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.

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.