Hallberg-Rassy 43

Among the long list of entrants in this year’s AMIF Boat of the Year awards, the Swedish-built Hallberg-Rassy 43 emerged as winner of the Imported Sailing Category. While some 8400 Hallberg-Rassy boats have been built, it has only been in recent years that this design has become better recognised in Australia.

Windcraft Australia was appointed the sole Australian agent for Hallberg-Rassy in 2003. The HR 43, like all the boats in the HR range, is a modern centre cockpit yacht with a spray hood canopy and the GRP hull and deck are laminated using a hand lay-up method, insulated against heat and cold above the waterline with Divinycell PVC foam. The GRP hull is reinforced with a grid structure at floor level to give it increased stiffness.

The HR 43 is powered by a Volvo Penta D2-75 engine and has a 650-litre water tank. The interior accommodation is designed for long distance cruising, with a wet locker, hand holds and ample stowage space.

The HR 43 is a yacht designed to be handled by one person. Solo sailing is enhanced with options such as mast furling, electric winches, autopilot, bow thruster and an anchoring system, all accessible to the skipper from the steering binnacle.

A two-cabin configuration is standard in the one-level layout, with a generous head height of 6'5". The forward cabin has two seven-foot long berths and the large head incorporates a separate shower, teak grating, china wash basin and large mirrors. There is also the option of fitting a washer/dryer.

The galley is designed to be user-friendly at sea, with a large laminate working surface and fiddle rails all the way around the bench tops. It is finished in light matt silk mahogany.

Dining is around the portside table, which has elegant round edges and is flanked by a large L-sofa settee.
Enquiries: Windcraft Australia, tel: (02) 9979 1709.
Website: www.windcraft.com.au

Clipper 34 Europa

The Clipper 34 Europa offers boaters a new dimension in family cruising. Blending traditional old-world craftsmanship with modern boat building technology, this 34ft flybridge cruiser offers a host of features, including covered walk-around side decks and cockpit, a spacious flybridge and saloon and enough room to accommodate up to six people.

The 34 Europa is available in two models – the Classic and the Platinum. In the galley of the base model Classic is a three-burner gas stove with oven and grill, a 12/240-volt refrigerator/freezer, teak cabinets with corian bench tops, a double stainless steel sink, a dinette on the port side with leather or macro suede covering and a hi-lo teak table.

The Platinum model also comes with a convection microwave oven, two-burner ceramic cooktop, reverse cycle air-conditioning and a 15" LCD TV with DVD. Hatches in the saloon floor provide access to the engine room, which houses a single 220hp Cummins diesel. The semi-displacement hull sees the 34 Europa reach a comfortable cruising speed of 9 knots, consuming approximately 12-litres of diesel per hour.

The helm station has a teak console with engine and navigation panels, including a Raymarine Tri Data digital depth and speed gauge on the Classic model (the Platinum series comes with a Raymarine 7" C Series with GPS and fish finder), a stainless steel steering wheel with teak rim, a leather or macro suede covered helm seat, a sliding pilot house door on the starboard side and a CD/radio stereo player with remote.

The 5" foam mattress bed in the master stateroom comes with drawers and a custom-design bedding and linen package. There is also a hanging locker with light, a fully-screened opening hatch, opening stainless steel portholes with curtains and screens, teak and holly flooring and teak bookshelves to both port and starboard.

In the head is a shower stall with a moulded GRP floor basin with teak grating and shower curtain, a vanity unit with washbasin and single lever faucet, mirror, exhaust fan, 12-volt TMC toilet and medicine cabinet.

The 34 Europa has marine-grade carpet on the flybridge and helm deck areas. A flybridge cover and rail dodger are optional. The 34 Europa Classic is priced at $319,000 and the Platinum is $349,000.

Enquiries: Clipper Cruises Sales Australasia, tel: (07) 3890 5000.
Website: www.clippercruisers.net.au

Haines Signature 600C

The Haines Signature 600C is the latest addition to the Signature Lifestyle Cruising range. Designed to combine daytime adventures, such as fishing and cruising, with overnight comfort, the 600C is the big sister to the 500C and comes with more creature comforts.

The 600C has a large cabin area, with twin berths and located under the port side back-to-back seating is a built-in stove, sink and ice box. Remove the underfloor stowage hatch to reveal a carpeted floor, which can be converted into a meals area courtesy of a removable picnic table.

Boarding the 600C is made easy via the walk-through transom and a stainless steel ladder provides access back into the boat after a swim. An ergonomic dashboard has provision to flush-mount compasses, sounders and GPS systems. Other features include a deluxe rear lounge with storage, large, moulded side boxes and a Porta-loo in the cabin area.

The 600C is designed with the Signature Variable Deadrise Hull, that, according to The Haines Group, lets the boat plane at slower speed, so there is less power required, less fuel used and fewer bumps.

Measuring 6.25 metres, with a beam of 2.43 metres, it is rated for up to 175hp and carries 138 litres of fuel.

Enquiries: The Haines Group, tel: (07) 3271 4400.
Website: www.thehainesgroup.com