It truly was a pretty prolific Boot Duesseldorf this year, at least in terms of articles I can share. I´ve had the feeling that for most part most shipyards and brands did indeed “play it safe”, in terms of innovation or groundbreaking new developments. It was a boat show of undertones, no exaggeration, no paradigm-shifts or any excessive stuff. Maybe the right thing to do in times of crisis, or let´s say, in times when understatement is advised. But when delving deeper and looking closer, there indeed some highlights and some exhibitors who tried to push stuff. Like Hanse Yachts, who quietly resized and reshaped their booth: More boats, bigger display and – for me personally – the best booth of the sailing yacht hall of them all.
As a visitor I felt welcome, the boats were very good visible and perfect to get access to. There was a central bar, nice seating and lounging-area and apparently the shipyard had invested some extra budget in high class booth construction: Wooden handrails, nice carpets. It was really another level. Well done! But of course I was not here to check for the quality of the boat show display, but to gather info on the ninth boat I bring back from the River Rhine: In this, it´s the new flagship of Hanse´s fleet, the Hanse 590.
The re-invention of Hanse Yachts by Berret-Racoupeau
Before we check out the yacht itself, let me re-iterate on the current setup of Hanse sailboats. It was back in 2022 when the shipyard launched their then brand-new Hanse 460 in Cannes. This boat completely beamed me away in many respects! First of all, back in the day, I was still working as Beneteau dealer. For some years I felt very, very comfortable with “our” Oceanis as we didn´t got all too much headwind from the other series production builders. Especially the Oceanis 46.1 was a “wunderboat”, sailing very nicely and offering lots of comforts. But when I saw the new Hanse 460 for the first time, I wasn´t so sure if our lead would prevail. In short: The 460 was true bomber in so many respects.
Up until then Hanse hadn´t really built new yachts, rather went on to modernize and upgrade their Judel/Vrolijk-designs. These boats were rather old, in my view, and in a market that thrives on the latest shit, designs deteriorate really fast, charter clients always want the latest. Although Hanse makes sailing yachts which do sail pretty nice and neatly, I always felt that we had the most advanced, most contemporary and modern design at Beneteau. Well, that was about to change! Hanse switched from Judel/Vrolijk and … Boom! … hired the French design bureau Berret-Racoupeau!
What a clever move! The traditionally deeply German-rooted brand suddenly “opened up” to a French designer. Olivier and his team for sure know how to design cruising yachts! And they didn´t just transferred the bit dusty Hanse-style to fully appreciate Med-style cruising, they achieved the seemingly hard balance act of not destroying the Hanse-signature. I bow down to Olivier Racoupeau: The new Hanse-shapes are very sexy, very sleek and modern but he managed to retain signature features which makes them still easily recognizable as Hanse yachts. He didn´t destroy but embraced the brand heritage and came up with thought-through, sexy lines. Back in the day, I called it the “Paukenschlag-Boat”, referring to the German term “Paukenschlag”, which means “loud drumbeat indicating something big has happened.” So, today, let´s check out their big 60-footer, the flagship of the fleet!
At last: A well-designed rigid T-Top Bimini!
I enter the booth well before opening hours to the public. It´s still completely empty, so I can fully embrace the view over the whole boat. The Hanse 590 is a Med-style cruising yacht that will mostly be sailed by the traditional owners-couple as a weekender and multi-week coastal cruiser. Maybe a few will take her to a real offshore trip, but – as it is the trend will most series production boats – she will probably remain within the sight of land. In this, these yachts are optimized to deliver the highest possible experience of luxury, carefree onboard living and maximum comforts.
You can clearly see that by just looking at her massive cockpit area, which takes a bit of time to “analyze”, because there are so many different areas and possibilities to utilize those. For sure, we will do this later in this article. But first I noticed – very happily and benevolently – how nicely the rigid T-Top/Bimini had been integrated to fit the boat´s lines! I mean, really: We all understand how important sunshades and UV-protection is, especially out on the water. For yachts 50 feet upwards more and more rigid T-Tops, derived from the power boats where those have been common sense since many years now, all shipbuilders now offer these solid, composite biminis alternatively to the old-fashioned folding canvas-biminis.
