Fantastic boat. I would really like to see even more like engine compartments, water maker location/install, wiring install, battery location and number etc.
It is truly astonishing how much you continue to improve the boats. I had already thought the first handful of 526s were near perfect cats. But the attention to detail, the thoughtful and smart design, and the world-class engineering you shows that a great team can even improve perfection.
After this video I was very impressed. Design, quality and layout on the top. Congratulations to all the balance Team. I will certainly want to be present at a European event to see this piece of art live.
Wow! I am looking forward to retirement on one of your incredible boats that just seem to get better and better. A big congratulations to you and the Balance team on this milestone.
Wow, you all did a fantastic job. I love the innovative design features and the creative utilization of space. Well done and thanks for sharing the walkthrough video.
Wow I’m a completely newbie to anything sailing. I started right over a year ago watching sailing UA-cam channels and looking at different boats to buy. I can’t believe I had never heard of this boat before it’s so beautiful!!
very nice boat ,huge improvement in details since the 526 from 3 or 4 years ago well done Balance. two things I would like Balance to consider , firstly a flush deck and secondarily that door to the forward locker should open towards the bedroom to maximize the space in the locker
Glad to get to finally see a real one instead of just the renders! I dig the detail on the sides of the galley counters. That along with the treatment in the hulls seems like the 482 might be the most "finished out" Balance I've seen with these little details. I also dig the look of the longaeron as well.
@@balancecatamarans You're welcome! Very glad to hear you're getting more into Europe. I think the boats will do exceedingly well there. Europeans mostly know good style and good quality, and many Americans do too, so they should do very well. The boats are exceptionally well styled and built, in addition to being very practical. Obviously Phil (and really everyone at Balance) knows the boat business very well, so hopefully you'll get good brokers and representatives in EU.
im holding on to see the 442 some time this year (?)... dont want to call this one "my dream boat" until i see that one. but for now, "fantastic boat" will have to do
For a world that is so conservative and lacking of innovation, Balance Catamarans has been innovating a lot and trying new ideas. Lots of respect for that!
Well done. Beautiful cat. I reckon if you make that large owner's shower window openable you could drop your wetsuits and other wet gear straight down into the shower from the aft steps for rinsing and washing.
drop-dead gorgeous, especially the aft cabin. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 the small porthole at the head of the bed in the front cabin - would be nice to see in the 526 as well - if possible… doing away with the window column opens the saloon so much more 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 wonder whether there is potential for the starboard front locker to have a super long trap door (don’t know the proper name, sorry) in the deck, so you could drop a bike or two in there… the dolphin-watch seats are great - often the design leaves to be desired, but these are very inviting.
A long hatch would be difficult to reinforce. Bikes have a long and short dimension, so you can fit a bike through a shorter hatch vertically, then pivot it to horizontal. Some people keep bikes on deck, maybe in a bag to protect from some corrosion. Or use a folding bike.
Perfect size for a retired couple. The extra room for when planning to have a family or guests is great. Love the size of the showers and bathrooms. I would like to know the maintenance of the steering wheel knowing it is switched from upper or lower helm . What size batteries are included and solar power. Would have liked to see the enclosure where the electrical system is and engine room for maintenance work. Can the windows to the bedrooms and bathroom be one way for privacy. With all that has been shown it's awesome.
Well done Phill, what a great job you`ve all done! The 482 looked good on paper and in the flesh, she absolutely delivers! Twenty on order speaks volumes! BTW mate, it`s not Victoria and Alfred. V&A refers to Queen Victoria, ( who was Britain`s longest reigning monarch till our current monarch, H M Queen Elizabeth II, took the record) and her husband, Prince Albert (who gave his name to a certain body piercing popular amongst French manufactured catamaran owners) Stay safe mate, and stay in Balance!
Great job…my only observation is those door handles down below are very pointed and really protrude into the passage. A more curved design would seem to be a safer more sensible choice.
Interesting looking boat. I'm not sure I'm sold on the escape hatch locations - both sides are behind closed doors that could be difficult to open when submerged, disarrayed and disoriented.
Excellent made - two points I would like to have: The headroom info (how tall is the speaker?) and a direct link in the description to a boat info site (where I can read if a 2m nordic can live there).
