Sailboat Hanse 315 for sale

The all-rounder for beginners: Hanse 315

Particularly when it comes to boats under 10 metres in length, shipyards have to walk a tightrope: because what many people don’t realise is that, in terms of the cost of manufacturing the yachts, it makes very little difference whether you end up laminating an 8.70-metre-long hull (as with the Hanse 315) or one for a 40- or even 45-foot yacht. The differences in material and labour costs are much smaller than one might think. The problem here is that, naturally, small boats cannot be sold at such high prices, as the clientele naturally look at 10-metre boats rather than 15-metre ones. On the other hand, competition is much fiercer in the small boat sector, as naturally far more people can afford the entry-level models. So you need a concept that, with relatively little effort (in terms of cost), creates a volume model that is as attractive as possible (in terms of price), which then sells in large numbers to pay for itself.

At Hanse, this has been the 315 since 2016. This popular boat is a comparatively slender all-rounder offering impressive manoeuvrability, which the Greifswald-based shipyard combines with a generous amount of space both on and below deck. The boat is easy to handle and can be adapted for use in a variety of sailing areas. Typical of Hanse is the simple cockpit with straightforward rigging, which nevertheless makes for a lovely sailing experience.

The design of the Hanse 315 appeals to solo sailors as well as (small) families

With a hull length of just under 9 metres and a maximum beam of 3.35 metres, we regard the Hanse 315 as a moderate, modern cruiser. One striking feature of the design is the comparatively deep standard keel of 1.85 metres, which can, however, be shortened to 1.35 metres for shallow-water cruising areas. This means the Hanse 315 can also sail in the tidal and shallow-water harbours of the North Sea. However, at 3.35 metres, it is rather wide for use on Lake Constance or other large inland waters – in this respect, the Oceanis 30.1 from Beneteau is likely to be unbeatable, as its 2.99-metre beam means it doesn’t even qualify as special transport on the road.

The concept behind the Hanse 315 is simple: a fully-fledged two-cabin sailing boat that offers everything you’d find on larger sailing yachts. Sleeping quarters for up to four adults, a fully equipped shower and toilet, a galley where the ship’s cook can move about and cook comfortably, and a spacious saloon with seating and sleeping arrangements, as well as a large saloon table, should the weather outside ever take a turn for the worse.

Up on deck, everything is clean, very efficient and perfectly laid out. The helmsman, in particular, will be delighted with the ample space behind the twin steering wheels – some competitors offer significantly less space there, even on larger vessels! In the seating area, 1.95-metre-long benches invite you to relax, whilst the simple table consists of two panels that fold up onto a bracket: it’s more than enough! The fully enclosed cockpit opens up at the stern thanks to the comparatively large bathing platform – now the Hanse 315 becomes a perfect base for swimming whilst at anchor.

Modern design: one of the last by Judel/Vrolijk

Alongside the slightly larger Hanse 348, the Hanse 315 is the last sailing yacht currently under construction that was designed by the German design firm Judel/Vrolijk. The design dates from 2016 and, with 10 years of active production under its belt, is not exactly ‘old’, but it is certainly getting on in years compared to its competitors. The exception here is Bavaria, whose Bavaria Cruiser 34 is by far the longest-serving sailing yacht amongst those currently in active series production.

In 2022, the Greifswald shipyard will begin renewing its fleet – and make a big splash in the industry. For the first time in decades, it is no longer working with Judel/Vrolijk, but has instead turned to a French designer. Olivier Racoupeau is a leading name in the industry, and the Hanse 460 is making waves: the elegant new design takes the brand to a whole new level; Racoupeau skilfully blends Mediterranean cruising and cutting-edge elegance with the core values of Hanse, a German yacht builder with very distinct characteristics. Since 2022, the shipyard has been revamping its entire range of yachts, and as the Hanse 315 and the Hanse 348 are the last two models yet to be revamped, it is expected that this will take place in the near future.

