Quite simply, the Bali catamaran range offers the innovative enclosed bow concept to allow more usable space!
To date 26 Bali cats have crossed the Atlantic delivered by skippers and crews to new owners in the USA and the Caribbean and more to other parts of the globe. Not once have any crews given any bad feed back whatsoever regarding the built in front section being unsafe in rough seas and taking on too much water.
The `Bali Bashing’ feed-back from Bali’s competitors is no different than competitors’ reactions to any other new boat design concept. They see the significant advantages of an enclosed bow and react in the only way they know how. They are worried.
As mentioned Bali Catamarans are designed and built by Catana, one of the leaders in fast cruising catamaran manufacturing. They are CE certified and ICNN certified as well in Module B+ C or D if required. They are measured as being perfectly safe in all conditions – not more and not less than anyone else!
But wait there’s more – a further huge advantage with the fully enclosed forward cockpit is that it prevents waves from slamming or crashing on to the front bay windows as would happen on other catamarans with a trampoline.
The fact that the boat has a significant sloping angle under the bow (see picture attached) means the full front section of the vessel provides added support when passing through a large wave or when going down a wave – as found on a power cat. Power cats don’t have trampolines at all and they travel a lot faster than a sailing catamaran and they have no problems at all with safety.
Top international sailor Christophe Vanek has raced extensively on 50′- 90′ catamarans across the Atlantic at speeds of 25 kts +. ‘Our biggest nightmare when sailing at such speeds was for the leeward hull to dig into a big wave – and because of the trampoline there was nothing at all for the hull to stop digging in and stopping the boat dead. The Bali Catamarans have a very high bow section, the clearance at the front of the Bali 4.3 is 1.7 m, no wave is going to drop on top of the boat!’, Vanek commented.
A few measurements facts – the platform clearance under the Bali 4.3 is 70 cm; the clearance on a Leopard 44 is the same; the Lagoon 450 is 74 cm and a new Leopard 40 is 70 cm when completely empty.
Fountaine Pajot has now reduced their trampoline section at the front of their new models so they too can offer more usable space – it’s catching on, and rumour has it others will follow!
Please find video clips on the Bali Range – one of them of a Bali 4.5 crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
Bali 4.5 Sailing in Strong winds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVsucaLj818
Bali 4.5 Crossing the Atlantic Ocean , Big seas , strong conditions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVea6Mz9h9Q
Bali 4.3 review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGWalhayLk