Build Galleries — Sailing Sage

July 30th update

First Sail on Tuesday 26 July, and further interior finishing happening all week.

Turns out to be windy out there! reef in!

Guest head and shower is compact but functional.

Looking aft from the forepeak in the owners hull.

The outside cushions are aboard, stowed in the forepeak until the work is done.

The saloon table is also here, but went back to the factory at the end of the day.

After sailing Sea Life, we came back to the dock to see Sage.

Monday and Tuesday, July 18th-19th, 2022

The Launch prep and then the big event!

Sage is being loaded onto the truck for transport to the Royal Cape Yacht Club.

The truck is ready to pull her out of the shed as soon as they move the stairs.

And she leaves the shed for the last time...

The Balance factory crew, in the Sage t-shirts I bought as a token of my appreciation. Each Balance yacht requires a lot of hand labor, which allows for some customization not available from most builders.

The team showing off the back of the shirt, with the Sage Sprig (thanks to Alison for the design and branding!)

The back of the shirt. This image is also being painted on my large asymmetric spinnaker, which should look amazing.

Early the next morning, the truck is at the Royal Cape Yacht Club, backed into the launching area.

We were so excited we got there before anyone else (besides the driver of the truck!

Waiting for sunrise, table mountain is in the back. Looks like a clear day, a little cold. Perfect day to launch our new home.

Sunrise is reflected in the hull, time to get ready.

The lift of the trailer is a critical point. The straps make some noises as they stretch a bit, which is a bit nerve wracking. Just like lifting my trimaran Relentless, only about 10 times heavier!

Liz and I are smiling now, it's all going great!

The Champagne (technically its South African Methode Cap Classique) was provided by Balance! Here we are with Mark, the managing director of Balance Capetown.

Then they swing the crane out over the water and...

A different crane is brought in to hoist the mast and boom on board.

Here she is ready to motor over to the V and A waterfront, where the work will continue. Still lot's to do!

Motoring away from the Royal Cape Yacht Club. I can't really explain the feeling of being on board for the first time in the water. A very emotional day.

Approaching the bascule bridge into the inner basin, where Sage will live until the full commissioning process is finished and I take ownership.

There are two Balance cats at the dock right now, Sea Life is a Balance 482, and Sage is a 442.

Later in the day I came back, and lots was still going on. Here the mainsail has been bent onto the boom. Still no mainsheets though.

Sunday, July 17th, 2022

A few more Factory pictures, taken in the last week before Launch, now scheduled for Tuesday 19 July.

Still a lot going on, this from early in the week.

Racks for the solar panels are being fabricated and added to the roof

Lids to lockers are starting to show up.

This one is under the lower helm seat, and the compartment below is a refrigerator. Easy access to cold beers!

The lids for the rear bench and the BBQ are also being installed and checked.

Under the nav desk is where the solar controllers are hiding.

By the end of the week, the bottom paint is on and the ground tackle is being installed. It's a Rocna 33 KG anchor and 90 m of chain, with a nylon three strand bridle attached to the front crossbeam.

July 14th, 2022

Less than a week until launch. Still lots going on on the boat, but here’s some of the latest pictures. The big milestone this week was the addition of the name, which I love. Thanks to Alison for helping me get the Sage “brand” together.

Big milestone: The name on the bow (starboard side)

And on the stern, with the hailing port.

Coming aboard, still lots to do. Raymarine system is being installed at the helms.

Pulpits and Trampolines installed on the foredeck.

The bow pulpits will each get a forward facing "Dolphin chaser" seat.

The windows are in, another big milestone!

Inside the boat with the windows in. There will be two opening portlights in the center for ventilation at anchor.

Lots of systems being installed under the settee. Batteries, solar controllers, air conditioning, and many more.

Navigation desk, with some items already installed.

Inside the top drawer of the Nav desk there's an outlet and USB chargers.

Guest head compartment, shower is on the left.

Looking forward, that's not where the head will be!

Starboard engine compartment, with the aft window above, owners shower is inside that window.

One of two 40 HP Yanmar Diesel engines, equipped with Integrel Systems generators to charge the batteries.

Another look at the name. I really love the way it came out.

I ordered T-Shirts for all the factory crew who helped build the boat. Here's the front...

And the back. This image will also be on the large asymmetric spinnaker. Thanks to Alison for helping me put the Sage "brand" together.

June 19-25, 2022

Second week in South Africa, and lots of progress, time for some more pictures.

Monday. They had re-sprayed the whole boat over the weekend. These are the final lines.

Sage saw daylight for the first time this week. I really like the color!

There was a lot of boat juggling going on at the factory, and Sage was outside for most of the day Tuesday.

They kept working on the boat while it was in the yard.

Let's take those stairs to look at a few things onboard.

This is the newly installed AirCon unit in the owner's cabin. It's at the foot of the bed, below the drawers.

Starting with my boat they have added this little shelf in the galley below the cooktop.

Owners shower taken through the window at the back transom.

At the end of the day Tuesday they were moving her back into the shed.

My tender is completed and ready to ship from Germany to Cape Town.

My third visit to the factory, June 2022

The first week of the final visit to South Africa, I visited the factory to see how the boat was coming along. I’ll be here until we sail away sometime in August or September.

It seems like there are about 40 people working on my boat at any given time.

The final color has been applied, but still needs some changes to the wet deck under the bridge deck, and barrier coat and bottom paint below the waterline.

The wet deck (underside of the bridge deck) is non-skid, in case of an inversion. Barrier coat is being applied to the starboard hull.

