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Buying a Boat During Covid Times

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Buying a Boat During Covid Times

I just returned from an 8-week Caribbean cruise and wanted to share my observations on travel relative to buying a sailboat during a global pandemic.

Is it possible? Yes, with careful planning, patience, intelligence gathering and a can-do attitude.

Currently, you can still travel through certain parts of the Caribbean to view potential boats and there are certainly deals to be had by savvy shoppers.  Starting close to home with the US Virgin Islands, the island is in the safer at home status which means that non-essential businesses are open, restaurants are open for take-out only and of course facial coverings and social distancing are required, for more information check the Health department local website here https://www.covid19usvi.com/current-status

Business as usual but at a much slower pace, the charter industry is gearing up for a busy season and the signs are good for an economic recovery.  Marinas are opening up for traffic and people are thinking about preparing their boats for the Winter season.  Now is a great time to think about organizing a viewing or a pre-purchase survey before the boats that are in dry storage go into the water.

The exodus of private and charter boats from the BVI to the USVI is an amazing opportunity to find the right boat, because of the restrictive Covid protocols in the British Virgin Islands owners are moving their assets to other areas bringing a flood of boats into the US territory, so it is very easy to fly into the USVI and see a number of good quality catamarans that are seriously for sale.

Is it a good time to travel? We just flew into Grenada to look at a boat and from our experience the airports were virtually empty, there are no queues at border control, we flew down with 25 other people and the airplanes had very strict cleanliness protocols.  Hotels are empty as well and to top it off it was very cheap to fly – only $200 from St.Thomas-Miami- Grenada!

We did a 4-day quarantine in a Grenada guest house and you can find a nice selection of government approved hotels on the website https://www.puregrenada.com/travel-advisory/ we chose the Seabreeze hotel which was at the budget end of the scale at $89 per night for a double room with A/C, we were made to feel very welcome had use of the pool during the day as long as we adhered to social distancing protocols and there was absolutely no feeling that we were trapped there, there was a food delivery app that we used to order our meals and a great selection to choose from, at the end of the 4 days we took a PCR test and within 24 hours, received our negative test results and were then free to go about our business, we felt it was a great balance between keeping the residents of Grenada safe and keeping the tourism and sailing industry alive in the Islands.

If you are looking to purchase a catamaran please get in touch with me Steve@multihullcompany.com, I would be  happy to discuss my recent experience traveling extensively throughout the Caribbean and to come up with a plan for purchase during this unprecedented time.

About Steve Varrow

Steve Varrow is a Professional Skipper and TMC broker in the Virgin Islands.  He lives aboard his classic gaff rigged yacht “Gwendolyn” sailing between the BVI, USVI and the Spanish Virgin Islands and is ready to help you in all aspects of buying or selling you next Catamaran.

Contact Steve

10 Affordable Cruising Catamarans

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10 Affordable Cruising Catamarans

 

Looking for a used cruising cat for a sailing sabbatical? Check out this list of contenders.

So, you want to get a catamaran, sail off into the sunset, and capture some magic with your lover or family for a few years. You have no ambition to sail around the world or to live aboard forever, but think a one- or two-year sabbatical might be life-changing. You’d like to sail the US East Coast, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, perhaps the Med—or up and down the West Coast and on to Mexico and Central America. You have $300,000 or less to spend and want a catamaran you can sell at the end of the journey without consuming a bottle of Tylenol to blunt the pain.

The good news is that this is quite achievable. The bad news is that there is a vast wave of baby boomers who are all looking for the same thing—and for right around the same price. This makes finding a good deal on a great used catamaran a lot of work, even working with a broker. But, it’s possible. You just need to keep an open mind.

The other good news, which might seem surprising, is that an older catamaran, besides being more affordable, might sail just as well—or even better—than the same-size new cat that will cost considerably more. Yes, the older model might have less room inside and lack the latest condo-on-the-water styling, but it was designed and built before the current trend to supersize the newer generations of multihulls at the expense of sailing performance.

Here’s my advice to the cat hunter on a budget: Don’t get too hung up on the length of the boat. Instead, focus on the spatial and payload requirements you seek and which can be achieved within your budget. And best not get too focused on must-have features—what I jokingly call “surround-sound beds.” Catamaran designs and interiors have gone through massive changes in the past 10 to 20 years, and most older designs simply cannot compete with the new ones in terms of space and high-end amenities.

None of the cool cats I have in mind are over 47 feet. This is not because there aren’t bargain boats out there that are 47 feet and longer, but because any larger multihull that you can buy for $300,000 or less will most assuredly need a significant refit or is either very old or very odd. Buying a fixer-upper is, to my mind, the most dangerous thing a budget-minded consumer can do. It’s just too easy to underestimate the cost of yacht refits and repairs due to the extremely high prices charged in most boatyards. 

Nearly any cat you buy over 10 years old is fully depreciated. What we were selling a Lagoon 440 for eight or 10 years ago is nearly the same as what they sell for today. The difference between a good deal and a bad deal is tied solely to a yacht’s condition and refit history. As they joke in private-equity circles, “Any idiot can buy; you deserve congratulations only when you sell.”  

So, when your search gets underway, focus on ­condition—it is far more important than the year, brand or features you might crave. And when you find the cat of your dreams, the best way to remove financial-downside risk is to get a great survey and to choose the newest, smallest cat that will work for your agenda, not the oldest and biggest.

And a word of caution: Your problem will be knowing a good deal from a bad one after the survey is over if you are not well-schooled in pricing. Besides steering you toward potential boats to consider, this is where a broker, working on your behalf, can provide knowledgeable advice. It’s been my experience that this is the point when so many yacht sales come apart: a dispute over the value of a given yacht when the survey results come in. All too commonly we see buyers reject yachts they should have accepted and purchase cats they should have rejected. Remember, a used yacht is a used yacht—not a perfect yacht. A catamaran need not be perfect to remain a perfectly good deal. Here, then, are 10 cool cats to ­consider in the ­$300,000-or-less range:

1 – Fountaine pajot orana 44

Fountaine Pajot had the misfortune of tooling up this boat just before the global financial crisis, so not that many of them were built between 2007 and 2012. But these were the first of the larger-space charter cats in this size, but not yet so porky that they still could not sail decently. In the three-­cabin owner’s version, they designed the living space very nicely; even in the four-cabin version, the aft starboard bed was very well-done. 

During this period, Fountaine Pajot had problems with the resin it was using, which led to blistering on the hulls and undersides. Affected models therefore had new bottoms done at approved shipyards throughout the world. Make sure the one you are considering had this done or that it doesn’t show evidence of significant blistering. Honestly it is only cosmetic, but it will impact resale if not repaired. Many consumers think blisters are the end of the world; frankly, they are not.

