The Interior Design of the Bali Catsmart
The boatbuilder's brief
The story begins at the 2021 Paris Boat Show, with a meeting with Olivier Poncin. The introduction had been arranged by Julien Gaveriaux, whom we had both worked with previously on the Sun Odyssey brand — myself in the design office alongside Julien, and Jean-Marc as the designer of the range’s interior layouts.
Julien thought of us when the idea of rethinking the Bali interiors came up.
We quickly came to appreciate the genuine innovation behind the Bali concept — remarkably effective and loved by customers for its volume and usable space, truly unlike anything else on the market.
The warm reception and the excellent working chemistry with Julien Gaveriaux’s design office team allowed us to get started very quickly. By early 2022 we had produced initial sketches exploring what the Bali style could become, working from the existing 5.4 as a base.
The initial direction was well received — sufficiently so for it to be taken forward on the Catsmart project, which was already under way with Xavier Faye.
Berco & Partners' approach
Our approach is to take full account of the specific nature of each project, and above all of each brand we work with. Our conviction is that we are in the service of a brand, and that the style — the expression of a brand — must be unique to it.
That is what will set it apart, and ideally make it a strength. Every project is a unique exploration, a bespoke approach.
What remains constant in our approach, however, is the pursuit of simple, harmonious lines whatever the size of the boat — alongside a continual questioning of the spaces, both real and perceived volumes, and ergonomics.
The Naval Design of the Bali Catsmart
This 38-foot luxury catamaran punches well above its size with generous living spaces, while benefiting from a cleaner, more refined styling.
It brings together the defining features of the Bali range:
- The folding transom door, combined with sliding side windows, uniting the saloon, galley and cockpit in a single space — improving sociability and flow throughout.
- The platform linking the two transoms, incorporating a bench seat and stowage lockers.
The major innovation is the introduction of twin helm stations in the cockpit and the elimination of the flybridge, allowing the sail plan to be optimised with a full-roach mainsail sheeting to the coachroof.
Ideally suited to the charter market, the Bali Catsmart can be configured with 2, 3 or 4 cabins, with a heads compartment in each hull.
A thoroughbred cruising catamaran, she features a galley running the full width of the saloon, with generous stowage throughout and a large fridge/freezer.
The Design Team
We also place great importance on working closely with the design office to achieve the highest quality — both real and perceived — in every detail. This is where the quality of collaboration with the in-house teams proves decisive, and in that respect we take great pleasure in working with the Bali Catamarans team.
The other crucial dimension is the research into materials, textures and colours that will enhance and complete the perceived quality, and the harmonious, elegant and distinctive feel of the interiors — an area led in particular by Clara, a long-standing collaborator of Jean-Marc Piaton.
The complementarity between our approach and Piaton’s is what makes our projects a success. Several of our joint designs have been awarded European Yacht of the Year, the Sun Odyssey range in particular.