However, ‘vintage’ yacht certainly does not mean you’ll be getting an old boat: the Hanse 315 still cuts a fine figure alongside significantly newer designs. The design is as timeless as it is high-performance. Owners of this boat therefore have nothing to fear; nevertheless, the (possibly imminent) renewal of the 315 and its replacement by a Racoupeau design will certainly have consequences. We’ll discuss this in more detail in the final section of this article, with regard to offers for new and second-hand boats.

Few options in the 30-foot range

However, anyone looking to buy a brand-new yacht straight from the shipyard has very little choice. This is because, as Dufour has not been building the Grand Large 310 for some time now, only Hanse and Beneteau currently offer brand-new yachts in the under-10-metre segment. On the second-hand market, you should still be able to find a Dufour 310 (a lovely little yacht with solid sailing characteristics) or a Sun Odyssey 319 (slightly larger) – but if you’re looking for a new yacht, your search will be very straightforward. So be sure to read our article on the Oceanis 30.1 as well.

Buying a Hanse 315 – Hull, design, construction & sail plan

‘Made in Germany’: The Hanse 315 in production

Alongside Bavaria Yachtbau, based in Giebelstadt in Lower Franconia, Hanse is the second-largest German yacht builder. This shipyard, too, has had an eventful history; in particular, the story of its founding by Michael Schmidt and the company’s meteoric rise in the nineties and early noughties reads like a Hollywood novel. Today, the Hanse Group – with the Hanse, Dehler and Moody brands for sailing yachts and the Fjord, Sealine and Ryck brands for motor yachts – is by far the largest yacht builder. Hanse alone builds around 400 sailing yachts a year.

The shipyard site in Greifswald on the Baltic Sea is spacious and very modern: direct access to the Baltic Sea makes it easy, particularly for German customers as well as sailors from countries bordering the Baltic Sea, to collect their boats directly from here and set sail. This saves on transport costs and is a clear locational advantage for Hanse. Speaking of locations: Hanse yachts are built here in Greifswald, so ‘Made in Germany’ is entirely accurate. However, they are ‘born’ just a few kilometres away at a Hanse facility on Polish soil. This is where the shipyard has outsourced hull production, attracted by the lower labour and operating costs. Nevertheless, the hull production facility is also a Hanse-owned factory, ‘within sight’, so to speak. It is partly thanks to this strategy that Hanse offers yachts at very attractive prices compared to all other series manufacturers. Often supported by a very aggressive pricing policy and marketing (think ‘Early Bird’ discounts), this allows them to put together great packages – which is particularly good news for beginners or sailors on a tight budget. But back to the Hanse 315.

Perfect for single-handed, double-handed and (small) families

This small sailing boat is packed with everything you’d find on larger boats. After all, even beginners should be able to enjoy all the comforts of a modern cruiser. True to Hanse tradition, a self-tacking jib comes as standard, combined with a fully battened mainsail. In recent years, Hanse has switched from Quantum Sails to Elvström as its sail supplier. The sail quality is acceptable, but ambitious sailors are advised to order bespoke sails from a sailmaker’s loft rather than these OEM sails.

The hull of the Hanse 315 is hand-laminated; it is interesting to note that the first layer of GRP is applied using the expensive vinyl ester resin. This is intended to increase the hull’s resistance to osmosis. The rest is completed using standard polyester via the hand-lay-up process. The construction consists of an outer and inner shell for greater strength. For the outer shell, the shipyard uses balsa heartwood as a sandwich material in areas not subject to structural stress, which saves weight. Nevertheless, the yacht ultimately weighs around 5.3 tonnes – comparatively heavy compared with its more modern rival, the Oceanis 30.1 (4.2 tonnes).

Simple to sail but certainly capable: the Hanse 315’s sail plan

Hanse yachts, particularly the Judel/Vrolijk designs, have always been all-rounders when it comes to sailing. This sets the boats apart significantly from the ‘Mediterranean’ yachts produced by other manufacturers. More or less all of these have now opted for extra-wide, very high-volume designs that perform perfectly, particularly on ‘holiday courses’ between 90 and 160 degrees wind angle. Thanks to their width and high shape stability, these boats can then be fitted with surprisingly little ballast (this can be reduced by up to 26 per cent). Sailing close to the wind in such boats is very strenuous: the hull slaps against the waves, sometimes gets stuck close to the wind even in moderate swell, and can no longer reach a high tack.

