Bali CATSPACE Review

topRik team dedicated this review to the smallest catamaran of the French Catana Group – 40-foot (12-meter) sailboat Bali CATSPACE Sail.

We talk about our own experience of testing this double-hull sailboat, provide excerpts from reviews by famous yachtsmen and illustrate the story with photos, layout plans and videos.

topRik experts have repeatedly tested cats from Catana Group, or rather, from the Bali Catamarans shipyard. You might want to check our reviews on sailing yachts Bali 4.2, 4.4 and 4.6: in each of these reviews, we talked about the creation and development of a mass-produced catamaran brand that quickly gained recognition on the world stage.

Suffice to say that the shipyard sold its first hundred hulls in just less than two years, and its boats became champions and nominees of prestigious competitions. Why go far: the hero of this review is Bali CATSPACE Sail was included in the small list of 2022 Best Boat Nominees, standing on the same level as such recognized heavyweights as Lagoon Catamaran, Fountaine-Pajot, Leopard Catamarans and other well-deserved names in yacht building.

To be fair, this list of 2022 Best Boat nominees included three more Bali katas – 4.2, 4.6 and 4.8. If we remember the situation of the previous year and the cancellation of public events, it is easy to understand why the competition of the best in 2022 attracted so many eminent contenders.

The reason for this breakthrough of a relatively young brand to the forefront lies in the history of Catana Group and the commitment of its naval architects to find new engineering solutions to improve the seaworthiness of the boats.

At the time of the launch the new Catana Group brand already had 30 years of experience designing and building multihull superyachts as well as racing cats, so it is not surprising that Bali Catamarans was able to make a worthy contribution to the development of sailing cruisers intended for the mass consumer. In many ways, these innovations force the eminent jury of yachting competitions to pay they tribute -moreover, along with renowned manufacturers, the brand is dictating trends in the further development of naval architecture of multihulls.

It is enough to at least remember the history of the introduction of forward and reverse stems, which are designed to cut through the wave, and not crash into it. They first appeared on racing boats along with thinning hulls, and then began to appear in cruiser designs. Bali Catamarans is one of the first mass manufacturers to design narrow hulls with a reverse stem. This innovation doesn’t just give the yachts an aggressive look – it improves their performance. Yes, this is not a racer, but who would dare to say that speed and maneuverability are superfluous properties for a sailing cruiser?

Bali Catamarans introduced another innovation to the development of multihull design trends - moving the mast to the stern. Here, the brand’s marine engineers played in tune with the Lagoon Catamarans developers.

After all, for those who do not have experience in sailing catas or trimarans, the size and weight of the mainsail for such vessels can drive them into panic mode. But such dimensions of the sailing equipment help to withstand the loads during gusts of wind - after all, multihulls do not heel like ordinary sailboats.

Moving the mast to the stern allows you to use a narrower and taller mainsail that is smaller in area (and therefore lighter), and the area of the sail rig is increased due to the larger foretriangle area and headsail. After all, it is easier to furl the jib than to reef the mainsail, and it is easier to unfurl the jib than to pull the mainsail to the top of the mast.

The helm station located on the flybridge must provide a better view of not only the panorama around the yacht, but also the sailing equipment compared to the layout with the helm (or even a double helm) in the cockpit. And since the helm station is partially duplicated in the saloon in the form of a full-fledged navigation panel, operating the yacht and monitoring the operation of its equipment becomes much easier and more convenient.

Well, if we are talking about a cruiser, you cannot miss such a trend as increasing living space, as well as recreational space in volume and area. When it comes to this, Bali CATSPACE Sail is the leader among catamarans of the same size, including even the famous Lagoon Catamarans. Even the name of this vessel emphasizes one of the main tasks that the developers faced.

Therefore, all the techniques that help expand the comfort zones for passengers are used here: a bathing platform, a raised social area, a forward cockpit with soft benches and tables, a covered bow deck, completely dedicated to a sunbathing area, seamless “open” conceptual structures in which voluminous “garage doors” give way to continuous spaces between the saloon and the cabin... Bali CATSPACE Sail responds to one of the main trends in the development of cruising boats: it is a place for a large group of people first, and for individuals second.

