Bali 4.3 Loft

[CaliforniaGirl]

Have any of you looked at the Bali 4.3 Loft (by Catana) that was just introduced at the Paris Show?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn-mlTFT78c

Aside from that entirely-too-large American refrigerator/freezer, it's quite an intriguing design. The designers insist that replacing the trampoline with a sundeck won't hurt performance.

I wonder if there is a way to crank that garage-door opening up with a winch when it inevitably breaks. I'm not saying anything bad about it, it's just that EVERY moving part breaks eventually.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGirl

Aside from that entirely-too-large American refrigerator/freezer, it's quite an intriguing design. The designers insist that replacing the trampoline with a sundeck won't hurt performance.

I guess you mean the salesman insists... The designers are aware that solid deck is heavier than netting and that weight in the bow section is not ideal. Not necessarily bad for performance but for pitching and for pitch poling.
A couple of cats of the 70s followed this concept and then it disappeared.


This garage door thing looks cool. But as you state it will break down sooner or later. And will it work reliably with the boat moving and flexing heavily in a building storm or will you have the saloon completely exposed to the elements, possibly flooding the boat easily? Don't know...

Even if it works I doubt the door will be really watertight.

[Catalysis]

Oh my I would not like to be in that boat in the ocean.
To me it looks more like an RV than an ocean going catamaran.


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[PaulinOz]

I see the refrigerator as a good idea as long as it is AC running off an inverter and not a 12 volt DC unit. That means it will be efficient / frost free / cheap to replace down the track if required.

[Barra]

Having just copped head on and for reaching seas from a meltemi that arrived 24 hours earlier than forecast i for one would NEVER consider a cat without a decent tramp.

Far too many waves were coming through the tramp (and a few over the saloon roof) which did its job well. If that area was solid it would have been extremely uncomfortable at best and required a change of destination or downright dangerous at worst.

[monte]

Very cool design. Not really ocean going for so many reasons (no handrails moving foreword, chain locker in the bow! Etc etc) but a clever use of space and perfect for a weeks BVi charter which I guess is the main market. Solid foredecks have been around since production cats have been made (Prouts, heavenly twins etc) and many have circumnavigated so while it's doable, it wouldn't be my first choice for the trip

[tripletrouble]

Have any of you seen the drawings, etc. for the Bali 4.0 to be introduced at the Cannes Yacht Festival?

Rather chubby and top heavy looking but the perforemance data for her are superior to either the Lag39 or Leop40. I shall have to take a look see at one soon.

[g_3]

My mechanical brain is dying to know how they designed that rear door to close so slowly. It's an engineering masterpiece.

[salticrak]

Gin and palace come to mind.

[serpa4]

Two reviews on the Bali 4.5 which has the same foredeck. Seems to be fine. PDF review was in less than ideal conditions.

Bali 4.5 Catamaran Review and Test Sail

http://catamaranguru.com/images/pdf/Bali_Review.pdf

[Seaslug Caravan]

Out of interest , what does the 4.3 stand for?
Maybe the height of the cabin in meters?

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Out of interest , what does the 4.3 stand for?

It's the new amerometric numerical system. Privilege is doing it with the Series 5 and 6 and Outremer has the 5X. It's a French thing.

[tripletrouble]

You know, I have gotten such negative comments on the Bali 4.x series of sail catamarans I beginning to wonder should I forego the sails entirely and just go to the 4.3MY or something similar?

[Factor]

I would, that thing isn't going to sail out of sight on a dark night with a cyclone up its posterior

[brownoarsman]

I noticed be referred to it as driving rather than sailing ... Because of course cats motor all the time!

*flees thread*

But I expect it will do great in the charter market, and the next time my friends and I go down, it will probably be on the list of boats we consider. That sun deck looks awesome for a week in the islands!


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