{"id":41602,"date":"2018-12-11T21:45:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-12T02:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=41602"},"modified":"2023-05-06T17:16:51","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T21:16:51","slug":"hanse-348-wins-best-value-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/2019-value-hanse-348\/","title":{"rendered":"Hanse 348 Wins Best Value Award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Hanse 348 Wins Best Value Award<\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Value. How does one determine it? Price is most certainly a factor. In the case of new boats, and our Boat of the Year<\/a> competition, it means something more. As sailors, we wish to recognize good boats that not only are affordable but offer other, tangible rewards. The ability to get couples and families out on the water, to have a weekend escape, to take them on coastal vacations and even maybe a sabbatical to the islands, all without breaking the bank. For 2019, the judging panel determined that one boat had the potential to do these things better than the rest, which is why they awarded the Best Value prize to the Hanse 348.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

One of three boats with a price tag under $200,000 (the others being the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319 and the Dufour Grand Large 360), during sea trials the Hanse 348 wowed the judging team from the get-go. \u201cIn only about 8 knots of breeze, we were seeing 5.7 knots upwind and pointing very nicely, and even registered 6.5 knots once we cracked off,\u201d said Tim Murphy. \u201cIt\u2019s a pretty sweet little boat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Alvah Simon agreed. \u201cWhen we looked at it on the dock, I put a star next to it in my notebook and wrote, \u2018Good first impression, nice interior, fairly good layout.\u2019 That continued when we went sailing. The winches were well-placed. The basic cockpit ergonomics made things nice. It\u2019s a relatively little boat with twin helms. At first I thought there wasn\u2019t room for them, but on a boat like this with a wide beam aft, they actually create space rather than take it up. They divide the working area up from the social area in a smart, safe way. Hanse isn\u2019t the only builder to do this, but it\u2019s a concept that\u2019s been developed, and their take on it is quite good. It\u2019s just a winning idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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\n There\u2019s plenty of natural light flowing into the clean, contemporary saloon.<\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

But nobody on the judging panel was more impressed than Ed Sherman. \u201cI really loved this boat,\u201d he said. \u201cIt had the most room of any boat in the Midsize Cruiser Under 38 Feet category. The helm area is just terrific. I thought the cockpit table and the multifunction display case just had a look of quality. It was really nice, with a compass right there in the middle. There were good, sturdy stainless-steel rails to rest your feet on. I like the fact that it had a three-cabin layout and a single head. Pretty terrific, in my opinion. They use some composite through-hull fittings that we\u2019ve seen on larger boats. I\u2019m in love with those, just from a maintenance perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was just a lot of fun to sail too,\u201d he added. \u201cI think it represents huge value for a young family that\u2019s starting out in sailing and wants a nice, competent coastal cruiser. I\u2019ll leave it at that.\u201d And that was more than enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

See All Winners:<\/strong>\n2019 Boats of the Year<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Other Winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n