But for most yachts, these rigid T-Tops just look awful! They destroy the fine lines of the boats, many are clumsy, ugly heavy parts which may be practical and nicely doing what they are supposed to do, but these really fuck up the yacht´s overall look. Why? Because for most yacht, T-Tops had been integrated after the general design, sometimes not even designed by the initial designers. This cannot work. Nowadays the T-Top is part of the main design process so that the architects can integrate them properly. The outcome of such efforts can be seen in many boats, this Hanse 590 is one of them: The rigid bimini looks much more “fluent”, its lines are nicely integrated into the overall looks. It´s a part of the boat from the onset, not a hastily designed retrofit.
The fact that the bimini-parts are painted black let it “disappear” visually much better, than it would look if they had made it white. The Hanse 590 also comes with a fixed windshield, which is very clever: It reduces the size of the foldable sprayhood (which can be mounted on top of it to fully close the front gap between windshield and T-Top), it also reduces the amount of time the (often also not very pleasantly looking) sprayhood needs to stay up. Constant wind and spray protection for most part of the cruise, full enclosure only when absolutely necessary. This is a detail, but a big plus in my eyes when it comes to everyday life aboard.
Work-Life-Balance: The Hanse 590 cockpit
And this “everyday life” aboard will surely be marked by sheer luxury. The Hanse 590 is not a yacht for the sailing couple, living their long groomed dream of roaming the seven seas: This yacht wants to welcome your guests, your wife´s friends, your friend´s friends and their kids. The available chill spaces on deck are multi-facetted, modular and there are plenty of them.
Directly in the cockpit, right in front of the entryway down, there are your two usual benches facing each other. The ones on the Hanse are fitted with extra-thick cushions which have been nicely quilted. Cockpit and salon cushions are in my view so much better by the German boatbuilders than I have seen by the French ones. I don´t know but maybe this is worth a detailed article in the future? Anyway, the main seating area is determined by these large, long sofas. Each one has its own dedicated cockpit table, which of course can go up and down at your convenience and be turned into extra reclining area.
Let´s look at the “workplace” for skipper and sheet trimmers, which I assume aboard most Hanse 590s will be one and the same person. Of course, the yacht comes with two symmetrical helm stations which exhibit decently sized composite steering wheels and a large panel that features all sorts of equipment, from chart plotter to electronic throttle levers, bow and stern thruster controls and the setup of push button-sailing functions. So far, pretty standard.
First thing that stands out is the position of the winches. The yacht can be rigged with your usual self-tacker and inmast-furling for the main, but comes also with a large overlapping Genoa or full-battened mainsail. You can decide where to receive the sheets, but there are two winches directly next to the helm station´s base mounts, two more in front of it. Depending on the type of rigg, I´d have the Genoa directly here, well within reach, or the main halyard and reefing lines. It´s a very safe workplace, comfortable to work with and inside the cockpit, which make them less prone to outside conditions.
This setup reminds me of the interesting winch layout aboard the bigger RM Yachts, where those winches and lines worked with most have been put to a location where you have the safest stand, remain dry and virtually untouched by wind and spray coming over. So, this one I really like, Hanse, well done. To reach the lines, you just step aside a bit from the steering position, only to reach for the jammers needs a bit of squatting. That said, let´s look at the … shall I call it, the odd part?
Hanse introduces something they call “Meridienne seats”. This is another “row” of seats, almost as wide and comfy as the very helm seats one row behind it. It is almost as wide so that “sofa” may be the best word for it. This second row of front seating allows guests to enjoy a breathtaking view over the boat´s bow, have a hot coffee in the morning or just stretch out to read a book out in the sun. Without bothering the skipper behind them. A double row helm seating, if you will. To reach for the secondary winches, the helmsman or trimmer will have to bypass in front of this sofa. You see: There´s a lot seating, sofa and reclining space in the Hanse 590 cockpit!
