New Boat Preview: Balance 580
Courtesy Balance Catamarans
Long, lean, and built for sailors who prize speed without giving up comfort, the Balance 580 arrives in North America fresh from a South African build yard with pedigree and ambition. Designed by Phillip Berman and Du Toit Yacht Design, the 580 builds on Balance’s ethos of combining true offshore performance with the liveaboard refinement and storage volume long-range voyagers demand. With carbon reinforcement throughout, daggerboards, and the brand’s VersaHelm system, the 580 aims squarely at owner-operators who want to cover miles quickly, handle weather confidently, and still enjoy the comforts of a contemporary cruising home.
Nine hulls are already spoken for (at time of press), with boats scheduled through 2027, a sign that the appetite for performance cruising catamarans remains strong.
Overview & Notable OptionsThe Balance 580 sits at the crossroads of lightweight epoxy construction, refined ergonomics, and thoughtful offshore systems. Her foam-core hulls keep weight low, while high-strength carbon is used strategically in beams, davits, and structural elements to improve stiffness and reduce flex offshore. Dual daggerboards offer upwind bite and agility, and a cutter-rigged sail plan with powered furling makes reefing and sail changes efficient from the helm.
Courtesy Balance Catamarans
Inside, the open-plan salon and cockpit flow together, delivering indoor/outdoor living suited both for passagemaking and life at anchor. Layout options range from three-cabin owner versions to four- and five-cabin crewed arrangements, all with generous storage, luxury finishes, and panoramic sightlines for watchkeeping in any weather.
Key Options Include:- “Carbon Cross+” construction package with additional carbon throughout
- Daggerboard upgrade package
- VersaDrive hybrid diesel/electric charging system
- Interior layout choices: 3-cabin, 4-cabin, or 5-cabin crew configuration
- Conversion dinette berth in salon
- Expanded solar package (up to 3,400 watts)
Designed to be sailed comfortably by a couple, the 580 also includes a drop-down bow thruster for tight-quarter maneuvering and line-management solutions at the helm for simpler sail handling.
Courtesy Balance Catamarans
Construction & Design Notes
- 100% epoxy construction with carbon reinforcement
- Foam-core sandwich hulls and furniture to reduce weight
- Elevated under-wing clearance for offshore comfort
- Dual daggerboards and balanced hull lines for high-performance sailing
- All-glass window system for visibility and strength
- Hand-crafted joinerwork and wood-veneered foam-core cabinetry to reduce weight and increase durability
- Cutter rig with three headsails and electric furlers
- Lithium battery bank with optional hybrid regeneration
- Available VersaDrive hybrid with high-output DC charging
- Massive deck storage and secure gear stowage
- Robust tankage for long-range independence
- Outstanding watchstanding visibility inside and out
- Solid bulkhead integration and carbon structural grid for stiffness offshore
Join Balance Catamarans for a full walkthrough of the new 580, highlighting build quality, layout options, and systems design.
PerformanceBalance says the 580 will hold windspeed or better in light air and climb comfortably into the teens and twenties when the breeze fills in. With daggerboards down, she points high with minimal leeway, a rare trait in a luxury cruising cat. When the breeze fades, efficient diesels and regeneration technology keep the boat moving responsibly without sacrificing performance.
This is a catamaran meant to be sailed rather than motored from island to island.
Courtesy Balance Catamarans
Specifications — Balance 580
Length Overall (LOA)58 ft 3 in / 17.78 mBeam28 ft 3 in / 8.60 mDraft (Boards Up / Down)5 ft 5 in / 1.65 m — 11 ft / 3.35 mDisplacement (cruise-ready)36,753 lbs / 16,668 kgUnderwing Clearance3 ft 7 in / 1.10 mMast Height89 ft 11 in / 27.43 mSail Area (100% foretriangle)2,255 sq ft / 209.5 sqmMainsail1,516 sq ft / 140.9 sqmSelf-tacking Jib856 sq ft / 79.5 sqmScreacher1,353 sq ft / 125.7 sqmAsymmetric Spinnaker3,346 sq ft / 310.8 sqmFresh Water158 gal / 2 x 300 LFuel264 gal / 2 x 500 LBlackwater32 gal / 2 x 60 LEngines (standard)Twin Yanmar 57 hpOptional HybridVersaDrive + Integrel E-drives
Layout & Living Aboard
Courtesy Balance Catamarans
The Balance 580 is built for life at sea and at anchor, with a focus on visibility and connectivity to the environment. The salon’s seating height keeps sightlines forward and outboard, ideal for watchstanding in foul weather. The island galley blends indoor/outdoor living, and the salon table converts to a queen berth, useful for passagemaking or hosting guests. Large forward cabins, generous heads, and abundant cabinetry make long-term provisioning practical. Owners can choose layouts that suit private cruising, charter, or crewed operation, without sacrificing the upscale finishes that define the Balance brand.
Construction & Weight StrategyBalance builds the 580 with a performance brief at its core. Foam-core hulls, all-epoxy laminates, and selective carbon reinforcement yield high strength and rigidity without piling on weight. Furniture is foam-core, hand-faced with wood veneers to maintain a warm interior aesthetic without compromising the weight budget. Underwing clearance is generous, reducing slamming offshore. With this approach, the 580 stands apart from mid-market catamarans that prioritize volume at the expense of efficiency. Here, light displacement equals more sailing time and less reliance on auxiliary power.
Systems & Hybrid SailingThe 580 is offered with a conventional twin-diesel setup or the VersaDrive hybrid package. In hybrid form, high-output alternators generate up to 15kW per engine to quickly recharge lithium banks, reducing or eliminating the need for a standalone generator. Paired with optional 3.4kW of solar, the 580 promises quiet passages and efficient hotel loads without sacrificing range. Electric furlers, thoughtful line-stow solutions at the helm, and multiple headsails allow singlehanded sail selection and reefing. The end result: a technologically forward platform that keeps sailing fun and responsive, while bringing systems redundancy and reliability offshore cruisers expect.
Sailing the Balance 580 .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Enjoy a stunning montage of the Balance 580 catamaran Windigo as she sails in the waters off St Francis Bay:
About the BuilderBalance Catamarans, founded by circumnavigator and multihull broker Phillip Berman, builds semi-custom bluewater catamarans in South Africa with a focus on performance sailing, ergonomics, and premium construction. Their philosophy centers on efficiency without austerity, delivering yachts that can be handled by a couple, sail aggressively across oceans, and serve as refined homes afloat.
Editor’s First Take
Courtesy Balance Catamarans
From the dock, the Balance 580 reads like a statement of intent: lean hulls, daggerboards, carbon everywhere you look, and that signature VersaHelm ready for tropical afternoons or cold-weather passages. Step aboard and the story continues with thoughtful weight savings, natural light, and an honest-to-goodness sailor’s cockpit. There’s storage where you want it, handholds where you need them, and enough refinement to enjoy the little moments as much as the big crossings. This cat is clearly built by sailors who’ve logged real miles and understand how to balance performance with comfort. It’s fast, modern and unapologetically purposeful. —CW
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