Design and Construction
Below the waterline, the 495’s hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass. The deck and topsides above the waterline are balsa-cored for reduced weight and added stiffness. A solid fiberglass grid stiffens the hull, while the outer laminates of both hull and deck use isophthalic gelcoat with vinylester resin to resist blistering.
Both keel options are cast iron. The standard keel is a T-shaped deep-draft design, while the optional L-shaped shoal-draft keel carries 8,830 pounds and draws just under seven feet. With a displacement of roughly 30,000 pounds, 8,818 pounds of iron ballast, a deep rudder, and a beam of just over 15 and a half feet, the 495 is a substantial mid-displacement cruiser.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The 495 has a fractional sloop rig with an in-mast furling mainsail and a self-tacking jib. Total sail area with that jib is 1,272 square feet.
There’s no traveler. Instead, a double-ended mainsheet controls the sail, and the vang provides the only means of depowering the main. Under load, sail trim therefore depends on that single control rather than a more conventional traveler adjustment.
Lines run through a bank of stoppers to winches mounted close to the dual helms, keeping sail controls within reach of the person steering. On the water, Canadian Boating’s tester found that the 495 tacked through about 80 degrees upwind and reached just 7 knots in the puffs. Under power, the standard 72-horsepower diesel drove the boat at 8 to 9 knots.
Accommodations
Hanse offered three distinct basic cabin layouts. The tested arrangement had the master cabin forward, two guest cabins aft, and a large sail locker in the bow. Another option reversed that layout, with twin staterooms forward and a single owner’s stateroom aft.
The saloon has a generous 6 feet 10 inches of headroom. Multiple hull ports, four opening ports, and two large opening hatches bring in plenty of natural light and ventilation. Buyers could choose mahogany, cherry, or teak veneers. A forward-facing navigation station with a large chart table defines the working end of the saloon.
Deck and Cockpit
The dual-helm arrangement opens up the aft cockpit. The transom lowers to form a large swim platform, with clever life-raft storage tucked into the structure.
The test boat also carried Hanse’s proprietary SMS joystick mooring system and dual retractable thrusters. These were fitted to that particular boat rather than identified as standard equipment.
Verdict
The Hanse 495 is a thoughtfully engineered modern cruiser that trades some conventional control redundancy for simpler handling and a bright, open interior. Her construction is conservative where it matters, with solid fiberglass below the waterline, vinylester resin for blister resistance, and a structural grid to stiffen the hull. On deck, the self-tacking jib and lines led close to the helms suit short-handed sailing.
The absence of a traveler—and the resulting reliance on the vang to depower the mainsail—won’t suit every traditionalist. Even so, the overall layout is coherent for couples or family cruising.
Pros
- Solid, hand-laid fiberglass hull below the waterline, with balsa-cored topsides and deck
- Vinylester resin and isophthalic gelcoat for blister resistance
- Three genuinely different cabin layouts
- 6 feet 10 inches of saloon headroom, with abundant natural light from hull ports and opening ports
- Self-tacking jib and helm-adjacent winches simplify short-handed sailing
Cons
- No traveler; the mainsail can be depowered only with the vang
- Moderate upwind performance, with roughly 80-degree tacks and 7 knots in the puffs
- In-mast furling limits traditional mainsail-shape options