The Hanse 315 is an exception here: whilst it too has an impressive length-to-beam ratio, it still has a very sharp profile, particularly in the bow (which will become clearly apparent inside later on). As a result, the Hanse 315 should perform significantly better than wider Mediterranean cruisers, particularly when sailing close-hauled and in the much-loved-yet-hated ‘Baltic choppy conditions’. So, for those sailing in areas where there’s a noticeable proportion of close-hauled sailing, the Hanse 315 makes for a stable, nimble companion.

The boat offers 47 square metres of sail area, which should be on a par with the Oceanis 30.1. The Oceanis can be fitted with up to 45.9 square metres of sail area, but it weighs considerably less and therefore sails a little more nimbly.

Simple cockpit layout with clearly arranged line routing

Single-handed sailors and family skippers in particular – those who have to or prefer to sail the boat on their own – will appreciate the clear line layout on board. The winch layout is simple, clear and classic. On either side of the companionway are the working winches, which operate the mainsheet and one sheet of the self-tacking jib. The halyards and stretchers, as well as the reefing lines for the mainsail, also terminate here. Anyone sailing with a gennaker in light winds will use the two gennaker winches, which are mounted on the coaming in front of the steering wheels.

The boat is available exclusively with a self-tacking jib; an overlapping genoa is not fitted as standard, which, on the one hand, makes handling the yacht extremely straightforward, but is a slight drawback for ambitious sailors, as a self-tacking jib is far more difficult to trim. In light winds, it will therefore be necessary to hoist the gennaker or Code 0 sooner in order to get the boat moving.

Exemplary helmsman’s position

The helmsman’s position behind the twin rudders is particularly appealing. Incidentally, these are based on a deep single rudder – another of the major differences compared to Beneteau’s rival, which already offers a modern and highly efficient twin-rudder system. On the Hanse 315, steering manually is a real joy. Firstly, thanks to the single rudder, the high-quality Jefa system offers better feedback than the rather dampened twin-rudder system. As the cabin superstructure of the Hanse 315 – particularly when the sprayhood is down – is kept fairly low, you have a very good view of the forward sections of the boat as well. What’s particularly lovely, though, is that there’s so much space between the helm and the helmsman’s seat (i.e. the end of the yacht by the guardrail): you can stand, sit facing forward or make yourself comfortable sideways on the wide coaming. Other manufacturers offer far less space here, even on larger boats; sometimes the knees of taller people can even protrude into the turning circle of the steering wheels … well done, Hanse!

Buying a Hanse 315 – All the information for skippers and sailors

Fancy a lovely sail on the Baltic Sea and along the coast? The Hanse 315 is perfect!

As a Baltic Sea shipyard, Hanse Yacht naturally focuses on the Baltic Sea. This is particularly evident in the ‘old’ Judel/Vrolijk designs. So if you’re looking to buy a sailing boat to explore our beautiful European inland sea, the Hanse 315 would be ideal as an entry-level yacht costing around € 200,000. Particularly with the short keel (which makes it a little heavier and ‘more sedate’ in light winds), the compact size of the yacht is ideal for the small, chic harbours of Denmark or Sweden.

The boat is certified to CE Category B. This ensures it can be operated in offshore waters with winds of up to 8 Beaufort and waves of up to 4 metres. More than enough for the ‘average’ family sailor! This means the yacht is certainly suitable for the Mediterranean as well. However, due to its compact dimensions, we would advise against using it for ocean voyages: in our view, the short waterline and the rather limited storage space are insufficient to enable a safe and comfortable crossing of, for example, the Atlantic. Nevertheless, if you’re looking to buy a stylish, fast family sailing boat for holidays on the Baltic Sea or the Mediterranean, the Hanse 315 offers a great entry-level package.

