Thanks so much again for your comment and we agree with you. Great quality and price point too - more expensive than a Leopard 50 but different advantages...
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 might could do the semi fly, like FP and smaller lagoons, with crushing perf. I bet they offer it in next iterations of 526 or larger.
So far the Balance is hands down amazing in my opinion. I would say 1600-2000 AH Lithium especially since they include all that solar. Yanmar has duel electric/diesel engines. by the time you would receive your boat all the bugs would be worked out. Gonna be interesting to see which way you go. I could feel you both being very excited with the balance.
Thanks for your comment DC and we agree that everything is improving so fast that the options in a few years will be better and different from today - but still very exciting how much better it is all getting even today!
The 482 is perhaps the best Balance Catamaran model, and all of Phil's boats are superbly well designed. Phil has a ton of catamaran experience and has built very thoughtful boats that balance comfort and performance arguably better than an other boat. Definitely one of my favorite cats. Thanks for a great tour and great interview with Phil.
whatever boat you get check out the new rev aircon on The O'Kelly's youtube for information and consideration only - enjoy your search and great to see you both smiling and enjoying yourselves - Also for long life of LiFePo4 batts try to charge below 1C and not run down to low or high, it might also be worth just getting another 200A
Yes we have seen that AC that the O'Kelly's installed... All the technology is advancing so fast at every level, it is really exciting and will save lots of money and weight to not have generators, able to use AC without buying diesel continuously and sail faster!!
Hi Iammr. Thanks for watching and the feedback. We will do a video sometime ahead about the details of the steering station layout on our Portofino 52 - but I thought this comment was about our boat and then saw it was in the Balance video comments!! I think they work fine but clearly you would need to open the hatch to do anything which then makes the cockpit wet... Not sure if that is your point or is it the height of them for ergonomics?
yes. I just think it defeats the purpose of the versa helm if you need to open the top to do the lines. looking forward to your video!@@barefootdoctorssailing8567
What about "Meander Dash" Verb To move, especially carefully or skillfully, around obstacles. To turn, move or face in another direction (literally or figuratively) To wander or roam at random. To travel or go on a journey. To wind or turn in a course or passage. To move or proceed with a given movement or momentum. To move or act at a slow speed.
Cruising or performance??? 🤔 Why not both! This boat is stunning and attention to detail is over the top. I love the simplicity but in its own right it is very plush. The onboard storage is amazing considering it has dagger boards. She is fast and comfortable too ☺️ Keep this one on your list as I do believe it gives John his performance and Ellie her comfort. Great job guys! 🥰
Guys, La Vagabond was for sale. However, Riley and family is going to use it for a new season while their trimaran is under construction. This may perhaps be one of the faster solutions to get back on a decent cat again.
Thanks Niel, I suspect La Vagabonde will be sold over market value because of the history... I have heard some stories of dramatic prices being proposed. We do want a boat with more creature comforts as we have done the light performance cat without the comforts and now are looking for a more "comfortable" life.
This is an absolute beauty and in my view the perfect balance between safety, quality, performance, comfort in an all inclusive package. Not cheap but if it fits your budget I dont think there is anything better out there. Great overview guys! Ps. Do you know if it can be beached if needed?
There are options for fire suppression systems on the boats and they do have standard fire gear on board. I had to cut some stuff out cause of the length of the video...
don't show a clip (@8:51) of the wheel in upper helm position with a legend making a statement about the 'Lower Helm position completed (sic!) out of the weather and sun'!
Sorry that upsets you - we already showed the versa helm being lowered and aphid sitting at it in the previous minute so hopefully everyone already understands the positions and that b roll was to keep the visuals interesting…
it s really nice to see details videos like these. also it nice to hear when someone who knows the right questions to ask from dealers. and these will help a lot of people in the future as well. this is gonna be awesome.. and thank you for uploading more and more.. i m counting the the days until i see you in a whole new boat. cheers
Not yet - we are working with them to give them more and more proof of our belongings on the boat.... The want invoices for EVERYTHING! Who has invoices for clothes and personal gear that is 1-5 years old?