2. Catana 431

Built in France by a long-­standing yard, the Catana 431 was always a very viable vessel because it is big enough to go anywhere, but not too large for a competent owner to handle. And because the 431 has good underwing clearance and daggerboards, it sails smartly to windward.

That said, there are a few things to watch for. The primary bulkheads on many of these boats were not tabbed on the outer ends, and over time tended to distort. Often this led, or will lead, to a costly replacement of some bulkheads. So be careful to survey these areas properly.

The 431′s furniture is all foam-cored and handmade, but the banding on the outer edges in some cases slowly starts to peel, which allows moisture to infect the wood veneer. This can create a somewhat unsightly appearance in the cabinets and drawers. It is only a cosmetic issue, but it can make the interior feel a bit worn out.

During the period when the 431 was being built, Catana used a distributive electrical card system, and the boats had several modules, each a zone, to which electricity was run. If one thing in a zone stops working, the only solution is to jury-rig a wire from that nonworking item back to the main breaker panel. Replacing the modules or getting them repaired can be done, but it is getting harder by the year. For this reason, the best 431 is a boat that someone else had rewired at some point along the way.

3. Lagoon 470

If you need a larger escape pod, the Lagoon 470 is one of our favorites. This model of older Lagoons was built at CNB’s yard in Bordeaux, France, and the build quality was high. The 470 was the first design to have the more-vertical windows that are a Lagoon signature, and ample saloon headroom. The 470s are also old enough that the hulls were not so supersize that it compromised sailing performance. They have decent underwing clearance, so they are not persistent pounders to windward. Many were built with a galley-down layout, some in galley-up style. You will always pay more for an owner version of this or any model.

The big thing you have to concern yourself with on Lagoons of this vintage is that the hulls and decks are made with a balsa core, so it is not uncommon to find moisture problems, especially around deck fittings or hatches. This can sometimes require rebedding or recoring areas, and this sort of repair, in North America, can be a costly undertaking. Make sure you get good moisture-meter readings near all deck fittings and, of course, on the hulls. Hulls, however, tend less often to have moisture issues because there are few fittings through which water can enter the core. Were that to happen below the waterline, it is a real mess that must be repaired immediately and properly.

4. Privilège 435

Back when the Privilège 435 was built, Privilège catamarans were constructed by Alliaura Marine in France, and they were truly the Mercedes of the multihull world at that time. While not a performance cat by any means, the 435 was a super-solid yacht, built with great care and the finest components. The 435 is large enough to go anywhere but small enough to handle easily.

The largest negative of this model—and many cats of this vintage—is that the saloon windows slope dramatically, so the interior gets very hot unless the windows are covered most of the time. When they legalize growing pot on catamarans, here’s the perfect greenhouse for it! Seriously, if you should buy a used 435, you really have to get strong sunblocking external UV covers, as well as interior blinds or shades to inhibit heat buildup.

Some of the 435s were laid out with the galley down in one hull, and these days most people want a galley-up arrangement, where cooking and food preparation are done in the saloon. A three-cabin galley-up owner version will be far more sought after and cost more than a four-cabin galley-down version.

5. leopard 46

This was the first of the Morrelli & Melvin collaborations with South African builder Robertson and Caine and the charter companies owned at the time by TUI Marine to create a catamaran that could be sold both into charter under the Moorings brand and also privately as a Leopard, so effort was made to design a boat with good sailing performance. Gino Morrelli did a good job creating a lot of underwing clearance, the 46 has a powerful rig, and yet its interior still offers spacious sleeping areas and nice flow from the cockpit to the saloon. These can be bought as ex-Moorings charter boats for less than $300,000 but are more costly in the sought-after Leopard owner version.

Because these are balsa-­cored boats, you must inspect deck fittings carefully for moisture incursion. Some of the earlier ones also experienced structural problems on the aft bulkhead and over-door-frame areas between saloon and cockpit. Also, during this period, the windows in the main saloon had a tendency to leak and, when they did, required rebedding or replacement. This was a costly job, so check this out carefully during survey.

6. st. francis 44/knysna 440

If you wish to spend under $250,000, the older Saint Francis 44 and Knysna 440 are worth a look.

Back in 1990, Duncan Lethbridge started St. Francis Catamarans in South Africa with the St. Francis 43. The boat was meant to be a fast, strong bluewater voyager—and it was. The 43 was made with foam core, keeping the structure light, and it was very strongly built, with a powerful rig. The 43 loved to sail. And so too did the St. Francis 44, an updated version of the original.

The boat did have a couple of negatives, however, the first being its sloped windows that built up interior heat. And the boat wasn’t a great fit for tall people, having less than 6-foot-2-inch headroom in the hulls. Also, the engines were installed amidships, which made the boat noisy inside under power. It also made the amidships areas of the hulls too narrow to have centrally located heads and showers, which in turn meant the only layout available was a four-­cabin, four-head design. In the forward cabins, the heads and showers had to be far forward; in the aft cabins, the heads and showers were located far aft.

St. Francis sold the tooling for the 44 to Knysna Yachts in 2004, and Knysna raised the headroom in the saloon and moved the engines aft to each stern. The hulls remained fundamentally the same, but the design was improved nicely.

The largest negative of both the Saint Francis 44 and the Knysna 440 is that they have very low underwing clearance. Things can get pretty noisy when pushing against ­washing-machine seas.

But you cannot have it all and still pay less than $250,000 in a midsize cat; compromises must be made. And these boats do sail quite smartly compared with many in their size range.

7. lagoon 440

This was the most popular catamaran ever made, and it started the catamaran flybridge craze, which helped to convert many powerboaters to sailors.

What I like about the 440 is that it is an infinitely better sailer than some of its peers, and has decent underwing clearance, vertical windows, and nice cabins for sleeping and living. While the aft cockpit is rather small, the saloon is quite large.

Flybridges are a bit of a love-hate thing. There is no question that in a cat of this size, the windward performance suffers a bit due to the boom positioned so high off the water. When piloting, the skipper is separated from those on the bridgedeck. Part of the reason flybridges are so popular in charter is that most of the parties take place up there while sailing and at anchor. In private ownership, however, it is seldom that everyone is hanging out on the flybridge during a long passage.

As always with Lagoons, these are balsa-cored boats, so a careful survey is in order. Pay attention also to bulkhead ­tabbing to make sure they have not separated from the hulls.

Because so many of the 440s were built to go into charter, there are a lot of four-cabin, four-head models for resale. These will sell for considerably less on the ­brokerage market than a ­coveted three-cabin, ­private-owner model.

