Balance Catamarans has announced two models that are expected to launch in 2025 and 2026: the 502 Carbon Core and 464 Carbon Core, both of which are available with standard diesel engines or the new VersaDrive diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system.
The yard designed these models to accommodate the Integrel E- Drive hybrid propulsion system, to produce better after-end weight distribution, add battery and solar payload capacity, and increase power and speed with larger sail plans and carbon composite construction.
The Integrel E-Drive has dual 45 hp Yanmar diesel engines, and up to 30 kW of power charging and 40 hp of electric drive.
“While the hull window lines have changed a bit, the new models retain the same du Toit- styling DNA of our original models,” Phil Berman, president of Balance Catamarans, stated in a press release. “Classic, clean, bling-free and sleek. All the best features of our boats have been retained in these new designs, but we’ve supercharged performance voyaging by building these new models longer, leaner, faster and capable of carrying additional payloads without penalty.”
The boats also have a new carbon core framework, which is 100 percent carbon fiber. Bulkheads, partition boards, primary beams, chain plates, cabin soles, daggerboards and trunks, along with rudders, are full carbon construction. Real wood is used for the handmade cabinetry.
In terms of sailing components, these models have a high-performance-oriented forebeam, crossbeam and longeron, combined with a taller mast. All of that is intended to supercharge light-air and top-end sailing performance.
The VersaStern lets boaters fully secure the cockpit in a matter of seconds by lifting and attaching a door. To dock or simply leave the stern steps open, boaters drop the door over the engine hatch. This feature eliminates the need for washboards or stern screens to stop waves from coming into the cockpit, and helps to keep kids and animals safe.
A newly designed coach top carries molded airflow solar cavities and built-in handholds, while the stern ladder now deploys inside the transoms. The models also have Balance’s version of galley dish storage and a drying rack, while the master head’s vanity and toilet spaces have been expanded and improved. The salon entrance door is wider for increased ventilation, and the builder increased the forward stateroom’s ventilation with custom opening ports that can stay open at anchor, even when it’s raining.
For better visibility, Balance removed the central mullion post in the salon, and designed larger ventilation hatches and a bigger wind-catching salon roof hatch.
The interior décor has an Italian inspiration with frameless cabinets, a lounge-style salon with a convertible table, and a nav station that can double as an office with a hideaway charging station.
“At Balance, we have always valued innovation in design, seeing it as critical to driving change in an industry that tends to look backward,” Berman added. “The award-winning and widely copied VersaHelm is just one example. But of course, all the great things sailors love about Balance designs remain: the VersaHelm, all-glass windows, handmade cabinets, striking interior design, and the superb ergonomics of moving about Balance catamarans, outside and inside, and the smart ease of sailing hallmarks throughout the vessel.”
Take the next step: Click over to balancecatamarans.com.
