HALLBERG-RASSY 340
At first glance the 340 is not a Hallberg-Rassy as we know it. Twin rudders, a deep fin and bulb keel, square ends and a bowsprit give her a sharp, contemporary look. She promises sporty performance, but not necessarily the gentle character of an offshore cruising boat.
Shortly after departing Copenhagen though, I was reassured. We were close hauled under full sail making steady progress down the Oresund when a 30-knot squall hit. With a narrow channel and shipping around, there was nowhere to go.
We needed to reef, and avoid being set to leeward on a sandbank. Some modern boats would have rounded up uncontrollably, made huge amounts of leeway and drifted out of the channel. Aria Legra feathered the wind at about 25-30° apparent, making 3 knots in the right direction as we scrambled to throw a reef in. It wasn’t pleasant, but she dug in just when we needed her to. ‘Phew,’ I thought, followed shortly by ‘phwoar’ – that was quite impressive.
Following on from the 44, the 340 was the second Hallberg-Rassy to have twin rudders, a bowsprit and almost full-length waterline. The beam is carried most of the way aft, maximising interior volume. From the outside, the emphasis on performance is striking, and a 38% ballast ratio, fractional rig and 48:1 adjustable backstay give credence to the claim.
Look beyond the bold bow and twin rudders though and there’s a careful balance of old and new in evidence. The rubbing strake,
