GTFO plan #26: Balance 526 in 25 knots

We also compare the 442 and 482 to the 526.
Please comment below and share your experiences. We will do a shout-out to the best comment in a subsequent video. So don’t be shy!
Most importantly, smash the SUBSCRIBE and LIKE buttons!
Kisses,
Ann & Dennis
Twitter: @GTFOplan
Facebook: / anndennis.snellikin.3
Instagram: / gtfoplan
Please comment below and share your experiences. We will do a shout-out to the best comment in a subsequent video. So don’t be shy!
Most importantly, smash the SUBSCRIBE and LIKE buttons!
Kisses,
Ann & Dennis
Twitter: @GTFOplan
Facebook: / anndennis.snellikin.3
Instagram: / gtfoplan
New music:
Let's Dance by Alex Stoner
taketones.com/
License number: TTSIMPLE160544773277449826
Reduced sail area due to high winds:
Blade jib = 42.19 sq meters
Main = 106.47 sq meters (3rd reef is 26% of total mainsail area)
balancecatamar...
___________________
CREDITS:
vingilote.blog...
Captain Andrew Hodgdon
[e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
balancecatamar...

[@mcraerembert2537]

That was one of the best boat review videos they explained a lot its like being there. All I can say is great job.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you for the compliment!

[@richasay9077]

I’m really sold on Balance, the VersaHelm is such a brilliant implementation and solution for live aboard blue water boats... seriously ingenious! I’m super stoked for you guys! Congrats on the B482!

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you and we agree. 2023 can’t get here soon enough!

[@pediclescrew]

Congrats on your new purchase of the 482. I’ve closely followed the 526 throughout its various hull launches, and I must say that your video detailing the triple-reefed performance is the most detailed vlog to date. Thank you for sharing.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you! It was a miserable day but sailing and seeing the performance was worth it!

[@rondrizek]

Great video and information. We enjoyed sailing on the Galileo earlier that weekend but in better weather. It was nice to see the protection from weather with the Versa Helm. Enjoyed meeting the GTFO team that weekend also. You both are as genuine in life as on your channel.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you Rick! It was a pleasure meeting you two as well! We look forward to keeping in touch with you.

[@Thedarknessteve]

Great video, nice and casual and actually sailing. Looking forward to following your adventure whilst I save for my own Ballance to take my family round the planet.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you for the compliment and comment. That's a great plan you have for your family and we'd love to hear about your plans as you work towards your own GTFOplan.

[@saillaw2]

Thanks for providing more info, very excited for you, and looking forward to watching your experience with the 482.

[@bertmacdonald337]

Great vid, very informative! Dennis should be a natural drone driver after flying helos! Can`t wait to see your boat launched!

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you!

[@toddtierney7985]

I love seeing you guys out on the boats and sailing. What a great plan and adventure. I'm so jealous but you guys are working it and making it happen. Awesome.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you! It’s been a plan in the world for several years. Do you have a GTFOplan?

[@ryanraspotnik3962]

Welcome back! Glad you guys stuck to it

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you. Covid has put a damper on things.

[@SV-DEDICATED]

Gonna be a nice boat. One of the nicest sailing channel boats out there.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank Roger! Where are you at in your GTFOplan?

[@justincruz8352]

Yeah def will be the nicest sailing channel boat. Ruby Rose will have the 1370 which will no doubt be a real nice one but wont be in the same league. Haven't seen too much of the seawind 1600 but I would like someone to compare them to the Balance line.

[@GTFOplan]

@@justincruz8352 We did a review of the SW1600 in one of our videos. The 1600 has its roots in the Corsair 50 design from several years ago. Main downsides for us with the 1600 were 1) forward cabins are singles, not doubles (as advertised); 2) mid cockpit helm location (half-in/ out); 3) and hatch ventilation was lacking.

[@justincruz8352]

@@GTFOplan Yeah the Balance are way sexier. Nobody can beat the versa helm. Im sure you will see them coming to a lot of cats in the future I do like how the teak goes all the way to the front on the 1600's though.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@justincruz8352 Kind of apples and oranges. Seawind are production boats and Balance are semi-custom. That's also reflected in the production volume and price. That said, I like the 1370. It's sort of like a simpler, cheaper Balance in terms of design, visibility, layout, etc. Main thing lacking is daggerboards.

[@peterbowler4521]

Love the footage and the commentary but the LOUD music grabs are a bit upsetting for the wife if she’s asleep while I’m watching. But good video and nice boats 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you for the feedback. We will see what we can do about lowering the volume.

[@robertfeliciano5723]

Agreed. You should invest in better mics and cameras and learning video production if you want the channel to grow. But I do appreciate the information.

[@tamhnguyen]

Agree that the music is too loud.

[@johanmarais9950]

Excellent vid - Balance definitely the way to go - good luck guys!!

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you!

[@stevenelson6639]

Dennis, proud to be…just found your channel

[@GTFOplan]

Thanks Steve! Hope you’ve been well.

[@phlbald]

Great video and look at the boat! FYI I never have to look through double windows on my Seawind. The window lowers.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you.

[@WillN2Go1]

Terrific boat, nice people - terrible music. It's always great hearing Phil Berman talk- he knows almost everything and shares it really well. There are workarounds to having that heavy vise. Vises are handy, but I can't think of many things on a boat where you need that specific type of holding power in one specific place. Over my many years in construction, DIY, I've had and not had vises. A clamp with hard wood jaws (possibly inserts), with some other inserts for round shapes, pads for delicate surfaces, I think would be as or more versatile while eliminating 45 lbs (20 kg) that far forward. And an array of Visegrips is good to have. I've ordered a performance cat with hidden daggerboards. If forgetting them might be an issue I'm going to make some kind of marker/flag at the helm, or at the winches for them - a little color. I can immediately scan and see where they are. (I've got ADHD and sometimes I just have to OCD something to keep from forgetting about it.) Balance makes great cats.

[@GTFOplan]

Which boat did you opt for? Good idea about having a marker as a reminder. Good thoughts reference the vise. Not sure how much of a workspace the forward peak will end up being. I see it more as a storage area (albeit with lighter loads).

[@WillN2Go1]

@@GTFOplan Thanks. A Seawind 1600. 2.5 years- but maybe sooner. re: the marker. I've got years of this sort of workaround. On all my remote controls I have taped 6-8" of fluorescent ribbon (it's used in construction). I never lose them and I never have to do that turning the stupid black rectangle around to find the right position. I see the tail and know. What I've learned is that there are people who will be quick to say, "Well, I don't have that problem." If you do the thing with them, they will have the problem. I make my workarounds for the dumbest person I know (me), sometimes I outgrow them. I'd rather do a project than have a neat house, so I'll work anywhere. On the boat maybe have a piece of plywood with some fabric or padding on the back (traction and no scratches) - then just fit it over one of the tables in the saloon or cockpit, or the kitchen counter and do the task. There's just not a lot of working space in a fore hull. The plywood could also be a sewing table extension. Something else I've noticed. Seawind wants to sell me a $$$$ sun cover for the foredeck. Heavy material. I've made and bought super lightweight silnylon rain flies for camping. Once you have it figured it sets up in a minute or two. On the boat with so many tie points it'll be a breeze (set-up means almost no adjusting.) My DIY Rain fly has been in 25 mph, 35mph gust storms and barely moved (it's all triangles so more stable than any tent). Look for videos on DIY rain flies. Fair winds.

[@GuyCruls]

amazing relationship with the Balance people! 🤙🏼

[@GTFOplan]

They are very down to earth and it’s part of the reason we chose to go with them.

[@chrisstephen4563]

Lovely boat

[@texassteve365]

Great info, thank you

[@GTFOplan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gasar719]

Great video. You guys answered a question I've had for years following the 526. I've always wondered what the locker by the sliding door was for? Its the storage for the gas bottles. Hopefully you will post build progress videos of your 482. Thank you and can't wait for your next videos.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you! Future boats may not even need that locker anymore or use it for something else as everything goes electric.

[@jamielancaster01]

I’m waiting for them to come out with the 626!

[@cliffordbradford8910]

11:00. Yeah with Lithium batteries you can cook with induction so much better 15:35 Yeah I was about to ask about the split mainsheet. It's great for the builder and the designer because it's simpler and cheaper but I would have to live with one first I guess. The Balances are really sweet boats and it's interesting that they're building smaller models because a lot of the premium brands only want to be 50ft plus.

[@GTFOplan]

I think Balance knows the market and realizes many folks can’t compete with the higher price points. Plus their boats really are a great ‘balance’.

[@onecontrite]

Thank you for putting out videos that strike the "balance" between informative and personal. Your passion for sailing really comes through! Living vicariously through you all until the kids are older and I've saved enough 😂 Looking forward to future vids - AND when you finally get your 482!

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you so much for the compliment! Take the kids with you; it'll be an adventure for them as well!

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

Thanks much for the video. The "music" is way too loud. Is the polar for daggerboards or stub keels (or both)? (Didn't know they offered having both on the same boat. I would probably get daggerboards only.) The Balance boats are thoughtfully designed, carefully built, beautifully finished, and highly performant. Congrats!

[@andrewhodgdon2786]

There are three options: 1. Daggerboards 2. Daggerboards with vestigial keels 3. Performance keels. Polars are available for all three configurations.

[@GTFOplan]

Thank you for the feedback about the music.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@andrewhodgdon2786 Thanks much Andrew! Didn't know the keel design was different for the option with boards and keels. Can you say if the polar shown in the video at 8:12 is for daggerboards only?

[@andrewhodgdon2786]

@@LoanwordEggcorn The polars on the video are based on a daggerboard configuration. I would be happy to share additional polars if you want to contact me directly.

[@yumibeauty1404]

I like Balance catamaran.

[@carryonsailing]

I thought that you were going for a Neel 51?! Best of luck to you either way

[@GTFOplan]

That was our initial plan but then we fell in love with the Balance.

[@chrisstephen4563]

Happy days

[@GTFOplan]

Always!

[@edmund6392]

Is there an option for galley down? Really do not like the galley up. Love the boat and really considering the 48.

[@GTFOplan]

Ed, there is no option for a galley down on the Balance boats.

[@edmund6392]

@@GTFOplan thanks for the reply!

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

The flow of galley up is different on larger boats than smaller ones. In larger boats, galley up is like a greatroom that creates a social space around food and cooking. Everyone gathers around the hearth for meals, and it becomes a natural social space. For couples it means spending more time nearby, especially on passages. This has safety advantages during watches. In smaller boats the galley can take up too much room in the salon. So there are pros and cons of either arrangement.

[@mtrezaie]

How much solar can you put on top? Because of the specific mainsail system, I would assume you cannot put anything on top of the dinghy.

[@GTFOplan]

The thing with solar is it's rapidly changing, so it's hard to say. We've seen various panel arrays with differing outputs. What we've learned that's important though is that each panel have it's own controller so it isn't adversely affected by shade on another panel. As it is right now, the boat does not come with an arch over the dinghy. We would have to do an after market add-on to build an arch for additional solar panels over the dinghy.

[@dino2540]

I heard him say "this is the cocaine locker" hahahah I was like what?

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

What timestamp? Due to the wind, the audio is kind of hard to hear. Under the helm seat could go a drink cooler.

[@andrewhodgdon2786]

"Propane Locker" Just to be clear, Balance does not condone drug smuggling haha!

[@GTFOplan]

@@LoanwordEggcorn Ha! That's exactly what Balance is offering to put under the helm seat. Woot woot!

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@GTFOplan I would (welcome and) use any extra cooler space for fresh food or fish on long passages.

[@AHmad-pm4pb]

Most Cats don’t have daggerboard.. What is the purpose and when do you use it?

[@GTFOplan]

The short answer is use of the daggerboards allows you to point higher. Catamarans, because of their design, tend to have large ‘no-go’ zones.

[@markskipper2199]

Great video, but the face masks in windy conditions on a sailboat seemed like “politically correct” overkill!

[@GTFOplan]

We couldn't agree more but we respect the captain's and other crew members choices.

[@markallen3068]

Lived there in my teens. I'd gtfo also. Nice catamaran.⚡ Electric, no gas, no diesel ⛽ required 💰💰💰.

[@GTFOplan]

It's great to have so many spots to explore. All electric would be great, but from our research, it's just not there yet for our intentions.

[@markallen3068]

@@GTFOplan I've heard of the Oceanvolt stuff. Too bad it wouldn't work. To be free of the gas station, unnecessary interfaces and such......😐

[@arloderouwe327]

Just wondering, I am 1.96 meters tall. How is the headroom on the boat?

[@GTFOplan]

You'll be fine whether in the salon/ cockpit or even down in the cabins. The height clearance is just over 2 meters (6' 10"). Two of our boys are almost as tall as you!

[@Macroproxy]

Do you talk about price? I'm really looking forward to more 482 info.

[@GTFOplan]

We don’t talk prices as there are too many variables with options. If you check out their site though, you’ll get some info. Plus Phil and Andrew are always available to talk.

[@justincruz8352]

base price is a little over a million. cruiser ready probably 1.3. Expensive but for the quality I think its a fair price. A gunboat is probably twice the price. Pretty much perfect design in my eyes. I cant really see anything I would change. They are fast as hell. Someone got the 526 above 27 knots!!!!!!

[@dropthatfone]

What hull# will you be getting?

[@GTFOplan]

We are hull #14. We expect building to start in a year 😃!

[@dropthatfone]

@@GTFOplan Cool. Very exciting! Did you guys visit the factory in South Africa?

[@GTFOplan]

We have not visited yet, and most likely won’t until it’s time for our boat to splash. The factory folks have been superb though in sharing information with the current boats being built. We are definitely part of the process and we love the customer support.

[@bitkong9445]

masks in open seas, YEAHH!!

[@GTFOplan]

IKR?!

[@gerritgovaerts8443]

I have to admit that while the performance numbers for the 526 are quite good (nearly on par with the faster Outremers) , the 482 disapoints me a bit (and the polars seem to confirm this): SA/D , Bruce number , S number , Perf IDX are in the ball park of an Outremer 45 . Not bad , but for that price IMHO you could do better in the performance department

[@GTFOplan]

Based on the polars and other design data, the 482 is only about 5% off from the 526 performance capabilities. Plus, the big reason we didn’t chose the Outremer was their exposed helm and their sensitivity to weight. The Balance boats really do provide that balance of comfort and performance.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

The Outremers seem lean, fast, and a bit uncomfortable. I think Phil and Anton got the balance between comfort and performance nearly perfect, and I like his clean, simple, logical and modern design aesthetic. For a race, I might pick an Outremer. For cruising, the Balance seems much better, and they're quite fast too.

[@GTFOplan]

@@LoanwordEggcorn Exactly.

[@pointdoc1]

...crazy load music! If it wasn't for the fact that the review was for a Balance, I would not have pressed forward and finished the review.

[@GTFOplan]

Sorry about that. We are new to this and we have yet to find a way to balance audio over a huge number of video clips. Hopefully our latest Video - Bali Delivery was better. We are open to suggestions as we spend several hours trying to balance audio for each and every video. We use iMovie fwiw.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

If you want to see a really interesting comparison, check out the Nexus 601 from about 7 years ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIqqYpWLm6xsrJY and a more detailed recent video of a similar hull: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jn2nXmiZha57o9E . (Note that the latter is referred to as a Balance 620, but it seems quite different from the upcoming 620; maybe two different designs from different eras with the same designation?) This design dates from before Phil rebranded the Nexus boat company/boatyard into Balance. You can see some of the same general layout and features from the earlier design: glassy, open salon, clean exterior lines, good comfort and performance, but the successor design 526 has a much cleaner and more modern interior. While the general layouts are similar, the design details of the 526 are strikingly better to my eye. Excellent mechanical and electrical design and build seem carried over from the Nexus builds, and perhaps that's one of the things that attracted Phil to Nexus along with the general philosophy of balancing comfort and performance. But I really like the changes Phil and presumably Anton made to the entire interior design, including the aft deck (or whatever the area behind the salon is called in cats). No offense to the older design, but Phil's interior design is state of the art.

