Europe's Yachts of the Year 2022: What the jury says about the winners - Part 1: Hanse 460

It wasn't easy. In the end, however, the Hanse 460 was able to prevail convincingly against remarkably strong competition in the cruising boat class. It is therefore not surprising that the entire crew of the product developers in Greifswald performed several spectacular dances after the award ceremony.

Dr Jens Gerhardt, who is leaving his post as head of the company at the end of the month and will only work for the shipyard in an advisory capacity in future, was also visibly moved by the jury and winners in the subsequent Zoom conference. Under his aegis, the Greifswald-based company won a total of four titles - two for Hanse (315, 460), two for Dehler (38, 30 od). And the most recent is perhaps the most important.

With over 200 units sold, the Hanse 460 is an instant blockbuster in the model programme and is probably the shipyard's most successful boat at present in terms of sales. In a way, it was also a gamble. This is because the 460 was not designed by the long-standing in-house designers Judel/Vrolijk, but by Berret/Racoupeau from France.

This change seemed risky to some in the industry, but it was actually a win - as the title of European Yacht of the Year 2022 makes clear. And this is also emphasised by the statements of the expert judges, which we document below.

Roland Duller from the "Yachtrevue" in Austria said: "The 460 is a novelty in the Hanse range. The first model from the French designers has a super-modern hull, looks more like a racer than a cruising yacht, is impressive in both light and strong winds and offers plenty of space."

Pasi Nuutinen, Head of Testing at "Vene" in Finlandspoke of a real "leap forward". He particularly emphasised the fact that the shipyard "retains the traditional Hanseatic virtues such as good quality and reasonable pricing."

AndToby Hodges from the English "Yachting World"found: "Hanse's bold decision to change designers has obviously paid off. The 460 skilfully fulfils its task of offering a voluminous hull that is nevertheless efficient. She has an appealing exterior aesthetic, is comfortable to sail and gives the feeling of a larger yacht - especially in the cockpit."

That looksJoakim Hermansson from "Praktisk Båtågande" in Sweden The new Berret-Racoupeau designers at Hanse have taken a huge step towards more modern and elegant lines than any of the shipyard's previous models. But this new 46-footer is definitely not just about looks, but also about versatility. The buyer has the choice between three spacious double cabins plus a large separate multifunctional space up to ten berths in five compartments. Thanks to the radical hull shape, this voluminous yacht sails amazingly well."

Tomorrow you will be able to read the jury's comments on the JPK 39 Fast Cruiserwinner in the Performance Cruiser category, which we also present in detail in a photo gallery.

The complete and even more comprehensive coverage of the winners and nominees will follow shortly in YACHT 4/2022, from Friday for subscribers, from Wednesday, 2 February, at newsagents or online in the Delius Klasing shop ( click here! )

Downloads:

Hanse 460 (pdf)