Design and Construction
The Varianta 37’s hull is a simple but robust solid fiberglass laminate with a vinylester skin coat to resist blistering, and a stiffening grid pan is bonded to the hull for structure robust solid laminate. Bulkheads are tabbed to hull and deck, and on both sides in a high-end touch uncommon among production boats. A watertight bulkhead sits just aft of the forward anchor locker, and everything meets Germanischer Lloyd standards. The deck molding is foam-cored, which keeps weight down while the solid hull below carries the loads. Despite the heavier hull construction relative to its donor design, the Varianta ends up roughly 600 pounds lighter than the Hanse 375 thanks to its stripped-out interior, and the deep cast-iron T-keel is attached with oversized bolts while the spade rudder runs deep for grip to weather.
Rig and Handling
The rig follows the Hanse 375’s layout but substitutes a slightly overlapping 109 percent jib for the trademark Hanse self-tacker, with halyards and jib sheets led to clutches and a pair of Lewmar 40 winches on the cabintop slightly overlapping jib as opposed to a self-tacker. Tapered Seldén deck-stepped spars with double spreaders support a traditional non-furling mainsail with a Dutchman flaking system, and a rigid vang is standard; U.S.-bound boats get tapered Seldén spars with single-line reefing. The traveler sits on the cockpit sole with a double-ended mainsheet, and the mainsheet tackle clips to a padeye forward of the helm. Chainplates are outboard with jib tracks inboard on the cabin top, and a single large racing-style wheel commands Jefa steering with roller rudder bearings that test sailors found feather-light. The fine entry lets her retain the ability to point well, and on a quiet day on Long Island Sound a test boat tacked through less than 90 degrees and showed over 6.5 knots hard on the breeze at 12.5 knots apparent on both tacks.
Accommodations
Below, the Varianta reveals where the cost-cutting landed. Interior joinery is angular formica-faced marine ply, and the boat is a bare-minimum spec with no reading lamps and few overhead lights. A two-cabin, single-head layout is standard, though the reviewed boat carried the optional third cabin aft; the forward stateroom has a V-berth and adequate stowage, and the saloon centers on a drop-leaf table. The head to port has a shower space that falls short of a true stall. The linear galley to starboard holds a two-burner stove, single sink, and small fridge, with plenty of stowage that is poorly organized and an option for more refrigerated volume. Broad aft sections create enough interior volume that the boat remains comfortable to cruise despite the utilitarian finish, and the visual presentation above the waterline is stark white with no cove stripe to soften the high topsides.
Power and Equipment
A Volvo diesel sits below the companionway steps, with a 20-horsepower Saildrive standard and a 30-horsepower upgrade available for those who motor often against wind and waves. The test boat ran the optional 30-horsepower Volvo with a Flexofold folding prop and cruised over 6 knots in flat water under power. An electric propulsion option pairs a 48-volt battery pack for about six nautical miles of range without a genset. West Coast buyers can specify a kelp-cutting system for the T-keel, and four Lewmar winches with four cleats are included.
The Verdict
Writing in boats.com, one reviewer described the Varianta 37 as a new take on an old hull that is lighter, faster, and built with high-end construction features. Its construction discipline—solid laminate, bonded grid, tabbed bulkheads, GL standards—gives real structural credibility, while the bare interior and stark styling make clear it is a value platform rather than a luxury weekender. For the sailor who values performance and honest bones over creature comforts, it rewards; for the buyer expecting a finished cruising interior, it will disappoint without upgrades.
Pros
- Solid laminate hull with vinylester skin and bonded grid pan for structural robustness
- Light displacement and responsive helm with feather-light Jefa steering
- Tacks inside 90 degrees and sustains over 6.5 knots close-hauled in testing
- Judel/Vrolijk hull lineage with oversized keel bolts and deep spade rudder
Cons
- Bare-minimum interior: no reading lamps, minimal electrical, formica joinery
- Stark white exterior with no cove stripe; unorganized galley stowage
- Standard two-burner galley and small fridge limit provisioning for extended cruising