Cruising, the new way
This yacht almost perfectly shows how cruising and sailing has changed over the past ten or fifteen years. Sailing has become secondary, if not even less important, luxury amenities, space, freedom and the time at anchor or in marinas has become the prime driver for boatbuilder´s and designer´s innovation. Comparing a cruiser from the early 2000´s to this yacht will open your eyes. And I surely don´t mean it in a bad way. How could I criticize what the market – what you – have chosen as the most successful products? The “new” cruising, or let´s say, the form in which cruising is done today isn´t focused all-too much on sailing, passage making or long haul trips. That’s reality.
This is valid for series production brands like Hanse Yachts to a much greater extend than for the dedicated niche-brands. Hanse, the same way as Jeanneau, Beneteau, Dufour and Bavaria, needs to sell boats in large quantities in order to make profit. So they really delve seriously into the habits and use cases of their real customers. For example, for a yacht this size it should go without questions that there is a lounging and sunbathing area on the fore deck, right?
Something you wouldn´t even consider for a “true” blue water yacht. But envisioning a family with kids, teenagers or multiple guests on a two week Mediterranean vacation, of course this front area must be utilized. For once because it is there, it would be a waste of space if not used, and secondary: Here´s the perfect location to nicely recline, stretch out on the thick mattresses, put a cold drink into the integrated cupholders and enjoy a good book – far away from the music, the talk and laughter, the hustle and bustle back there in the cockpit.
I could envision this area becoming the favorite spot for my kids too. Yes, this area must not be in use when underway, at least not in winds and waves. Let´s not forget to mention that all these bigger and smaller cushions need to be stored somewhere when you leave the boat. Unless there´s a boat captain, hired skipper or paid for service guy, setting up or taking down a whole complement of a yacht´s complete set of outdoor upholstery is indeed a job that can take up to one hour. I´ve tested this for you on another 60-footer, click here.
Another thing in modern, contemporary yachts is the increased attention to natural light and ventilation of fresh air inside the boat. Thanks to modern adhesives and glues, even big hull windows remain sealed and watertight for many, many years. Collision damage is, at least for me, out of question since hitting a heavy object with a composite boat is always a problem, no matter where the wooden log collides. As for the lighting aspect, more and more emphasis is put on a light-suffused interior. This can be seen by the increased number of skylights and deck hatches.
Hanse Yachts are all role models, if you ask me, when it comes to fresh air ventilation. Almost all (for some models even all) of the side windows/portholes of the cabin coach roof can be opened. In addition, Hanse provides quite a number of skylight hatches which can be opened as well – plus, they “face” in different directions so that you may decide if you want the wind to enter directly or you just vent the boat indirectly. Which brings us to the interior situation under deck, let´s go down below …
A Dancefloor? The Salon of the Hanse 590.
Having an interior volume the size of this big boat, I can imagine, it´s a cool thing for the designers since there are much less restrictions or limitations from a structural and technical side. On the other hand, it must be really hard to come up with a design that really works for the many use-cases. As for series production boats, these use-cases range from “sailing couple with occasional” guests to “fully booked charter-combo”.
A yacht´s salon therefore must be sufficient to use for a small crew but also for the charter-version, which in the case of the Hanse 590 means five cabins (plus one skipper-cabin in the bow) with a total of 11 people, two more possible when the dinner table in the salon is also turned into a double berth. Let´s just assume that you are a private owner wanting to buy a nice yachts for your family and friends. Most probable cabin configuration would be the owner´s suite in the front (later more on that) and two aft cabins. So, for the salon, this means you need a nice dinette, a big-enough galley and – of course – your skipper´s place, the chart table.
The Hanse 590 provides all of this. It´s a classy layout at first sight, but with a nice spin. To starboard side there´s a large, stretched dinette. The interior designers went for a U-settee, but really “extended” the normal, much more foursquared and therefore maybe a bit more “intimate”. On the Hanse, this “U” is much more stretched. This means, at the table, when folded out to the max, six people can sit on the long sides with two more at the table´s heads. Wow. Folded up, this long table´s surface area is cut in half.