A top-class offer, and that’s just the standard version

What is surprising about the Hanse is the relatively high standard of the deck fittings and sailing equipment, which, even in the ‘Basic’ specification, are of a higher quality than those of the Oceanis 30.1. For example, the mast is by Seldén, whilst the sails come from the market leader Elvström. Beneteau takes a different approach here, although their Sparcraft masts and, in particular, the quality of the running rigging in the standard specification appear to be of slightly lower quality.

As described at the start of this article, shipyards in the ‘small’ boat segment have to adopt a very aggressive approach to ensure that building these boats remains profitable. Only mass sales can justify the comparatively high construction costs. Hanse has traditionally adopted a very aggressive pricing policy in this regard, which should benefit budget-conscious boat buyers. If you intend to moor your new yacht in the Baltic Sea anyway, there are further potential savings to be made, as you avoid the comparatively high transport costs associated with foreign brands and can take delivery of the boat directly at the Hanse quay in Greifswald.

More fun in light winds: a gennaker’s a must!

This is where the relatively ‘advanced’ age of the Judel/Vrolijk design comes into play: in 2016, it was not yet standard practice to fit yachts with integrated bowsprits. The development of the modern cruising gennaker (easy to handle, safe to hoist and lower) had not yet reached that stage. Consequently, the Hanse 315 does not yet feature an integrated bowsprit – whilst the anchor roller is designed to attach the tack line for a light-wind sail and allow this sail to be used safely, it’s not exactly ‘stylish’. More modern designs (such as the Oceanis 30.1) are significantly more attractive, as the bowsprit was part of the concept from the outset and integrates neatly into the boat’s silhouette. The Hanse 315 therefore looks a little ‘old-fashioned’ at the bow.

Either way, a gennaker (and the Code 0 for upwind courses) is a must for the Hanse 315 too! Because when the wind drops below 9 or 10 knots TWS, the sail area of the standard sails is too small. In particular, the self-tacking jib will no longer provide sufficient pull. If, as a sailor, you want to delay the moment when you start the 21 HP diesel engine (please DO NOT opt for the 13 HP version unless you’re sailing on a lake!) for as long as possible and want to sail even in light winds, these light-wind sails are simply a must.

Buy a Hanse 315 – comfort, below deck

No layout variants, more like ‘combinations’

Inside, as you might expect, there is little scope for major changes. As with the Oceanis 30.1, Hanse offers more or less just a single layout. The Hanse 315 always comes with an aft cabin and a forward cabin. The galley is L-shaped and situated on the starboard side. Opposite is the rather spacious bathroom with a separable shower cubicle. Behind that is a lovely storage locker.

You cannot alter this layout, even though Hanse offers three variations for the forward cabin: the classic ‘adult cabin’ with a large V-shaped bed that fills the entire sleeping area, then as a ‘single cabin’ with a single berth and cupboards, and as a ‘children’s cabin’ with even more storage space and a shorter V-shaped double berth.

A classic layout with a twist

The Hanse 315 also has a very traditional layout in the saloon: in front of the L-shaped galley are two simple longitudinal benches. The mast base is flanked by a saloon table, the table tops of which can be positioned at an angle. Whilst one half of the saloon’s length is fitted with a shelf unit and wall cupboard, the forward half remains free of cupboards right up to the main bulkhead above the heads. This creates a greater sense of space and light, but can appear rather ‘cold’ with certain colour or wood combinations.

Thanks to the numerous skylights and large windows in the superstructure, the saloon is very bright – almost flooded with light. The only drawback is the lack of hull windows – another concession to the design’s relatively advanced age; in this respect, the Oceanis 30.1 offers a more attractive view, albeit with less light overall due to the absence of skylights.

The surprise, however, lies at the stern: the aft cabin is positioned at right angles to the direction of travel, thereby maximising the space – particularly the length of the berths!

Focus on the (large) eight-berth cabin: Very good!

On most yachts, the forward cabin is designed as the master’s or owner’s cabin. That’s all well and good when at anchor or moored at the jetty, as the boat hardly moves at all, or only very slightly. Whilst underway, however, forward cabins are problematic: this is because the up-and-down motion of the swell is felt most distinctly up here at the bow; when the yacht is heeling, the ‘island beds’ – so popular on large yachts – are particularly dangerous, as you’ll simply roll out of them without a leeward sail. This problem does not exist on board the Hanse 315, however.

