I am presently "between boats" and possibly about to purchase a 341.

(This is after some 30 years in a motorboat, so it is going to be a cultural shock for me, but I am really looking forward to it!)

I have 4 questions in my mind which I hope that someone on here will be able to answer.  Many thanks if you can.

First question is this - is the 341 a "skittish" boat to sail? I cannot find a road test anywhere to read, and at my stage of life I would rather have "stable" than "skittish"!

The hanse 341 I am interested in is a 2003 model - in beautiful condition, rigged for shorthanded sailing and with a self-tacking headsail.  On the face of it - it suits me down to the ground.

The only area that concerns me is access to the Yanmar 2 GM engine and I wonder if anyone can help here.

There are hatches on the port and starboard sides of the engine that open up and allow you to reach the dipstick and so on.

However it didnt look as if it was possible to get to the rear or the front of the engine, and I'm not sure it was possible to reach down below the engine at all either? I didn't have enough time to pull the aft cabin to bits and look at this on my short inspection.

Can any reader help on this point please?

The only thing I dont like on the 341 is the saildrive (they always remind me of outdrives and my experience with outdrives was short and expensive).   This particular one needed a repair to the rubber skin that fits round the leg and sits on the bottom of the hull as the skin was flapping around - and there was a lot of marine growth on the leg above this where it goes up into the hull. 

Should I be worried about this as well?  (Needless to say I will have any boat surveyed before I buy).

Last question is - apart from a bit of extra accommodation (which we dont really need), would I be better off spending a little more and going for the 371 for extra stability etc? 

Many thanks in advance to anyone who assists me.

Hi.

The 341/342 is not a "skittish" boat. See test in Practical Boat Owner June issue 2005 (I think it was)

No problems with the saildrive (It's not the same as the z-drive on a motorboat. The rubber skin demands better glue and it's no problem for a do-it-your-self sailor for the next 5 year.

You will only get significant more stability with 371 but an additional  1000+ kg to handle in habour.   

Thank you Abstinenz

I searched all the boat mags for the test report but couldnt find it.  Will have another go later today.

Hi Peterb, We Have a 341 down here on the Costa and with the self tacker the children can sail it and tack without spilling the Cola. We had it out with a 150% gennie and were caught in a sudden F6+, the boat lay on it's ear the helm loaded up and the boat rounded up gently, no broaching. There is an access hatch  beneath the companionway ladder to see the front of the engine, drive belt and water pump, you may be slightly different as we have the Volvo Md 2020, the rubber you see flapping around the saildrive is only a fairing, look on this sight for pictures,  someone  has thrown it away and fitted a plastic sheet, with the Volvo I can reach all around the engine. To answer your question, the boat is not skittish in fact quite stable, it won't break any records wearing the self tacker under F3 If it is East Sails, but a realy enjoyable sail,

Flatsails

Thanks for that Flatsails.

You certainly sound like you are happy with yours, which is the best possible recommendation.

Im the happy owner of a Hanse 311 which is the smallest of the hanse fleet. this summer i sailed it singlehanded across Skagerak. the windforce was as much as 18 m/s. it took me 18 hours but it was pure pleasure . Im sure that you will be wery happy owning a 341.

HI THERE, I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 HANSE 341 WITH THE BIG MOTOR, I SAIL IT IN LAKE TAHOE, ITS GREAT, I RECOMMEND LARRY MAYNE THE BAY AREA HANE DEALER, HE A GREAT GUY.

SCOTT

Hi Peterb,

I have a 2003 - 341 Hull 113, which I have owned from new and is one of the best handling boats I have ever sailed. She gave a good account of herself in a foce 8 a few weeks back in the Solent, where at no point did the handling give any concerns. I have the Volvo engine so cannot coment on the yanmar but I believe the access is the same. As flatsails said there is a front panel that you access once the steps have been removed.