The first Balance 442 has splashed
by Balance Catamarans 19 Mar 2022 23:30 PDT
Balance 442 © Balance Catamarans
The very first Balance 442, christened Umoya, was launched this week at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town. Umoya is a Zulu word meaning wind - an apt name for such a sleek vessel.
Her proud owners, Dave and Courtney, have been in Cape Town since November enjoying the South African summer and doing some travelling. Dave and Courtney watched their new home hit the water alongside Managing Director Mark Delany and his team this week.
The configuration of Umoya is an owners' version that accommodates up to six people for a long voyage. The starboard hull is the owner's hull, containing a large cabin in the forward part of the hull together with luxurious heads and an enormous shower in the aft section of the hull. The port hull accommodates four guests in two double cabins, with a shared head and stand-alone shower. A four cabin, eight passenger version is also offered.
A week or two of commissioning and sea trials lies ahead and then we are taking some time to fully photograph Umoya so we can share these images with you. We can't wait as we are so very excited and proud of launching yet another exquisite vessel line to add to the ever-growing Balance Catamarans family!
The Balance 442 is expertly crafted in sandwich construction, using E-glass with a PVC foam core and carbon fiber for local support and reinforcement structures. Her forward-raked wave piercing bows and bold, contemporary lines contribute to an elegant-looking vessel with great sailing performance. The Balance 442 has a powerful 75 square meter main sail, meaning that she can sail easily even in light airs, while other catamarans are motoring.
This new line was carefully designed by Anton du Toit and Phillip Berman. She epitomizes the Balance Catamarans ethos: she is both fast to sail as well as spacious and luxurious to live on. She has superb living ergonomics and her interior sight lines are expansive. Her real wood, foam core handmade interior offers state-of-the-art beds, cabinetry, and interior furniture.