With a 47-foot 7-inch waterline and a 16-foot 1-inch beam, the 510 is a voluminous 51-footer. Her deck plan separates social areas from working spaces, an arrangement the review linked to a broader shift among larger cruising boats.
Design and Construction
The hull has a reverse, wave-piercing bow and a straight, razor-sharp transom. Tall freeboard sits beneath a low, sleek coachroof.
Two sets of chines, forward and aft, open up the interior floor plan considerably. A hard chine begins at the bow and softens aft, narrowing the boat at the waterline and reducing wetted surface below.
The builder specifies a balsa-cored hull and deck laminated with vinylester for lightness and strength. Below the waterline, the laminate changes to solid glass. A substantial interior fiberglass grid anchors the keel, while the bulkheads are taped and bonded to the hull. The main bulkhead is a reinforced composite laminate that serves as the compression post for the deck-stepped Seldén rig.
Aluminum backing plates support each deck fitting, with extra fasteners beneath every stanchion. The hull-deck joint is bonded and integrated with the toe-rail bulwarks.
The L-shaped cast-iron keel is available with either the standard 8-foot draft or a 6-foot 6-inch shoal draft. Both versions carry a substantial ballast bulb. Displacement is 36,464 lbs with the L-keel and 37,346 lbs with the shoal keel; ballast is 9,612 and 10,494 lbs respectively. The single deep-blade rudder provided what testers described as a lot of bite in the water.
Rig and Handling
The 510 carries a deck-stepped, two-spreader rig with a tall 77-foot spar. Its bowsprit opens the foretriangle for a double-headsail setup: an outer genoa on a Furlex drum and an inner self-tacking jib. There’s also a gennaker tack on the integral sprit.
The test boat had an in-mast furling mainsail, although a traditional main is optional. A German-style, double-ended midboom mainsheet runs through blocks ahead of the windshield, with its controls led aft. All running rigging passes through belowdecks channels to winches and clutches beside the twin Jefa steering pedestals. The split backstay allows either manual or hydraulic adjustment.
Under full main and a 570-square-foot jib, testers recorded 6.2 knots in roughly 10 knots true at 78 degrees apparent. The boat then accelerated past 8 knots in a 13-knot puff. In about 7.5 knots true, she still managed 4.5 knots at 44 degrees apparent. In 9 to 10 knots, she romped along at 7 to 8 knots at 65 to 70 degrees apparent.
With the big headsail unfurled in 10 to 12 knots on the Chesapeake, the 510 made close to 6 knots on a deep reach and more than 8 knots on the beam. After switching to the jib, she held 6 to 8 knots closehauled.
Power and Propulsion
Standard power comes from an 80-hp Yanmar with saildrive. A 110-hp option is available; testers ran it at 7.8 knots at 2,100 rpm in flat water and nearly 8 knots at 2,500 rpm. The folding propeller on the saildrive contributed to those figures.
A windlass and optional 24-volt bow and stern thrusters complete the maneuvering equipment.
Interior
The standard layout puts the owner’s stateroom forward with an en suite head. Two large aft cabins share a head aft of the dinette. Hanse also offers a four-stateroom, four-head version aimed at the charter trade.
The main cabin has a central island with a pop-up television. To port, a settee has a high/low table that drops to form a berth. A straight-line galley runs along the starboard side, ahead of the navigation desk, and includes three fridges and a freezer. On the island’s galley-facing side, a control center lifts to reveal the VHF, sound system, and AC/DC panels.
Natural light and ventilation come from 14 opening hatches and at least eight portlights. Every cabin has two openings, providing forced ventilation.
Cockpit and Tender Stowage
The cockpit is larger than those on most 50-foot boats. Forward, L-shaped settees and split tables create a dedicated lounging area, while a life-raft locker sits beneath the cockpit floor. The hardtop provides 7 feet of headroom and can carry an optional 1,260 watts of solar.
The drop-down transom gate becomes a swim platform and opens onto a garage that can stow a nearly 9-foot tender while inflated. A Hanse Smart Tender stair and crane provide access.
The Verdict
The Hanse 510 is a rangy, state-of-the-art cruiser that marks a deliberate new chapter for Hanse. She combines a chined hull, a social cockpit separated from the working areas, and a serious double-headsail rig. She sails efficiently in modest breezes and performs strongly under power, although her size and systems call for careful ownership.
Pros
- Twin-chine hull narrows the waterline and reduces wetted surface for easier motion
- Double-headsail bowsprit rig with furling and self-tacking jib options
- Large, separated cockpit with a hardtop, solar option, and safe tender garage
- Fourteen opening hatches and two openings in every cabin
Cons
- Shoal-keel displacement rises to 37,346 lbs with a reduced ballast ratio
- Belowdecks rigging channels and integrated systems complicate access
- Standard AGM battery bank is modest relative to the 1,260-watt solar installation and thruster loads
