25 Oct
The latest Hanse 460 to be commissioned by Windcraft is going to a very happy Kiwi Owner.
Handover Day really is the best part of working in the yachting industry. To be able to share an Owner or Owners’ excitement and pride on receiving their dream boat and then join them and their family for the maiden sail is a privilege.
A dozen award-winning Hanse 460s have been purchased by sailors in New Zealand and Australia who appreciate all the outstanding features offered by the 2022 European Yacht of the Year Winner. The 460 has been a sailaway success for Hanse with over 260 hulls sold. Reviews acknowledge the big cruiser’s enviable luxury lifestyle elements; “this boat exudes style with a capital S”.
Marcus Kearns the Owner of Happy Juice, the latest addition to the fleet in New Zealand, decided on a very highly specc’d three cabin two-bathroom version from the dozens of layouts offered.
Happy Juice’s purposeful, angular lines with reverse bow and rounded chine aft are nicely complemented by the grey paint job (Racoon grey, an interesting designation) with Venetian Red bootstripe. Synthetic teak in the cockpit, on the coach house and side decks provides a warm natural feel without the maintenance and weight of real teak.
A T-top, windscreen and clears should be able to deal with the full spectrum of conditions the Hauraki Gulf is well-known for. Once at anchor tucked securely into one of the stunning bays fringing Kawau, Waiheke or Ponui Islands, Marcus and his guests will be able to relax and enjoy the al fresco benefits of the 460’s expansive cockpit that transforms into one big extended space, complete with wetbar and bbq in the transom.
At 14.6 metres (nearly 48 feet) and with a beam of 4.79m or 15 feet 9 inches the 460 is a big boat but it’s easily handled thanks to Hanse’s well-established core values of safe cruising and sailing for two people. Add cockpit space usually associated with a 50-foot yacht with highly enviable cabin dimensions, and you have a template for an unrivalled sailing experience in a boat of this class.
Press reviews have praised the 460’s aesthetics. “All told, the appearance is pretty rakish for a voluminous cruiser. ‘She looks like Comanche (the 100ft maxi racer) from astern,’ someone told me,” wrote David Harding in his review for Yachting Monthly.
There are no fewer than 48 layout combinations for potential 460 customers to choose from to configure their Hanse 460 to suit their needs: from three to five cabins, two to four bathrooms and from six to 10 berths.
Happy Juice boasts an incredibly spacious Owners cabin in the bow, two large guest cabins either side in the stern, plus a utility room on the starboard side, allowing six people to sleep on-board in absolute comfort. A forward-facing nav table and adjoining comms centre is well-laid out and can double as a work desk.
The long list of extras such as twin forestays, in-mast furling, four electric winches, solar panels, and an upgraded lithium battery system and alternator all ensure Happy Juice is well-equipped for voyages, be it for a few days or deep into the South Pacific.
More information on the Hanse 460 here: https://windcraftyachts.com/sailing-yachts/hanse-460/
