47th Hamburg International Boat Show

The biggest sailing yacht at the hanseboot 2006 has a length of 25 metres and is moored in the hanseboot harbour at Baumwall. The Swan 82 of the Finnish Nautor yard tops the league of the 50 or so large sailing and motor boats which await hanseboot visitors in their element, that is in the water, in this beautiful setting before the backdrop of Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt (“warehouse city” district) from 28 October until 5 November. The big dream yachts await visitors to the 47th Hamburg International Boat Show not only at the hanseboot harbour, but also in the 12 exhibition halls.

The Hanse 630e, for example, is not only Germany’s largest series built sailing yacht, with its overall length of 19 metres, but will also be the longest vessel ever exhibited in Hall 10 at hanseboot. Manoeuvring this yacht into the hall, with its weight of nearly 23 tonnes and beam width 5.20 metres, is a major logistical challenge, involving calculations by architects and structural engineers.

When hanseboot opens on 28 October, this giant yacht will be there to greet the visitors, polished and gleaming – it is powered by 200 square metres of sail on the high seas. But if you want to buy it straight away at the fair, you will have to wait at least a year for delivery – the first twelve orders for this 800,000 euro ocean yacht from Hanse AG, Greifswald, have already been placed, filling the order books for the next twelve months. The delivery lead times are similar for practically all the yachts in this size segment. But these luxury yachts can at least be viewed at the hanseboot, and plans for their fittings can be customised to meet individual requirements.

The Hanse 630e will remain just a dream for many visitors, as will the 15 metre Baltic 50 from Finland or the new Contest 45.CS, (exactly 13.70 metres long), from the Netherlands. These are likewise ocean yachts that make a stunning impression with their design and quality. hanseboot visitors will notice that the shipyards are presenting a particularly large number of yachts in the luxury segment this year.

For example Hanse AG are presenting not only their 630 yacht but also two others having an overall length of more than 14 metres. They are the 14.19 metre 470e and the 16.08 metre 540e. Like the 630 models, these two yachts are also from the drawing boards of the world famous designers Judel/Vrolijk & Co. The “e” stands for “epoxy”. The hulls are made of this high-strength, lightweight plastic.

The new Dehler 44 from France is a proud 13.70 metres in length, built to the highest standards to meet the requirements of the most demanding sailors. And the new Dufour 445, with its 13.76 metres, is also a dream yacht. It makes a striking impact with its fast lines, and already has a list of regatta successes to its name.

Other novelties from France include presentations by Jeanneau, with the sporting cruise yachts, the 10.69 metre Jeanneau 36i and the Jeanneau 39DS (11.99 metres). Both yachts feature very good value for money, with an extensive range of features included in the standard version.

The brand new Najad 44 from Sweden (13.50 metres) is designed for sporting sailing. It is the first Najad in this size with an aft cockpit and two steering positions. The new Hallberg Rassy 48 is also on show at the hanseboot, featuring greater speed potential than its predecessor.

This luxury yacht from Sweden is nearly 15 metres long, and takes a sail area of nearly 140 square metres. X-Yachts from Denmark are exhibiting their 12.30 metre Performance Cruiser X-46, which makes an impression with its modern line and the outstanding sail characteristics for which its builders are known. This dream yacht is mostly ordered with a dark blue hull, and features an elegant interior.

To make as many yachting dreams as possible come true, builders such as Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH in Giebelstadt near Würzburg have industrialised their boat construction. Yachts that come from the assembly line are less expensive than individual one-off designs. The drawback is that they look identical. But sales of nearly 4,000 sailing and motor boats a year demonstrate that owners are price conscious in their purchases.

Bavaria now wishes to move into the segment of up-market series-built yachts, with the new Vision type, which features coupé style deck superstructures fitting harmoniously into the overall line, without pushing the prices up excessively. Exhibits at the hanseboot include the Vision 40 (12 metres) and the Vision 44 (13 metres). The Vision series has more sail area and more keel weight than the Cruisers from Bavaria.

They also promise a lot of speed potential with their modern, almost wedge-shaped hulls. The biggest yacht at the Bavaria stand is still the Bavaria Cruiser 50, at nearly 15 metres, with a sail area of more than 130 square metres.

Despite its favourable pricing, this yacht will likewise remain a dream yacht for many visitors. But the hanseboot makes it easier for visitors to fulfil their sailing dreams. The fun starts at a few hundred euros with a new dinghy, and a sailor who wants to take a small cruising yacht such as a Polish-built Sportina or Fan for a summer cruise off the coast or on inland lakes can buy a small sailing yacht for less than 20,000 euros. These boats are also trailerable, to keep running costs reasonable.

A total of 900 exhibitors from 21 nations are expected at hanseboot, exhibiting some 1,200 boats and yachts, including numerous premieres. An innovation this year is the six “thematic islands”, i.e. zones dedicated to certain subjects and interest groups. There are also numerous innovations in fittings and accessories, especially in electronic yacht accessories.

Photo: HMC / Nico Maack (N)

Source: Hanseboot 2006