The 442 can handle a person 6 foot 10 inches tall. The owner of the first one is 6 foot 8 inches tall. Visit balancecatamarans.com to learn all about our boats.
Outstanding walkthrough and it is clear the thought that goes into making a superior vessel. Since your company likes to use Carbon fiber for weight and strength where deemed necessary, can you advise if the davits are reinforced with carbon and what the recommended weight/size tender (I'm looking @ 442,so if you could advise if it is for 482 and or the whole Balance line). Lastly, another place "production" catamarans seems to skimp is the cleats. Most do not use backing plates for structural integrity and I've seen hulls cracked and cleats pulled out. Is it standard for Balance to use backing plates?
I am the 666th like, unsure if that is a good or a bad thing. Amazing boats, always pushing innovation with performance, you really couldn't have picked a better name for your company.
imagine if the lounge, next to the grill-to-be, were also a case, the same height as the grill's case, same lid - huge trunk for diving tanks and a compressor!!!
Hi Chris. There is a surprising amount of cabinetry in the galley and saloon for food storage - and a LOT of space under the saloon seats to accommodate food stores
If you have to place a washer/dryer- one piece, where would you put it in the 482? Thank you Phil and Team- It was a pleasure shaking your hand in Annapolis
Phil, do you think there is enough storage on this spectacular Cat? Jst playin. As usual..your presentation is the best in the business. Is this particular yacht dagger or mini keel?
@@balancecatamarans I don't think you got the sarcasm..lol. Still, brilliant yachts and superb presentation! Someday, Phil, I will commission a 526....I would look forward to a mutual bond we have..both Philly boys ( me, Bryn Mawr)
Where you have the lines going across the saloon roof, do you think it is possible to put raised solar panels over the top of the lines? It might make replacing the lines harder, but there is a trick where you tie a string to one end of the line before you pull the line out. It draws the string along the path of the line, then you tie the new line onto the end of the string and pull it back through. It might work, so you would not need to lift the panels.
@@chrisarmstrong3318 I saw someone else do it, and he made it even easier. Just attached the end of the new line onto the end of the old one and pulled then new line through as the old one came out!
@@earthstick yes, i do that when replacing a line, i just butt them and sew them together with dental floss and pull the new line through. I use messenger lines when I leave the boat. I could have been more clear I think.
Very well laid out and practical! You seem to have cut back on some of accessories being carbon fibre...? And included more aluminium. Great walk through, thanks for sharing! 😎🏖🌴☀️🇦🇺
Great design overall, really great. The only thing I can see I would want to change is big opening windows facing the bow in the saloon for maximum ventilation at anchor.
As always, amazing design from Balance Cats and superb use of space. Love that you found a way to remove the pillar in the helm that has the potential for a blind spot and that swinging TV/Display is genius. The saloon now looks just as big as that of the 526. I have a couple of concerns though: the MFD on top will be constantly exposed to the elements and from I saw, it has no protection at all and the compass was oddly placed between the reefing lines. This unit has only 1 chart plotter/MFD combo so if it conks out from constant exposure, your bust. Maybe you could move both into a swivel just under the roof similar to what you did on the 526. Secondly, the edges of the cabinetry on the saloon and galley should be rounded and the table tops of the freezers/refs should have a similar recess in them to avoid stuff from flying off when the 482 is doing 20+ knots 😊.
Nice video- thanks! Looks like a really beautiful boat. 2 questions: 1) is that flooring an EVA foam or a hard synthetic flooring? 2) I am curious about weights on these boats, e.g. specs state 11.3 tons LD, which is lighter than an ELBA/FP 45 (13.6 ton, assuming that is accurate but only 44 feet), but the 11.3 is heavier than a Vision 444 (9 tons, but also only 44 feet), and heavier than a Lightwave 46 (8 tons LWD, 46 feet). So seems lighter than production Cats (FP, Leopard) but still much heavier than some other boutique Cats (Vision, Lightwave). Not sure about the accuracy of all specs and implications for real world sailing.
Thanks so much! (1) We are using composite synthetic flooring (2) Our lightship weight is calculated based on a fully equipped boat, what we call the “Essential Voyager Package” in our price sheet. All of those things are added into our weight. I have no idea how these other builders calculate lightship, but in our experience most builders chose to call lightship a base boat without cruising equipment on it, and also conduct their Performance Polars using those weights. We do not think that is an accurate way to share with consumers what your boat weights or how it performs.
I had a similar thought. Especially In a room meant for storage where the door opens inward vs outward. Seems like in a situation where you need an escape hatch contents could have shifted and it could be difficult to get into that room and open the hatch. Liked the placement of the escape hatch in the shower on the other side though.
It's a shower, not a storage space. Don't think you have to close the door to use the hatch, Phil commented that if the hatch starts leaking, at least you can close the door and water will drain out the shower, like a wet locker. Quite clever in my opinion. That's probably also why the shower door opens inward, to ensure that the passage isn't blocked off when scrambling to the hatch.
@@michaelevert7139 The port side escape is through the shower, which I definitely agree makes a lot more sense than under the steps to the saloon as in most other brands. The starboard side escape is in the very bow of the boat in a storage area/workshop just off the master cabin, and it does look (from the limited viewing) as if it may be behind that door. Perhaps if they had that door hinged on the opposite (outer) side of the bulkhead it would be better.
3:10 "copied by people..." Loic Goepfert designed the first canting wheel system on a catamaran back in 2011 on his Alibi54. Way before Balance introduced it in 2015. Also, same for the A frame main sheet system that was invented by Christophe Barreau on the Catanas end of the 90s. Just for clarification, credit to these two frenchies. Thank you!
I agree that Loic tried a pivoting helm on the Alibi. As I have pointed out many times, pivoting helms of some sort have been around a long time. The versa helm used the pivoting concept to create two distinctive sailing positions with 4 corner visibility up and down and the capacity to manage the sails at the top station. I have sailed on Alibi #1 many times, I sold her for her first owner to her second. I do think it was it Christophe who first used the A frame mainsheet system on a cat, but it is called the German System for some reason! So perhaps a German first used it on a monohull? I never took credit for our mainsheet system. But the Versa Helm is not a French invention - it is ours.
@@balancecatamarans Loic tried...why "tried"? As LG invented a pivoting concept to create two distinctive sailing positions with 4 corner visibility up and down and the capacity to manage the sails at the top station. These are exactly your words, no? This is exactly what was already on the Alibis 15 years ago, and this exactly the same system that is currently on the O55. This is not because you give a name to something that you make this thing yours. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness". (Oscar Wilde!)
Not really a step up replacing propane with Lithium-Ion batteries. The latter can catch fire rather explosively. (long story short, the cathode and anode get connected inside the battery and heat up) I'd go for a safer battery tech for now and wait for the new higher efficiency, and much safer, batteries that will be available in the near future. Propane, if kept in storage >> with ventilation
I hope balance gets hold of a gemini catamaran and uses it to design a true small catamaran, they build a good boat but they emphasize charter setups not livability
Very nice looking sailing cat, I wonder how many of those looking at the 442 and 482 _HAD_ been looking at a certain other brand (starts with an "L") of catamaran before. A bit more expensive than that other brand but then they have _known_ problems.
I love the way you embrace and include the local culture.
Fantastic boat. I would really like to see even more like engine compartments, water maker location/install, wiring install, battery location and number etc.
It is truly astonishing how much you continue to improve the boats. I had already thought the first handful of 526s were near perfect cats. But the attention to detail, the thoughtful and smart design, and the world-class engineering you shows that a great team can even improve perfection.
Thank you!
Wow
Couldn't agree more. It's a really smart design. This is one of the few small(ish) performance cats which looks truly comfortable.
After this video I was very impressed. Design, quality and layout on the top. Congratulations to all the balance Team. I will certainly want to be present at a European event to see this piece of art live.
Thank you, Gherardo!
Wow! I am looking forward to retirement on one of your incredible boats that just seem to get better and better. A big congratulations to you and the Balance team on this milestone.
Thanks, Frederic! We look so forward to building you one! :)
Great new ideas/ improvements... love them. The versa helm is bloody genius. Lots of balanced love from Adrian in Cape Town
Thanks, Adrian!
Wow, you all did a fantastic job. I love the innovative design features and the creative utilization of space. Well done and thanks for sharing the walkthrough video.
