By Amy Zahra

There was a well deserved celebration on the Dana Point docks last week for Wolfgang and Heidi Hass, owners of Nordhavn 46 Kanaloa.  The couple, along with their dog Zulu, recently pulled into Dana Point after their second, yes second circumnavigation on their Nordhavn 46! It took the threesome five years to finish their trip while racking up over 33,500 nm. The celebration party had an air of déjà vu since the Hasses had been similarly toasted on these very docks back in 2003 following the completion of their first global trek in Kanaloa. As if notching two circumnavigations in a powerboat weren’t enough, it turns out the Hasses – in their pre-power days – initially went global in their 38-foot Van Dam sailboat, making this their third around the world voyage!

The Hasses are very humble and very passionate about boating. In a congratulatory speech, P.A.E President Dan Streech referred to the Hasses as being the quintessential Nordhavn customers who cruise extensively yet neither want nor need any special praise or recognition. Three circumnavigations is an extraordinary accomplishment for the average cruiser, but the Hasses don’t view their achievements in terms of milestones; for them long range cruising is a lifestyle. Heidi admitted that this last trip was their best one yet, due mainly to the inclusion of Zulu in their cruising lives which has forced them to become more social.  They have been exploring more of the lands that they visit due to Zulu’s walking schedule, and people were drawn to his sweet and even tempered nature. This has translated into more friendships around the world.

The Hasses plan to stay in Dana Point until early next year when they will head to the South Pacific, which is one of their favorite cruising destinations.  Then they may cruise to China but beyond that, their plans are still unknown. Meanwhile, we at P.A.E. expect them to quietly show up in Dana Point in another few years with number four under their belt!