[@GTFOplan]

I don't know why we missed your comment from so long ago - apologies. We agree. It was the 526 (Alani) that first sold us on the Balance boats, and it was amazing to watch Balance incorporate design changes and suggestions from the 526 into the 482 (and 442).

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@GTFOplan Agree, and it's fun to see the growth in the designs actualizing someone's vision of how the boats should be, presumably Phil's due to the timelines of when the changes happened.

[@GTFOplan]

I would also add that with the 482, the initial owners had a fair amount of input to the design (interior and exterior) as there were many of us who bought it (including us) ‘site unseen’.

[@andrebauer576]

The music is to loud and annoying for some peoples taste compared to the voices. And I'm not at all going with the helm aft of the deckhouse. Why not have a helm like a Leopard raised half a deck? That's giving great visibility, cleares the cockpit to an entertaining area and the skipper still can participate. With an all enclosed hardtop one can see the sails which is not possible on bad weather and closed hatch on a Balance Cat. Additionally the Balance helm is quite expensive, curtains in the salon are decreasing the sight fwd. And vertical windows may look a little less sportive but have big advantages on climate inside the boat and give even better visibility. They also make the salon much more cozy. A real balanced catamaran will have a less technical cockpit and a more cozy salon. The step to the upper helm position contains also quite a risk to fall and going up it's also to big. And for 2.5 million dollars I can have an HH 50 cat with great cozy interior, while the 526 is used at 1.8 There's something really wrong... I can't judge the qualities of both boats, as I haven't seen them close, but it seems to me the HH is the more balanced cat. The standard interior on Balanced Cats is really naked pure race design, no balance at all. To end this critical comment the titanium look of the aft stanchions is just an money saver for the yard as they are much cheaper than composite ones ore electrical polished stainless. But they will be a lot harder to keep clean and rust free. Not a clever long term quality decision.

[@GTFOplan]

Yeah sorry about that. KZbin doesn’t allow a way to lower a segment of video volume unfortunately but if we missed a feature, please let us know. We’d love to find software that would equalize video volume because we spend countless hours trying to balance our videos and it’s maddening and seemingly impossible.

[@noelraffle9698]

...music choice and volume could have been better.

[@GTFOplan]

We do our best to provide a variety of music. We are new to this and we have yet to find a mic that effectively cuts out wind noise. So we end up lowering the volume to remove the distortion. Hopefully our latest Video - Bali Delivery - was better. We are open to suggestions as a dead cat over the mic doesn't cut it.

[@GTFOplan]

KZbin doesn't provide a way for us to modify the volume of segments of published videos but please let us know if you know of a way.

[@donaldschutt2571]

So the fast catamarans are not fast. Thanks for enlighting me. Crossing an Ocean you will be forever reefed and marginally faster than a condo-cat.

[@GTFOplan]

Not sure we understand what you’re saying. A ‘condo-cat’ in similar conditions would also have been reefed, but way slower compared to the 526. And even when reefed, the 526 still had great speeds.

[@kirkb3473]

Donald, a lot of people miss the main point of a performance catamaran. It has little to nothing to do with maximum speed, it is all about their ability to sail in light winds. A Balance 526/482 will actually be sailing at 7 knots in 7 knots of wind, a condo cat will not even bother to hoist the sails and will be motoring burning diesel for days on end. This is the stuff you learn when you actually get out there and do some sailing on both types of catamarans. Nothing wrong with either, but when sailing in heavy weather a prudent captain is focused on slowing a boat down because safety comes first.

[@billhanna8838]

Covid BS

[@GTFOplan]

🤔

[@Passport-Bro]

Masks outside lol. That is how far I made it thru the video. I don’t need to hear from anyone who is that weak.

[@GTFOplan]

It was a crazy time when we published that video November 2020, during the height of COVID. But thanks for watching that far!