Design and Construction
The platform measures just under 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. Its beam of 29 feet 8 inches yields a length-to-beam ratio of 1.95 and a displacement-to-length ratio of 127 at a displacement of 54,957 pounds.
The hulls carry close to 7 feet of freeboard and have the reverse-hatchet bows typical of modern multihulls. Profile drawings indicate one chine just below the deck edge and another just above the waterline. Twin shoal fixed keels draw only 4 feet 10 inches.
Bali uses a rigid composite foredeck platform rather than a trampoline. The fiberglass-with-PVC-foam-core hulls follow the builder’s construction method. At the other end of the boat, the signature tilt-and-turn aft “Bali Door” combines the saloon and aft cockpit on one level.
The 5.8’s usable deck area is listed at 1,501 square feet, while about 1,583 square feet of living space sits at deck level.
Rig, Machinery, and Handling
All sail handling takes place from the flybridge, forward of the area where guests lounge or dine. The gooseneck of the main is 16 feet 5 inches above the waterline, and there is a broad track for a self-tacking jib. A short fixed sprit carries light-air and off-the-wind sails.
Promotional material lists the standard sail area at 1,926 square feet, giving a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 21.32. Adding the optional square-top mainsail and a code 0 increases sail area by 635 square feet and raises the ratio to 28.34.
Twin 80-horsepower diesels supplement the rig. Tankage is 317 gallons of fuel and 349 gallons of water.
Writing in Multihulls World, testers found that the fairly lightweight platform performed well in light airs under gennaker during a calm-sea test in 6 to 7 knots at Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer.
Accommodations and Outdoor Living
Bali offers five interior plans, each palatial in execution, and the layout sleeps 14. Six double-berth staterooms each have an adjoining head with a separate shower stall. An amidships port stateroom contains twin single berths, while a single-berth crew cubbyhole in the bow of each hull has its own head.
In the main cabin, both the galley and navigation station are generously sized. A U-shaped dinette sits to starboard, with two reading chairs to port. A forward door leads down to a sunken lounge between the hulls, furnished with settees and a second table.
The aft cockpit becomes an open lounge when combined with the saloon. Above, a hard-top bimini covers the entire flybridge, providing UV protection and carrying integrated solar panels. The builder’s promotional material calls the flybridge “the rooftop everyone dreams of,” describing it as an essential space for watching, relaxing, sailing, partying, and chatting.
Verdict
The Bali 5.8 is a volume-driven flagship catamaran that trades ultimate performance for an extraordinary onboard living experience and straightforward short-handed sail handling from the flybridge. Its lightweight construction and generous beam give it a low D/L and good light-air manners under gennaker. Meanwhile, the open-plan accommodations and rigid foredeck platform distinguish it from cruising catamarans with trampoline foredecks.
Pros
- Exceptional usable surface area and volume for a multihull of this size
- All sail handling takes place on the flybridge, clear of guest spaces
- Five interior plans, sleeping 14 with en-suite heads throughout
- Rigid composite foredeck and tilt-up aft door support open-plan living
Cons
- The shoal fixed keels are small for the platform
- The standard SA/D of 21.32 is modest without the optional square-top mainsail and code 0
- The forward crew cubbyholes are tight compared with the main staterooms
