Is purchase BALI CATAMARAN ?

[Franziska]

The above. Exactly.

Plus a production boats development cost is spread across several hundred, rarely very low 1000's of boats built from a specific model.
Development time is very often just a year.

Compare to that a cars development, very often much more time from the very first sketch.
Modular base systems for several models.
A cars development cost is spread over 100000's of cars sold.
Many many highly specialized people involved in development.

So, while boats might sometimes cost similar amounts to high end cars and the clients expect the same level of perfection due to this, it's very hard to achieve when looking at development budgets and the size of the development teams.

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[sgraham2092]

Originally Posted by Clevermoray

Any Bali models have a polar diagram plan?

I have a Predict Wind data hub and it’s building the Polar for my 4.2 as I sail. Every charter I’ve seen never has a code zero or Spinnaker…. So they are ill equipped with the sails needed to go places. If you’re just going to tool around with the Self tacking jib and main then you’ll sail up to about 7 knots in the right wind and point of sail.

Add a Code Zero and life changes dramatically, the boat becomes more balanced and performs well. You can then get the boat moving quite a bit more. The fastest I’ve seen mine move was 14 knots but part of that was surfing down a swell.

Most importantly my wife is happy and on the boat with me. So whether we are motoring, moving 3 knots or 10 knots it doesn’t really matter.

I’ve also taken mine on passage from Nassau to NC (800nm) with a stop to check into the US in Charleston. Performed great even beating into the wind… of course motoring but you could sit at the helm and not get wet because of the solid foredeck and with out slamming. I’ve had it out in 8 ft seas at all points of sail. No slamming.

If there’s one thing to gripe about it’s Catana’s customer service(I think that’s a French thing) and the Schrieber water, fuel, blackwater tank monitoring system is garbage.

[Xavierp]

Originally Posted by Clevermoray

Hi everyone, what do you think about this brand?
Does anyone have experience with any of the models and are there any problems?


Thanks...

I was in the market for a new one and the Facebook user group completely discouraged me as it seems that the warranty is pretty much unusable because the company doesn’t get back to you. And the brokers, well, once they want to sell more than to help fix.

[sgraham2092]

I understand that and I think unless you buy an HH or something custom or not made in France or Africa you'll run into that... whether is FP and their blistering problem with gelcoat, Bali and the fact that they didn't rough the gelcoat before applying epoxy barrier coat to the bottom(it came off in sheets with the pressure washer), or Lagoon and their bulkhead issue which I think they still say isn't really an issue and would have likely done nothing about if it hadn't been for Colin on Parlay and the fact that he was so popular on the interwebs.... they all have some type of issue that is problematic.

Just saying they'll be problems regardless which boat you buy. It is the nature of them.

[LAGERTHA]

Bravo..sgraham2092. We love and enjoy ours also. Ditto your comments and evaluation. To the Op and the most recent prospective buyer...don't be discourage by the naysayers out there and those that have simply charter a Bali for a few days or the "Marine Provider" contingent out there that see these boats at their worst. They are safe, they sail well, they are spacious. Ours is a 2018, and its like new or better. All and all, I mean all systems are functional and performing as they should. Its not a performance Cat, however, we did not want one. It was, and is the best choice for us! Do your do diligence and decide what you want. Just know, No matter what, there is an elitist group out here (This thread and others) that that will attempt to discredit or poo poo your comments...and then there is a faction that wonders why no responses or generate threads generally in the forum. Finally, I have to say that our personal list had many many pros and out way the cons. Go for it.

[MarkyB]

Originally Posted by creudelsud

I'm a Bali 4.8 owner

Hi there

My recent experience with Bali producers moved me to post this.
In short: very poor service and a sort of attitude I would not accept in my company. They don't care about their customers and users. Period.

Our boat was delivered new in their base in Med France, with months of delay forcing us to charter a boat for that summer as. Bad beginning. Our Bali 4.8 had problems since new. Most minor but bothering like stopping ACs, interior lights going crazy because of the domotic system not working well, throttle cables not well installed getting no neutral position, foam of the exterior matresses desintegrating in months, etc etc.

The layout of the boat is great with very few drawbacks like the poor ventilation in the cabins.

The main bad thing is the execution: poor materials and poor or average installations. Noisy, etc. The same design with a higher standard would make the almost perfect cat.

Would I buy it again? Nope.

Now things are all of them almost fixed and the boat is not luxurious but extremely confortable and safe. It pitches on sail way way less than any other I have sailed even with his (great) forward solid terrace instead of net.

What to buy then and now? Honestly, I don't know. I've heard also really bad things about Lagoon on their bigger boats and also bad or worse for FPs.

I have sailed FP 38, FP 41, Leopard 40, Leopard 45 and Bali 4.8. Among them the best execution I saw is the Leopard 45 whereas the Leopard 40 had unacceptable problems, being the 45 new and the 40 one year old. On the 40 I had water leaks on rain, both waterpumps for the engines exploded at the same time (yan 27hp), boom cleat coming out its place. On the 45 I had no issues I can remember. On the FPs I sailed shorter periods and no issues but they were poorly equipped (no gen, no AC, no watermakers, no nothing).

It sadly seems that the boat makers are, most of them if not all, light years behind car manufacturers. Why? No idea. At the end of the day they assemble parts from Yanmar, Raymarine, Eno, etc etc. Why are they so plenty of mistakes on production? I cannot figure out.

With this info I wish next owners to push more on the quality delivered and after sales service which is simply unacceptable.

May I ask what year was your Bali 4.8? I heard they adjusted the interior and craftmanship in the 2022 and above!