Purple Moonlight

First of a New Breed — 2025 Balance 526 Mk II with Integrel E-Drive Hybrid Propulsion

PURPLE MOONLIGHT is not just another Balance 526. She is one of the very first Balance yachts — and the first Balance 526 — delivered with the ground-breaking Integrel E-Drive hybrid power and propulsion system. For the buyer who has been watching the shift toward cleaner, quieter, more self-sufficient cruising, this is the boat that arrived at the front of that wave.

The 526 has earned its place among the finest performance cruising catamarans in the world — a true bluewater platform that sails like a far lighter boat while carrying a cruising couple in genuine comfort. Epoxy and E-glass laminate over Corecell foam with carbon reinforcement in the high-load areas, high-aspect daggerboards, and the signature Versa-Helm swing pedestal come together in a 52-footer that is as rewarding to sail as it is to live aboard.

What sets PURPLE MOONLIGHT apart is what lies beneath the sole. Balance was the first production builder to adopt Integrel’s E-Drive, and rather than bolting a conventional generator onto a diesel installation, E-Drive blends high-output power generation and electric propulsion into a single integrated system. Twin 15 kW Integrel units work with the yacht’s Yanmar diesels to form a parallel hybrid drivetrain feeding a 48 kWh 48-volt Mastervolt lithium house bank. The payoff is quiet electric maneuvering in and out of the marina, meaningful electric assist under way, serene nights at anchor with no genset running, and the full reassurance of diesel range and redundancy when the weather pipes up offshore.

She is also comprehensively optioned. PURPLE MOONLIGHT carries Balance’s full Performance Cruiser specification — a complete RDL radial-cut laminate sail wardrobe with a Code 0 on a Facnor furler, an all-electric Harken winch package, carbon steering wheel and deck hardware, Frigomar air conditioning throughout, a Spectra Cape Horn watermaker, and a great deal more.   She is configured in the sought-after Owner’s Version: the entire starboard hull is a private owner’s suite, while the port hull carries forward and aft guest cabins with separate head and shower stalls. High-aspect daggerboards give exceptional upwind sailing performance and the shoal draft to tuck into any anchorage.

Highlights

• 48 kWh 48-volt Mastervolt Lithium House Battery Bank 

•   Dual 15 kW Integrel E-Drive generators - silent electric maneuvering, full diesel range retained,  regen  under sail

• 2 x Yanmar 57hp diesels with VC20 electronic throttle controls and Gori three-blade folding propellers 

• 3200 watts of Solar – 8 x 400w glass panels

• Complete Ullman RDL radial-cut laminate sail wardrobe: mainsail, self-tacking jib, Code 0, Asymmetrical Spinnaker, and staysail.

• All-electric Harken winch package with one-man-operation switching

• Frigomar variable-speed Air Conditioning / Heating throughout — saloon and all cabins

• Cape Horn Watermaker, Bosch Washer / Dryer, full sized Bosch Dishwasher and a Miele electric galley

• Bauer Dive Compressor

PURPLE MOONLIGHT is a rare chance to step aboard a nearly new, flagship-specification Balance 526 at the leading edge of hybrid cruising technology. Vessels of this pedigree and configuration seldom come to market — serious inquiries are encouraged.    PURPLE MOONLIGHT is currently located in Boston, MA and available for showings by appointment.

NOT FOR SALE TO US RESIDENTS IN US WATERS

Not sure what this means?  Give us a call to discuss!