This is because the owner’s cabin is clearly situated at the stern. The bed is positioned across the length of the boat, similar to the sleeping berths found on motorboats. Through the cabin door, via the galley, you enter the anteroom, where there is plenty of space to get dressed and undressed. There is also a large wardrobe there. You then climb into bed via the headboard, with your feet extending right up to the starboard storage locker. Although there is no longer enough headroom here, taller sailors in particular will love the comfort of these XXL berths! Compared with its direct competitor, the sleeping areas in both the aft and forward cabins are larger.

A wide range of colour combinations: a Hanse 315 to suit every personality

Whilst there are few options for changing the layout, the Hanse price list offers a wide range of combinations in terms of wood types and colours. Unlike with Beneteau, where the Oceanis 30.1 is only ever available in light oak, you can customise your Hanse 315 to suit your taste, from grey to oak to dark mahogany. There is a wide range of upholstery colours and materials to choose from, whereas Beneteau itself now offers only two alternatives to the standard upholstery. This means the Hanse 315 can be anything from cool and modern to airy and contemporary or dark and traditional – whatever you, as the owner, find attractive. Definitely a major plus for this yacht!

Summary and conclusion

Is the Hanse 315 your next boat?

Our final summary of the Hanse 315 is quite brief: if you’re looking to buy an affordable, stylish, well-sailing yacht that will take you safely across the Baltic Sea and along the coast, and offers enough space for you, your partner and perhaps one or two (small) children, then the Hanse 315 is very high up on the list of entry-level sailing boats. The shipyard’s solid build quality is combined with high-quality fittings even in the basic version; the shipyard’s aggressive pricing policy and the fact that the boats are built right on the Baltic Sea are particularly beneficial for those on a tight budget. The boat sails well-balanced on all courses, but is somewhat heavy and therefore absolutely requires the appropriate equipment – a gennaker and Code 0 – in light winds. Although there is little that can be changed inside, you can customise the boat’s appearance to suit your taste. A great, versatile option for beginners.

Summary and conclusion

The Hanse 315 on the second-hand market

As we mentioned at the outset: alongside the Hanse 348, the Hanse 315 is the last sailing yacht not yet redesigned by Racoupeau that is based on the somewhat dated Judel/Vrolijk designs. Given the relatively long production run of 10 years, prospective buyers should find plenty of options on the second-hand market to suit their budget and list of desired features.

It is important for new boat buyers to be aware that brand-new yachts will be subject to a potentially more significant drop in value the moment Hanse launches a new Racoupeau yacht. This is because the Hanse 315 will then suddenly be officially regarded as an ‘old boat’. So, as soon as the brand-new version becomes available, its value is likely to fall, in some cases considerably. On the other hand, this could present an opportunity: As was observed with Bavaria when the new Cossutti yachts came onto the market and met with resistance from many sailors, young second-hand boats from the ‘old’ series suddenly became very popular – their prices rose. It remains to be seen how this will play out with the Hanse 315. As yet (as of January 2026), we are not aware of any plans by the shipyard to replace this yacht in the near future. If a new model does eventually come out, it’s also possible that the shipyard and dealers will simply want to ‘clear out’ the last building slots of the outgoing production run with even bigger discounts: bargain hunters could well snap up a real gem here. So keep an eye on this page – opportunities like this come and go in a flash.

Buying a Hanse 315 – What we particularly like about it:

• Balanced sailing performance on all wind courses.
• A lovely, spacious cockpit – especially for the helmsman.
• There are plenty of design options below deck.

Buying a Hanse 315 – Here’s what you need to look out for:

• No genoa available: in light winds, you always need a gennaker or Code 0.
• Single-rudder steering with comparatively high rudder pressure when sailing close-hauled or on a half-wind course.
• Some colour schemes can appear ‘cold’ below deck due to the large amount of exposed panelling.

Further reviews and test reports: