07 Nov
The sapphire waters of Geographe Bay will be home to the first Australian hull of the award-winning Hanse 360 that’s proved a big success in Europe.
New Owners Mark and Mel are based in Busselton, on the edge of the vast and beautiful Geographe Bay, around two-and-a-half hours’ drive south of Perth.
Eight kilometres from Bunbury and Busselton, Geographe Marine Park encompasses a staggering 977 square kilometres, which is 18 times the size of Sydney Harbour, ranging from 15 to 70 metres deep with an average depth of 30 metres.
“It’s very, very sheltered and excellent for sailing,” Mark tells Windshift.
“We’ve had a Hanse 315 for three years now. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the boat and it’s mainly been a day boat for sailing around the (Geographe) Bay, with the occasional overnight,” he relates.
“We also do a bit of club racing and it’s been very competitive actually,” he notes.
The Hanse 360 was purchased with a view to exploring more of the huge WA coastline that stretches over 20,000 kilometres, four times that of France.
“My wife Mel and I want to do more cruising and we just need a little bit more space and comfort,” Mark explains. “I was considering a 41-footer but we decided that was too big so we’ve come back to the 360, it’s a nice size and easily manageable for two of us,” he adds.
“The internal space is attractive and the fact that it’s earnt some accolades in Europe,” Mark continues. “I had a very good friend who was considering one and went to the (Hanse) factory in Germany. He was extremely impressed so that was good enough for me,” he recounts.
The Hanse 360 has so far secured two prestigious awards, European Yacht of the Year 2025, Best Family Cruiser Category and as one of SAILmagazine’s Top 10 Best Boats for 2025.
In taking out the EYOTY award the 360 earn this praise:
“The collaboration between the German shipyard and the French design studio Berret-Racoupeau has filtered down the new range to this Hanse 360, which seems to take on the best of its larger sisters. Probably the largest 36-footer on the market, it’s more relatable to think of the Hanse as a short 40-footer – it maximises volume for its length. A great all-rounder, the proportions of the Hanse’s 360’s layout are spot on, as its balance under way where it offers easy enjoyable sailing. Yet there is also so much volume, including the option for a 3+2 layout. That doesn’t come cheap but this does set a new benchmark for 35ft production cruisers. The Hanse represents what a modern family cruiser should offer: fun, easy, responsive and manageable sailing in space and comfort.”
The Hanse 360 is available in a standard two-cabin with a single bathroom/head or alternatively a three-cabin, two-bathroom version.
Either way, the 360’s 3.99-metre beam is carried all the way aft to create a spacious saloon with a nav table, a large galley with optional extra fridges, and plenty of volume for the aft cabins. The port aft cabin can be a deep sail locker/wet space/storage with access from the cockpit that’s also easily capable of storing a decent-sized deflated dinghy.
The starboard aft cabin boasts a 2.05-metre-long double berth and is the slightly bigger aft one in the three-cabin version of the 360. There’s ample natural ventilation thanks to a vertical window that opens into the cockpit and a coach house hatch captures any cooling breeze across the deck.
Mark and Mel’s Hanse 360 is a very highly specc’d version two-cabin version with a large dining area to port in the saloon, with sofa and multi-function unit. There’s a handy navigation console to starboard and the seating area converts to double berth, boosting comfortable overnight accommodation to six.
Amenities such as the large L-shaped galley and storage space to port, and generous head with separate shower stall to port will prove wise choices on trips when once anchored, it’s time to unwind and relax.
Guests can gather around the well-crafted teak cockpit table for sundowners. The comfortable cockpit cushions have deep backrests and there’s good access back between the twin wheels to the ample swim platform with a neatly integrated ladder.
Like all Hanse yachts, the 360 utilises the brand’s signature self-tacking jib system, as well as having all lines led to the helm station and the option of electric winches, enabling the boat to be effectively sailed by a couple or solo.
Yachting Monthly put the Hanse 360 through its paces and had this verdict:
“Sailors wanting a proper sailing boat that’s fun to sail and will give rewarding cruising, could do well to look at this boat. Even by the voluminous standards of new boats these days, you’ll be impressed with the size of the internal spaces.”
They tested the 360 in 16-18 knots of true breeze and stuck with a full jib and mainsail most of the time, even as the apparent wind nudged over 22 knots at times.
Watch the full Yachting Monthly video review here:
Mark nominates Albany, Rottnest Island or even Geraldton as possible future destinations to be loaded into the chart plotter. But wherever they choose to cruise along WA’s extensive coastline they can be confident their Hanse 360 will get them there safely, efficiently and in more comfort than any previous 36-foot monohull.
Mark and Mel’s Hanse 360 is due on the dock by July next year. We wish them many unforgettable experiences fulfilling their cruising dreams.
More information on the award-winning Hanse 360:
