While I can only ever dream of owning one, these cats are stunningly beautiful. They would be my first and only choice as the means to sailing around the world!
The changes look good. Frameless cabinets are an improvement. The Versa Stern Door is a good design that simultaneously shields against following seas and enables safer access to the engine compartment when engines seem more likely to fail in higher seas. The window change seems good, and the Integrel hybrid looks good. Nice to see continual improvements. As before, the design decisions seem intelligent and well-informed by experience. If the solar panels still can't be walked on, then the flush mounting is arguably cosmetic, however, and represent somewhat of a hazard. Yes, walkable panels are less efficient, but they're vastly more practical. We continue to disagree about that choice.
These look stunning inside and out, i feel the lack of a nice lounging area in the bow is the only thing that disappoints me, especially with a modern design, lounging in the sun at anchor is life!
Interestingly, we used to have a sort of built in lounge near the front of the wet deck, but learned that our owners liked to have the best rest against the lockers on deck with feet out on the tramp. So lounging up front is super simply with just a back cushion.
Has anyone seen this hybrid 'solution' working yet. Only CAD drawings seem to exist. Interesting to see what real-world figures this 'innovation' provides.
@@totomaxim No, nobody has yet seen this hybrid solution working yet! At least not on a fully operating boat. But the actual product has been in use and tested for nearly three years in RD efforts in the UK. At the Annapolis Show we had an example of the new product on display. We are installing the first Integrel E-Drive on a Balance 580 later this year. Just as we were the first to adopt the Integrel alternators some 5 years ago. I do tend to be cautious and leery of new things, but I am convinced that the E-drive will offer the best hybrid solution to date. And we have found Integrel, as a partner in innovation, to be a great company to work with. The game changer for me is less that it can operate under diesel and electric power, but that it can charge at up to 15KW per engine when the diesel is running. That is crazy fast charging and a game changer for efficient power generation. Stay tuned and we will be sharing videos and information on the new E-drive in the months ahead. Go well.
Epoxy is indeed the best resin you can use and we use it on the 526, 580 and 750. The problem with epoxy is that it is not only a more costly resin over others, but requires More labor to work with. This is why you will see very few production sailboats made with epoxy. The next best thing is vinylester resin, which we employ on the 464 and 502. At some point, the choices of resins and glasses is centered around cost and value.
absolutely not. Transom doors and washboards have been a thing for ages. Richard Bransons old catamaran 'necker belle' had the exact same mechanism that HH copied, and the same design can be found on numerous other semi custom boats. Balance have had removeable washboards since the Nexus days.
I have no idea what you deem to be cheap about e-glass, or the heavily carbon reinforced catamarans we craft. Our new 464 and 502 carry an entire substructure of carbon. From a value standpoint there is nothing on the market that comes close to our 464 or 502 in quality of materials. On our 526, 580 and 750 we offer them all in a full carbon construction, but of course that costs a good bit more money. The negative of carbon hulls is that they tend to be a bit noisier underway, whereas e-glass dampens the sound a bit more.
While I can only ever dream of owning one, these cats are stunningly beautiful. They would be my first and only choice as the means to sailing around the world!
loser
Can’t wait to sail the world on one in a few years. The innovation and build quality is second to none. My boat of choice? The new 464!
Whoever came up with the idea to have the versa door fold down this way instead of that way deserves a raise
Quite nice indeed. HH makes one that drops down extending the bathing platform, which is also smart.
@FXPL9277 sugarscoops exist for a reason, try getting out of your HH44 when your docked stern to and unable to fold open your transom 😂
The changes look good. Frameless cabinets are an improvement. The Versa Stern Door is a good design that simultaneously shields against following seas and enables safer access to the engine compartment when engines seem more likely to fail in higher seas. The window change seems good, and the Integrel hybrid looks good.
Nice to see continual improvements.
As before, the design decisions seem intelligent and well-informed by experience.
If the solar panels still can't be walked on, then the flush mounting is arguably cosmetic, however, and represent somewhat of a hazard. Yes, walkable panels are less efficient, but they're vastly more practical. We continue to disagree about that choice.
The cat looks great, can't wait to see the end product. All the best.
hobby horse heaven
These look stunning inside and out, i feel the lack of a nice lounging area in the bow is the only thing that disappoints me, especially with a modern design, lounging in the sun at anchor is life!
Interestingly, we used to have a sort of built in lounge near the front of the wet deck, but learned that our owners liked to have the best rest against the lockers on deck with feet out on the tramp. So lounging up front is super simply with
just a back cushion.
The Integral Hybrid Solution is great because of the separation in a watertight compartment and the use of reliable diesel engines and sail drives.
Has anyone seen this hybrid 'solution' working yet. Only CAD drawings seem to exist. Interesting to see what real-world figures this 'innovation' provides.
@@totomaxim Intergral E-Drive 15
integrelsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/E-DRIVE.pdf
@@totomaxim No, nobody has yet seen this hybrid solution working yet! At least not on a fully operating boat. But the actual product has been in use and tested for nearly three years in RD efforts in the UK. At the Annapolis Show we had an example of the new product on display.
We are installing the first Integrel E-Drive on a Balance 580 later this year. Just as we were the first to adopt the Integrel alternators some 5 years ago. I do tend to be cautious and leery of new things, but I am convinced that the E-drive will offer the best hybrid solution to date. And we have found Integrel, as a partner in innovation, to be a great company to work with. The game changer for me is less that it can operate under diesel and electric power, but that it can charge at up to 15KW per engine when the diesel is running. That is crazy fast charging and a game changer for efficient power generation. Stay tuned and we will be sharing videos and information on the new E-drive in the months ahead. Go well.
I'd like to know what the numbers are, hull beam/length ratio, displacement, sail area, and prismatic coefficient etc.
Absolutely: balancecatamarans.com/464-2/
Isn’t epoxy a better resin? Why not use it?
Epoxy is indeed the best resin you can use and we use it on the 526, 580 and 750. The problem with epoxy is that it is not only a more costly resin over others, but requires
More labor to work with. This is why you will see very few production sailboats made with epoxy. The next best thing is vinylester resin, which we employ on the 464 and 502. At some point, the choices of resins and glasses is centered around cost and value.
Believe HH 44 came with the stern solution first.
absolutely not. Transom doors and washboards have been a thing for ages. Richard Bransons old catamaran 'necker belle' had the exact same mechanism that HH copied, and the same design can be found on numerous other semi custom boats. Balance have had removeable washboards since the Nexus days.
made with cheap arse e-glass. Multi million dollar boat not acceptable. Taking advantage of the dumb arse cat market!
Call your mother and ask her to help you soothe your toddlers tantrum
I have no idea what you deem to be cheap about e-glass, or the heavily carbon reinforced catamarans we craft. Our new 464 and 502 carry an entire substructure of carbon. From a value standpoint there is nothing on the market that comes close to our 464 or 502 in quality of materials.
On our 526, 580 and 750 we offer them all in a full carbon construction, but of course that costs a good bit more money. The negative of carbon hulls is that they tend to be a bit noisier underway, whereas e-glass dampens the sound a bit more.
Using carbon at structure supports is a wise use of materials.
Love the skylight hatch in the salon. Wish there was more so you can see the mainsail. Don’t like the portals in the windows.