The finished boat centered on one idea: maximizing space both topsides and belowdecks. Its unusual features drew crowds at the Annapolis show.
Design and Construction
The 4.3’s hull form resolves a basic contradiction through geometry. The designer flared the hulls to distinct chines just above the waterline, leaving the underwater sections narrow and efficient. This preserves performance while the wider topsides create enormous living volume.
Instead of daggerboards, the boat has traditional fixed keels. This was a deliberate compromise among performance, cost, robustness, and protection for the rudders and propellers. The stub keels also house gray-water holding tanks, an interesting solution for waterways where discharge is restricted.
Structurally, the yard departed from earlier Catana practice. Carbon isn’t used at every stage, and there are no load-carrying daggerboards. The hulls and superstructure are vacuum-infused for a lightweight but stiff layup. Above the waterline, they have balsa cores; below it, the structure is a PVC foam sandwich with polyester resin and a special anti-osmosis gelcoat.
Deck bracing is plywood and monolithic resin, while the bulkheads are glued or laminated plywood. The hull is molded in three sections—the bottom, interior half-hulls, and nacelle—which are joined for greater rigidity. A solid foredeck replaces the trampoline, and the nacelle and cockpit blend into one enormous volume.
Rig and Handling
The sleek rig is stepped farther aft than usual, preserving good sail area despite the self-tacking Solent jib. The mast stands at the 40 percent station, leaving room for the large Solent. Because the flybridge requires a high boom and a small mainsail, the jib becomes a significant source of sailing power. All sail handling is done from the raised helm station, which provides a clear view over the water.
Test sailors found the 4.3 more responsive than most catamarans of this size. It turned in less than one boatlength and showed unusually good rudder control in reverse. Motoring out of Annapolis at better than 8 knots with the engines running at 2,500 rpm produced a saloon sound level of 75 dBA. In 6 to 7 knots of true wind, the main and asymmetric reaching headsail delivered just over 5 knots. The reviewer considered the Bali 4.3 a coastal cruiser rather than a voyager.
Living Space and Layout
Above and below, the boat feels like one continuous social space. The combined saloon and cockpit provide an astonishing amount of room. The aft section of the coachroof pivots upward and houses beneath the roof itself, while a removable “garage door” bulkhead at the saloon’s aft end rises electrically into the overhead, opening the space further.
The forward end of the saloon is all windows. A large central pane rises and lowers on pneumatic lifts, providing easy communication with the forward cockpit as well as excellent ventilation. Loungers occupy the foredeck cockpit, while a slot molded into the cabintop forms a secure grab rail along the side decks.
The galley is at the forward end of the saloon, where it benefits from the opening window. One tester noted its unusual division: the cooktop and sink are forward, while a household-size refrigerator and microwave sit to starboard and aft. An L-shaped chart table faces forward.
In the three-cabin version, the owners occupy a port-hull cabin that reminded one reviewer of a compact urban apartment. A four-cabin charter version was also offered.
Machinery and Practical Features
Mechanical access is a genuine strength. Twin Kubota diesels connect to saildrives at their forward ends, providing excellent access for engine maintenance. The test boat had a genset mounted on a shelf in the starboard hull, with a large watermaker planned to port in the same space.
A folding aft platform stows the dinghy neatly. When opened at anchor, it becomes an area entirely open to the sea.
Issues Reported on the Test Boat
The test boat’s steering felt springy and imprecise, particularly to windward. Under load, the system bound up to the point that the tester couldn’t hold an accurate course.
The Solent jib also needed a pennant at its tack to set properly, which limited pointing ability. Its sheet winches had been installed incorrectly and were difficult to use. These problems were reported on the specific review boat, not as fleet-wide defects.
Verdict
The Bali 4.3 succeeds as a spacious coastal cruiser, with clever structural integration and superb engine access. Its steering feedback and some rig details on early test examples, however, warrant a careful look. The boat trades voyaging pedigree for living space and straightforward systems.
Pros
- Narrow, efficient underwater sections and flared chines combine performance with huge interior volume
- Vacuum-infused construction and a three-section molded hull provide rigidity
- Forward saildrive placement gives excellent engine-maintenance access
- Self-tacking Solent and raised helm make short-handed sail handling practical
- Folding aft platform and solid foredeck cockpit expand the living space at anchor
Cons
- Steering felt springy and bound under load on the test boat
- Small mainsail and high boom limit sail-plan balance
- Solent jib required a tack pennant, and its winches were misinstalled on the test example
- The reviewer classified it as a coastal cruiser, not a voyager
