Nick and Megan cruise full time aboard their own production catamaran, a Leopard 46 named Clarity, so they know the difference between a clever idea and a gimmick. While anchored in the remote Ragged Islands of the southern Bahamas, they got talking to the owners of a Balance 526 named Galileo, accepted an invitation to go sailing, and came away with a list. Not of complaints, but of eleven design features they now believe every catamaran builder should adopt. Here is what won them over.
The helm everyone is starting to copy
Their headline feature was the VersaHelm, the single steering position that raises for a commanding view forward and the sails, then drops into a protected position when the weather turns. They framed it as the neatest answer they have seen to an old design conflict: how to put the helmsman in the right place for visibility, sail trim and engine control without eating the cockpit. Tellingly, they noted the idea is already being picked up by other high-end builders such as Outremer. That matters, because it is exactly the trickle down they look for when judging whether a feature is genuinely good or merely new.
Built to be sailed well
Much of their list came down to sailing hardware that makes a fast boat easy to handle.
They liked the German sheeting, two sheets running to the boom end rather than a mainsheet traveller, which they find simpler to adjust under load. They liked the self tacking jib, which owner Todd Harff called wonderful for short tacking in a channel, where you simply turn the helm and go. They liked the hay racks alongside the boom, which support the flaked mainsail, hold the lazy jacks clear so the full length battens do not snag, and double as a standing platform. And they liked the aluminium bowsprit, run all the way back to the bridgedeck so compression loads are handled properly, with multiple pad eyes for a Code Zero or asymmetric spinnaker, and the practical virtue of being easy to repair.
The numbers backed up the praise. In just under 15 knots of true wind, with the optional daggerboards only halfway down, Galileo was making around 11 knots through the water at an apparent wind angle of roughly 35 to 38 degrees, and doing it smoothly enough that Megan was not holding on to anything.
Built to last, and to look after
Several features were about ownership over the long haul rather than performance. They singled out the flat tempered glass at the helm, which is strong, easy to see through, and straightforward to replace if it is ever damaged. They praised the decision to paint the epoxy laminate hull rather than rely on gel coat, on the grounds that paint is easier to maintain and wears better over years of sun and salt. And they pointed to the flush daggerboards, which keep the side decks clear and uncluttered, as a sign of a boat designed by people who walk their own decks.
Living aboard
Inside, they highlighted the layout choice of putting the master stateroom forward and the head aft, which improves air circulation through the front of the boat. They were honest about the trade offs, too, and so are we. The forward master means sleeping athwartship rather than fore and aft, which suits some sailors more than others. And they felt the interior living space is relatively modest for a boat of this length, a fair observation about a performance cruiser that carries its volume differently from a production charter cat.
The honest part: price
The 526 they sailed was creeping up on 1.7 million dollars delivered. The reviewers were candid that this is a serious sum, and equally clear about why: this is a semi custom boat, not a production one, and the price reflects it. Their own philosophy is that the best boat is the one you can afford to go sailing in now, which is why they happily return to Clarity. But they did not hide the boat envy, and their closing thought was the one that matters for any owner weighing the cost. The innovations on boats like this are the ones that, in time, the rest of the market comes to expect.
The verdict
It is rare for a review to be built entirely around things to admire. An experienced cruising couple sailed the Balance 526, compared it against their own catamaran and years of ocean miles, and walked away with a wishlist drawn almost entirely from one boat. That is the clearest kind of endorsement there is.
With thanks to Todd and Judy Harff, owners of Galileo, for taking them sailing. You can watch the The O’Kellys full feature here: BALANCE 526 – 11 FEATURES WE LOVE
For another perspective on the Balance 526, here is another independent review by Nick and Terysa, the cruising couple behind Sailing Ruby Rose: What One Couple Found When Searching for the Perfect Catamaran.
Stay in balance.