8. leopard 40

When you get into the 40-foot size range, a four-cabin layout can become pretty cramped and claustrophobic below, but the three-cabin owner version of the Leopard 40 is a very nice pocket cruiser. A Morrelli & Melvin design, the 40 has good underwing clearance and nicely shaped hulls. Not a large cat, per se, and less-suited for significant distance sailing than others because its payload is limited, the 40 is still well-suited for a couple and a child or two for near-coastal and ­island-hopping action.

9. manta 42

If you are searching for a cat in the $200,000 range, the Manta 42s were well-built in Florida, and their electrical systems were very well-done compared with many other multihulls of that era. While many of the features on the boat are quite dated, these Mantas sail very well, and easily, and have been popular with coastal cruisers for two decades.

The largest negative of the Mantas is that people taller than 6 feet will find the saloon headroom right on the edge, and the berths are not especially large. Also, forward visibility from the saloon windows is not particularly panoramic, so the interiors are a bit darker inside than current-­generation catamarans.

10. lagoon 410

The Lagoon 410 was quite a popular cat in its prime, and for good reason. It offers lots of visibility thanks to its vertical windows, good headroom for a cat of its size, nice berths, and a workable, though smallish, galley-up design. The 410 has decent underwing clearance, can sail nicely over the waves, and its singlehanded operation is super easy. In the three-cabin owner’s configuration, it’s just a very cool little cat.

As always, a balsa-core boat must be surveyed carefully, especially on deck, for moisture incursion near fittings and hatches. It can be costly to repair rotted core and to rebed deck fittings. But find a dry one, and it should definitely be counted as a contender for a buyer with a limited budget.

Phil Berman is the president of the Multihull Company and the founder of Balance Catamarans. He has managed the sale of more than 900 catamarans.

About Phillip Berman

Phillip Berman is the president of The Multihull Company and a lifetime catamaran sailor and racer. He grew up racing Hobie Cats in California in the late 1960’s and published his first book on catamaran racing at the age of seventeen. Other Articles by Phillip Berman Include:

Cruising World, Magazine, Sailing, Cruising, Article

With Special Thanks to Cruising World Magazine

This article originally appeared in Cruising World Magazine and has been republished here with permission.  

See Original Article

Bringing a New Balance to Life

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Bringing a New Balance to Life

By Captain Andrew Hodgdon

What’s really involved in designing, engineering, tooling and building a new catamaran?

In early 2019, co-designers of the Balance 526 Phil Berman and Anton du Toit, were discussing the best way to build on the success of our award-winning catamaran.  Due to my growing role at Balance Catamarans, I was fortunate enough to be brought into the brainstorming process and excited to share my insights from the past decade as a professional multihull captain.  We started the conversation based on a trend that we had noticed in the feedback from many of our customers; they loved the design and build quality of Balance Catamarans but wanted a smaller option at a lower price point.  We were eager to enter this segment of the market but needed to be cautious. 

It should first be mentioned that no company will go through the process of creating a new catamaran model unless they are quite confident it will sell and have a strong market.  Creating a new design, engineering it, and building the tooling is very costly.  For that reason, many builders use the same tooling for a decade a more; simply making slight revisions to it after a few years in order to call it something new. I am amazed, as a yacht broker, how many one or two decade old designs are still being marketed and sold, often as brand new models.  This is due entirely to the high cost of designing and tooling up a new boat.  The good news for Balance was that we had very high demand for our 526 and 482.  We knew our concepts and designs were well vetted and therefore felt confident the market would respond favorably to an entirely new 44ft model that shared the DNA of her very popular larger sisters.

It was imperative that we capture the same soul of the 526 and 482, only this time in a more compact package.  The resulting concept was christened the Balance 442.  The objective of the 442 was to create another fully modern, daggerboard equipped, world voyaging catamaran.  It must also be truly livable for a couple or family to sail anywhere in the world, along with the expected equipment they would need to carry. The task was made easier because the boat was a refinement and scaled down version of the 526 – a tested design, with tested features.

We knew several of those features absolutely must be transferred from our flagship model over to the new 442 design.  We had to include the innovative VersaHelm, we wanted to maintain the 6’8” headroom throughout the interior, and the design had to share the same balance of livability and performance that is our namesake.  Meeting at the office of Du Toit Yacht Design in Cape Town, we began the laborious process of bringing a new Balance model to life.

The process began with an overall design brief.  Phil, Anton and I wanted to sustain a real performance orientation in the new 442 without sacrificing her livability and payload capacity. We had to decide on the basic dimensions of the new boat and the list of necessary equipment she would need to have aboard.  All liveaboard catamarans need much of the same equipment – watermakers, solar panels, two engines, refrigerators, freezer, air conditioning, etc. The smaller you go in size, the more challenging it is to equip a catamaran properly and keep her light enough and narrow enough to achieve that ideal balance.  Base on those parameters, we then determined the materials we would use for her construction.  We also had to consider the size and layout of her sail plan and match it to her projected displacement to achieve our performance goals. 

We accelerated the design process by taking the specifics of the Balance 482 and simply shrinking them on a computer aided design program (CAD) to see where we would have to alter the 442.  Anton then began the brand-new design by drawing the hull and cabin top of the vessel using the measurements that we had already agreed upon.  Once we had a basic drawing, Phil and I gave our input about possible adjustments.  Let’s give the bows a slightly sharper rake.  I would prefer a rounded curve to the hardtop bimini.  Make sure the davits aren’t pushed back too far.  Eventually, spars and sails were added to the drawing. The trampoline and longeron dimensions became clear.  We decided on the perfect size and outline for the sugar scoops.  Slowly but surely, we started to see the new vessel taking shape on the screen.

Next, we moved the design focus to the interior.  We played around with different placements of cabinetry, lockers and heads striving to find the best fit for all the necessary equipment.  Tables moved from one side of the saloon to the other.  Companionway stairs shifted fore and aft to find the best placement in relation to the daggerboard trunks.  It became a game to see who could come up with the best idea for saving a few inches here or an extra centimeter there.  Believe it or not, we actually got out a tape measure.  We rearranged Anton’s office furniture so that we could simulate the space in a hallway or through a doorway.  We stood on a chair to determine the height of a shelf or locker.  We stacked books to see the clearance of a step.  We had to have a clear understanding of how people would live and move in these spaces, using every bit of space to the best application.  Always with the knowledge that Balance owners need to be comfortable in these spaces both at sea and at anchor.  No detail could be overlooked or disregarded.

