Hallberg-Rassy 54
The transom is completely closed when the bathing platform is folded up. Folded down, with a wireless remote control, there is an enormous swim platform.

There is an elegant sundeck lowered into the coachroof of the aft cabin. This sundeck is completely free from winches, tracks, clutches or vents, even the deckhatch is flush mounted with the teak.

The dorade vents are of a new and innovative type with light balls, which automatically float up and close the vents if too much water is taken on the deck. As soon as the water flows away, the balls sink and open the vent again.

The step to climb into the cockpit is a new design allowing easy access into the cockpit. When seated in the cockpit one immediately takes notice of the increased comfort with better angling of the backrest. The teak in the cockpit is flush mounted with the gelcoat. This not only looks good, it is easier to keep clean as well. The cockpit locker lid has a gas spring, making the lid almost weightless. The sliding entrance hatch is in smoked colour plexi glass and the grabrail is of high gloss varnished teak as are the generous exterior chart tables.

Elegant interior with generous comfort

The entrance ladder has a completely new, more rounded design with substantial and elegant grab rails. The armchairs to port have a new design with a more stylish colour combination and greater comfort. The saloon is wide, bright and airy. The mast support has a rounder shape. All horizontal linings are wide and milled out on the inside creating good handhold everywhere in the yacht. All locker doors have hidden stainless hinges, which also work as an end stopper. The drawers close automatically and quietly. The doorframes have a new design. The 20 inch flat screen TV concealed between the armchairs is controlled up and down at the push of a button. Even the wooden lid over the TV opens and closes automatically.

As on all Hallberg-Rassys, the floor is in one level throughout the boat. This provides easy movement throughout the boat even in choppy seas.

Most Hallberg-Rassy yachts are sailed by one or two couples. Only occasionally is there a need for a third cabin. With this in mind, Hallberg-Rassy have developed a new alternative layout forward of the mast. That means there are two high priority double cabins and one more two-berth cabin in the front for occasional use. Apart from the comfortable aft cabin there is now also a very generous cabin in front of the mast with a double berth and lots of elbow space. The V-cabin in front is still there and the actual berths are not smaller than they normally are but the hanging locker and the floor area of the V-cabin has been reduced in favour for the super cabin forward of the mast.

In the toilet department to port there is a large separate shower with plexi glass doors. Inside the shower, behind a Corian door, there is a washing machine. This area naturally lends itself to being a wet locker. For added comfort there are also electric towel heaters in the toilet department.

At the chart table there is a 15 inch display that provides on one hand the radar and chartplotter, on the other hand it may also be used as a repeater to the laptop. The display is easy to dim, very important when it is used at night time or in sunshine. The electric system is a bus system that not only reduces the weight and number of cables, it also makes it possible to program one button with several functions, for example navigation lights, steaming light and compass light.

On this boat the well-equipped galley is located on the port side and has a great worktop area in Corian. There is a freezer, a top opening fridge and a front opening fridge. The dishwasher is well hidden by a locker door. The deep double sinks are glued and screwed from the underside making it easy to keep the worktop clean. The microwave has a new and elegant design.

Walk-in engine room

The engine room is really worth a chapter of its own. There is a large door and a walk-in engine room. It is carefully sound insulated and perforated aluminium plates also cover the insulation. In here all the technical equipment is found: low RPM main engine, low RPM generator with soundshield, double heaters, all pumps, filters, pressure equalizer for the fresh water system, AquaDrive flexible coupling for the engine shaft, high pressure pump for the watermaker, just to mention a few. All easy to maintain, all well sound insulated. The engine room lighting is 24 v, but there is also a 230 v fluorescent light, with power supply from either the shore connection or the inverter. The Mastervolt inverter automatically and quickly changes between shore power and inverter, depending on what is available.

The aft cabin is generous and offers a wide centre island berth with a rounded sofa on each side and a make up/work table to starboard. As an alternative it is possible to have two individual berths with a sofa in between. Then the floor area is even more generous. There is a dedicated paper chart locker. In another locker there is a built in minisafe. Inside the shower for the aft cabin the watermaker control is located. The watermaker capacity is 150 litres per hour.

Out in the cockpit again you can operate the anchor by a remote control on the steering pedestal. The anchor is self-launching so you do not need to go to the anchor to manually start the process.

The rig has triple spreaders, which are only swept back three degrees resulting in extra stability and are not in the way when sailing downwind. Furthermore, there is a jumpstay that gives additional stability when using the permanent hydraulic cutterstay. The permanent cutterstay gives freedom and comfort for ocean crossings.

The D4-180 engine hums pleasantly and it is evident that there is a very good torque even at 1100 RPMs. You can achieve 8 knots at 1400 RPM. Strongly contributing is the efficient three bladed, two geared, Gori folding propeller.

Sailing in harmony and control

The mainsail is furled out hydraulically and also the outhaul is hydraulically controlled, which means you can handle it even under load. The vang and the backstay are also hydraulically controlled from a panel in the cockpit at the helm position. There is both a genoa and a permanent cutter stay and both are of course hydraulically controlled from the cockpit. The powerful headsail winches are electrically driven with a soft start. The yacht accelerates as soon as the wind fills the sails. The rudder feel is exact and controlled. There is a feeling of total harmony and control. Control over an impressive yacht that will take you anywhere in any weather with the smallest crew. That's a nice feeling of security.