Not least important for increasing the space on this catamaran was the shape of the chines, due to which the upper part of the yacht was expanded to create additional internal volume. However, the relatively narrow shape of the hulls below the waterline remained unchanged to improve seaworthiness.

Features of Bali CATSPACE Sail

Virtual tour

Review of Bali CATSPACE Sail by topRik Team

So that you can see the full picture of the areas that the Bali CATSPACE Sail’s owner has at his disposal, let's start the review of this catamaran by topRik team with the main deck layout plan.

Some might say: “Why is the bathing platform so small?” Everything is known in comparison: it is not a small platform, but a rather large yacht that makes it look this way. The size of the platform is quite sufficient for swimming and for transporting an inflatable motor boat. Here you can install an outboard folding ladder for descending into the water, as well as a bracket for attaching the dinghy.

Two large islands of the platform on the sides are given over to the beach; and the middle, even larger part, is used for the tender.

As you can see in the photo above, the Bali body CATSPACE Sail is self-draining, but it is difficult for us to imagine a wave going over the sides with a reasonable skipper on board. By the way, the design of the boat is certified by the CE system in category A, that is, Bali CATSPACE Sail is designed for the open sea and ocean.

Inside the Cockpit

The cockpit can be entered from both sides. And as usual with Bali, initially it does not make the right impression: just a relatively narrow part of the deck with a soft sofa along the middle part of the stern with a narrow passage between this sofa and the door if it is closed.

That's it: if it's closed! But as soon as we lift it, we see, if not a wide panorama, then an expanse that cannot be covered in one glance. In the photo below, this was not possible - a rather voluminous part of the interior is still hidden from view, which includes... But stop, let's finish with the cockpit. Moreover, from this angle there is an excellent view of the seating area in the cockpit, as well as this unique garage-type door, which has already received it’s own name...

How did you guess?! Exactly! This is the legendary Bali door. Talking about the contribution to the development trends in the construction of cruise catamarans and innovative solutions - for the brand, this innovative door has already become an integral part of its DNA.

In the photo above you see the option when the Bali door is raised and the windows on the sides are moved. But if part of your cruise is in cold waters, simply lower the door and bolt down the windows and hatches. You will have the opportunity to create a warm climate in the saloon, further facilitated by the heating system, which can be installed here if desired.

Inside the Saloon

Well, it’s time to take a step and finally go into the saloon. And yet as you move through the saloon, you will not encounter a single step or change in the elevation. The loft-style saloon starts immediately from the bathing platform.

And in this form, the purpose of the cockpit immediately changes - it becomes one with this huge saloon, not all areas of which are visible from the door. The first thing a passenger sees after entering is a large social area with a sofa to starboard and a dining area to port. The dining area includes a large folding table and an L-shaped sofa flanking the table.

If necessary, the dining area can be transformed into a large sleeping area by lowering the table and covering it with an additional mattress. Don't forget to check if there are any bottles left in the desk drawer located in the middle of the tabletop.

Ready meals are transferred to the saloon through the galley bar counter. If you look carefully at the previous photos of the interior, you will see it far on the horizon. But we won’t test your patience and test your visual acuity. This is what this part of the saloon looks like if you approach the bar counter.

There is a part of the mast running through here that does not get in the wat at all; on the contrary, it can serve as a support during maneuvers. On the starboard side, there is an L-shaped galley, part of which in the form of a large refrigerator, freezer and wine cellar is located near the bar counter - on the starboard side. Yes, this large cabinet in wood lining is a refrigerator with a freezer, and behind it is a temperature-controlled wine cellar (optional).

The rest of the galley equipment is no less serious: a stove with a choice of operating principles, an oven, a sink with the ability to connect a dishwasher, as well as drawers and shelves for storing dishes and other kitchen utensils.

On the left side, right in front of the windshield you have a full-fledged chart table. Some owners nowadays are subject to newfangled trends that are ready to sweep this attribute out of the interiors of any yachts, but here the architects played it safe.

