Bali 5.4

A Cruising Catamaran Built for Small Groups

The Bali 5.4 is a 16.8-metre cruising catamaran designed by Xavier Fay and built by the Catana Group in France. Her proportions sit comfortably between a performance cruiser and a liveaboard: wide enough (8.74 m beam) to give proper width to the cockpit, saloon and forward cabins, yet sized to access harbours and anchorages that larger vessels cannot reach.

Voyages aboard the Bali 5.4 are operated as cabin-based sailing voyages, typically with five guest cabins and ten berths. The scale keeps the atmosphere close to that of a private yacht – you share passages and meals with the same small group throughout the voyage.

Living Spaces

The Bali 5.4’s cockpit is the vessel’s social hub: a large, sheltered area aft of the saloon with seating for the full group, a table for meals in the open air, and direct views over the sea. The saloon continues inside with generous headroom and a galley on the same level – the one-level layout between cockpit and saloon is a Bali signature, removing the step that makes many catamarans feel divided between interior and exterior life.

Forward of the saloon, a large trampoline net between the two bows is the preferred spot for watching the water pass beneath the hull while under sail. A sunpad area on the foredeck provides a quieter retreat away from the cockpit.

Accommodation

The standard layout offers five double cabins – three in the starboard hull, two in the port hull – each with a private ensuite bathroom. Berths are double beds or island-style layouts depending on the hull position. All cabins have natural light through hull windows and opening hatches for ventilation at anchor. Water and fuel capacity (1,200 litres each) supports passages of several days without provisioning.

Voyages typically accommodate ten guests across the five cabins, keeping the group size small and the pace unhurried.

Under Sail and at Anchor

The Bali 5.4 carries 187 square metres of sail on a fractional rig and moves efficiently in trade wind conditions or the light airs typical of Mediterranean summers. Twin 57 hp engines provide reliable propulsion in calms and for entering port. Draft of 1.48 metres allows access to shallow anchorages – a practical advantage in the Greek islands, Croatian coast, and Caribbean destinations where the most scenic spots often lie in shallow water.

At anchor, access to the sea is direct from the stern platform. SUP boards and snorkelling equipment are standard on most voyages, making the anchorage as much a part of the day as the sailing.

Destinations

The Bali 5.4 operates primarily in the Mediterranean – Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro – and in the Caribbean during winter months. Voyages are structured around a combination of coastal sailing and overnight stays at anchor or in small marinas, with an emphasis on destinations that reward a slower pace and a vessel that can anchor where larger boats cannot go.