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Remind me of the one time I was coming through customs and They asked for a receipt for my camera I said I don’t have a receipt for my camera nobody carries receipts for everything they own
As a South African who only got interested in sailing about 3 years ago, I was really shocked when I realised every second catamaran floating around out there was made in South Africa, and I have been watching Balance Catamarans for about a year, since I saw a video about their carbon fibre masts and they have always looked the prettiest and most "up to date" and high tech out of all the ones I have seen.
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Yeah I'm also not sure about the numbers but every other youtuber I have watched mentions their catamaran was made in South Africa, or they talking about broken bulkheads :D :D
It would be nice if they had the option to turn the bow space into a dog "crate" with the option for a split door or something like on a regular dog crate.
Hi Dan, sorry about the delay in reply. You might be able to discuss that with the builders are they are semi custom boats and that would not be structural.
Yes Shane, to go into that market, you do need the extra cash in the bank and I am sure that is why so many people opt for the Leopards and Lagoons and Fps as you get a lot of boat at less money and just sail slower... As Phil said, 90% of their purchasers are individuals that move up to the Balance... Still it is better to get out there on a non-ideal boat and upgrade later than procrastinate - so get out on what you can afford and enjoy the journey as your preferences change over time and with experience.
What a journey to a new boat, ...all those decisions to be made over again ,loved the tour of the Balance 482.,looking forward to the Antares tour .stay blessed and warm ,thank you for another great vlog of your barefoot walk to a new floating special place .
HI Dan, my feeling with many brands is that they just settle for sail drives becuease it makes the construction and fitting easy.... The shaft also means that the engine has to be moved forward in the all a bit - better for weight balance but having space to work on the engine becomes difficult or you lose usable space for accom...
So, once you've done Balance & Seawind- everything else seems either boutique, one off, or charter only. Sadly, there isn't much headroom to go up in: quality, performance, rigidity & overall safety. Sure, you can consider an aluminum ExploCat 52, there's a 58Ft. FP pig with nice craftsmanship that'll leave you seasick & wet in a swell but bring your checkbook and no sharp pencils to work the numbers. If you want to mostly leave your boat on the dock or the mooring ball, there are plenty of nice floating apartments available. But, I think sail drives cause sinking, require far greater maintenance and then there's that pesky rubber seal that well causes floaters to sink.... Anywho, if you need more room, there's the Balance 526 and if you need less, well, there's the 448. Don't forget to send Phil a Christmas Card, he will be family in a few years... God knows, I wish I had! Good luck finding a used Balance, no one will get off of one long enough to consider anything else!
Sorry Chris for giving you that perspective! However, you may well get your boat faster than 2025 so perhaps the choice is taken out of your control anyway.
This boat is a truly jewel, It just need flush hatches and full front opening windows, just that to be perfect (at least for me 😅). Cheers to you both, thanks for the great vives! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks nic, Phil talked about why he did not do large windows in front and it's because the lithium batteries are are there and if they get wet it is a fire risk. Due to the length of the video, I edited that out... Thanks for the support and kind words!
@@nicolasmonastirsky Front opening windows are a general hazard for getting water into the salon, and in particular onto the electronics and electrical systems.
Very impressive. I've had boats built in So Africa and they have great craftsmanship. The glassed in bulkheads are a big plus and makes them stiff and quiet.
Awesome boat! The only thing I wonder about is there doesn't seem to be a watertight bulk head/crash box on the starboard owners bow. The office/storage that Phil mentions is where this would be. Did you notice this or am I missing something? I would want a sail locker on starboard side like the port side has for a watertight bulkhead. Thanks for the great review.
You are right. You can put in a water tight bulkhead here if you want or change it into another sail locker as you say. It does come down to preference and what risk / insurance you choose to have.
I'm really hoping you got the chance to tour the Knysna 550, YT Lamb around the world ,are doing a small vlog of progress of their Knysna being built, think they already got it but behind on the vlogs..it really looks like a winner for liveaboard..
