What makes a performance catamaran truly exceptional on the water? It starts long before the sails go up — it starts with the hull.
In Episode 2 of Catamaran Conversations, Balanced Catamarans founder Phil Berman sits down with naval architect Patrick Shaughnessy of Farr Yacht Design and sailing journalist Herb McCormick to explore the exterior design decisions that set Balanced Catamarans apart. The conversation is wide-ranging, expert-driven, and packed with insight for anyone serious about owning a world-class performance cruiser.
Clean Hulls, Confident Sailing
Patrick Shaughnessy puts it plainly: a well-designed hull should instill confidence in its crew. The hull shapes on Balanced Catamarans are clean, free of bumps or strakes that create unwanted noise and slamming. The carefully considered flare gives each hull the reserve buoyancy it needs to handle heel and displacement shifts gracefully — so the boat feels composed in whatever sea state you find yourself in.
The Beam Question
Beam-to-length ratio is one of the most debated dimensions in catamaran design. Phil and Patrick agree that around 50% of waterline length is the sweet spot — enough to generate strong righting moment and sail power, without the instability that comes from excessive beam. It’s a balance (no pun intended) between performance and practicality.
Bridgedeck Clearance & Windage: The Eternal Trade-Off
More clearance means a quieter, more comfortable ride — but it also means more freeboard, more fiberglass, more weight, and more windage. Phil walks through why Balanced Catamarans targets between 2.5 and 3.5 feet of clearance, and how every inch of additional height has real consequences for performance upwind.
The VersaHelm™: Form Meets Function
One of the most distinctive features of any Balanced Catamaran is the VersaHelm™ — a convertible helm station that raises for open-air sailing and lowers to create a protected, fully enclosed cockpit in foul weather. Patrick calls it a solution that delivers “almost all of the goodness and very little of the badness.” At anchor, with the top open and the bimini retracted, the boat simply looks stunning — uncluttered, purposeful, and clean.
Aesthetics That Age Well
From the angular hull windows to the diamond-shaped cabin glazing, every visual detail on a Balanced Catamaran is designed to be functional and timeless. And because every Balanced is semi-custom, your boat will look like no one else’s.
Watch Episode 2 of Catamaran Conversations to hear the full discussion — and discover why the decisions made on the outside of these boats are just as deliberate as everything within.