Bali Catamarans’ developers put passenger safety first, starting from the absence of sharp corners and the presence of strong handrails throughout the entire “territory” of the yacht. And of course, they couldn’t refuse an area where the skipper can store his paper charts, work out the sailing route and control the operation of all Bali CATSPACE Sail equipment directly from the saloon.

The owner can equip this helm station in exactly the same way as the main one, which is located on the flybridge, with the exception of the helm (although this is not certain, since Bali Catamarans are a surprise upon a surprise).

Exploring the Cabins

Bali CATSPACE allows you to choose a 3-cabin or 4-cabin version. In the first case, one of the floats is completely dedicated to the master cabin. A layout plan of the 4-cabin version is presented below.

In both versions, the forepeaks can be used as crew cabins if the crew is to be hired.

Despite the small size of the cat, the owner's cabin can be compared to a full-fledged luxury hotel room: with a bedroom, living room and hall.

A comfortable bathroom completes the interior of the master cabin. Here you have everything you need, including a washbasin, shower and toilet.

Guest cabins have comfortable double beds, plenty of storage space, and each has a private bathroom

The midship cabins receive natural light and fresh air through skylights.

And the cabins on the sides - through opening portholes.

On the Flybridge

We return to the saloon, go towards the cockpit and take any of the side ladders to the flybridge.

And we notice that here most of the area is intended for recreation instead of work. Just compare this sunpad area behind the skipper with his workplace. Well, yes, you could say that the working area extends to the roof of the cabin and to the entire sailing installation.

But the fact remains: the area occupied by the helm station is significantly smaller than this huge space, which on the flybridge is intended for sunbathing or other pleasant pastime.

The helm station is equipped with a comfortable skipper's chair and a bimini overhead, which has a window covered with transparent film to keep an eye on the sails. This cat is so compact that all the winches are within hand’s reach. Both the helm panel and the helm itself are located at a convenient distance - everything is thought out to the smallest detail.

The saturation of the helm panel with navigation equipment and indicators is the owner’s concern, but the list of standard equipment is impressive, and the optional equipment is even more so.

At the Foredeck

We go down to the side deck along the right or left ladder and head to the bow of the ship. Wow, look at that seating space!

Here you can sunbathe, set up sun loungers along the entire raised part in front of the saloon window, or you can organize a pleasant evening enjoying drinks on the benches covered with mattresses.

The hatches you see on the side decks are the entrances to the forepeaks, as well as the ceiling hatches in the cabins.

At the very bow, between two benches, there is a chain box with an anchor installation.

Steel lifelines are attached to strong rails, and there are seats in the bow of each hull on both sides.

This hard covering of the bow deck is another feature of the Bali catamaran line.

Performance at the Sea

Although the length of Bali CATSPACE Sail is slightly over 12 meters, the boom is conveniently low, all the winches are side by side, and the sailing rig includes automatic furling of the jib; it is still difficult to handle such a cat alone if the skipper does not have sufficient experience in sailing solo on such yachts. So, a skipper with one assistant is the minimum crew for this baby, unless we are talking about professional sailors. However, in good weather, an assistant may only be needed when raising the sails and during mooring, as in the case of testing this cat by the toprik team. Of course, if you are docked in a crowded marina, you will need an assistant, even if you have rear view cameras.

We tested the cat not during the high season and our skipper is an experienced sailor who at one time single-handedly transported yachts not only in the Mediterranean, so there were no difficulties with mooring and unmooring, as well as in setting the sails.

The weather was conducive (not to say “forced”) for leisurely movement - we regretted the absence of Code 0, but it was not up to us, so we simply recorded a speed of 5 knots in a wind of 15 knots.

But the lack of wind and waves did not stop us from enjoying driving Bali CATSPACE Sail - a well-thought-out arrangement of winches, a sensitive steering wheel, sailing equipment (albeit without Code 0) did their job. Everyone who stood at the helm that day could feel the unity with this yacht and its response to every movement. It's been a while since a sailboat has given topRik experts the opportunity to have so much fun without much effort.

