Hallberg-Rassy Yachts For Sale

The linked names of two noted sailboat yards on Orust island has an interesting history that started with Harry Hallberg who began building wooden boats at age 14 in 1928 and led to opening his own boatyard in 1943 in Kungsviken on the island of Orust. Harry Hallberg achieved great early success exporting the first P-28s to the USA and was known for his pioneering use of GRP (glass reinforced polyester plastic or fiberglass) and the serial production of sailboats in 1963. He also pioneered the successful build of GRP hulls with wooden superstructure in a series. The success of the Hallberg cruising sailboat models and volume of builds required a larger yard facility, and in the mid-1960s Harry Hallberg moved the business to Ellös further down the southwest coast of Orust island. He retired from business in 1972.

Christoph Rassy, born 1934 in Bavaria, Germany grew up on the lake, Starnberger See. He built model boats and wooden sailing boats at a young age, and then apprenticed at a yard in southern Germany. In 1960 he relocated to Sweden for better boat-building opportunities. Eventually he was able to start his own business and by strange coincidence, Christoph Rassy bought the boatyard and shed in Kungsviken where Harry Hallberg started out, after Harry had moved to the larger facility he had built in Ellös. Though they had businesses on the same island in Sweden, they were never partners, rather competitors from 1965-1972. Christoph Rassy built one-off cruising sailboats designed by leading Swedish designer, Olle Enderlein. His boats were built entirely of mahogany and took a year to complete.

The 1966 Rasmus 35 long distance cruiser that featured a powerful engine and center cockpit protected by a windshield that was thought of as pioneering back then and the 35ft length was considered huge for a sailboat! This early design has been with Hallberg-Rassy yachts to this day and is taken for granted on a cruising yacht.

The two yards were combined after Harry Hallberg retired in 1972, and his yard in Ellös became available for sale. At that time, the Hallberg yard was producing four models of GRP with mahogany superstructure—Mistral 33, Mistress 32, P-28, and the 24ft Misil II, and all except the P-28, were designed by Olle Enderlein. The Rassy yard purchased Harry Hallberg’s yard in 1972 and renamed the business, Hallberg-Rassy, as the Hallberg brand was better known.

The Hallberg-Rassy Monsun 31, built in 1973 through 1982, was the bestseller, with highest number of units built to date. Then the Hallberg-Rassy 41 became a trendsetter with a true functional walk-through to the aft cabin below deck—a proven optimal layout for a center cockpit yacht with stem to stern free passage below deck on one level, along with elegant lines and exquisite woodwork. Galley placement was starboard near the entry steps, allowing full headroom and safety at sea, out of the main walk-through area. Now mainstream, its size and outfitting with pressurized water, hot water, shower, electronic anchor winch, headsail furling system, two heads and powerful engine, were considered trendsetting in ultimate comfort at that time. Over 100 units were built from 1975 – 1979, and until 1981. The Hallberg-Rassy 38 designed in 1976-77 featured a higher freeboard and the blue stripe around the hull that became a signature feature of Hallberg-Rassy sailboats, beginning with the Hallberg-Rassy 352. The trendsetting feature of walk-through to aft cabin and the boat’s especially elegant lines made the 352 extremely successful, with 800 built to 1989. Characteristic of the Hallberg-Rassys of the late 1970s and 1980s were the contemporary lines and design features of an elegant teak deck, modern and easy to handle rigging, ample cabin space, and beautiful woodwork.

In 1983, next-generation 16-year-old Magnus Rassy designed and built the experimental, “Rassker,” with high-tech aramid fiber and Divinycell for hull construction. It also featured an external lead keel and stern with swim platform. The 26ft “Rassker” won a lot of races, proving its design performance! The Olle Enderlein design period ended in 1984 with the Hallberg-Rassy 382. Keels were no longer molded into a GRP encapsulated sump after this model, which was built to 1992. The noted innovation of the 1985 Hallberg-Rassy 49 was the two armchairs that were built into the saloon, which had not been seen on a yacht before, that has now become commonplace on yachts built all over the world. Another concept boat designed by Magnus was built in 1987—the 35ft Rassker Magnum. Although they were not produced and marketed, Magnus’ boats provided concepts for future development of production boats, particularly the Hallberg-Rassy 34.

In 1988, noted superyacht designer, Germán Frers, one of the most talented yacht designers in the world, began working with Hallberg-Rassy to produce cruising yachts with ultra-elegant lines, performance, and ease of handling in combination with the sturdiness, seaworthiness, comfort, safety, and fine woodwork craftsmanship for which Hallberg-Rassy was world-renowned. The Frers-designed Hallberg-Rassy 34 combined the best of the Rasker Magnum with greatly improved performance, comfort, and a contemporary spin on a classic style. Launched in 1990, it was a commercial success and became a template for an entire new generation of Hallberg-Rassys.

In 1992 a new flagship, the Hallberg-Rassy 53 was launched and produced until 2006. And in 1998, a larger flagship, the Hallberg-Rassy 62 premiered in the Düsseldorf boat show and were built until 2011, at which time the Hallberg-Rassy 64 became the new flagship and the largest sailboat at the Düsseldorf 2011 Show. The 64 featured “Push Button Sailing” for easy management by a family crew, a large aft deck locker capable of storing a dinghy, and hydraulic fold-down swim platform. The largest aft cockpit built by Hallberg-Rassy is the Hallberg-Rassy 412 offering twin aft cabins for the first time and the extremely efficient in-mast furling mainsail named “Fat Furl” by Magnus Rassy. Performance without sacrificing luxury comfort, the 412 wins races. Awarded Sailboat of the Year 2013 in Sweden, in the luxury category. Premiered at Boot Düsseldorf in 2017, the Hallberg-Rassy 44 is the first Hallberg-Rassy to feature twin rudder blades and integrated bow nose for code sails.

Having won many awards in the recent decades, the proven seaworthy Hallberg-Rassys are literally sailed from ports all over the world.

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