Cruising_World_2016-06-07

cruisingworld.com

99

june/july 2016

cruisingworld.com

99

T

he Catana Group has

carved out a niche as one

of France’s leading builders of

performance cruising catama-

rans. Last year the company

unveiled an entirely new line

of cats under the Bali banner,

including the 43-foot- 6 -inch

Bali 4.3 Loft, which made its

American debut at the U.S.

Sailboat Show in Annapolis,

Maryland, in October, and was

a nominee for the 2016 Boat of

the Year awards.

“They deserve kudos for

innovative thinking,” said

BOTY judge Alvah Simon.

“They’re trying to break down

a lot of established parameters

and paradigms in catamaran

design, and in doing so have

introduced several very, very

interesting ideas.”

Especially in terms of form

and function, the Bali 4.3 —

with an emphasis on an open

fl oor plan, the maximum

utility of onboard space and

plenty of related creature com-

forts — is a signifi cant depar-

ture from its Catana siblings,

which certainly provide cozy

accommodations but are

also serious sailing machines.

Relatively speaking, a Catana

is about getting there; the Bali

is about being there. I mean,

sure, a Harley-Davidson will

get you to all of the United

States’ wondrous national

parks. But once you’ve arrived,

what you want for a base camp

is a loaded RV.

That’s where this new yacht

comes in, because when it

comes to kicking back, the 4.3

Loft is locked and loaded.

This is evident in the central

feature of the Bali, the rather

elaborate drop-down transom

and lifting overhead door that

converts the deck layout from

a compartmentalized cock-

pit and main saloon into loft

mode, which entails a wide-

open indoor/outdoor patio

and porch with a straight-line

galley all the way forward (see

“Multiple Choices,” p. 92).

But designer Olivier Poncin,

in collaboration with architect

Xavier Fay and interior deco-

rator Couëdel Yacht Design,

didn’t stop there. Forward of

that unusually located galley,

the big front picture window

also opens, further obscuring

the delineation of inside and

outside spaces; in fair weather,

it allows a coursing fresh breeze

throughout the boat. And the

builders still weren’t fi nished,

as the area all the way forward,

between the hulls and right up

to the bows — where you’d fi nd

the trampolines on traditional

cats — has been decked over

and furnished with cushions

and settees. For a sailboat, it

gives new meaning to the term

“sun deck.”

Accomplishing all this pre-

sented two challenges to the

designers and builders. First,

they needed to generate lots

of electricity to run the vari-

ous motors (a pair is required

for the movable overhead

door and transom), appliances

(don’t forget the dishwasher

and optional washing machine

and air conditioning), windlass

and such. At the same time,

they had to be ultrasensitive to

saving weight in all that struc-

ture, as all those disparate and

wondrous goodies also rack

up displacement, and nobody

wants a heavy, sluggish cat.

The Bali 4.3 addresses the

power requirements in multiple

ways: a quartet of 100-watt

solar panels embedded in the

hardtop; a choice of 4-, 7.5- or

11-kilowatt generators; a bank

of fi ve house batteries and

two starter batteries for the

standard 40-horsepower Nanni

diesels (50-horsepower engines

are also available); and an extra

pair of optional alternators

(our test boat had the standard

50-amp alternator plus another

120-amp add-on). As for saving

weight, the build is light and

stiff thanks to the closed-

mold, resin-infused, foam-core

sandwich construction.

Unfortunately, on the day of

our sea trials, the breeze barely

ruffl ed the waters and we

didn’t get the opportunity to

put the boat through a proper

test. But our judges were still

unanimous on one point:

They’d never seen anything

quite like the Bali 4.3.

Herb McCormick is Cruising

World’s executive editor.

For more photos and model

specifi cations, go to cruising

world.com/1606bali.

BALI HIGH

AN INNOVATIVE NEW CAT FROM A WELL-ESTABLISHED FRENCH BOATYARD, THE WIDE-OPEN BALI 4.3 LOFT WAS

CREATED FOR HIGH TIMES AFLOAT.

BY HERB MCCORMICK

Contemporary cat builders have given a lot of thought to accommodations, and especial ly to making them as

roomy and comfortable as possible. Take this stateroom on the Bali 4.3 Loft. Thanks to three opening ports, there’s

an abundance of natural light and ventilation. The ample berth has side access, and there’s a nice shelf for books and

knickknacks. On a yacht with abundant creature comforts, this space is certainly in keeping with the overall theme.

LIGHT, AIRY AND OPEN

With a fl ybridge steering station employing a dedicated

bimini, the boom of the Bali 4.3 Loft is well off the water,

which in turn elevates the fully battened mainsail.

BALI 4.3 LOFT

BILLY BLACK