Any Thoughts on Hans Christian Sailboats?

[Capn Morgan]

For what it's worth, I live and sail on a 48T. Love it. I am, however, her slave. The maintenance is, generally speaking, cosmetic and because I like fiddling. She sails well upwind, and I wouldn't want to be on many other boats in a serious storm. She was raced very successfully by the previous owner. I am not a racer, but have left behind my friend on a Beneteau 473 in light winds. If you need any info, do message me and we can talk.

Cheers

[Cheechako]

More than anything I would say: "do you want to be a teak maintenance technician or a sailor?" They are great quality boats, a bit over built for my liking...I'd rather it moved better.... but they are a bargain now days for what you get. Watch out if you ever have to replace the fuel tanks though and get one with lots of horspower....

[Laidback]

Cheechako,
I have sailed in the Hans Christian 43, then owned by Jerry Kelly in many races where we won our class. I see the new owner, Aussie Jon Choate's Hans Christian 43 Tweed continues to race well in the cruising division.
Great powerful boats, and if one is the higher latitudes, then hard to find a better boat for big seas.
----
Capn Morgan,
I see that you have your 48T in Southern Thailand, look out for HC 'Tweed' in the Andaman Sea somewhere between Thailand and Singapore and say hello to Jon.

Here's a picture of Tweed (centre yacht) crossing the line in the Borneo International Regatta :-

[barnakiel]

A HCH can be had without the teak deck and a new one can be had too. So, well, maybe not the fastest thing around but definitely a highlight in the displacement end of boat design spectrum.

I would not SELECT one (over e.g. an ULDB) for the tradewind round the world, but I would gladly sail one on the route, or on any other.

HCH ? Y-E-S

b.

[Capn Morgan]

Laidback

Will pass on your regards to Jon if I happen to run by him.

Cheechako

Lots of brightwork, more than anything. The deck gets looked after by sea water, literally following the advice of the boats manual. Spraying it in the evenings it soaks the salt that will look after it the next sunny day. The varnish on the other side, gets done every 4 to 6 months. We are lucky in my part of the world that we find people prepared to do this for very reasonable rates (read cheap). The rest of the boat´s systems are just like any other, depends on how complicated one makes them. I would say pretty normal in my case, though I spent blood and treasure bringing her up to a really good standard of repair. Found most problems to have been add-ons or de-commissionings done by contractors that were not really up to scratch. Twelve years of that...

Cheers

[Laidback]

Here's another Hans Christian that has sailed and cruised ten thousand leagues - It was a privilege to have sailed with her, she had the best galley of any cruising boat I have ever cooked in :
Lady Guinevere's Galley

[bobfnbw]

Like many, I have liked the look of them, and have been aboard a few. We almost offered on a 38 pilothouse version. The 43T is nice as well, but above my price range.
But for my money the hans christian Christina is the boat to get. It is not the traditional version. the 50 footer is pretty sweet. But not a lot of them around compared to the traditional. Also there are 2 different keel configerations on the HC. The telstar is the one to go for as it has less drag.
Deck leaks are common on the ones we looked at, as well as chain plate leaks.
They are as everyone has said "high maintaince" and pricy.
Bob

[uwhuskies00]

I grew up on a 38HC, there is a fantastic 44 in Washington. www.fairhavenyachts.com

Cheers

[Bumper]

My wife and I owned, lived aboard, and cruised our HC33T for ten years. If you buy a new HC insist that they apply the teak decks the expensive way, i.e., screwed down with teak plugs and not screwed up thru the deck. After nine years I had to sand down the decks, set the screws about 1/8 of an inch deeper and replug. If it had been done the newer cheaper way I would have had to replace the entire decks and remove the cabin liners to reach the screws. And if I hadn't I would have had the pointy tips of the screws sticking up to walk on. For the first few years I slaved away varnishing. It looked great but it not something you want to do anchored. I then switched to I think it was called seatall (or something like that) Didn't look quite as nice but lasted three times as long and required no sanding between coats. We once sailed thru the Papagayos with 25' seas and sustained 50 knot winds for 52 hours without a problem, other then scaring the crap out of us that is. The boat popped two heads on the screws attaching the boards to the bow sprit but that was the only damage. All and all a great boat, slow in light winds but moved along like a frieght train on rails in the trades. As far as all the brass and bronse goes it looks like a million bucks all shined up but the color green grows on ya after you leave the docks. The pullman berth beats a V berth anyday IMHO too. We did do a lot of motor sailing in light air down the west coast of Central America but once we got thru the Panama Canal about the only time we used the motor was going in and out of ports. If I were younger and in better health I wouldn't hesitate to buy the same boat and do it all over again.

[Seerauber]

G'day there,

Hans Christian - can't praise them enough.

I had the great pleasure of owning a HC 43T "HaCienda" (Tony Fountain - The Rainbow Chaser - HaCienda) for four years cruising along the Esat Australia coast.

Sure, they're heavy but boy, are they predictable and they track like they are on a railway line.

Quality in finish is tops and they are a real sea boat. Whilst they are now out of production, the 38T would be idea1l for single handing I think.

Go for it I say!

Tony

[SVPP]

Hello,

I have a 48T ketch and love it also.

I removed the teak decks and eliminated 80% of the maintenance. I just have the teak around the cockpit now. The inside is teack but that need minimal maintenance. For the rest of the external teak I am now letting it go silver. I wash it down with saltwater every couple of weeks but other than that it get about as much maintenance as my old bavaria 49.

In a seaway it is a beast and in real light winds I switch over to the iron sail. I seem to go everywhere at 7.5knots. With 1000 litres of fuel onboard, that is a long way.

SVPP

[rebel heart]

HC36 over here. Love the thing. Was talking to some guy about sailing around in 45 knot winds and he looked at my boat "the reason you don't mind those conditions is because you have that thing."

They really are built like brick **** houses. There are some other well built boats but Hans Christians, well maintained, are terrific boats. The people in this thread and their experiences with them should just about sum it up.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by speciald@ocens.

Depends on the individual HC. They were built in many dfferent yards and have had problems with hull laminate failures.

[Capn Morgan]

Originally Posted by SVPP

Hello,

I have a 48T ketch and love it also.


SVPP

Hi SVPP

Is your boat the one that used to be called My Gitana?

Cheers

M

[SVPP]

Hello M,

Yep,

Our boat was originally called 7 Won Ton, then Mi Mitana and nos Pacific Pearl - nece the SVPP.

Apparently it has been around. Do you know it?

cheers

Paul