Advantages of Bali CATSPACE

This, of course, is not a sporty boat, but the skipper will fully enjoy driving this sailing vessel. Bali CATSPACE Sail is, first of all, a yacht that is safe for its passengers and crew, and secondly, it is comfortable for both ordinary passengers and those at the helm.

The third advantage of this sailing catamaran is that it is designed for relaxation, more relaxation, and, yes, even more relaxation. The entire area of all three decks is dedicated to this, with the exception of several work areas that take up minimal amount of space.

From the flybridge to the cabins, everybody on board will find a comfortable, safe place to spend quality time in company or alone. And the ability to take on such a small ship the maximum amount of baggage necessary for a cruise is only an additional plus to its characteristics.

Reviews of Bali CATSPACE Sail from Professionals

Mark Pillsbury from Cruising World shared his experiences on board Bali CATSPACE Sail during testing for the 2022 Best Boat.

Mark Pillsbury Article

At the beginning of the review, Mark revealed a little secret. It turns out that the judges of the competition first of all ask the manufacturers for whom the boat they boarded is intended.

The author continued that from Bali CATSPACE Sail you don’t even have to ask this question. He stated that as soon as he boarded the boat, he immediately determined that the users of this cat would be a “pampered crew”. The boat is designed for a seaside holiday with a family or a group of friends, and as a result - for charter companies, so that they can recoup costs as quickly as possible and make a profit.

Mark goes on to explain how it is that the Bali line now takes up the majority of Catana Group's production capacity.

Testing Bali CATSPACE Sail and another yacht of the same brand took place in the USA in Annapolis, Maryland. The author reports on the weather conditions in which the tests took place, and you can find out more interesting details if you go to the CW website using the link provided.

Video Reviews of Bali CATSPACE Sail

This yacht is not camera-shy either! Check out how it looks in motion.

First, as usual, a beautiful short overview from the manufacturer:

More in-depth review on the water:

Another review of Bali CATSPACE Sail at the sea:

More information from the shipyard, this time on interiors:

Walkthrough with different features explained:

Conclusion

The incredibly comfortable double-hulled sailing yacht is not a high-speed boat, and this is not what the manufacturers intended it to be. But they provided maximum comfort on this ship for everyone on board - both passengers and crew.

Naval architects and technologists did everything possible to ensure that the Bali CATSPACE Sail catamaran is as safe as possible; it is no coincidence that its design was certified for going to the open ocean.

With these features, as well as easy handling, high stability and plenty of storage space, the Bali CATSPACE Sail is the ideal boat for a wide range of owners, including:

• lovers of solitude at sea - experienced sailors who can handle the controls without assistants;
• novice sailors who want to master sail control - under the supervision of an experienced skipper;
• fathers of families who want to provide a safe and comfortable cruise for their household;
• a romantic couple - an experienced skipper and a responsive assistant;
• lovers of cruises at any distances - from coastal to long passages (subject to the installation of a watermaker on board);
• those who want to spend a long time at sea or even want make a catamaran their second home, especially when it comes to warm regions - a “house” on the water will cost much less than a house on land;
• fans of sails, not necessarily in the extreme environment of racing.

The price of this catamaran allows you to make it your first high-class boat, and also attracts mass attention to it from representatives of the charter business.

Where to Buy Bali CATSPACE Sail at a Bargain Price

If our review has you wondering where to buy Bali CATSPACE Sail at a good price, our experts will provide all the information you need and answer any arising questions when it comes to buying any boat, and even more so one as complex as a sailing catamaran.

As you already understood from the review, the employees of the topRik marketplace are experienced sailors who have been creating our SimpleSail fleet for many years. They research and select the best boats for the fleet, negotiate and transport the purchased yachts to our marinas located in the Mediterranean.

topRik experts know everything about mass-produced boats, as well as their manufacturers and the intricacies of the purchasing process.

This entire experience is yours once you become a topRik customer. You can entrust the entire purchasing process to marketplace specialists, which includes:

• choosing a suitable manufacturer or reliable dealer;
• negotiations on terms of purchase that are favorable to you;
• registration of all necessary documents;
• monitoring the equipment and condition of the selected boat on site;
• ferrying the yacht to the point you specify.

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