A great design is the culmination of thousands of small decisions and subtleties that most people miss. It is always about attention to the smallest things which, if gotten right, add up to a superb finished product.  Can you sleep on her?  Lounge on her?  Is there good visibility from the helm – up or down?  Is she managed easily under power or sail?  Does she have enough cabinetry for long term storage?  Does she have enough payload to carry equipment – tenders, kayaks, etc?  Does she have enough headroom to avoid turning tall people away?  Will she perform upwind?  Will she ride over the seas or pound hard into them?  Every choice is a decision that is a balancing act between form and function.  Always striving to design a catamaran that is a marriage of beauty, functionality, and speed.

Once we were all happy with the overall design, we handed the project to Anton’s amazing design team to finalize.  They scoured the layout looking for imperfections.  Will this door open all the way?  Will this plumbing be obstructed? Can this angle be improved?  They put in hundreds of hours staring at every minute detail on the screen.  Finally, the revised drawings were sent to the builder, Mark Delany at Balance Catamarans Cape Town, who has the daunting job of taking the design and turning it into reality.  This inevitably leads to another round of revisions and adjustments as Mark dealt with the reality of taking a drawing and bringing it to life.  Not only did we have to design the boat well, but we had to design the boat to go together well. So it went, with all parties to the design process working together to make a great catamaran.  It is a collective belief at Balance that a total team approach to the design and build process improves our products. Disagreement, push back, and collective head scratching from as many knowledgeable parties as possible inevitably yields the best results.

It brings me great joy to play just one small part in the development of such amazing products.  I am only one person in a process that will eventually involve over two hundred others, who dedicate their professional lives to building incredible catamarans.  We are all very eager to see the new Balance 442 come to life over the next few months. Moving from a simple design on a computer screen to a floating work of art, carrying its new owners across oceans and creating memories they will cherish for a lifetime.

About the Author

Captain Andrew Hodgdon grew up sailing his fathers Hobie Cat and transitioned that into a long career as a USCG licensed captain in the yachting industry.  Working his way up from his college years as a sailing instructor to a position as a private yacht captain aboard a Gunboat 57.  

Now, he has settled down in North Carolina and seeks to share his passion for catamaran sailing and the cruising life with others. As a broker with The Multihull Company and Technical Director of Balance Catamarans, Andrew hopes to help pair sailors of all types and skill levels with the perfect boat for their needs.

TMC Opens Office in Panama

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TMC Opens Office in Panama

The Multihull Company is pleased to announce the opening of its new offices at Red Frog Marina in Panama with Associate Broker Charles Badoian.

At 12 years old Charles told his mom he wanted to live on a boat and that dream became a reality at 35 when he moved onboard a baby trimaran full time. Growing up in Greece and moving back to the USA for highschool and college, Charles has never veered far from the water. After a decade in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, Charles is now based in Bocas del Toro Panama, living on his Shuttleworth catamaran. Charles has a deep understanding of ship systems and has been living off grid for over a decade, with a significant amount of shorthanded performance sailing. “There are few things I appreciate more than watching the eyes of a new owner light up when taking the helm of their new boat for the first time, or seeing a well-loved boat going to a great new home, and knowing I helped make that a reality”

Now, Charles joins the growing team at TMC at its new offices at Red Frog Marina in Panama. Just north of the Panama Canal, Red Frog Marina is a superb location to slip your catamaran before a crossing in the canal or hauling out at the renowned Shelter Bay Marina. For assistance with any work or logistics you might need help with in Panama, be sure to contact Charles!

Contact Info

To Reach Charles Badoian:
OFFICE:+1 215-508-2704
CELL: +1 305-735-1661
FAX: 215-508-2706
Charles@Multihullcompany.com

What To Expect On Survey Day

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What To Expect On Survey Day


By Captain Andrew Hodgdon

One of the most frequent questions I get from first time boat buyers is “What should I expect during the survey?” This is a very good question that addresses one of the most important steps of the boat purchase process. The survey is your opportunity to perform due diligence to determine the current condition of the vessel, find any damage or deficiencies, and get a sense of the scope of possible repairs or updates the boat may need.

The preparation for survey begins after you have found a specific catamaran that meets your criteria and negotiated a price with the seller. Once the buyer and the seller have both signed a Purchase and Sale Agreement, and a deposit has been received into escrow, then the boat is officially “under contract”. The deposit, usually 10% of the purchase price, is fully refundable until the boat is accepted following this due diligence period.

Arranging the survey and sea trial is the most important aspect of due diligence and can often be logistically complicated. There are several parties that will want to attend the survey including the buyer, buyer’s broker, the seller, the seller’s broker, the surveyor, and possibly the seller’s hired captain to operate the vessel. These parties must all coordinate to be available on a day in which the local boatyard has availability to haul the vessel out of the water. The planning can sometimes turn into a juggling act but your broker will handle most of the logistics and scheduling.

As the buyer, it is your responsibility to choose a credible surveyor that has experience with the type of vessel you intend to survey. Not every surveyor is qualified to survey a catamaran. Your Broker should provide you with a list of qualified surveyors in the location of purchase. It is then up to you to vet those various surveyors and determine which one will be available and will meet your needs. The broker cannot hire or choose the surveyor for you due to possible conflicts of interest, but a good broker will have worked with many surveyors over the years and can make recommendations on who they feel might be the best fit for the specific boat you wish to survey.

Survey day will usually start fairly early in the morning. The surveyor will go straight to work on the in-water inspections of the vessel. He will lift floorboards, open cabinets, crawl through bilges, and look at every nook and cranny of the vessel. He will check the functionality of all systems onboard and determine their condition. He will moisture test the entire deck and cockpit looking for evidence of water intrusion or soft spots. A thorough surveyor may even go up the rig. During this time, you are encouraged to follow the surveyor on his inspection and ask any questions you might have. They will usually be giving you a running commentary about what they are doing and sharing with you some of their findings. It can be a very enlightening experience for you to learn not only about the specific condition of your potential purchase, but also about boat construction and design in general.

Following the in-water inspection, it is time to leave the dock and commence the sea trial. The surveyor will take this opportunity to do an in-depth engine inspection. He will look for leaks, check operating temperature, check throttle and transmission function, etc. One especially important check they will perform is to run the engines through their entire RPM range and look for abnormalities. What speed is the boat making at max efficiency? What about at full RPM? Is there smoke or vibration? The engines can represent a costly aspect of potential deficiencies so your surveyor will spend an appropriate amount of time checking them. They will also take the opportunity during the sea trial to raise the sails. Usually the sea trial will include a short sail, just tacking a couple times and performing a couple reaches if the wind is cooperating. The point is to make sure all the running rigging, winches, furlers, etc are functioning as they should. Unless you are buying a performance vessel and the sale is dependent on the vessel proving its sailing qualities, don’t expect an extended sailing experience. You’re not out there for a booze cruise after all! Finally, the surveyor will check all the instruments and systems that can only function properly while the boat is underway.

