HanseYachts
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGerman manufacturer of sailing yachts and motorboats, headquartered in Greifswald on the Baltic Sea.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
HanseYachts AG is a German boatbuilding company based in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, on the Baltic Sea. It develops, manufactures, and sells sailing yachts and motorboats through a portfolio of specialist brands. The company’s principal sailing brands are Hanse, Dehler, and Moody, while its motorboat brands include Fjord and Sealine. The group has also operated other boat brands during its history, including Varianta and Privilege, but its portfolio has been adjusted over time as management has concentrated on its core businesses. The company traces its roots to a shipyard with experience in fishing cutters and other workboats. After the political and economic changes that followed the fall of the Iron Curtain, Michael Schmidt founded the modern business in 1990. Initially operating under the name Yachtzentrum Greifswald, the company focused on yacht refit and related services. Its move into series production began with the Hanse 291, launched in 1993. Hanse subsequently expanded its range and developed a reputation for combining contemporary styling, performance-oriented sailing characteristics, and comparatively efficient production methods. A long-running design relationship with Judel/Vrolijk & Co began in the late 1990s and became an important part of the company’s product-development system. HanseYachts expanded through acquisitions and new product categories. The Moody sailing-yacht brand was added in 2007, while the company entered the powerboat sector through its acquisition of Norwegian manufacturer Fjord Boats. It later acquired Dehler Yachtbau in 2009, bringing the Dehler and Varianta brands and another production site into the group. The acquisition of the Sealine brand in 2013 gave the company an additional motor-yacht marque, and Sealine production began in 2014. These transactions allowed HanseYachts to address different segments, from performance-oriented sailing boats and cruising yachts to open powerboats and larger motor yachts. The global financial crisis severely affected the recreational boating sector. HanseYachts experienced a substantial fall in turnover and a period of losses. In 2011, founder Michael Schmidt sold his stake to AURELIUS and left the company. The group subsequently reorganized production, including the closure of the Dehler plant in Freienohl in 2012 and the transfer of Dehler manufacturing to facilities in Goleniów, Poland, and Greifswald. The company’s manufacturing and sales structure has since relied on centralized production, brand-specific development, and international distribution. HanseYachts has been listed in the General Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2007. AURELIUS is the group’s controlling shareholder and the HanseYachts Group is included in AURELIUS’s consolidated financial statements. The company sells through sales companies in Germany and the United States and a worldwide dealer network reported at approximately 230 dealers. Its boats are generally manufactured after customer orders are placed rather than produced solely for inventory. The group’s offering covers monohull sailing yachts of approximately 29 to 67 feet, together with a range of motorboats. Hanse, Dehler, and Moody serve differentiated sailing audiences: Hanse emphasizes modern cruising and performance, Dehler combines sailing performance with cruising practicality, and Moody focuses on deck-saloon and aft-cockpit cruising yachts. Fjord is associated with distinctive open motorboats, while Sealine focuses on cruising motor yachts. HanseYachts works with naval architects and design studios including Patrick Banfield, Berret-Racoupeau, Bill Dixon, and Judel/Vrolijk & Co. Its strategic positioning is therefore based on a multi-brand portfolio, international dealer distribution, modular and series-oriented construction, and coverage of several recreational boating segments rather than on a single flagship model.
