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Thanks for the heads up!!! I’ll have a look. D

Hi Amika. Thanks so much for watching and sincere apologies that there was not enough info for you. I wrote up a format that I hoped would support beginners so it was obviously to low level for you. Thanks again for watching. All the very best. D

Gary. Your wish is my command. Send me your email.

Hey Briegel. Thanks for watching and your support. I am surprised at how many sailors would trade in n their wife for a sailboat. lol. I’m just not among them I guess. Happy New Year!!

Hi Derek. Thanks for watching. Unfortunately I’m not sure what you mean. D

@@navalgazingatcampdavid What I meant was I didn't Balance Yachts on your final points scoring chart at the end - I was just wondering why that was.

Hi Derick. The Balance 580 is the King of the hill on the Dave Score at this point and all Balance boats score high as they are such well built yachts. I believe I have now done videos on the 442, 482, 502, 526 and 580. They all score very high. I hope that answers your question. All the best. D

Ok when viewing at low speed I saw Balance 526 at a score of 75, but no Balance 750 score (also of interest because I am South African). I realise you were focusing on the ModX (which I hadn't heard of and found fascinating, and will definitely look out for with some real life use reviews. One thing that was a bit disapointing was a relatively low load capacity, would that be because of the heavy batteries?)

@@navalgazingatcampdavid Thanks, I will look for those to start with. Not sure why, but I hadn't spotted your channel before, I don't think I have seen anyone that compares so objectively before, I will definitely be a regular from now on.

Hi Angie. When I first saw this design, I loved it. But then several experienced viewers pointed out the danger of such wide open spaces in the saloon in rough weather. It’s a really good point. If you get tossed, you have lots of space to gain speed and really get hurt. Thanks for your observation. D

Thanks for watching and for the info. I shudder to think how many place names I have unknowingly slaughtered throughout my videos. Especially in S. Africa! Afrikaans leaves me bubbling around like a two year old. lol!

@@navalgazingatcampdavid All good mate, we all do it at some point.

Ohhh no my friend. I’ve got a winner and will never let go. Merry Christmas!!

Waayyyy up there! Except for that price increase. Ouch!!!

@ not a fan of that increase either. Will be looking for a world cruiser in your same timeline so you episodes have been wonderful.

Think of it like this. If you use an Elium resin, with basalt fibre over a balsa core, you have a fully sustainable hull. Balsa has its good properties and outperforms foam in some key areas. If it’s getting wet, you have serious issues that require immediate and expensive repairs, regardless of the core material. Convinced yet????

@@navalgazingatcampdavid , Respect you're reply. I will advise, I do not know that all the boat manufactures use the process you outline above with all their balsa core vessels. Also, can you advise where balsa would outperform balsa ? Thanks again

@@douglasmontgomery6315 Hey Doug. No manufacturers currently use this process. Beneteau uses recyclable Elium Resin with e-glass and foam in some models, Windelo uses basalt fiber with polyester resin and partially recycled PET foam and Excess uses polyester resin with a balsa core and e-glass. Beneteau and Windelo raise the Eco flag with their efforts, but they are really just a gimmick, given the other components. The only hull that could claim any real sustainability would be Elium resin with basalt fiber and a balsa core. Overall, such a hull would be stronger than any of the half attempts above. Re balsa vs. foam: End-grain balsa excels in applications demanding high stiffness and impact resistance but requires careful attention to sealing and maintenance. Balsa wood is also regarded as one of the most sustainable core materials available for composite structures, including marine hulls. Derived from the fast-growing Ochroma pyramidale tree, balsa is a renewable resource with a rapid growth cycle of 5 to 7 years. , on the other hand, offers superior water resistance, design flexibility, and lighter weight, making it ideal for areas with a high risk of water exposure or where minimal weight is critical. Thanks again for watching!! Merry Christmas! D

@@navalgazingatcampdavid , Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and Sylvia !

I have to admit that I had to look this one up. I’ll see what I can whip Up for you. Thanks. D

Hey Michael and Jennifer. Thrilled that you are enjoying the channel! I love the 4.8 myself. My ONLY hesitation is the height of that boom if I ever have an issue with the sail. I’m not big on heights. lol. Maybe a furling boom would solve my issue. All the best and Merry Christmas!! D

Thanks so much! I have not yet done anything on Maverick. They are not common at the boat shows, but I will certainly keep a lookout! Thanks for watching. D

Thanks for watching and commenting. I’m anxious to see one as well. D

Hi Sugarsail. Not sure I understand your comment. D

Hi Killa. Thanks for watching. Sadly, $3M is no longer expensive I. This category of Cat. Thanks for watching.

@navalgazingatcampdavid Hello Captain. Unfortunately, everything you like is always expensive. we don't have time to save up) Thank you for your videos, this is the best thing in yt!

Hi Capitalist. I couldn’t agree with you more. One viewer I spoke to solved this by buying a boat with almost no options and then having a yard add them all aftermarket. He got twice the quality at half the price. I also agree with your comment about Xquisite. Tamas and his team are top drawer! Thanks for watching. D

I’m very interested in getting onboard a Spirit Island 525. Hopefully very soon. Thanks for watching!

OOOhhh you lucky, lucky guy!!!!! What a wonderful yacht!!! With an island bed and outdoor kitchen it is almost PERFECT! Please stay in touch and send pictures!!!!

