Design and Construction
The hull is laid up in a female mold using isophthalic polyester resins throughout the laminate. Practical Sailor’s survey noted with surprise that Hanse does not use vinylester in the laminate. The topsides are cored with 22-mm balsa, while the keel and through-hull areas receive additional reinforcement in the form of 25–35 mm of solid fiberglass.
The interior structure is a solid fiberglass fishbone bonded to the hull. All bulkheads are bonded directly to the hull on both sides and to the deck on one side, an arrangement the builder describes as producing an extreme structure.
The deck has a balsa core in a similar laminate, with solid fiberglass around ports and hatches and at the traveler stringer and winch islands. Hardware is set in aluminum plates bedded into the laminate. At the hull-deck joint, the deck is bonded to an inward flange with Sikaflex. An aluminum toerail, positioned roughly an inch inboard, secures the joint with stainless bolts and rectangular backing plates rather than washers.
The keel combines an iron casting above with a lead bulb below, keeping weight low to reduce the center of gravity. Eleven keel bolts bond into the hull beneath a stainless plate, while three stainless bolts bond the lead bulb to the iron shaft. The builder claims that, during a grounding, this arrangement allows the keel to shift aft by a maximum of 1.5 centimeters, reducing the load on the hull.
The shrouds are reinforced by a stainless rod running to bonded-in chainplates, which run from gunwale to gunwale. Boats are built to CE Standard A for the high seas.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The rig is a 9/10 fractional sloop with two sets of swept spreaders and wire standing rigging. The shrouds terminate at the cabin base. Boats carried Z-Spar rigs until 2001, after which Isomat supplied them.
A full-battened mainsail and a self-tending jib on a furler are standard, reflecting the designer’s intention that the boat sail without overlapping headsails. An inboard track accommodates a genoa, with leads routed through holes in the toerail.
The mid-boom mainsheet runs on a 42-inch track forward of the companionway—an accommodation for cruisers rather than a performance optimization. Sheets lead aft to stoppers at the companionway. A split backstay keeps the stern clear, but there is no adjuster for controlling headstay tension.
Test sailors found the Hanse 371 DS light on the helm and buoyant, and it tacked easily under its self-tending jib. In 6 knots of wind, it barely resisted the engine. In 8–10 knots, it made 5–7 knots to weather and was happiest heeled at 12–15 degrees.
Writing in Yachting World, testers recorded 6.5 knots upwind in more than 25 knots of wind, with the boat tacking through 80–85°. On a reach, it made 9 knots. In close maneuvers, it spun within a boat length via the Whitlock rod linkage. The two-bladed Saildrive and high-aspect rudder turn it in a boat length.
Cockpit, Deck, and Systems
Standard deck equipment includes pedestal steering with a 40-inch wheel, Gebo 20-by-20-inch hatches, and a self-bailing anchor locker with a windlass base and double bow roller. A vented propane locker is fitted in the starboard cockpit locker.
The cockpit seats measure 8-foot-6 by 18 inches, with a 17-inch footwell. The forward port locker has no drain.
The engine compartment is lined with heavy sound-deadening material, and testers could speak normally while motoring. The Volvo MD2030—or, on later boats, the Yanmar 3GM30—drove the boat at just under 7 knots at wide-open throttle. Water capacity is 220 litres, while the quoted fuel capacity is 21 gallons.
Accommodations
Below, mahogany veneer over plywood is paired with foam-cored panels and doors. The cabin has a teak-and-holly sole, while cane-faced locker doors provide ventilation. Headroom exceeds six feet throughout.
The saloon measures 11 feet along the centerline and 8 feet across. A large U-shaped settee to port seats six, and its table converts the area into an 8-by-4-foot bunk. To starboard, the chart table has an adjustable helm seat.
The L-shaped galley is to starboard at the foot of the companionway. It includes a double stainless-steel sink, a gimbaled two-burner propane stove with oven, an icebox with cooling aggregate, pressure water, and drawers for crockery.
The forward stateroom has a berth at least 6 feet long and wide enough for two, along with a 2-by-3-foot dressing area. Its hatch is positioned far enough aft to prevent drips from falling onto the berth. The aft stateroom contains an oversized double berth measuring 6-foot-6 by 6 feet.
The standard arrangement has two staterooms and one head. The 3-by-4-foot head compartment contains a sink, toilet, and medicine cabinet and is accessible only from the saloon. The builder resisted adding either a third cabin or a second head.
Options include a separate 28-by-48-inch shower and a second aft stateroom accessed through the galley. Alternatively, that space can be used for storage. The doors hinge off for winter.
Verdict
The Hanse 371 DS is a thoughtfully unconventional 37-footer. Its self-tending jib and cruiser-minded controls suit shorthanded sailing, while its polyester-and-balsa structure is honestly built to CE A and paired with a cleverly arranged keel. The accommodations are bright and versatile, although rough edges in the finish and a lack of handholds aft reveal the speed of assembly.
Pros
- Self-tending jib and sheets led aft make singlehanding practical
- Low-center keel with a grounding-tolerant bolt arrangement
- Versatile saloon bunk and a choice of optional wet locker or second cabin
- Quiet, accessible engine compartment with good access to systems
Cons
- No vinylester in the laminate, according to the survey; exterior finish is ripply in places
- No backstay adjuster and too few handholds near the galley
- Forward port cockpit locker has no drain
- Standard sails were said to undersell the hull