History
HanseYachts developed from a Greifswald shipyard with a background in fishing cutters and other workboats. The modern company was established in 1990, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, by sailor and 1985 Admiral’s Cup winner Michael Schmidt. Under its former name, Yachtzentrum Greifswald, the business initially provided yacht refit and related services rather than operating as a large-scale series producer. The decisive transition into yacht manufacturing came with the Hanse 291, introduced in 1993. Based on the Aphrodite 291 design, the model gave the company a foundation for expanding into production sailing yachts. During the 1990s, Hanse broadened its range and developed a partnership with Judel/Vrolijk & Co, which became one of its continuing design relationships. By 2003, its range had grown to eight models, including boats up to 53 feet. The group began widening its brand portfolio in the mid-2000s. In 2006, it acquired a majority interest in Norwegian powerboat builder Fjord Boats AS, marking a move beyond sailing yachts into seagoing motorboats. HanseYachts acquired the remaining Fjord shares the following year and introduced the Fjord 40 Open. In 2007, it also acquired the English Moody sailing-yacht brand and began developing new Moody deck-saloon and aft-cockpit models. The same year, HanseYachts became publicly listed in the General Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, with Schmidt remaining its majority shareholder at that stage. Production capacity was expanded in 2008 through enlargement of the Greifswald plant and construction of a new facility in Goleniów, Poland. In 2009, HanseYachts acquired German competitor Dehler Yachtbau. The transaction brought the Dehler and Varianta brands, as well as the Freienohl production facility, into the group. The acquisitions created a broader platform spanning performance sailing yachts, cruising yachts, open powerboats, and motor yachts. The global financial crisis exposed the cyclicality of the recreational boating market. A sharp decline in industry demand led to a major fall in HanseYachts turnover and a period of heavy losses. In 2011, Michael Schmidt sold his stake to AURELIUS SE and left the company. Management then pursued operational consolidation. At the end of 2012, the Freienohl Dehler factory was closed and production was transferred to the company’s lamination facility in Goleniów and its main plant in Greifswald. The portfolio expanded again when the group acquired the English Sealine motor-yacht brand in 2013, including plans, moulds, parts lists, and equipment. Sealine yacht production began in 2014. The company continued to develop its multi-brand structure and worked with several external naval architects, including Patrick Banfield, Berret-Racoupeau, Bill Dixon, and Judel/Vrolijk & Co. In June 2019, HanseYachts acquired Privilege Marine, a French builder of ocean-going luxury catamarans based in Port Olona, Les Sables d’Olonne. Privilege remained operationally autonomous, and its product line was substantially renewed during its period within the group. On 17 October 2022, HanseYachts sold its interest in Privilege to a consortium led by longtime chief executive Gilles Wagner and customers. The disposal was described as portfolio optimization: anticipated synergies had not reached the expected level, while the sale allowed HanseYachts to concentrate on its remaining brands. Today, HanseYachts operates as the parent company of the HanseYachts Group. Its portfolio includes Hanse, Dehler, Moody, Fjord, and Sealine. The group sells through companies in Germany and the United States and through a worldwide network of approximately 230 dealers. It reports a model portfolio of around 40 boats across its brands, with production generally undertaken in response to customer orders. The company remains listed in Frankfurt, while AURELIUS remains the controlling shareholder and consolidates HanseYachts in its financial reporting.
- 2022
Privilege Marine divested
[1]HanseYachts sold its interest in Privilege Marine as part of a portfolio-concentration strategy.
- 2019
Privilege Marine acquired
[1]HanseYachts acquired the French luxury catamaran manufacturer Privilege Marine.
- 2013
Sealine brand acquired
[1]The group acquired the English Sealine motor-yacht brand and associated production materials.
- 2012
Dehler production consolidated
[1]The Freienohl facility was closed and Dehler manufacturing was transferred to Goleniów and Greifswald.
- 2011
AURELIUS becomes controlling shareholder
[1]Founder Michael Schmidt sold his stake to AURELIUS and left HanseYachts during the company’s post-financial-crisis restructuring.
- 2009
Dehler Yachtbau acquired
[1]The acquisition added Dehler, Varianta, and a Freienohl production facility to the group.
- 2007
Moody brand acquired and HanseYachts listed
[1]The company added the Moody sailing-yacht brand and was admitted to the General Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
- 2006
Entry into powerboats through Fjord
[1]HanseYachts acquired a majority interest in Norwegian powerboat builder Fjord Boats AS.
- 1993
Hanse 291 launched
[1]The Hanse 291 marked the company’s transition from service work into series production of sailing yachts.
- 1990
Modern HanseYachts company founded
[1]Michael Schmidt established the business in Greifswald after the political transformation of Eastern Europe. It initially operated as Yachtzentrum Greifswald and focused on yacht refit and related services.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand, mid-to-premium recreational boating group combining series production, contemporary design, sailing performance, cruising comfort, and international distribution.
Sailing yachts · 1993
Hanse
Hanse is the group’s principal sailing-yacht brand. Its monohull range is aimed primarily at contemporary cruising sailors and combines modern hull and deck design with performance-oriented handling and practical accommodation. Hanse models are developed with naval architects including Berret-Racoupeau and Judel/Vrolijk & Co. The broader Hanse range has historically covered boats from approximately 29 feet to larger cruising yachts exceeding 60 feet.