Sorry. Don’t understand. D

Arrggghh!! You are so right! Good catch. I forgot to sub-in the manual sale-away that only added the $250ish Euro. I caught it late, built a new chart and forgot to swap out the old. Very sorry!

Thanks. I’m no longer sure where the layout came from. I normally grab it off the web site but I see the website layout aligns with the renders now. At the time of production, I noted that the layout did not align with the renders. Looking back, the layouts certainly appear to be Balance originals so somewhere along the line, things switched up. Re sail-away… that is a bit of a moving target as there is no specific definition for sail away. I use a base+50% and am usually within 5% any time I run a detailed option study. Regardless, I always let folks know the logic and warn them it’s just an approximation. Thanks for watching! D

I’ll pass on the encouragement! Thanks for watching! D

Thrilled you enjoyed it! We will have to meet up out there some day. D

lol! Point taken. Thanks for watching.

Hi Caza. That is very good news. The weight, almost always goes up...not down LOL.

Hi @caza00caza thank you for mentioning the lightness of our tenderlift that we made for Portofino, we are proud of the light and simple system with the ability to stop the platform even in the middle position.

Hey Caza...You have a 52 on orter!? I am soooooo jealous!! If you have a chance, please send me videous following the build process that I can share. All the best! Dave.

Salut Espoir. Merci de regarder. Je n'ai pas vraiment suivi le R8, car c'est tellement énorme et complètement hors de ma cible. Cependant, maintenant que tu me le demandes, je vais essayer de préparer quelque chose pour toi. Bonne chance ! Dave.

@@navalgazingatcampdavid merci

Oh Jimmy!! Don't say it!

Thanks so much Steph! D

Great question. In the majority of cases, the base price could never sail away from the dock. Its too stripped down. You have to add all sorts of options: cushions, anchor, blinds, electronics, watermaker , etc. The "sail away price" factors all that stuff in. Thanks for watching. D

Hey Yan. Thanks so much for watching. I would LOVE to meet up with you the next time you are in town! You just did what I am planning for '26. a BVI crewed charter. Seth, from HH promises me that the experience will make Sylvia a true believer. Do you have any charter company recommendations? D

Hey Professor. I am with you 150% on the Amel. Ohhhhh what a lovely yacht!! Why ,oh why, can't cat manufacturers build interiors and functionality like an Amel 50! The lead times for new cats are just silly right now, but it should ease over the next 12 months. I have never looked at the Rustler, but I shall right now. Honestly, unless you could catch a canceled Balance build slot that met your timeline, I would go for the Amel. Just a stunning craft! Re the glass on a Portofino...It is marine safety glass. Regardless, I would not be ordering a new Portofino for at least a year so that I could have hull #10+. Ruby Rose, Winns and SLV should be cautionary tales for any early adopter. Thanks again for watching!

@ Thank you Dave for swift reply. Regarding Rustler build time, I know it because Adrian from Rustler told me, in September. Regarding Amel, the eight year product lifecycle is over in 2025. I assume a new model will come in 2025/26. Take care

Hey Tony. I can't break my Hull #10+ rule. The TH-cam early adopters (Winns, Ruby Rose, SLV) have been suffering enough to solidly reinforce that rule. LOL! Thanks for watching!!

@@navalgazingatcampdavid That's such a nice rule. People should really follow it. Thank you and best wishes for early adopters.

Exactly my thought. I don't believe any of the lightship numbers given by the builders and furthermore even the dubious numbers here are too heavy.

Hi Rob. Thanks for watching. Lightship numbers are only a vague indicator on any boat, simply because there are no hard and fast industry standards for a definition of that term...or any 3rd party validation. Having said that, everything I have seen and heard in my communications with Portofino over the last 2 years leads me to believe in their intended integrity. Additionally, the numbers they provide are not "unbelievable" and, having come from a machining estimation environment, I'm reasonably comfortable that the design software will do a good job at the weight estimate. BUT...they are still working on hull #1 and, no matter what anyone says, there are changes being made on the fly, so treat the quoted lightship as an honest estimate with a host of variables. We really will not know the true displacement until maybe hull#5...and even then, it depends on your definition of lightship. Its a funny business. LOL. D

@@navalgazingatcampdavid Thank you, David! I have been in touch with Raffaele since he published the initial cat designs. For us, the 47 would be perfect. But he has raised the prices significantly since his first quote. Our timeline is similar to yours. We want to be on our boat in the second half of 2028 and need to order in 2026. By then, the 47 could be outside our budget. Good luck to you, David! I have developed something interesting if you ever want to cover safety at sea in your videos.

Hi Rob. I would love to hear about what you have developed! Please drop me a note at : dave@NavalGazingatCampDavid.com

@@navalgazingatcampdavid I just sent you an e-mail, David!

And for good reason. If something seems too good to be true then it probably is. Physics is immutable. Portofino promises an improbable displacement & performance.

He could be right, but it's just a computer software calculation, so short of falsifying the inputs, which I don't think Portofino would intentionally do, the calculated performance could definitely be what they have shown. Real world sailing rarely equals perfect world calculations because there are just too many variables. Having said that, you can use the polars to make a guess at the relative capabilities of one boat to the other. That is about all they are good for. Bottom line, this boat promises to be a good performing cruiser that will generally outsail lagoon, Leopard, FP and even Nautitech. This will be in that next tier where the Xquisite 60 Solar Sail lives. I hope that helps. Thanks so much for writing! D