Balance 526: the most beautiful of sailing catamarans is fast and comfortable

We raise the mainsail with a reef already in place—there’s about 15 to 16 knots of true wind, and under normal conditions, we could easily keep the full main up, but with the sky still dark, there’s no reason to take unnecessary risks. We bear away and unfurl the self-tacking jib as the Balance 526 starts accelerating, the speed rising swiftly. In no time, we’re sailing at 10 to 11 knots, on a 60-degree apparent wind angle, and onboard comfort is absolute.

At the helm, this catamaran is lively and responsive, worlds apart from the muted sensation typical of pure cruising cats. Here, the pressure of the wind on the sails can be felt directly on the wheel, making it not only easy but also rewarding to steer while keeping a perfect angle to the wind.

The daggerboards are lowered to 50%, so I try pointing higher—and to my surprise, the Balance 526 hardly slows down at all. At a 30-degree apparent wind angle, we’re still sailing at over 9 knots. This catamaran points to the wind like a monohull!

With the self-tacking jib, changing tack is a piece of cake; the Balance 526 slows down a bit, but with a firm hand, you’re on the new tack without a hitch.

I bear away to head back just as the sky darkens and the wind picks up to 24-25 knots. At a 100-degree apparent wind angle, the boat speeds along like a train, consistently sailing above 12 knots.

What I love about this sailing catamaran is the sense of safety it conveys—even in these conditions, there’s no lurching, no tendency to round up. It sails with impressive stability and steadiness, clearly designed to cover long, very long distances every day.

As the rain picks up, we close the sliding roof at the helm station, tilt the wheel downward, and continue sailing in complete comfort.

This maneuver is possible thanks to VersaHelm, a system developed by Balance Catamarans that allows you to “lower the wheel,” so you can steer sheltered from the elements or in colder weather. Visibility from the lower helm position is perfect at 360 degrees, making it not only comfortable but also very safe.

Then we get the wild idea to slip through the channel between the mainland and the Île Sainte-Marguerite, heading toward Golfe-Juan, where we should be sheltered. Conditions worsen in the channel: the wind picks up to 25-26 knots true (30-31 apparent), and with no island cover, we’re also taking on the waves, now over 2 meters high.

So we take a second reef in the mainsail and, in what’s typically the worst scenario for a sailing catamaran, we start tacking close-hauled against the sea and wind in a channel that, at its narrowest, is only about half a mile wide!

To my surprise, however, Balance 526 handles this extreme situation with remarkable ease, without a single hesitation. We’re consistently sailing between 8 and 9 knots at 30-35 degrees off the apparent wind, riding over these large waves and steering comfortably dry from the inside—it’s incredible. What impresses me most is that even close-hauled, this catamaran doesn’t slam into the waves!