On most surveys, you will use the sea trial as an opportunity to make your way over the boatyard for haul out. Once the boat is lifted out of the water, the surveyor will do a thorough inspection of the hull, running gear, and rudders. He will bring out the moisture meter again and look carefully for signs of osmosis. He will check clearances and look for play in the props and rudders. He will also look for evidence of grounding in the daggerboards or keels. The saildrives and thu-hulls will all be carefully inspected. This part of the survey usually only takes an hour or two but it can be the time that major problems reveal themselves. It is therefore one of the most important parts of a comprehensive survey, and one that we would certainly recommend completing. Once the out-of-water inspection is complete, the boat is then splashed and returned to the marina where the day began.

Upon return to the marina, the surveyor may tie up a couple loose ends. They’ll make sure they have photographed all the relevant equipment and reviewed all the necessary registration documents. Once the inspection is complete, most surveyors will offer to sit down with the buyer and their broker to discuss an overview of their findings. This will be your opportunity to ask any final questions and address any concerns. Leaving the survey, you will have a very good understanding of the overall condition of the vessel and what to expect on the written survey report.

It usually takes 2 or 3 days before you receive the survey report. If deficiencies were found during the survey, this is the opportunity to potentially negotiate further concessions from the seller. There are of course considerations that you will want to keep in mind when approaching these negotiations. Did you contract the boat for top market value or did the seller agree to sub-market value sales price on a more “as-is” approach to the sale? If you have contracted the boat for top value, you will want to be a little tougher during post survey negotiations. If you are getting a “deal” on the sales price, you may want to be a little more forgiving post-survey. Generally, we can find a way to meet in the middle where both parties are satisfied and can compromise on a solution. Often this means knocking a certain amount of money off the contract price or the seller agreeing to remedy the issues before closing of the deal is complete. It is rare that a deficiency is found during the survey that ruins the deal but, if there is a major structural issue that jeopardizes the value or seaworthiness of the vessel, you cannot be afraid to walk away. The key is knowing which issues are “deal breakers”, which require concessions, and which are not worth arguing over. Your broker should advise you on the things that should be concerning and the issues that are basically superficial or inexpensive to remedy.

Finally, you accept the vessel and we move on to the process of closing the sale. At this point you will feel very confident that you have an understanding of the condition of your new catamaran. You may have also gained some valuable insight into the operation of your new boat and its systems. Our goal at The Multihull Company is to ensure all our clients have a painless and very informative purchase process of their new catamaran. We pride ourselves on sharing our substantial knowledge of catamarans and we will remain a resource for you throughout the ownership of your vessel.

About the Author

Captain Andrew Hodgdon grew up sailing his fathers Hobie Cat and transitioned that into a long career as a USCG licensed captain in the yachting industry.  Working his way up from his college years as a sailing instructor to a position as a private yacht captain aboard a Gunboat 57.  

Now, he has settled down in North Carolina and seeks to share his passion for catamaran sailing and the cruising life with others. As a broker with The Multihull Company and Technical Director of Balance Catamarans, Andrew hopes to help pair sailors of all types and skill levels with the perfect boat for their needs.

Now Offering Private Virtual Tours

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Now Offering Private Virtual Tours

The Multihull Company has always been at the forefront of offering our clients a video tour of the vessels that we offer for sale. In keeping with this tradition, TMC is now proudly offering PRIVATE VIRTUAL TOURS of the vessels that we offer for sale when possible.

To arange your private virtual tour, contact us by filling out the form below, or by contacting the listing agent of the vessel of interest directly by phone or email.

Schedule Your Tour

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Recent Vessel Walkthroughs

TMC Opens Office in Carriacou

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TMC Opens Office in Carriacou

The Multihull Company is pleased to announce the opening of its new offices on the island of Carriacou with its new agent Gwen Robic

Being a seafarer runs in the Robic family. Born in Brittany along the West coast of France, Gwen Robic’s introduction to boats began at an early age from the time she remembers sailing on monohulls in the Med when she was a teen. Gwen studied Marine and Environmental science and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management in France, before traveling to Australia to improve her English skills.  Gwen is now bilingual in English and French.

In Europe, she was a sailing instructor for a well-known travel firm in the Med and in the Caribbean. She furthered her marine industry experience by working for a major sailboat manufacturer in France followed by a yacht charter company in Saint-Martin.

In 2012, Gwen joined The Moorings as Yacht Broker specializing in ex-charter fleet sailboats and in Leopard catamaran brand.

In 2019, she decided to move with her family from the Leeward to the Windward Islands. She now lives in Carriacou, a sister isle of Grenada, and joins The Multihull Company brokerage team.

Owner of a traditional wooden small cargo vessel, Gwen often sails from The Grenadines Islands to Saint-Lucia and Martinique with her husband, a professional captain, sharing together their passion for sailing.

With Gwen’s vast yachting knowledge from manufacturing, charter and brokerage side, she will add unparalleled value to The Multihull Company brokerage team and any deal with her customer dedication and product knowledge.  

Contact Info

To Reach Gwen Robic:
OFFICE:+1 473 423 68 50
CELL: +590 690 84 25 00
FAX: 215-508-2706
Gwen@multihullcompany.com

Building a Balance – The South Africa Experience

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Building a Balance – The South Africa Experience

By Captain Andrew Hodgdon

When you make the decision to purchase and build a new Balance catamaran, it becomes an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience. The build process takes several months and there is a good bit of planning and decision making to do along the way. Many of our customers will make a trip or two to visit their boat while she is under build. While to date none of our customers have felt the need to have a surveyor to oversee things, they all enjoy visiting South Africa, fine tuning some of their decisions, and meeting the build teams. Normally it is not until we are five or more months into the build that final decisions have to be made on hull color, interior finishes, etc., so often times our buyers just decide to come to the factory for a day or so, then head out on an amazing Safari.

It is hard to describe how very personal and intimate the experience of buying a Balance is compared to buying a production boat. Everyone gets to know each other and a strong sense of family and shared interest arises that is quite special. It is especially fascinating to watch people experience South Africa for the first time. The natural beauty, the amazing music, the richness of the many layers of African culture merging in what Nelson Mandela proudly called his “Rainbow Nation,” is most unique.

