The HR evolution

Hallberg-Rassy’s reputation for building quality bluewater cruisers evolved from its early 31-38ft models. Peter Poland reports

- Peter Poland

Hallberg-Rassy has been in the same family ownership since Christoph Rassy bought Harry Hallberg’s boatbuilding business in 1972 and formed Hallberg-Rassy. And 49 years later it’s still going strong and still owned by the Rassy family.

This success story can be attributed to the Rassy insistence on top quality products combined with an uncanny ability to evolve and develop the HallbergRassy range in line with some (but by no means all) modern trends.

While performance has been improved with the latest Frers-designed models, at all times quality build, comfort, easy handling and seaworthiness hold sway.

To assess the HR design evolution it’s interesting to compare HR models of around 34-38ft from the 1970s to today.

Early success: Hallberg P28

Harry Hallberg opened his first yard at Kungsviken on the Swedish island of Orust in 1943 where he built wooden boats before leading the field with his first GRP yachts in 1963.

Having designed and built the elegant P28 in wood, he made a GRP hull mould and went into high volume production, retaining the boat’s classic looks by making the deck and cabin roof in wood.

Well over 500 P28s were built, requiring Hallberg to move his business to a new boatyard, and although many of the first 100 were exported to the USA, few if any made it to the UK – more’s the pity.