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BALI 4.5: A comfortable, capable and quick 45’ catamaran

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Catana have significantly updated their boats in recent years, and from 42’ to 70’, the yard’s catamarans continue to attract a demanding clientele tempted by top of the range models. To mark their 30th anniversary, the Catana Group widened their target market and launched a new range of multihulls: Bali. We were able to make the most of a delivery trip to the Barcelona boat show to test the 4.5, an innovative catamaran which has just strengthened an ever-expanding international market.

The Catana Family

In 1984 two pioneers, Jean-Pierre Prades and Thierry Goyard, created their first model (the 40) in the image of the Katana, a Samurai sword, and launched it into a small market. With limited resources, but lots of energy and vision in a developing sector, the duo (helped by an innovative Australian naval architect, Lock Crowther) shook up what, at the time, was essentially an Anglo-Saxon domain. Christophe Barreau took over successive designs following Crowther’s premature death, and continued the story with iconic models (the 44, 411, 471 and 582). Today the excellent 42 is the baby of the range, the 47’ remodeled with carbon has never been more attractive and the 55’ has reaffirmed the true capability of the luxurious 50’. For the 59’, 53’ and 70’, the builders wanted to retake control of the designs, collaborating with several talented designers, but under Catana’s own name.

Test Bali 4.5

The solid forward cockpit is not incompatible with good nacelle height and fine entry to the water

The Balis

Olivier Poncin, the “Admiral” of the Catana Group has personally invested in their design. Starting with a thorough analysis of international production and of the exp...

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