Performance sailing yachts · 2009
Dehler
Dehler is a German sailing-yacht brand acquired by HanseYachts in 2009. It occupies a performance-oriented position within the group, combining faster sailing characteristics with the accommodation and systems expected of cruising yachts. Dehler production was consolidated after the closure of the Freienohl plant, with manufacturing moved to the group’s facilities in Poland and Greifswald.
Deck-saloon and aft-cockpit sailing yachts · 2007
Moody
Moody is an English sailing-yacht brand added to the HanseYachts portfolio in 2007. The range is associated with larger cruising yachts, especially deck-saloon and aft-cockpit configurations. Moody boats emphasize protected living spaces, cruising comfort, and long-distance usability while retaining sailing capability. The brand gives the group access to a more premium cruising segment than its core series-sailing range.
Open motorboats · 2006
Fjord
Fjord is the group’s Norwegian-origin motorboat brand. HanseYachts entered the business through a majority acquisition in 2006 and later purchased the remaining shares. Fjord boats are associated with open layouts, distinctive styling, and leisure-oriented powerboat use. The Fjord 40 Open was among the first new models introduced after HanseYachts completed its acquisition of the brand.
Motor yachts · 2013
Sealine
Sealine is an English motor-yacht brand acquired by the group in 2013 together with plans, moulds, parts lists, and equipment. Production began under HanseYachts in 2014. The brand focuses on cruising motor yachts and complements Fjord’s more open powerboat orientation, extending HanseYachts’ motorboat offering toward enclosed accommodation and longer-duration cruising.
Luxury cruising catamarans · 2019
Privilege
Privilege Marine was a French builder of ocean-going luxury catamarans acquired by HanseYachts in 2019. The company operated autonomously within the group and renewed its product line during the ownership period. HanseYachts sold its interest in October 2022 after concluding that expected synergies had not developed sufficiently. Privilege is therefore a former, rather than current, HanseYachts group brand.
Brand decisions
2022
Divest Privilege MarineM&ABackground
HanseYachts reviewed its portfolio after the anticipated benefits of the Privilege ownership period failed to materialize sufficiently.
Action taken
On 17 October 2022, HanseYachts sold its equity interest in Privilege Marine to a consortium headed by Gilles Wagner and participating customers.
Aftermath
The disposal allowed HanseYachts to focus on its remaining six-brand operating portfolio as described in the reference material.
2019
Acquire Privilege MarineM&ABackground
HanseYachts aimed to add a luxury catamaran business and broaden its yacht portfolio.
Action taken
The group acquired the French catamaran manufacturer Privilege Marine, which continued to operate autonomously.
Aftermath
Privilege’s product line was renewed, but the expected synergies did not reach the anticipated level.
2012
Consolidate Dehler productionStrategyBackground
The company sought to reduce manufacturing complexity following the severe market downturn and ownership change.
Action taken
HanseYachts closed the Dehler plant in Freienohl and transferred production to its Goleniów and Greifswald facilities.
Aftermath
Dehler manufacturing became part of the group’s centralized production network.
2009
Acquire Dehler YachtbauM&ABackground
HanseYachts pursued portfolio expansion during a period when the recreational boating sector was becoming more consolidated.
Action taken
The company acquired Dehler Yachtbau, including the Dehler and Varianta brands and a production facility in Freienohl.
Aftermath
The group gained a stronger position in performance sailing and later consolidated Dehler production in Greifswald and Goleniów.
2006
Enter the powerboat market through FjordStrategyBackground
HanseYachts had historically concentrated on sailing yachts and sought to broaden its addressable market.
Action taken
The company acquired a majority interest in Fjord Boats AS and later bought the remaining shares.
Aftermath
The transaction established Fjord as the group’s motorboat platform and was followed by the introduction of new Fjord models.
Recent events
Reported
Hanse Yachts appoints Holger Passauer as CFO[3]
Hanse Yachts AG's Supervisory Board appointed Holger Passauer as chief financial officer, effective immediately, as part of a management realignment returning the company to a dual co-CEO leadership structure.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Hanse Yachts CEO Hanjo Runde departs[3]
Former CEO Hanjo Runde departed Hanse Yachts AG, with a new chief executive officer to be announced at the beginning of the year.
Sources3 sources
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