Many of our 526 customers will elect to drive the Garden Route from Cape Town to Saint Francis, which is an amazing sea-side journey of 700 kilometers of mostly virgin coast. And for those who are buying a 482 or a larger custom Balance, the Cape Town experience is for sure something not to miss – Driving to Cape Point, visiting Wine Country, spending the day on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront are all spectacular experiences.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to get the full immersion into the South African experience that a new Balance owner would enjoy. I was visiting as part of my new role as Technical Director for Balance Catamarans. The 526 and the new Balance 620 Catamarans are built in the small seaside town of St. Francis on the very southern end of the continent, about an hour from the nearest airport at Port Elizabeth. The scenic drive into St. Francis took me through stunning views of both mountains and coast, Eucalyptus groves, and emerald green ranch lands. The highway bridges several gorges over which you can just make out the sparkle of the river far below. Upon approaching the town, you travel through seagrass dunes and estuaries with picturesque houses perched on their banks.

It is in this quaint little town that Nexus Yachts, the builders of the Balance 526, have set up shop. The operation is run by a pair of brothers named Jonathan and Roger Paarman. The brothers grew up on this wild coast and have salt water in their blood. Coming up in the budding surf culture of South Africa, they spent their youth working in the growing water sports industry of the 70’s and 80’s. Over the years they had many jobs but started out shaping surfboards and building Hobie Cats, eventually working their way up to creating highly customized cruising catamarans. When I first met Johnny and Roger, it was on the bustling factory floor. Construction was nearly complete on Hull # 6 of the Balance 526 model, a stunning bright orange vessel named “Alani” which is the Hawaiian word for “orange”. With a launch date scheduled for the following week, the whole factory had an electric air as the craftsman sought to make sure every detail of the boat was perfect. Launch day is always a big event in such a small town, and everybody gets excited to see it go off without a hitch. Then nearly the entire town shows up at the little Port Saint Francis to cheer on the boat until she splashes. The pride that is shown in this town for their builders is enormous, as they are not only one of the major employers, but these bright and shiny catamarans are truly stunning looking objects that were built right there in humble little Saint Francis.

One very special thing about the Balance situation in Saint Francis is that Nexus has their own dock in the harbor, which is very close to the factory. The team has time to bend the sails, tune the rig, and do multiple test sails to shakedown the boat to perfection. Then, when Johnny is happy, and the weather window right, off she goes for the 700-kilometer coastal sail to Cape Town.

Johnny and Roger make an impression as generally laid-back guys who are serious about what they do for a living. As with many South Africans, they exuded a “can do” attitude and stark independence. This seriousness about their work really showed as Johnny gave me my first tour of the factory.

Spread out across two large warehouses, there was a lot to take in as I looked over the construction materials and boats in various stages of completion. A compressor running on the vacuum table made it difficult to hear Johnny as he described the process of laying up a bulkhead and the system by which they ensure the proper resin to fiber ratio. Johnny is literally on the shop floor all day long. His team members probably view him as a bit of a micro manager, but the respect they hold for him – due to the pride he has in what he does – is enormous.

The Balance 526 is built using a sophisticated method of blending foam-cored epoxy e-glass with carbon fiber structural components. The end result is a light weight, rigid, and very fast cruising sailboat. This construction method is a time-consuming process that requires a lot of skill and even more attention to detail, but the end result is a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

Compared to a European built catamaran, the Balance catamarans take – literally – three to four times the labor hours of other production boats. This is not due to inefficiency, but to the high level of hand-crafted work that goes into these catamarans.

Throughout my week in St Francis, it was not uncommon to see Johnny on his hands and knees working alongside several of his 50 employees to make sure some detail of the boat was just right. This same pursuit of perfection could also be seen in the office where Roger spends most of his time. With the craftsman diligently working down below, Roger watches over from his office window above the factory floor. He is responsible for the real dirty work of the boat building process…making sure everything stays on schedule. I got the sense that Roger is personally invested in every boat that leaves their facility. It was apparent that he was anxious to see “Alani” finished correctly and on time. Roger’s management role is often an unforgiving job as he deals with the mountains of emails and phones calls necessary to chase vendors and maintain a build schedule, but his approach has the same attention to detail which produces such a fine product and a smooth-running operation.

In my free time in St. Francis I was pleased to discover that the area has a lot more to offer outside of world class sailboat builders. There are numerous outdoor activities to choose from for the adventurous type. On days when the swell is up, you will see many of the employees from the factory catching an early pre-work surf session at one of the many pristine breaks along the coast. A short paddle out from my gorgeous beachside accommodations was one of the nicest waves I’ve ever seen in all my travels. You can spend hours playing in the sea but just make sure to stay clear of “Full Stop Rock”! On days when the sea isn’t cooperating, you can go for a mountain bike ride along the numerous scenic trails that follow the rugged coastline or roll through the inland hills. Hike these same paths and be sure to take a moment to look over the wild Indian Ocean and breathe deep the crisp breeze carried in from the Antarctic. The air is so fresh they should bottle it up and sell it!

For the less adventure minded explorer, there are many artisan craft vendors and high-end galleries within a short drive of St. Francis. There are also several delicious local restaurants to choose from in town, and I would highly recommend going down to the marina and trying some of the local fare. You can enjoy a fine local wine while nibbling on fresh caught calamari as you watch the fishing fleet prepare for another night of hard work. The nearby city of Knysna makes for a nice day trip to escape the bustle of the factory floor. This bayside destination is a popular spot for South African tourists and offers abundant shopping and a wide variety of local and ethnic restaurants. On the drive down, be sure to plan a stop at the Knysna Elephant Park which is an exceptionally well-run preserve. At the park I had the opportunity to meet and interact with a young lady named “Thandi” who is a 15-year-old adolescent elephant with a very kind demeanor. If you’re interested in a more immersive safari experience, there are several world class game preserves in South Africa including the famous Kruger National Park.

Departing from Knysna, heading West, you eventually arrive in Cape Town, which certainly rivals San Francisco as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Here is where I spent some wonderful hours working with Balance Designers Anton Du Toit and Phillip Berman working on the design for the new Balance 482. Cape Town is also the home of Balance Catamarans Cape Town, where veteran builder Mark Delaney is tooling and building the new Balance 482. Due to the demands on Nexus with the new 620 and expanding 526 production, it was decided by all to fabricate the 482 in Cape Town.

The scene in Cape Town is very different from Saint Francis! A thoroughly modern city, perched at the end of the world, with magnificent coastal communities branching out to the East and West. The Eastern Seaboard is built on terraced mountains with modernist contemporary homes overlooking the ocean. Some of the architecture rivals that of any major city in the world. Cape Town is also a heavily touristed city; offering bus tours, trips to the famous Table Mountain, and to Paarden Island where Mandela was imprisoned for so many years by the Apartheid government.

