Issue #: 206
Published: April / May 2026
- Price per issue - digital : 6.50€Digital magazine
- Price per issue - print : 9.50€Print magazine
- Price with subscription : from 2.91€Subscribe
We had the opportunity to discover the brand-new Balance 502 in a world premiere at the Miami International Boat Show (MIBS). This new model from Balance Catamarans is taking over from the 482.
Named TigerLily, it has just arrived from South Africa. On board, skipper Phoebe - a member of the Outer Passage team - is preparing to set sail for the Bahamas for the coming months, before heading back up to Maine in the summer of 2026.
Built in the Cape Town factory, the 502 incorporates Integrel Versadrive technology, marking its second application for Balance. True to the shipyard's DNA, it retains the brand's iconic features: carbon fiber transom, sliding wheel steering, sleek and elegant hulls… while also introducing a host of new innovations. Among them are stern skirts equipped with folding "doors," designed to enhance safety at sea and at anchor, especially with children on board.
A full review will be available in an upcoming issue!
Builder: Balance Catamarans
Length: 50’ (15.25 m)
Beam: 25’11” (7.9 m)
Draft: 3’10”/7’5” (1.16/2.27 m)
Displacement: 28,220 lbs (12.8 t)
Mainsail: 1,029 sq ft (95.63 m²)
Self-tacking jib: 423 sq ft (39.31 m²)
Drivetrain: 2 x 45 HP and 2 x 15 kW (option)
Fuel: 211 US gal (800 l)
Price: $1,799,500 ex-tax
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