Catamaran Comparison · 2026

Bali 5.4 vs Excess 13

Two near-neighbours in the 43–54 foot class — here's how they actually differ on the water.

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At a Glance

Bali

Bali 5.4

The Bali 5.4 is a 54-foot 5-cabin catamaran launched in 2022. Best for large group, family, luxury. A proven family-friendly layout.

Excess

Excess 13

The Excess 13 is a 43-foot 4-cabin catamaran launched in 2024. Best for performance, modern lovers, family. A proven family-friendly layout.

Quick Comparison

Spec	Bali 5.4	Excess 13
Length overall	54 ft (16.36 m)	43 ft (13.13 m)
Beam	8.92 m	7.2 m
Cabins (guest + crew)	5 + 2	4 + 1
Max guests	10	8
Year introduced	2022	2024
Best for	large group, family, luxury	performance, modern lovers, family
Standout amenity	AC, generator	AC, generator
Charter regions	Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, South East Asia, South America & Galápagos	Caribbean, Mediterranean
Indicative price (bareboat low season)	$7,000	$7,000
Indicative price (crewed peak season)	$57,500	$57,500
View full detail	View →	View →

Pricing data drawn from current-season bookings across BVI and Mediterranean bases. Updated quarterly.

Design & Comfort Differences

The two boats feel meaningfully different on board, even within the same nominal size class. Three specific differences worth knowing:

Saloon and deck space. The Bali 5.4 has a garage-door aft platform that opens the saloon directly to the sea; the Excess 13 offers a more conventional enclosed saloon.
Cabin configuration. Both boats offer 5 (Bali 5.4) vs 4 (Excess 13) guest cabins. If you need 5 equal cabins for a multi-couple charter, the Bali 5.4 is the better fit. Otherwise they're both fine for a single-family layout.
Amenities & kit. Bali 5.4 comes with AC, generator, watermaker, solar, dinghy, garage door platform, ice maker. Excess 13 adds a similar kit, with the same core list.

Performance Differences

Neither boat is a racer; both are cruising catamarans. But the Excess 13.

In light air (under 10 knots true wind), the heavier-displacement boat will feel slightly sluggish; in 15–20 knots trade-wind conditions both perform similarly. In big Med Meltemi/Mistral conditions (25+ knots) the Bali 5.4's wider 8.92 m beam will initially feel more stable but pushes more water resistance.

For bareboat charters both behave predictably under sail and under power. We rarely see either one out-sail the other in normal charter conditions.

Price & Value

In current-season data, the Bali 5.4 starts at $7,000/week bareboat (low season, BVI or Greece) and the Excess 13 starts at $7,000/week. At the high end (crewed, peak season) we see the Bali 5.4 reach $57,500/week and the Excess 13 reach $57,500/week.

For most charterers the price difference is small (~$500–$1,500/week) compared to the total trip cost — meaning amenities, layout and your destination matter more than sticker price when choosing between two boats this similar.

Which Should You Choose?

If you're a family with kids

Choose the Excess 13. It's the calmer, family-oriented platform; the layout is forgiving for first-time charterers with kids aboard.

If you want performance / a sailing-feel boat

Choose the Excess 13. It was designed with sailing performance in mind — the helm feels more responsive and you'll enjoy being on the wind.

If you want luxury / open-space

Choose the Bali 5.4. It's specifically tuned for indoor-outdoor living and the finish is the more premium of the two.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Bali 5.4 bigger than the Excess 13? ▾

The Bali 5.4 is 54 ft (16.36 m) long with a 8.92 m beam, while the Excess 13 is 43 ft (13.13 m) with a 7.2 m beam. The Bali 5.4 is the longer boat, but the difference of 11 ft may be marginal once you step on board.

Which is better for a family — Bali 5.4 or Excess 13? ▾

Both boats are well-suited to families. Bali 5.4 is best for large group / family; Excess 13 leans toward performance / modern lovers. The Bali 5.4 has more equal-sized cabins which is helpful for two- or three-generation trips. Talk to a 2Hulls expert about specific cabin configs.

Which is better value — Bali 5.4 or Excess 13? ▾

In our tracking, the two boats are priced within ~$0/week of each other at the low end, so value depends on which features you weight: the Bali 5.4 gives you AC, generator, watermaker; the Excess 13 gives you AC, generator, watermaker.

Can the Bali 5.4 and Excess 13 charter in the same destinations? ▾

Bali 5.4: Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, South East Asia, South America & Galápagos. Excess 13: Caribbean, Mediterranean. Where they overlap (often the Caribbean + Mediterranean), they're both well-supported by local charter fleets and you can usually get a checkout sail either way.

How many guests can each boat sleep? ▾

Bali 5.4: 5 guest cabins + 2 crew cabin(s), sleeps up to 10 guests in standard charter config. Excess 13: 4 guest cabins + 1 crew cabin(s), sleeps up to 8 guests. The Bali 5.4 sleeps more; pick that one for larger groups.

Keep Comparing

More 43–54-foot Catamaran Comparisons

Bali 5.4 vs Bali 4.6 54 ft vs 48 ft · same brand Bali 5.4 vs Bali 4.8 54 ft vs 49 ft · same brand Bali 5.4 vs Excess 14 54 ft vs 47 ft · 4 cabins Bali 5.4 vs Excess 15 54 ft vs 50 ft · 4 cabins Bali 5.4 vs Bali 4.4 54 ft vs 44 ft · same brand Bali 5.4 vs Bali 4.2 54 ft vs 42 ft · same brand

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