“The Balance 580 was anchored a stone’s throw from Cannes’ famous Carlton Hotel. Like many of the multihulls around us, this new South African-built model was waiting to take its place at the Cannes Yachting Festival. Seeing it from the tender, there was no doubt about it: the target market segment is undoubtedly fast cruising, as evidenced by the very taut lines, the inverted bows, the sleek cutter rig with its three headsails with electric furling systems, the bridgedeck clearance and finally a discreet coachroof with no flybridge… All indicators of a desire for speed, ease of handling, and elegance. Phillip Berman, former Hobie Cat world champion and founder of Balance Catamarans, extended us a warm welcome. He was quick to confirm these very ambitious specifications, which can be summed up in a few words: making speed accessible to all (not financially, unfortunately…), while enjoying total comfort and a very high level of safety. This was a status that Phil had developed for himself from the very beginning of the Balance adventure in 2014: he already wanted to go fast, sailing two-handed…….”