Dear Louis, yes there are several great boats coming out of the South African smaller yards - I think we would need to go to SA to see on property but will keep our eyes open on our travels in case there is one being sailed around where we are. Thanks
Looks to be a fabulous boat for the two of you to cruise in except for one missing feature. The front walkthrough is missing. I do remember you saying how important that was and how it helped sell you on the Leopard. I have heard others talk about the advantages of a performance cats ability to avoid bad weather when slower boats get slammed. Is that going to be a factor in your decision? Life is full of interesting choices.
Yes that is correct. There are always compromises and each person has to decide what is more important for them. That was one thing that missing from our "ideal boat" but with other spectacular features, it is a hard call..
I've been seeing some interesting videos on wing sails showing they will let you sail even closer to the wind than a normal main. Some designs seem to be almost like two mainsals separated by a few inches but one will flex more the other flatter and that's what provides propulsion. Also researching sailing safely when there's lightning and how metal boats are treated differently. The idea of an aluminum hull sounds great if it's in your budget.
If you find any answers about lightning and wing sails, pls let us know! At this time the wing sails are probably too expensive for cruising boats and probably too complex but hopefully that will change. Thanks for your info!
Phil Berman is one of the best, if not THE best, boat builders. He's such an excellent interview, knowing SO much about his boats as well as the market in general. He's come up with some really innovative design elements and it's a no wonder they are backlogged 4 - 5 years! As much as you love this boat, I suspect you will have a hard time waiting that long! Nice interview and tour.
Berman was an asshole to me without cause, very early in starting to talk to him... put me off doing business with him or his company. The market is hot right now, leading to arrogance I'm sure, but people have long memories.
Phil Berman designed a very nice boat that combines reasonable performance with comfort. In the interview, he was very careful with his words. He described the 482 as being "performance oriented". He described Balance as building "performing" boats. At no time did he label them as "performance" boats. You did and that is not correct. Do you really want a true performance catamaran? Look to Mumby, Dazcat and Marsaudon. I doubt that any of these were at Annapolis simply because the general public is not in the market for them. They are light, stripped down boats but they cease to be when you add weight, loading them down with generators, clothes washers, water makers, etc.
@@tedholden3528 Ted. What is wrong? My statement is quite correct as you point out. The proper definition of a "performance" boat is a boat that can still sail in very low winds (without motoring) as Phil states early in the interview. That requires low weight which is not what the market wants.
Dear Patrick, Lets not get pedantic about the definition of performance vs performing. We all want a catamaran that has performance and comfort and is affordable - that is (as Phil said) all a compromise. As one goes up the others go down. Lets all just enjoy the great features each boat has and what choices each individual wants. We built a 42 foot 6 tonne performance cat with daggerboards and now are looking at options for a performance cat with more comfort. At 11 tonnes and still performing at wind speed, that is "performance" - if you want to race, you sacrifice the comfort too in a variety of ways. Please let's not downplay the quality and compromises in each brand based on how high a performance someone personally may want. Regards.
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Watch Sailing Life on Jupiter if you would like to check out a Mumby, they are in the US atm as well..... could be worth a meeting to check her out??????
Hi Kylan, there is a difference between boat sailing at 15-20 knots and the heavier cruising boats that don't get over 10. At speed you dive through waves and we had solid gree water over the top of the cabin top after taking off over one wave and diving through another. A solid tramp at that speed would stop you dead and keep you under for longer. Also the extra weight would affect the boats performance as the performance boats are very weight sensitive
Nice tour guys :) looks great boat and would suit you perfect :) great to see the smiles and laughter :) love as always Jim from Germany :)
Thanks so much again for your comment and we agree with you. Great quality and price point too - more expensive than a Leopard 50 but different advantages...
Nice review , nice cat 😃
Sounds like you don’t need ice in your drinks 😉🥂
Not today! We are heading back to Florida soon due to the incoming winter in the north...
What is the feedback regarding the boat having only two heads when other Cats of similar size offer ensuite heads in each cabin?
Hi Rick, I have not heard of anyone finding it a major issue but it is mainly the guests that will have the issue of sharing the toilet...
