Hanse 470 and 470e, a Used Buyer's Review

The Hanse 470 is not the Olympic 470

Searches for a 470 sailboat or a 470 class sailboat usually mean the Olympic 470, a two-person racing dinghy just 4.70 m long. This page is about something else entirely: the Hanse 470, a 47 foot cruising yacht from one of the world's largest sailboat builders. If you want the trapeze dinghy, look for 470 class associations; if you want a fast, roomy cruiser for a couple that can sail itself through a tack, read on.

Hanse Yachts was founded in Greifswald on the Baltic in 1990 by Michael Schmidt, an Admiral's Cup winner, and began a long collaboration with designers Judel/Vrolijk in the late 1990s. The 470 joined the range in the mid-2000s, sailboatdata dates the first boats to 2005, and it came at a time when Hanse was building a reputation for crisp styling, simple sail handling and good speed.

The e stands for epoxy

In 2007 Hanse launched updated e versions of its larger models, and Cruising World described the 470e as the second model in the series. SAIL's 2008 Best Boats coverage explained the letter plainly: the e stands for epoxy, with the hulls built using epoxy resin. Practical Sailor, reviewing the sister 430e, said Hanse widely presented the epoxy version as an upgrade, lighter than the standard laminate and more resistant to the water absorption that leads to blistering.

Practical Sailor added a warning that applies directly to the 470e: any structural repair must be done with epoxy, because polyester does not bond reliably to cured epoxy. Make sure your surveyor and yard know which version they are working on. Listings are inconsistent, using 470, 470e and 470 E interchangeably, and some European boats are described as epoxy owners' versions, so confirm the build from the hull identification number and the builder's documentation rather than the listing title.

A deck designed for a couple

Jeremy McGeary's 2007 Cruising World review picked out the features that still define the boat. The flush foredeck gives it a big-boat look and hides the anchoring gear under a hatch. The sole foresail is a self-tacking jib, so tacking is simply a matter of turning the wheel. Twin wheels frame the cockpit, all control lines run under the deck to winches on each side, and a molded channel around the companionway houses the folded dodger.

That arrangement is the main reason couples buy a 470 over a French rival of the same era. The trade is the usual one for a self-tacker: less sail area forward than a big overlapping genoa and less power in light air. Many owners add a code zero or gennaker for reaching and running, which makes the most of the 1,186 square feet of upwind sail area on a tall fractional rig whose masthead sits about 80 feet above the water.

What the numbers say about speed

On a 41 ft 4 in waterline and 26,896 pounds, the 470 has a sail area to displacement ratio around 21, a displacement to length ratio near 170 and a ballast ratio of about 29 percent, with the lead concentrated in a bulb. Those are performance cruiser numbers: quick in moderate breeze, needing an early reef as it builds. Hull speed is about 8.6 knots, and well-sailed boats exceed it on a reach.

No independent speed and fuel table for the 470 has been published that we could verify, so treat dealer claims with caution and sea trial any boat you are serious about in a decent breeze.

Deep, standard or shoal keel

Hanse offered three drafts. The standard keel draws 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in), the deep keel 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) and the shoal keel 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in). The deep keel suits racing and windward work, but at 8 ft 6 in it excludes much of the US East Coast, the Bahamas and Florida. For American cruising the shoal or standard keel is the sensible choice, and boats with them are easier to resell in the US.

Modular interior and the cabin choices

Hanse marketed its Individual Cabin Concept, a system of interior modules that let buyers compose the accommodation to suit their use. The result is that two 470s can be quite different below. Most boats on today's market are three-cabin layouts, the format charter fleets and families favored, while owner versions with fewer, larger cabins exist and are worth seeking out for couples.

Expect light, modern joinery for its era, a large saloon and good headroom. Before buying, walk through the actual boat: check which cabins have their own heads, where the galley sits and how much stowage the layout leaves. On older Hanses, inspect hinges, latches and cabin door alignment, which wear faster on charter boats.

Yanmar power and tankage

Cruising World's 470e specification lists a 54 hp Yanmar, while sailboatdata and most boats now for sale show a 75 hp Yanmar, typically a 4JH4 series turbo diesel. If you are comparing boats, the larger engine is worth having on a 27,000 pound boat that will spend time motoring into a head sea. Fuel capacity is 66 gallons (250 liters). Water capacity is listed as 100 gallons by sailboatdata and 116 gallons by Cruising World, so confirm the tanks on the boat you buy.

End of the line and what replaced it

By Hanse's 2012 model line the 470 had gone, with the Hanse 495, first built in 2011, filling the slot. Hanse's later history included the 2009 purchase of Dehler, the 2011 sale of founder Michael Schmidt's stake to the investment group Aurelius, and the addition of Moody, Fjord and Sealine. Parts and dealer support for the 470 come through the HanseYachts network, which remains active in the US, though many owners rely on general marine suppliers for hardware.

Annual running costs for a 47 footer in the US are roughly $16,000 to $36,000, depending on slip location, insurance for coastal or offshore use, haul-out, engine service and a reserve for sails and rigging.