shifts the berth to starboard and removes the port hanging locker.
The aft cabins are also generous. In the three-cabin version, the port aft berth loses a little space to the cockpit locker but retains its hanging lockers. In the two-cabin layout, Hanse keeps the starboard aft cabin and uses the extra volume for a larger galley. This arrangement adds a pantry-style fridge, access to the cockpit locker, and another opening hatch. The boat can carry as many as four fridges.
The main heads has a separate shower compartment at its forward end, a fore-and-aft toilet, and plenty of locker space, although it encroaches slightly on the saloon. White bulkheads help the interior feel light and open, if a little clinical. Of the 22 windows and hatches, 16 open, though there are no outboard hull or coachroof windows to provide an outward view from below.
A small optional chart table faces aft against the heads bulkhead. With an infill, the short settee converts into a 180cm sea berth.
Engine and Systems
A Yanmar 29hp diesel is standard, with a 39hp option; the engine uses saildrive. The reviewer noted excellent all-round engine access, even with the larger engine installed. However, the water strainer sits high at the aft end of the engine bay and was impossible to inspect visually and difficult to reach.
Verdict
The Hanse 360 is a modern, beamy cruiser that emphasizes volume and easy handling without abandoning performance. Her chined hull provides early form stability, while the interior feels larger than the boat’s length might suggest. With all lines led aft, the rig also makes short-handed sailing plausible.
The clinical white finish and lack of outboard windows are minor caveats. More practical weaknesses are the small standard winches and the awkward position of the water strainer.
Pros
- Chined hull provides strong form stability beyond 10° of heel
- Tardis-like interior with genuinely flexible factory layouts
- All lines led aft to the twin-wheel helm for straightforward handling
- Excellent engine access, even with the 39hp option
Cons
- Standard primary winches feel undersized for the rig
- Water strainer is difficult to see and reach at the aft end of the engine bay
- No outboard hull or coachroof windows for a view outside from below
- White bulkheads can feel a little clinical