Starboard dinghy davit and transom. Still to be finished.

Starboard quarter. The rudders and sail drives are in place.

This view makes the bowsprit look longer than it is, but it is long. I like the integrated bowsprit-longeron-crossbeam assembly. I prefer this to catamarans that have bobstays to hold the bowsprit down, because bobstays interfere with the anchor bridle and looks less clean. The only downside is that you can't fold up the bowsprit if you need to squeeze into a shorter space.

Another view, showing the anchor roller mounted aft of the crossbeam. This helps keep the weight aft, but requires a little more control when anchoring to make sure that the chain doesn't hit the hulls when drifting back.

Close up of the anchor roller. It is designed for a 33 kg Rocna, which will be self deploying from this roller. Balance really did a great job on this design, and it has been incorporated across the entire line.

Let's go aboard! The cockpit from the port transom. Upper helm seat is in, but missing it's supports so it's held up by wood. Integrating it into the coach roof allows us to remove a steel post behind the seat.

The lower helm station, with the proposed layout of instruments. We will be working on this layout this week, I think it can be improved.

The upper helm station. I had originally specified a 9" chart plotter at this location as shown. Fortunately Peter from Balance didn't cut the box down to size, because it gave me a chance to re-consider.

I've decided to upgrade to the 12" chart plotter, which will be the same size screen as the one at the lower helm station.

To the right of the upper helm station will be two tri-data displays and an autopilot control.

Looking aft toward the upper helm station. All lines will lead back to the three electric winches at this point, and the boat can be sailed from here by one person with the exception of sail changes and reefing.

Going forward from the upper helm along the starboard side deck. Daggerboard trunk is outboard, and fuel and water fills too.

Most of the Balance boats have had an unpainted aluminum longeron and crossbeam assembly. I had mine painted white and I think it looks great. Trampolines will be black.

Stepping inside, the salon has come a long way since I last was here.

Closer look at the salon table area with the navigation desk to the right. You can see a lot of the Victron electrical equipment installed already. There will be 800 Ah of batteries at 48v, and a smaller 24v buffer bank on a DC-DC charger. Wherever possible we are running 48v systems, especially for high draw items like winches and the anchor windlass.

This is the table, under construction in the furniture area of the factory. It is shown dropped down to provide a day-bed or sea bunk.

A closer look at the nav desk. The surface will be changed to a white Corian countertop in 6mm, which will save weight. Instruments at the nav station will include the systems monitoring, VHF radio, salon AirCon controller, and switches for running lights.

The galley, in progress. Sink is in, but more work to come to install the induction cooktop and the convection/microwave oven.

The owner's cabin (with owner installed). We made a lot of decisions about placement of electrical outlets and fans etc.

Another view of the owners bunk. This is about a queen size mattress.

Looking forward from the owners cabin to the starboard forepeak, with the required escape hatch shown on the left. EU requirements mandate an escape hatch that will be above the waterline when the boat is inverted. Putting them forward is smart because an inverted catamaran tends to float with the sterns down. Capsize of a catamaran is very rare, let's hope I don't ever need them.

Standing in the starboard forepeak looking aft in the owners hull. At the far end is the owner's head (bathroom).

Owner's sink and vanity. Shower to the right in this picture

Owner's shower, with the big window aft on the transom.

Looking forward from the owner's shower.

Forward of the owner's head, on the inboard side, are the systems closets. This one shows AC junction boxes, and the slot where the versa-helm will be mounted. Steering cables will be in this space, as well as the compressor for the cockpit refrigerator located under the lower helm seat.

Main electrical panel. 48V, 24v, and 12v DC. 115v 60hz, and 220v 50hz AC systems are all controlled from here. Bilge pump manual overrides are also on this panel.

Two inverter chargers, one for 115 60hz (US standard), and one for 220 50 Hz (EU standard). This makes this boat truly able to go anywhere and power anything. The vents above are blown out to a vent under the lower helm station.

Now into the port hull, this is the aft guest cabin. Large storage underneath the bunk for bulky things like folding bicycles or paddle boards.

Looking forward from the aft cabin in the port (guest) hull.

Guest head with shower and sink. This is on the inboard side of the port hull. Toilet will be to the right facing forward.

Forward guest cabin. This is a mirror image of the owner's bunk in the other hull. AirCon vent is visible in the upper left of this picture.

In the forward guest cabin looking forward. There will be a hatch into the sail locker in the port forepeak.

Engine rooms are under construction. This is the port side engine. They are both 40 HP Yanmar diesels with an Integrel smart alternator, able to charge the batteries at 48v at about 6kw each.

My second visit to the factory, in February and March of 2022

This time the boat is really starting to take shape, as all of the hull and deck are joined, and the roof over the cockpit takes shape.

Cockpit looking aft from the lower helm station

Looking forward from the starboard transom steps

Looking forward from the port transom steps

Interior bridge deck, looking toward what will be the salon table and tech lockers below and behind

Owner's hull looking forward from the starboard companionway.

Cockpit looking aft from the doorway to the salon.

Port hull, with daggerboard trunk exposed.

Forward deck looking aft from starboard bow.

Cabinetry coming together in the wood shop.

During the build, I occasionally got pictures from the factory to brighten my day.

Several times I was sent snapshots to keep me informed. It was always a special moment when I got a “baby picture” while I was finishing up my 19th year at Apple and getting ready to retire.

the fairing process gives the hull that mottled look.

My first visit to the factory was in June-July of 2021

Bulkheads going in while still in the mold, July 2021