Thank you!
Nice work! I can't wait to see one in person!
Congratulations! A fantastic boat full of unique innovation and so sleek looking! I love it. I want it.
My new dream boat! Amazingly well explained and so beautiful!!!
Glad you liked it!
Wow I’m a completely newbie to anything sailing. I started right over a year ago watching sailing UA-cam channels and looking at different boats to buy. I can’t believe I had never heard of this boat before it’s so beautiful!!
Keep watching! We hope you become a Balance owner one day! :)
very nice boat ,huge improvement in details since the 526 from 3 or 4 years ago well done Balance. two things I would like Balance to consider , firstly a flush deck and secondarily that door to the forward locker should open towards the bedroom to maximize the space in the locker
What an absolutely beautiful vessel! Can't wait to see it live in Annapolis next month.
Glad to get to finally see a real one instead of just the renders! I dig the detail on the sides of the galley counters. That along with the treatment in the hulls seems like the 482 might be the most "finished out" Balance I've seen with these little details. I also dig the look of the longaeron as well.
Amazing cat!!! Great job Phillip and to the team at Balance.
Thanks so much, Glenn!
all the ranges of your catamarans are very well thought out. 👍👍👍
This is the best design I have seen .... super clean etc and solid..
Phil and all at Balance, I think you've created a nearly perfect boat design. It's beautiful, clean, maintainable, well-built and fast.
Thanks so much, Loanword!
@@balancecatamarans You're welcome!
Very glad to hear you're getting more into Europe. I think the boats will do exceedingly well there.
Europeans mostly know good style and good quality, and many Americans do too, so they should do very well. The boats are exceptionally well styled and built, in addition to being very practical.
Obviously Phil (and really everyone at Balance) knows the boat business very well, so hopefully you'll get good brokers and representatives in EU.
im holding on to see the 442 some time this year (?)... dont want to call this one "my dream boat" until i see that one. but for now, "fantastic boat" will have to do
Lots of cool ideas here. Well done.
Thank you
Looking great Phil
For a world that is so conservative and lacking of innovation, Balance Catamarans has been innovating a lot and trying new ideas. Lots of respect for that!
Thank you!
Well done. Beautiful cat. I reckon if you make that large owner's shower window openable you could drop your wetsuits and other wet gear straight down into the shower from the aft steps for rinsing and washing.
You guys nailed it, beautiful stuff, except.... when will the versa helm fold down to the bedroom.
Absolutely beautiful machine.⛵️🤿🐠🌴🎣🐚📸☀️
It sure is!
The lounge and grill area I turn into a massive trunk, for diving bottles and their compressor 🤩🤩🤩
All are lovely, specially the front chair 😍👍🙏 thank you. Amazing
Oh yes!!! What a lovely boat.
Great boat - you have produced exactly what was promised by you guys - would like to hear about the performance based on your sea trials
Amazing Cat!
Love the layout !
The first seconds going on the side deck I though the holds are way to short until he showed the integrated hold/water catchment.channel - very nice!
this boat is perfect. wow.
Looks great!
Thanks!
drop-dead gorgeous, especially the aft cabin. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
the small porthole at the head of the bed in the front cabin - would be nice to see in the 526 as well - if possible…
doing away with the window column opens the saloon so much more 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
wonder whether there is potential for the starboard front locker to have a super long trap door (don’t know the proper name, sorry) in the deck, so you could drop a bike or two in there…
the dolphin-watch seats are great - often the design leaves to be desired, but these are very inviting.
A long hatch would be difficult to reinforce. Bikes have a long and short dimension, so you can fit a bike through a shorter hatch vertically, then pivot it to horizontal. Some people keep bikes on deck, maybe in a bag to protect from some corrosion. Or use a folding bike.
Thanks, Gary - great comments!
Wanted to see this catamaran at the boat show yesterday and was told I need an appointment to see it . Why bother bringing it to a show then
Perfect size for a retired couple. The extra room for when planning to have a family or guests is great. Love the size of the showers and bathrooms. I would like to know the maintenance of the steering wheel knowing it is switched from upper or lower helm . What size batteries are included and solar power. Would have liked to see the enclosure where the electrical system is and engine room for maintenance work. Can the windows to the bedrooms and bathroom be one way for privacy. With all that has been shown it's awesome.