Nice boat, but it's missing a front lounge area.
Yes, you are right - and no flybridge.... That is the one thing that we personally would miss but despite that, this boat is soooo nice!
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 might could do the semi fly, like FP and smaller lagoons, with crushing perf. I bet they offer it in next iterations of 526 or larger.
So far the Balance is hands down amazing in my opinion. I would say 1600-2000 AH Lithium especially since they include all that solar. Yanmar has duel electric/diesel engines. by the time you would receive your boat all the bugs would be worked out. Gonna be interesting to see which way you go. I could feel you both being very excited with the balance.
Thanks for your comment DC and we agree that everything is improving so fast that the options in a few years will be better and different from today - but still very exciting how much better it is all getting even today!
The 482 is perhaps the best Balance Catamaran model, and all of Phil's boats are superbly well designed. Phil has a ton of catamaran experience and has built very thoughtful boats that balance comfort and performance arguably better than an other boat. Definitely one of my favorite cats.
Thanks for a great tour and great interview with Phil.
Glad you liked it and thanks for the comments and for following!
whatever boat you get check out the new rev aircon on The O'Kelly's youtube for information and consideration only - enjoy your search and great to see you both smiling and enjoying yourselves - Also for long life of LiFePo4 batts try to charge below 1C and not run down to low or high, it might also be worth just getting another 200A
Yes we have seen that AC that the O'Kelly's installed... All the technology is advancing so fast at every level, it is really exciting and will save lots of money and weight to not have generators, able to use AC without buying diesel continuously and sail faster!!
I am just concerned about the fact that the winches are located on top.
Hi Iammr. Thanks for watching and the feedback. We will do a video sometime ahead about the details of the steering station layout on our Portofino 52 - but I thought this comment was about our boat and then saw it was in the Balance video comments!! I think they work fine but clearly you would need to open the hatch to do anything which then makes the cockpit wet... Not sure if that is your point or is it the height of them for ergonomics?
yes. I just think it defeats the purpose of the versa helm if you need to open the top to do the lines. looking forward to your video!@@barefootdoctorssailing8567
What about "Meander Dash"
Verb
To move, especially carefully or skillfully, around obstacles.
To turn, move or face in another direction (literally or figuratively)
To wander or roam at random.
To travel or go on a journey.
To wind or turn in a course or passage.
To move or proceed with a given movement or momentum.
To move or act at a slow speed.
Cruising or performance??? 🤔 Why not both! This boat is stunning and attention to detail is over the top. I love the simplicity but in its own right it is very plush. The onboard storage is amazing considering it has dagger boards. She is fast and comfortable too ☺️ Keep this one on your list as I do believe it gives John his performance and Ellie her comfort. Great job guys! 🥰
Thanks again Mango!
Guys, La Vagabond was for sale. However, Riley and family is going to use it for a new season while their trimaran is under construction. This may perhaps be one of the faster solutions to get back on a decent cat again.
Thanks Niel, I suspect La Vagabonde will be sold over market value because of the history... I have heard some stories of dramatic prices being proposed. We do want a boat with more creature comforts as we have done the light performance cat without the comforts and now are looking for a more "comfortable" life.
This is an absolute beauty and in my view the perfect balance between safety, quality, performance, comfort in an all inclusive package. Not cheap but if it fits your budget I dont think there is anything better out there. Great overview guys!
Ps. Do you know if it can be beached if needed?
No they cannot be beached. And when hauled out need special foam cradles.
@@neilmathias7249 ok so thats sadly a major downside in my view
I can't believe you didn't ask about fire protection!?
There are options for fire suppression systems on the boats and they do have standard fire gear on board. I had to cut some stuff out cause of the length of the video...
WoW! Another great and informative TH-cam post! That Balance 482 is impressive! Cheers to you both!
Thanks Dan! Glad you liked it!!
One recommendation only: battery-powered candles please... ;-)
Good point!!! Eli loves candles too...
I've been observing these for a few years now. Truly one of my favorites.
