When an institution such as the renowned British Kiel Yacht Club (BKYC) repeatedly purchases sailing yachts in bundles from the same shipyard for the training of the Royal Marines, it says something - about the quality of the products, their reliability on the high seas and, of course, their value retention. Over the years, the British have purchased no fewer than 30 Hallberg-Rassy 342 yachts from the Swedes and regularly renewed the fleet in Kiel. Between 2005 and 2018, the yacht builders in Ellös built and sold 329 Hallberg-Rassy 342 boats worldwide. The detailed test was published in YACHT 16/2005.
The competition: high quality, high demand
Construction number 225 landed on Lake Constance as a new boat in 2010 and has now been made available to the YACHT editorial team for testing as a used boat. This is despite the fact that the owner is not even dreaming of selling his yacht. "I won't be giving her away any time soon," he says as a completely satisfied owner who travels a lot with his boat, often on longer trips.
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To this end, the Swiss has slightly modified parts of his HR 342. For example, he has converted the hanging locker in the aft cabin into a store with corresponding shelves for provisions, because there are only a few really usable storage spaces available in the relatively small galley. He has also installed an additional blind floor in the space below the bunk boards in the foredeck so that the stowage items do not have to lie directly on the inside of the hull. And on the test boat, the double berth aft has been subdivided to create additional open storage space on the inside. The owner has stored things there in folding boxes, which are quicker and easier to reach than in the storage spaces below the berths or sofas, which are more difficult to access.
Nautical and cosy
The interior of the well-maintained owner's boat still looks as good as new. There are hardly any signs of wear, despite intensive use over more than ten years. This is ultimately testament to Hallberg-Rassy's renowned quality of workmanship, with a high proportion of solid wood and neatly finished, strong veneers. All HR 342 boats have been finished in dark mahogany. Alternatives with light-coloured woods, as offered by the shipyard today, did not exist at that time. By today's standards, the interior looks rather classic, somewhat obstructed and dark. At the same time, the impression of space is very cosy and nave-like.
Incidentally, the upholstery on the test boat is still the same, but shows no signs of wear. The owner assures us that the upholstery has only been washed, but never changed. Sitting and sleeping on board is still extremely comfortable. Incidentally, the backrests of the sofas in the saloon can be folded up with a flick of the wrist to extend the reclining surface to over 90 centimetres.
The simple Dacron sails from Elvstrøm as well as all halyards, sheets and trim lines are also still in their original condition on the test boat. However, after more than ten years of extensive use, the cloths and sheets on the test boat are now at their end. The halyards slip in the stoppers and often have to be repositioned, the lines are now hard and stiff. A complete replacement of sails and running rigging is necessary after this time, but this can be expensive. When buying a second-hand boat, this is something to bear in mind.
The test boat, the "La Serenissima II", is kept indoors in winter, but is never covered with a tarpaulin in summer. However, the condition of the gelcoat is still remarkably good. There are no recognisable hairline cracks or structural damage to the surface. The glued and additionally screwed teak deck, which had to be ordered as an extra when the boat was purchased new, is also still in perfect condition.
Strong, even with old sails
For the test day, Lake Constance offers perfect test conditions with 15 and 20 knots of wind and a short, steep wave. Under the short overlapping genoa and full mainsail, the Swede still shows a very decent performance, despite the already rather baggy and poorly trimmable sails. The test boat was also equipped with a short keel for Lake Constance, but is still very balanced and stiff underway.
Ex works, the Hallberg-Rassy 342 has been equipped with tiller steering and traveller. The handling is therefore good and almost fully suitable for single-handed use. The buyers of a few boats have nevertheless opted for the optional wheel steering. On these boats, however, the helmsman is blocked behind the wheel and has to climb awkwardly over the dikes to operate the sheets and winches. He also has very little space in his working area. Of course, the wheel steering could also be removed again after a change of owner and replaced by a tiller.
Caution: The Hallberg-Rassy 342 was the subject of an extensive recall in the early years due to a technical problem with the steering. At that time, the upper rudder bearings had apparently come loose from their anchorage in a few cases. According to the shipyard, it has replaced the bearings on all affected boats and rectified the problem for subsequent build numbers. Nevertheless, it is worth enquiring.
Hallberg-Rassy's excellent build and finishing quality, the worldwide service network and the high resale value of the boats explain not only the high prices for new boats, but also for used boats. With a total of 300 boats built, offers are constantly appearing on the used boat market. It is therefore worthwhile for interested parties to check the portals and adverts regularly.
The market situation
The Hallberg-Rassy 342 is a popular and sought-after second-hand boat and can therefore only be found for a short time on the usual online sales platforms or through dealers' offers. Prices vary greatly, ranging from 160,000 euros to 180,000 euros, depending on age, equipment and the seller's expectations.
The measured values for the Hallberg-Rassy 342 test
The Hallberg-Rassy 342 in detail
Technical data of the Hallberg-Rassy 342
- Design engineer: Germán Frers
- CE design category: A
- Torso length: 10,32 m
- Width: 3,42 m
- Draught/alternative: 1,82/1,57 m
- Weight: 5,3 t
- Ballast/proportion: 1,95 t/37 %
- Mainsail: 33,7 m2
- Furling genoa (110 %): 26,9 m2
- machine (Volvo P.): 21 kW/29 hp
Hull and deck construction
GRP construction, hand rest. Solid full laminate underneath, sandwich with foam core above the waterline
Price and shipyard
- Base price (2005): 169.250 €
- Current prices: 160.000-180.000 €
- Built/quantity: 2005-2018/329
- YACHT test: Issue 16/2005
Status 2024
Shipyard
Hallberg-Rassy Varvs AB; SE-47431 Ellös (Sweden); www.hallberg-rassy.com
YACHT review of the Hallberg-Rassy 342
Popular second-hand boat from Hallberg-Rassy with all the quality features typical of a shipyard. When tested in good winds, the Swede shows lively sailing characteristics and is also fast underway
Design and concept
Robust, elaborate design
High resale value
Well protected cockpit
Sailing performance and trim
Sails balanced and stiff on the wind
One-handed handling
Power-intensive mainsheet guide
Living and finishing quality
Classic nave interior
Best finishing quality
Relatively small pantry
Equipment and technology
High-quality basic equipment
Motor easily accessible
This article was published in 2021 and has been updated for this online version.