Thanks, Juan!
Great design, wonder how long is it before the 526 starts to incorporate some of the detail features of this boat. Balance any comment?
Hi Mick. Starting with 526 Hull#15, nearly all of the new features go into the 526 in what is called the new Mark II version.
Looks great. nice clean lines!
Thank you! Cheers!
Beautifull cat! congrats good job!
Thanks, Bernat!
Beautiful work. Some great design. Put me down for a 442.
You're in! Thanks so much :)
Lovely boat !
Amazing work
The more I see Balance catamarans the more I want one.
Great innovative design
Thanks, Sandra!
Well done Phill, what a great job you`ve all done! The 482 looked good on paper and in the flesh, she absolutely delivers! Twenty on order speaks volumes!
BTW mate, it`s not Victoria and Alfred.
V&A refers to Queen Victoria, ( who was Britain`s longest reigning monarch till our current monarch, H M Queen Elizabeth II, took the record) and her husband, Prince Albert (who gave his name to a certain body piercing popular amongst French manufactured catamaran owners)
Stay safe mate, and stay in Balance!
Actually… en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_%26_Alfred_Waterfront 🤓
@@beneastwood1336 Cheers mate !
@@beneastwood1336 Thanks! :)
Great job…my only observation is those door handles down below are very pointed and really protrude into the passage. A more curved design would seem to be a safer more sensible choice.
Interesting looking boat. I'm not sure I'm sold on the escape hatch locations - both sides are behind closed doors that could be difficult to open when submerged, disarrayed and disoriented.
Excellent made - two points I would like to have: The headroom info (how tall is the speaker?) and a direct link in the description to a boat info site (where I can read if a 2m nordic can live there).
The 442 can handle a person 6 foot 10 inches tall. The owner of the first one is 6 foot 8 inches tall. Visit balancecatamarans.com to learn all about our boats.
I wanna see that pretty thing sailing in 30-knot winds 🤩
Outstanding walkthrough and it is clear the thought that goes into making a superior vessel. Since your company likes to use Carbon fiber for weight and strength where deemed necessary, can you advise if the davits are reinforced with carbon and what the recommended weight/size tender (I'm looking @ 442,so if you could advise if it is for 482 and or the whole Balance line).
Lastly, another place "production" catamarans seems to skimp is the cleats. Most do not use backing plates for structural integrity and I've seen hulls cracked and cleats pulled out. Is it standard for Balance to use backing plates?
I’m in love!
Thanks, Robert! Us too :)
WOW 20 on order already. Which means it will take about 3 to 4 years before they get all of those built in order to build new ones.
I am the 666th like, unsure if that is a good or a bad thing.
Amazing boats, always pushing innovation with performance, you really couldn't have picked a better name for your company.
imagine if the lounge, next to the grill-to-be, were also a case, the same height as the grill's case, same lid - huge trunk for diving tanks and a compressor!!!
My wife would like to know where the food pantry is located? Galley set up / accessibility / stowage is so important to those that cook. Thanks!
Hi Chris. There is a surprising amount of cabinetry in the galley and saloon for food storage - and a LOT of space under the saloon seats to accommodate food stores
If you have to place a washer/dryer- one piece, where would you put it in the 482? Thank you Phil and Team- It was a pleasure shaking your hand in Annapolis
Hi there. Most of the customers have a washer/dryer - it fits in a big cupboard in the owners' hull!
Best performance cruising cats out there for a live aboard couple, IMO. I’d also rather take delivery in South Africa vs China or
Vietnam.
Indeed, James - thank you!
Very nice...
Phil, do you think there is enough storage on this spectacular Cat? Jst playin. As usual..your presentation is the best in the business. Is this particular yacht dagger or mini keel?
Dagger boards! 🙄......😝😆
Hi Peter. Plenty of storage - the owners have been more than happy. This one has dagger boards.