The most amazing adventure, however, is out to the Cape Point, over the famous Chapman’s Peak. Continuing on to the nearby wine country also offers some stunning scenery and wines that rival any in the world.

The facilities for Balance Catamarans Cape Town are very close to the heart of the city, in what is called Paarden Island. Just down the street from the factory is the factory for Robertson and Caine, who build all of the Leopard and Moorings Catamarans. The environment is a sort of yachties dream world – Sparcraft spar makers, Ullman and North Sailmakers, every sort of marine vendor you can imagine can be found in Cape Town. And just down the road is where they all get together for the Thursday night races at the Royal Cape Yacht Club. Then, just to the East, is the world-famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Here you find every form of African art, carvings, handicrafts, restaurants, and a stunning array of birds and sea life as you walk along the waterfront complex.

Several other aspects of South Africa that make it such a joy to visit, especially for an American, are the fact that they speak English and that the US Dollar is currently so strong against the South African Rand. I recall ordering the giant “Family Platter” of sushi that cost us the equivalent of $18 U.S. dollar. Stateside such a plate would have been a $100 dollar meal. I certainly felt like a king with those dollars in my pocket!

Adventure, exploration, a shared sense of joy working with people who love what they do, you will enjoy your catamaran buying experience in South Africa so much you’ll be making up excuses to go back and visit.

As much as I enjoyed exploring the area, this trip was about work and soon I was back at the factory with the Paarmans and Balance Catamarans president Phil Berman. We spent the remainder of my visit finalizing the future plans for the construction of the Balance 526 Hulls 7 through 10 and planning some other very exciting new projects. Starting with Hull 7 and continuing forward, I will be working with the commissioning team and performing client hand overs to the lucky new owners of all Balance Catamarans. That means I will be fortunate enough to go back to this wonderful place and enjoy it a couple times a year. I will also be running exclusive sailing charters and a Balance University for potential 526 buyers on “Alani” this season as part of our “Try Before You Buy.” Program. And my excitement is already building for the new Balance 482, as the first five hulls have already been sold.

It looks like South Africa will be in my future, and I could not be more excited about that!

If you’re interested in learning more about the Balance Catamarans, the “Try Before You Buy Program”, or about what you can expect on your visit to South African, feel free to email me at AMHodgdon@Balancecatamarans.com.

About the Author

Captain Andrew Hodgdon grew up sailing his fathers Hobie Cat and transitioned that into a long career as a USCG licensed captain in the yachting industry.  Working his way up from his college years as a sailing instructor to a position as a private yacht captain aboard a Gunboat 57.  

Now, he has settled down in North Carolina and seeks to share his passion for catamaran sailing and the cruising life with others. As a broker with The Multihull Company and Technical Director of Balance Catamarans, Andrew hopes to help pair sailors of all types and skill levels with the perfect boat for their needs.

TMC Opens Australia Office

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TMC Opens Australia Office

The Multihull Company is pleased to announce the opening of its new offices in Mooloolaba with agent Ian Douglas.  

Multihulls Australia, situated in the heart of downtown Mooloolaba, is right on the water at Mooloolaba Marina.

The office is managed by associate broker Ian Douglas, who has been around water his whole life.  Ian is a Kiwi who started sailing on the East Coast of New Zealand in 1973 when his new wife suggested he should get a hobby. Since then he has competed in many races, cruises and delivery`s on many different types of Yachts in many parts of the World. Moving to the UK in 1976, Ian worked for Jaguar Yachts UK at the Earls Court London Boat Show. The show was an outstanding success for Jaguar and Ian was appointed marketing manager for the Company. One of His Clients was setting up a new flotilla sailing holiday operation in Greece and asked Ian to play a role in this set up. Hundreds of yachts later, and enough stories to fill a book, Sailing Holidays is still the largest of it`s type in the World.

Returning to NZ some years later, more racing, various roles in the marine industry, and a move to Australia saw Ian owning a successful Brokerage and Marina Management Company which owned for 25 years. Ian`s business philosophy is that there should be three happy people at the end of every boat sale, Seller, Buyer and Broker. He ensures that this is the end result of every transaction he conducts. TMC Australia is well positioned to assist with importation, berthing, sale and all the other issues that need attention when you arrive under sail in a new country. For Australians and New Zealanders looking to purchase a boat offshore or at home, TMC is the first call to make. With Associates globally working together, the TMC team will find the perfect boat to suit your requirements and ensure the seamless transition to ownership.

The Multihull Company Australia is based on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, Queensland, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the fabulous cruising grounds of Australia`s East Coast.

If you are shopping for a boat in the Australia or NZ, or looking for assistance with the sale of your boat, Ian is ready to assist!st!

MULTIHULLS WORLD REVIEW THE BALANCE 526 “GALILEO”

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MULTIHULLS WORLD REVIEW THE BALANCE 526 “GALILEO”

By Captain David Block

The Balance 526 is a very good-looking, South African-built catamaran of which 6 examples are currently sailing (numbers 7 through 10 will be in the water 2019/2020… ). We haven’t yet had the chance to test one, since all the owners are off making the most of their multihulls… But Dave Block, well-known professional skipper, agreed to give us a detailed analysis of his experience on the Balance 526!

I first heard of Balance Catamarans from delivery skipper friends in the Caribbean who were impressed with what they had seen and heard. I therefore jumped at the chance when Reliance Yacht Management asked me to deliver a Balance 526 called Dragonfly (hull #4) from Tortola to Newport, RI, in May of 2018.

After a bit of research, I learned that the 526 was built by legendary professional South African big wave surfer and boat builder Jonathan Paarman. After leaving the composite and tooling division of Voyage Yachts, which he ran for eight years, he set up a factory in St. Francis Bay in 2008 with a view to crafting high-end carbon/epoxy voyaging cats. It began with a 60-footer that he launched in 2010 for fishing and surfing expeditions in Indonesia. That later led, in 2013, to a thriving partnership with American sailor and yacht broker, Phil Berman, a former Hobie Cat World Champion and author of a range of books on catamaran sailing and racing. It is hard to imagine two more experienced men coming together to design and build a voyaging catamaran.

Paarman and Berman were of like minds when it came to the sort of catamaran that they would want to sail if they ever had time to do it. They were serious racers when young but recognized that what they most wanted to do was have adventures on the water. Going fast was great, but they wanted a boat that could be easily short-handed, repaired in remote locations, and which would have enough payload capacity to carry fishing gear, kayaks, surfboards, dive gear, a big tender to travel to remote surfing reefs, and plenty of parts and spares, together with large fuel storage capacity when required.