Same here!
Lovely to see you both, beautiful catamaran with an amazing layout, ⛵️⛵️🥰
Thanks Kathleen. We were very impressed!
ON broker market several balance available - do it!!!
don't show a clip (@8:51) of the wheel in upper helm position with a legend making a statement about the 'Lower Helm position completed (sic!) out of the weather and sun'!
Sorry that upsets you - we already showed the versa helm being lowered and aphid sitting at it in the previous minute so hopefully everyone already understands the positions and that b roll was to keep the visuals interesting…
it s really nice to see details videos like these. also it nice to hear when someone who knows the right questions to ask from dealers. and these will help a lot of people in the future as well. this is gonna be awesome.. and thank you for uploading more and more.. i m counting the the days until i see you in a whole new boat. cheers
Thanks Techie! We look forward to seeing ourselves in a boat as well....
Did your insurance policy pay you yet?
Not yet - we are working with them to give them more and more proof of our belongings on the boat.... The want invoices for EVERYTHING! Who has invoices for clothes and personal gear that is 1-5 years old?
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Remind me of the one time I was coming through customs and They asked for a receipt for my camera I said I don’t have a receipt for my camera nobody carries receipts for everything they own
As a South African who only got interested in sailing about 3 years ago, I was really shocked when I realised every second catamaran floating around out there was made in South Africa, and I have been watching Balance Catamarans for about a year, since I saw a video about their carbon fibre masts and they have always looked the prettiest and most "up to date" and high tech out of all the ones I have seen.
Yup - South Africa may well be second in numbers of boats in construction after France but I am only guessing!
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Yeah I'm also not sure about the numbers but every other youtuber I have watched mentions their catamaran was made in South Africa, or they talking about broken bulkheads :D :D
It would be nice if they had the option to turn the bow space into a dog "crate" with the option for a split door or something like on a regular dog crate.
Hi Dan, sorry about the delay in reply. You might be able to discuss that with the builders are they are semi custom boats and that would not be structural.
I like the 482, I like the 526 as well, because I'm starting to lean toward the fast cats. though the price, for us right now is, holy crap batman
Yes Shane, to go into that market, you do need the extra cash in the bank and I am sure that is why so many people opt for the Leopards and Lagoons and Fps as you get a lot of boat at less money and just sail slower... As Phil said, 90% of their purchasers are individuals that move up to the Balance...
Still it is better to get out there on a non-ideal boat and upgrade later than procrastinate - so get out on what you can afford and enjoy the journey as your preferences change over time and with experience.
What a journey to a new boat, ...all those decisions to be made over again ,loved the tour of the Balance 482.,looking forward to the Antares tour .stay blessed and warm ,thank you for another great vlog of your barefoot walk to a new floating special place .
Thanks Louis for your support and kind words!
Those Balance yachts are absolutely amazing they like a Rolls Royce
Yes, they are a lovely high quality finish and have spectacular features!
Wow great boat! and like the Dude once said "I'm just going to find a cash machine"
Yes another step up in cost which may well be another reason that these are not first time owners too....
good design.
Thanks Rick
I'd like to hear his reasoning for choosing saildrives.
HI Dan, my feeling with many brands is that they just settle for sail drives becuease it makes the construction and fitting easy.... The shaft also means that the engine has to be moved forward in the all a bit - better for weight balance but having space to work on the engine becomes difficult or you lose usable space for accom...
I love the 526. My dream boat.
Yes all the Balance models are REALLY nice!
superb
Indeed!
I bought Berman's catamaran book back in the early '80s when I bought my Nacra 5.8. Excellent book.
Excellent boat. I always wanted a Nacra 5.8 shame they don't build that model any more!
Nice to hear confirmation of what he is saying! He is certainly very knowledgeable.