@@balancecatamarans I don't think you got the sarcasm..lol. Still, brilliant yachts and superb presentation! Someday, Phil, I will commission a 526....I would look forward to a mutual bond we have..both Philly boys ( me, Bryn Mawr)
Where you have the lines going across the saloon roof, do you think it is possible to put raised solar panels over the top of the lines? It might make replacing the lines harder, but there is a trick where you tie a string to one end of the line before you pull the line out. It draws the string along the path of the line, then you tie the new line onto the end of the string and pull it back through. It might work, so you would not need to lift the panels.
That's called a "messenger" line, don't get caught without one, especially on the mast with halyards and such.
Hi! Sure, easy to do
@@chrisarmstrong3318 I saw someone else do it, and he made it even easier. Just attached the end of the new line onto the end of the old one and pulled then new line through as the old one came out!
@@earthstick yes, i do that when replacing a line, i just butt them and sew them together with dental floss and pull the new line through. I use messenger lines when I leave the boat. I could have been more clear I think.
Just Wow! amazing!
Très beau catamaran 👍 bravo 👍
Thanks, Charly :)
What a nice boat! How much does this catamaran cost?
Have you used parallel hybrid engines on these cats yet? Does the added weight make it workthy?
Phil, can you put the throttle box on a sliding rail so that you can adjust the position of the throttle?
Very well laid out and practical! You seem to have cut back on some of accessories being carbon fibre...? And included more aluminium. Great walk through, thanks for sharing! 😎🏖🌴☀️🇦🇺
Great design overall, really great. The only thing I can see I would want to change is big opening windows facing the bow in the saloon for maximum ventilation at anchor.
As always, amazing design from Balance Cats and superb use of space. Love that you found a way to remove the pillar in the helm that has the potential for a blind spot and that swinging TV/Display is genius. The saloon now looks just as big as that of the 526. I have a couple of concerns though: the MFD on top will be constantly exposed to the elements and from I saw, it has no protection at all and the compass was oddly placed between the reefing lines. This unit has only 1 chart plotter/MFD combo so if it conks out from constant exposure, your bust. Maybe you could move both into a swivel just under the roof similar to what you did on the 526. Secondly, the edges of the cabinetry on the saloon and galley should be rounded and the table tops of the freezers/refs should have a similar recess in them to avoid stuff from flying off when the 482 is doing 20+ knots 😊.
Nice video- thanks! Looks like a really beautiful boat. 2 questions: 1) is that flooring an EVA foam or a hard synthetic flooring? 2) I am curious about weights on these boats, e.g. specs state 11.3 tons LD, which is lighter than an ELBA/FP 45 (13.6 ton, assuming that is accurate but only 44 feet), but the 11.3 is heavier than a Vision 444 (9 tons, but also only 44 feet), and heavier than a Lightwave 46 (8 tons LWD, 46 feet). So seems lighter than production Cats (FP, Leopard) but still much heavier than some other boutique Cats (Vision, Lightwave). Not sure about the accuracy of all specs and implications for real world sailing.
Thanks so much! (1) We are using composite synthetic flooring (2) Our lightship weight is calculated based on a fully equipped boat, what we call the
“Essential Voyager Package” in our price sheet. All of those things are added into our weight. I have no idea how these other builders calculate lightship, but in our experience most builders chose to call lightship a base boat without cruising equipment on it, and also conduct their Performance Polars using those weights. We do not think that is an accurate way to share with consumers what your boat weights or how it performs.
Please show the engine room.
Will do!
I'm confused about the emergency escape hatch in a room where you have to get in and close the door to access the hatch
I had a similar thought. Especially In a room meant for storage where the door opens inward vs outward. Seems like in a situation where you need an escape hatch contents could have shifted and it could be difficult to get into that room and open the hatch.
Liked the placement of the escape hatch in the shower on the other side though.
@@toddking9966 exactly then add in more than 1 person and the frantic adrenaline rush of needing to escape through that hatch in the first place .
It's a shower, not a storage space. Don't think you have to close the door to use the hatch, Phil commented that if the hatch starts leaking, at least you can close the door and water will drain out the shower, like a wet locker. Quite clever in my opinion. That's probably also why the shower door opens inward, to ensure that the passage isn't blocked off when scrambling to the hatch.
