70 Years in the Making: One Man's Dream Circumnavigation Build | Balance 580

Rich spent 70 years sailing before finally building his dream boat — the all-carbon Balance 580, Blue Diamond. After owning a Balance 526 and "failing his first retirement," Rich came back to St. Francis Bay with a very specific wishlist for his circumnavigation build. In this video, he walks us through every custom feature on board and shares why he chose Balance — twice. What makes Blue Diamond special: Hydraulic furling on the genoa and working jib for single-handed night watches Twin 110hp engines (nearly double the standard) for fast, safe passages Full carbon build — hull, rig, and standing rigging Speed-rewind winches controllable from the helm Onboard hydroponic garden in the galley Perfectly balanced weight distribution for optimized waterline Rich also shares what it's like to work with the Balance build team, and why the culture at Balance sets it apart from any other boatyard he's encountered. 🌊 Follow Rich's circumnavigation journey as he and his South African crew, Ian and Angie, set sail for the world. 🔔 Subscribe for more owner stories, build walkthroughs, and life aboard content. 📩 Enquire about your own Balance catamaran: www.balancecatamarans.com #Balance580 #Catamaran #BlueWaterSailing #Sailing #Circumnavigation #CatamaranLife #BalanceCatamarans #Liveaboard #SailingLife