So, once you've done Balance & Seawind- everything else seems either boutique, one off, or charter only. Sadly, there isn't much headroom to go up in: quality, performance, rigidity & overall safety. Sure, you can consider an aluminum ExploCat 52, there's a 58Ft. FP pig with nice craftsmanship that'll leave you seasick & wet in a swell but bring your checkbook and no sharp pencils to work the numbers. If you want to mostly leave your boat on the dock or the mooring ball, there are plenty of nice floating apartments available. But, I think sail drives cause sinking, require far greater maintenance and then there's that pesky rubber seal that well causes floaters to sink.... Anywho, if you need more room, there's the Balance 526 and if you need less, well, there's the 448. Don't forget to send Phil a Christmas Card, he will be family in a few years... God knows, I wish I had! Good luck finding a used Balance, no one will get off of one long enough to consider anything else!
I really like this boat!
Hey Guys, I like!!!🤗
Great!!;
Hi Tex hope life is treating you well!
Really like this boat. I wish it was around a few years ago, before we placed an order for another boat. Oh well, maybe next time!
Sorry Chris for giving you that perspective! However, you may well get your boat faster than 2025 so perhaps the choice is taken out of your control anyway.
Yes, we get our FP 45 in January, so right around the corner!
Best of luck with your boat search! Cheers.
1.4 mill and what would you insure a jewel like this? Really seems like it ticks all the boxes. So when will you be getting yours?
We are hopeful but the 2025 delivery date leaves us boatless for 4 years!
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Just find a cheapy to tide you over
Great video and very informative. Looking forward to the next video.
Thanks very much - glad you liked it!
This boat is a truly jewel, It just need flush hatches and full front opening windows, just that to be perfect (at least for me 😅). Cheers to you both, thanks for the great vives! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks nic, Phil talked about why he did not do large windows in front and it's because the lithium batteries are are there and if they get wet it is a fire risk. Due to the length of the video, I edited that out... Thanks for the support and kind words!
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 thanks for the explanation, if had the money... this is the boat for our adventures. Definitely. Cheers from Cancún.
@@nicolasmonastirsky Front opening windows are a general hazard for getting water into the salon, and in particular onto the electronics and electrical systems.
Flush hatches typically become headaches eventually, if not sooner
Very impressive. I've had boats built in So Africa and they have great craftsmanship. The glassed in bulkheads are a big plus and makes them stiff and quiet.
Absolutely!
Are Lagoon bulkheads not glasses in?
Awesome boat! The only thing I wonder about is there doesn't seem to be a watertight bulk head/crash box on the starboard owners bow. The office/storage that Phil mentions is where this would be. Did you notice this or am I missing something? I would want a sail locker on starboard side like the port side has for a watertight bulkhead. Thanks for the great review.
You are right. You can put in a water tight bulkhead here if you want or change it into another sail locker as you say. It does come down to preference and what risk / insurance you choose to have.
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 yes you can. they are semi custom yards
Nice tour, well done.
Ta
I really enjoyed the tour of this vessel! Thank you so much for sharing
I'm torn between Balance and Privilege Catamarans. Amazing boats and amazing video. Thank you :)
Our pleasure - glad you like the info and good luck with your choice, Dan!
Balance cats have a cuteness all their own - love'em!
One of the best on the market, well worth the price.
Add in rounded corners and it is the perfect boat
I'm really hoping you got the chance to tour the Knysna 550, YT Lamb around the world ,are doing a small vlog of progress of their Knysna being built, think they already got it but behind on the vlogs..it really looks like a winner for liveaboard..
Dear Louis, yes there are several great boats coming out of the South African smaller yards - I think we would need to go to SA to see on property but will keep our eyes open on our travels in case there is one being sailed around where we are. Thanks
This guy looks like Jeffrey Eppstein.
That's a shame for Phil but fortunately his reputation is much better than Epstein.....
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 no doubt. Wasnt implying anything but a simple resemblance.
@@albeenokrokadil No worries!
Not as big but just as good. Vision 444. Made in South Africa. Knysna.
heavier
Looks to be a fabulous boat for the two of you to cruise in except for one missing feature. The front walkthrough is missing. I do remember you saying how important that was and how it helped sell you on the Leopard. I have heard others talk about the advantages of a performance cats ability to avoid bad weather when slower boats get slammed. Is that going to be a factor in your decision? Life is full of interesting choices.