Hanse 590´s dinette
Let´s look at this setup a bit more detailed. Check the picture below and you will notice that the table isn´t shaped in a straight rectangular way. There´s a nice little “wave” which adds a bit of style to it. Sadly, this “swing” is the only such shape in the whole yacht, it would have been nice if this one would have been repeated here and there, even as a little decorative accessory. Just like Luca Ardizio did with his beloved hexagon in the new Dufour-line. But that´s just a small detail.
What I also like at Hanse and always credited them for was their attention to metal fittings. There´s a nicely shaped but also very rigid, leather lined grab handle attached to the dinner table. This is just one of the handles the shipyard has places on “strategic” locations throughout the whole yacht, both on deck and below. These handles, along with the really nicely made single-column base mount for the entryway ladder are second to none, at least for the series-production boats I know.
Again, note the extra-thick cushions, backrests and seats down here, the nicely shaped corners, which in this yacht are rounded to offer maximum comforts. In most other boats you´ll just get two plain backrest-cushions creating a sharp right-angled corner: Here, it´s as smooth as you may wish for, making it possible to recline and snug into the corner nicely. Look at the details: Fiddles for the dedicated little storage trays here and there. There´s always a little shelf and tray to put your smartphone, loose change or your sunglasses.
Nice little stylish idea: The nav-station
Vis-à-vis from the dinette is the ship´s galley. It is positioned on the pivot-point of the yacht, exactly on top of the boat´s keel. The galley is a combined L-shape with a central “worktop”. This central island houses the extendable flatscreen, facing the dinette, on one side and more stowage for the galley on the other side. The galley, one step down from the salon´s deck level, is fitted with all amenities you can wish for and lots of fridges and freezers. Surely a great place to prepare the meals for your family or crew. And if not, the low level puts the dirty stuff in the sink well out of sight from the salon.
What I really liked though was the nav-station of the Hanse 590. First of all, even for yachts which are only used for vacation, short coastal cruising or weekend-trips, as skipper or boat owner you simply need a dedicated spot in the salon. Even if there´s virtually no printed nautical charts anymore nor any proper log-keeping, at least weather checks or digital route planning must be done. Also, a short dash down from the helm station to check the next marina or push buttons on the main switch panels … you need a place to sit down! Where to put the pilot books? The binoculars? The ship´s documents and kitty? Even on my new boat where there´s not even a fraction of space compared to this flagship, I insisted on my nav-station. The one on the Hanse 590 is just awesome:
Two single seats – again, note the nicely shaped, rounded backrest-cushions! – are facing each other. The small chart table is sufficiently big enough for a laptop to being placed in it. Underneath the worktop is some stowage for charts, documents and little things. The main switch panel is well within reach, as is the VHF and other secondary displays. The front panel has more than enough free area (and corresponding space behind it) to fit more equipment as you please: A chart plotter down here, controls for heating, AC and other things.
You can sit either in the direction of sailing or facing the entryway up, talking with the helmsmen up on deck. Again, the lines and shapes are flowing, rounded. The panel seems to float in the air, which creates a nice “aloft”-feeling. Indirect lighting plays its part. Further to the boat´s rear, between the port side aft bathroom and the nav station, you can have a little, dedicated cabin that can house a washer-dryer-combo or plain stowage (for the boat´s cushions?). Also, here a full Pullman cabin may be installed with two single bunks stacked on top of each other, sacrificing the portside bathroom.
Roaming the cabins aboard the Hanse 590
Being here in the aft part of the yacht anyway, let´s check out the guest cabins. As you would expect, both cabins offer a large Queen-size double bed. Nice thing about those is their attempted island-style design. Of course you cannot have real island beds here (apart from the fact that they don´t make sense when the yacht is sailing heeled or in bad weather). Hanse takes a great deal of effort to cover any bare gelcoat-surfaces so that your guests will enjoy a nicely designed atmosphere with lots of wooden panels and surfaces.
