Bali 4.5: Designed for charter, but also appealing for private owners!

Catana set about designing a new charter-oriented range, the Bali, a little over three years ago. The first model, the 4.5, gave pride of place to innovations and a new way of living on board. It has been a success, given that 60 examples have so far been built. And the first models are now making their way onto the second hand market...

Appealing design

So what does a Bali 4.5 look like?  Firstly, it’s a very serious construction (this is Catana of course): polyester hulls, aluminum spars, but the daggerboards and their wells (classic Catana) have been replaced by skegs beneath the hulls... The finish is very neat; it definitely says Catana. The architect Xavier Faÿ and the Catana design team have opted for a rather generous and especially sleek sail plan. The mast follows the current trend, being set further aft, so as to maintain a large sail area for the self-tacking solent. The optional square-topped mainsail allows for an extra 2 m².  The hulls?  They adopt semicircular sections for a minimum wetted surface.  Note also the double step in the hull above the waterline. These ribs act as longitudinal stiffeners while providing a large volume over a good width of the hull. The main innovation with regard to the hydrodynamic part is the tunnel beneath the nacelle which starts at the bows, or almost. No more forward beam! The deck starts well forward of the coachroof.  This configuration does not favor the centering of weight, but creates a curved effect comparable to that of a giant ski. Making it pretty much ...