Yes that is correct. There are always compromises and each person has to decide what is more important for them. That was one thing that missing from our "ideal boat" but with other spectacular features, it is a hard call..
also, with a perf/dagger cat, you sail into the wind significantly better than prod cats
I've been seeing some interesting videos on wing sails showing they will let you sail even closer to the wind than a normal main. Some designs seem to be almost like two mainsals separated by a few inches but one will flex more the other flatter and that's what provides propulsion. Also researching sailing safely when there's lightning and how metal boats are treated differently. The idea of an aluminum hull sounds great if it's in your budget.
If you find any answers about lightning and wing sails, pls let us know! At this time the wing sails are probably too expensive for cruising boats and probably too complex but hopefully that will change. Thanks for your info!
Phil Berman is one of the best, if not THE best, boat builders. He's such an excellent interview, knowing SO much about his boats as well as the market in general. He's come up with some really innovative design elements and it's a no wonder they are backlogged 4 - 5 years! As much as you love this boat, I suspect you will have a hard time waiting that long! Nice interview and tour.
Yes his experience certainly shines through.
Buy a Balance - 524!
Thanks for your support Kimble! Still waiting on insurance payout but looking at many options...
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 I have waited for insurance payout too often - insurance companies are in the business of not paying
Phil Berman and Balance are brilliant. Terrific boat.
Glad to hear that!
Berman was an asshole to me without cause, very early in starting to talk to him... put me off doing business with him or his company. The market is hot right now, leading to arrogance I'm sure, but people have long memories.
Didn't the Ruby Rose channel already fully review all the cats in the 40-50' range??
Yes but when they did it they had never had any experience sailing cats so came from a monohull sailor's perspective.
and it was the 526
Oh man.. 2025 lol I was sold moths ago....
Exactly! Us too!
Phil Berman designed a very nice boat that combines reasonable performance with comfort. In the interview, he was very careful with his words. He described the 482 as being "performance oriented". He described Balance as building "performing" boats. At no time did he label them as "performance" boats. You did and that is not correct. Do you really want a true performance catamaran? Look to Mumby, Dazcat and Marsaudon. I doubt that any of these were at Annapolis simply because the general public is not in the market for them. They are light, stripped down boats but they cease to be when you add weight, loading them down with generators, clothes washers, water makers, etc.
However, towards the end of the interview, he did call it a performance cruising boat, but not a racing boat.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. 22:45 .............Correction Quote, "Again, we're not making a Racing Boat. It is a Performance Cruiser, right?
@@tedholden3528 Ted. What is wrong? My statement is quite correct as you point out. The proper definition of a "performance" boat is a boat that can still sail in very low winds (without motoring) as Phil states early in the interview. That requires low weight which is not what the market wants.
Dear Patrick,
Lets not get pedantic about the definition of performance vs performing. We all want a catamaran that has performance and comfort and is affordable - that is (as Phil said) all a compromise. As one goes up the others go down. Lets all just enjoy the great features each boat has and what choices each individual wants.
We built a 42 foot 6 tonne performance cat with daggerboards and now are looking at options for a performance cat with more comfort. At 11 tonnes and still performing at wind speed, that is "performance" - if you want to race, you sacrifice the comfort too in a variety of ways. Please let's not downplay the quality and compromises in each brand based on how high a performance someone personally may want. Regards.
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Watch Sailing Life on Jupiter if you would like to check out a Mumby, they are in the US atm as well..... could be worth a meeting to check her out??????
Really wish they'd get rid of the trampolines. Bali has proven that a solid foredeck is fine.
Hi Kylan, there is a difference between boat sailing at 15-20 knots and the heavier cruising boats that don't get over 10. At speed you dive through waves and we had solid gree water over the top of the cabin top after taking off over one wave and diving through another. A solid tramp at that speed would stop you dead and keep you under for longer. Also the extra weight would affect the boats performance as the performance boats are very weight sensitive
@@barefootdoctorssailing8567 Thank you for the info!