There´s more than enough stowage for the visitors: The classy large cabinet in each aft cabin is complemented with little drawers at the head´s end overhead and stowage to each side of the beds. Did I already mention the large hull windows? Sadly, these are a bit too high for your guests to enjoy the view out when laying in bed, but the amount of natural light in here will be great. “Great” is also a nice word to describe the owner´s cabin in the front: The Hanse 590 offers two layouts to choose from – suite or classic cabin.
The boat in display featured the full suite-style owner´s cabin. In this setup, the owner´s bed (island-style) is places in direction of sailing to the port side of the cabin. Vis-à-vis is a nice little sofa and a large cabinet for clothing. The bathroom is placed entirely to the front bulkhead, neighboring the sails locker or skipper´s cabin. The other layout variant would be the classic central bed (full island) at the bulkhead, facing backwards, with toilet and shower at the main bulkhead. Both configurations do have their pros and cons, of course.
I think the owner´s suite as seen here is more suitable for a use-case where the boat sails less and is more upright at anchor or moored in marinas. I just don´t want to imagine how bad a fall out of this beds might end, when the boat excessively heels over to starboard side. Let alone sleeping in here when the boat is sailing constantly even with not so much heel. On the other hand, modern cruisier-designs with the large front island beds often neglect this, rendering the front cabin uninhabitable in rougher seas. At least, the fitting of lee cloth could prevent the worst in here. On the other hand, I like the little worktop, nice for applying make-up before a night out.
As for the bathrooms, expect them to be of decent size, after all, we are aboard a 60 footer and the flagship of Hanse´s current lineup. The owner´s bathroom is a clever thing when you hire a professional skipper who will then be occupying the cabin in the front: With the bathroom between you and him, there´s a nice acoustic insulation keeping inside any sounds in their respective cabins, if you know what I mean.
In here is the standard electric WC, a single sink – small sized, but will perfectly fine do for shaving and brushing your teeth, and the separated shower. My heart jumps for joy: At last here´s a series production boatbuilder investing in a proper shower-grating! You know that I am a bit crazy for these, but honestly, it´s the worst to shower in the morning and standing on (cold) bare GRP. I just hate this feeling! So, hats off to Hanse for this little, but deciding feat! The guest´s bathrooms are nice as well: This is the smallest possible version: The portside bathroom always comes with either a separate shower, which will then be placed in the small cabin I showed earlier in this article where it was set up with a washing machine.
The guests´s bathrooms always have an en-suite entrance, except for the 5-cabin layout. In this case, the only aft bathroom, starboard side, will have both en-suite and salon entries to being used by all occupants in the ship´s rear. Last not least, a quick peek into the skipper´s cabin above: I don´t know how much you´d have to pay me so that I climb down into these voluntarily, but that´s the reality for many professional Boat Captains. This cabin comes with its own toilet, sink and a little hanging locker. A single bunk – just adjoining the bulkhead to the owner´s cabin. Now you can imagine what I meant with “sound insulation”, can you?
A more than worthy flagship
It was a more than interesting ship tour aboard this Hanse 590. Again, I can only congratulate the shipyard for their bold decision to switch designers and go for Berret-Racoupeau! These guys truly know how to design nice looking, practical, multi-use cruising yachts. She offers a great deal of volume and luxury with a clear focus on sailing with many guests. Other flagships of this size, like the Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 60, are from my point of view more suited for the sailing couple and occasional guests. The Hanse 590 seems to be designed for owners who like to constantly have people around.
Sailing-wise this boat should do just fine: Sails area is sufficient, she displaces 23.5 tons, which is more than the Oceanis Yacht 60 and Jeanneau Yachts 60, but I don´t think that this is palpable when sailing for most part. So, if you are seeking a very nicely built, fully equipped, luxury sailboat around 18-19 meters, classy design with a modern touch, this yacht should definitely be on your shortlist.
More Hanse-related articles which might be cool to check out:
The “Paukenschlag”-Boat: Introducing the new Hanse 460
At the shipyard of Hanse Yachts: Germany´s powerhouse boatbuilder
The new “French” Hanse 410 – complete walkthrough