The like-minded surfer/sailors decided pretty quickly they wanted to work together on a new design that a couple could sail around the world in speed and comfort. They then partnered with Cape Town naval architect Anton Du Toit to oversee the engineering and fine design details. Judging by the result, it was an excellent coupling of strong talents – the Balance 526 I delivered is a truly remarkable performance voyager – a sort of BMW M series for the open seas.

How She Sails

Balance builds the 526 with either fixed highperformance keels or with dual dagger-boards. The boat that I sailed, Dragonfly, sported fixed keels, so I can only speak about the performance I experienced on her. For those who are curious about the performance differences of a 526 with keels or dagger-boards I strongly suggest visiting the Balance website where you will find a comprehensive comparison of the two configurations. It also offers 526 performance polars for the two configurations in a wide range of wind conditions.

Now, back to Dragonfly. She was a fully cruise equipped 526 with a 6.5 kW generator, 1300 watts of solar panels, washing machine, watermaker, two refrigerators and two freezer units, a life raft, full house air conditioning and four sails in her inventory. Prior to departing Tortola our crew of three topped off her fuel and water stores. Given the above our experiences of her performance should accurately reflect a keeled version Balance 526 in a laden ocean passage cruising mode.

Although our delivery had a lot of low and no wind days, we had enough variety in our 1,800 nautical mile trip to get a solid feel for her speed, motion, and live-ability in a good range of winds and seas.

We delivery skippers learn early on that every boat we deliver has a “sweet spot” where she slithers through the water effortlessly, and this speed for the 526 is in the 10 to 12 knot range when fully laden with any breeze over 12 knots. On a broad reach with her large Code Zero she will often do wind speed in true winds as low as 7 knots. Upwind in a 12 knot or better breeze she wants to sail around 9 knots. Crack off to a close reach in the same winds and we pulled 10 to 11 knots. Upwind in 14 knots or better she will get to 9.5 to 10 knots and close reach in the 11 to 13 knot range. Give her 17 knots or more and she will not go any faster upwind (you take in the first reef in the mainsail at about 14 to 15 knots true), but as soon as you crack off to a close reach or beam reach expect speeds in the 13 to 15 knot range. In very strong winds surfing with the wind aft she will sometimes burst nicely into the high teens to low 20’s, but such speeds will not be sustained consistently. Several Balance owners have reported 24-hour periods covering 260 miles or more. This is one very, very fast catamaran – laden or empty.

I found the ride to be smooth and pleasant with little fore and aft pitching. The designers took pains to center the heavy weights on her carefully, leaving little heavy equipment in her bows and sterns.

The most interesting thing about the 526 is that she sails these high speeds with ease. Her rig, reefing systems, sheet handling are no more complex than a production charter cat. It is a testament to the designers that the 526 is a remarkably easy boat to sail given her powerful sail-plan, the high speeds she achieves, and the degree to which she pulls the apparent winds forward. Although we did not have much back and forth tacking, the self-tending blade jib does not need to be touched to tack the boat. And the jib, like all of her sail handling, comes back to a winch station positioned just to the starboard side of her helm in the “up position.”

The 526 steering system is a mechanical racing type design – large Edson sprockets carry spectra cords around pulleys. The feel is sumptuous for a catamaran, where the normal feedback we get on charter builds is akin to driving a semi-tractor. For the sporting sailor this helm will not disappoint – it is perfectly balanced and responsive on all points of sail.

Another distinctive characteristic is the view: even when sailing her on autopilot, walking about the 526 with the remote control in hand, the visibility and the sight lines, are the widest and clearest of any catamaran I have ever delivered. Whether you are piloting the 526 down below, up top, sitting in the saloon, or in the aft cockpit, the clear views in all directions are remarkable. The designers have removed as many blind spots as is possible on a catamaran.

How She motors

The standard 526 comes with dual Yanmar 45 HP engines but I was told that so far, every customer has upgraded to the Yanmar 57 because it adds no additional weight to the boat. At full throttle in flat seas with both engines she will motor at 10 to 10.5 knots, but when passage-making we ran one engine at 2,400 RPM and this moved us along nicely at 7.5 knots. Fuel consumption at this speed on one engine is very low, giving her outstanding range with her fixed tanks. Balance adds a fuel transfer pump to the large locker in front of the mast for those who wish to extend motor range by adding a bladder tank or jerry cans.

How she is built

The Balance is built like most epoxy carbon reinforced racing cats. There is not a single fiberglass interior module, nor any fiberglass furniture modules, to hold down weight. Each and every piece of furniture is hand crafted at the factory using light weight cored panels. The bulk of the interior is hand sanded and painted to a smooth white finish to avoid the use of liners or wood paneling. The workmanship is superb, reflecting thousands of hours of careful fairing and paint work. A catamaran such as this built in Europe or America would surely have to cost many thousands more due to the enormous labor costs associated with such a build. All the handholds, doors, and cockpit furniture are in composite. There is simply no wood or stainless steel found on the deck of this catamaran, other than the bow pulpit seat.

The amount of cabinetry on the 526 is significant compared to any other performance catamaran of this length that I have seen. It is not the sort of spartan catamaran where guests will be climbing over clothing and gear as each cabin provides ample drawers, hanging closets and shelve

A No-frills catamaran

It is evident to anyone who sees or sails this boat that Berman and Du Toit come from practical sailing backgrounds, but are also driven by strong esthetic philosophies. The design and look of the 526 is gimmick free. Her lines are lean and angular, crisp and contemporary, free of any garish bling – understated and elegant. When we pulled into Newport harbor on Dragonfly all heads turned.

Pretty as she is, every aspect of her design seems to have been refracted through a simplicity prism. Access for repairs is exceptional. Movement from helm to side decks and from side decks to foredeck is a breeze. The wiring and the systems installations all reflect a commitment to functional excellence. Moving from the salon to the cockpit and from the cockpit to stern steps, is as ergonomically correct as one can get. Whether it is the bathrooms, the sleeping cabins or the galley – the Balance 526 is a finely crafted, gracious catamaran to live on

High price

The only major negative to the Balance 526 is that most of us cannot afford her. She comes in at a base price of $1,399,000 U.S. dollars, and most of the units leave the yard cruise-equipped at around 1.6 to 1.7 million dollars. This actually appears to make her the least costly carbon/eglass/epoxy cat on the market of her size, but there are cheaper alternatives for those that require it. The buyer for a Balance 526 must be the sort of experienced sailor who appreciates the build quality, performance, and design features she offers. It comes as no surprise that all of the buyers for the 526 so far are purchasing their second or third large catamaran.

About the Author

This article was originally published in Multihulls World Magazine and is being reused with permission from the publisher.

© Copyright 2017 The Multihull Company. All rights reserved.

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