@@michaelevert7139 that is one of the 2 that he mentions in the video
@@michaelevert7139 The port side escape is through the shower, which I definitely agree makes a lot more sense than under the steps to the saloon as in most other brands. The starboard side escape is in the very bow of the boat in a storage area/workshop just off the master cabin, and it does look (from the limited viewing) as if it may be behind that door. Perhaps if they had that door hinged on the opposite (outer) side of the bulkhead it would be better.
Escape hatch can it be on all cabin n square type ??
Can you explain the deck winch and what line use it
did you say anything about the surfacing of the aft deck - never seen that one before...
Hi, Guy. We are using composite synthetic flooring
It's all very very nice... would have liked flush hatches...
Love it 😍
Thank you! 😊
Does the rear cockpit enclose for cold weather sailing?
Yes, on the lower Helm you have complete protection from the weather.
I love it. I want one. Sign me up.
Thanks, Tony! We can't wait to build one for you :)
Does balance hv a tools n spare parts section for repairs filters n spare oil change ??
We offer spares kits which most customers buy from us, yes
How is the ventilation in the shower area on the port hull? Is there a hatch?
Yes, above the shower on deck on inboard side, by salon port side window.
masterpiece
How long is the backlog?
I believe he said they have 20 on order. I’m guessing that means at least two years… just guessing.
We are at the Annapolis show and would like to have a appointment to visit a balace 482. Who do we contact plse ?
Hi Bart. We look forward to seeing you there! You can book an appointment with Halle Wattrus at Halle@balancecatamarans.com.
best cat in the world
I agree
3:10 "copied by people..." Loic Goepfert designed the first canting wheel system on a catamaran back in 2011 on his Alibi54. Way before Balance introduced it in 2015. Also, same for the A frame main sheet system that was invented by Christophe Barreau on the Catanas end of the 90s. Just for clarification, credit to these two frenchies. Thank you!
I agree that Loic tried a pivoting helm on the Alibi. As I have pointed out many times, pivoting helms of some sort have been around a long time. The versa helm used the pivoting concept to create two distinctive sailing positions with 4 corner visibility up and down and the capacity to manage the sails at the top station. I have sailed on Alibi #1 many times, I sold her for her first owner to her second. I do think it was it Christophe who first used the A frame mainsheet system on a cat, but it is called the German System for some reason! So perhaps a German first used it on a monohull? I never took credit for our mainsheet system. But the Versa Helm is not a French invention - it is ours.
@@balancecatamarans Loic tried...why "tried"? As LG invented a pivoting concept to create two distinctive sailing positions with 4 corner visibility up and down and the capacity to manage the sails at the top station. These are exactly your words, no? This is exactly what was already on the Alibis 15 years ago, and this exactly the same system that is currently on the O55. This is not because you give a name to something that you make this thing yours. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness". (Oscar Wilde!)
Impressive
Thanks so much
Beautiful 😍
Thanks Niccolo!
Phil, you should get that cough checked out. Congrats on new model. Best wishes with it.
What type of custom customer can custom their catamaran
Tan, there are certain aspects that can be customised for any buyer.
Not really a step up replacing propane with Lithium-Ion batteries. The latter can catch fire rather explosively. (long story short, the cathode and anode get connected inside the battery and heat up) I'd go for a safer battery tech for now and wait for the new higher efficiency, and much safer, batteries that will be available in the near future. Propane, if kept in storage >> with ventilation
This boat is bigger/nicer than my condo!
Thanks, Michael. Why not exchange your condo for one! :)
I hope balance gets hold of a gemini catamaran and uses it to design a true small catamaran, they build a good boat but they emphasize charter setups not livability
Hey Phil you can flick one over here and I'll broker it in Western Australia she is a beautiful lady you guys have built aye
If i win a lottery,ill buy half! My dream yatch that i can never afford😔
All it needs now is a washer and dryer then it’s set!
Hi Dane - she is getting one when she gets to the USA :)
Wow.
😍😍
Very nice looking sailing cat, I wonder how many of those looking at the 442 and 482 _HAD_ been looking at a certain other brand (starts with an "L") of catamaran before. A bit more expensive than that other brand but then they have _known_ problems.
"safer without propane"
I'm guessing y'all have never seen a lithium battery fail 🤔
482 can be better design on reality of wear n tear of ropes to different sails hidden n yet can be see n check for damage lines