Balaton 16 Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The Balaton 16 emerged from a fascinating industrial backdrop, launched in 1975 by Balaton Boats. This venture was an extension of the formidable Hungarian Shipyards & Crane Factory, a significant entity in heavy industry with roots tracing back through various mergers to the late 19th century. This industrial powerhouse, with its Angyalföld unit established in 1957, turned its formidable manufacturing capabilities to leisure craft around 1970, driven by the burgeoning sailing culture on Lake Balaton.

The design of the Balaton 16 by Gunnar was a direct response to the needs of this inland sailing environment. The overarching design philosophy of Balaton Boats aimed to create vessels that were "easy to manoeuvre and sailed fast, yet offered plenty of space" for their size, a goal clearly reflected in the Balaton 16. During its production, fiberglass was the chosen hull material, allowing for standardized and accessible yacht production, moving beyond traditional wooden boatbuilding methods prevalent in earlier eras. The boat features a fin keel and a transom-hung rudder, indicative of its design for nimble handling.

Sailing Performance and Handling

With a length overall of 16 feet and a waterline length of 14.44 feet, the Balaton 16 was designed for agility and performance on Lake Balaton. Its relatively light displacement of 882 pounds, combined with a reported sail area of 107.6 square feet, contributes to its ability to sail effectively in the often-variable conditions of inland lakes. The builder's ethos of creating a boat that "sailed fast" and was "easy to manoeuvre" aligns with its compact dimensions and relatively simple masthead sloop rig. While specific anecdotal handling characteristics are not widely documented, its design, including a max draft of 1.97 feet, suggests it would be well-suited for shallower waters and could be easily trailered.

Accommodations and Layout

Despite its modest 16-foot length, the Balaton 16 was designed to offer more usable interior volume than many comparable small sailboats of its time. Reports indicate that it is "more spacy than 69% of all other designs" in its category, suggesting that the designer, Gunnar, prioritized interior comfort and functionality within its compact footprint. While detailed interior layouts are not readily available, this emphasis on space implies that it likely offered basic sleeping accommodations, potentially a V-berth forward, and some form of seating or storage in the main cabin, suitable for day trips and short overnight stays. The hull and deck are constructed of solid fiberglass, suggesting a robust and durable structure for a boat of its era.