VIP Access at Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 — Behind the Scenes (+ First Look: BALI 5.2)

VIP Access at Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 — Behind the Scenes (+ First Look: BALI 5.2)

We’re here at the Cannes Yachting Festival. What do you think is the biggest trend we’re seeing right now in the boating community? Docks are still quiet, the gates haven’t opened, and we are walking straight into VIP access. What do you think separates Bali from the other brands? What advice would you give to somebody who is attending their very first boat show? Behind the scenes, zero crowds, and our front row seat to the Bali booth. Today we get the first look at the brand new Bali 5.2. And he said, “No, I think we should live aboard a sailboat and go explore the world by a sailboat.” It had never crossed my mind that that could be an option. He’s legit, he just came over and said, “How much does steak do you want me to cut for the dog?” This is what we’re having, by the way. I’m Michelle. And this is Chris. And that’s Mr. Gidget. We traded our 9-5 and hometown comforts for a life of adventure and spontaneity. This is not just our journey, it’s yours too. Let’s explore together. So this day starts in Sicily with a 20-minute walk to the bus stop. We had our luggage, we got our camera cases, we got the whole kit and caboodle. We bus across the island and hop a flight to Rome. And we’re having an awkward moment where we assigned our seats to other guys. So we’re waiting for a seat reassignment. It’s a very awkward moment. We land in Nice, we grab a cab, and we keep rolling south down the coast. You can really see the French Riviera just opens up. There’s palms, there’s sparkly water, you got that bright Mediterranean light. Banners everywhere and you can feel the energy from the road. You know, it was a long day, but the moment the marina came into view, it’s all worth it. Cannes is calling. The pre-opening feels surreal. You can hear the halyards tapping and the crew laughing in the distance. No lines, just polished decks and fresh fenders. We’ve just arrived at the Cannes yachting festival, one of the biggest boat shows in the world. We got our VIP access and we’re going to bring you on exclusive behind the scenes moments. And of course, we got a front row seat at the Bali booth. So remember, the show runs across two marinas. They got Vieux Port and Port Canto. And there are shuttle boats that connect them. Today is the world premiere of the Bali 5.2 and we’re among the first to step aboard. Saloon doors open, the breeze rolls through and the bow cockpit pulls the outside in. It’s instant catamaran living. Up here at the helm, you feel high and confident. Your sight lines are clear and you can really picture long passages and easy harbour hops. The cabins feel bright and practical. Storage where you want it, privacy where you need it. And I want to point out that there’s two entrances. We got an entrance here. So is that the walk-in closet? Look at this walk-in closet, Michelle. Like a child could live in this thing in the main bathroom. It’s got a defogging function on here. Wow. We’re filming a full dedicated Bali 5.2 tour with layouts, storage tricks, the energy setup. We’re going to link it here and in the description as soon as it’s ready. So with this display, you can control everything. This is the brain of the boat. The only thing it doesn’t do is take you to your destination. You still need to do it yourself. Bali brings the professional film crew in today. Lights up, mics on and a quick sound check. That’s right.
We kind of figured out that it was, I think, the most cost-effective way to see the world. Because the boat is like, it’s your airplane flight and it’s your hotel. And you could just be out there at a very casual pace. So that got us really excited. We sit down for an interview about live aboard life, our learning curve, and what we look for in a catamaran. You won’t put the whole interview here, but we’ll drop a link in the description as soon as it’s posted. Meanwhile, Mr. Gidget earns his captain stripes with a private photo shoot nearby. He’s a very serious professional model. Then he turns into pure celebrity dog, posing, head tilts, the whole routine. The guys just got their limited edition Mr. Gidget Pokemon trading cards. This is so cool. This is awesome. Don’t worry. The pink Bali hat fits his brand perfectly. By late morning, Cannes is buzzing, docks are filled, and lines form. And you start to see the sense of the size of this show. This is one of Europe’s biggest in-water boat shows. You can literally spend a whole day just in one corner and still miss things. Vendors are everywhere. Sails, solar, safety gear, clever storage. You want to book the boats that you care about most. Anything else you get done is a bonus. And set alarms to switch marinas. The shuttle is your friend. We grab some quick chats. We ask people about what’s new, and we collect ideas for life aboard our own boat, the Gidget. New segment, mini moments. Okay, we’re catching up with Greg from Bali. This is a mini moment. Greg, we want to know what do you think separates Bali from the other brands? I think it’s the open space. The concept. I think this solid front cockpit that is great. And again, it’s about space. The DNA, the atmosphere. I mean, you step on any other boat. It feels really great. The ambience. And then I would say the company is pretty different. It’s a family owned company. We try to keep the small company mindset. And I think it makes a great difference when it comes to, you know, managing the community and our production and contract with customers. And the people. Okay. That’s thorough. That’s a wide range. We just ran into Richard, who is actually our boat broker. When we bought our boats. Absolutely. Totally. Now delivery for one year ago, we were delivering your boat. Right. You’ve done a thousand boat shows. Absolutely. And my question for you is, what advice would you give to somebody who is attending their very first boat show? Do your homework way before. Try to cover the maximum ground with your broker prior to the show. So when you arrive at the show, you’ll go straight to the point. Take the maximum moment in advance. Amazing. All that walking earns a break. It’s time for us to refuel and swap stories with new friends. After a full morning on the docks, we sneak away for lunch. We grabbed a table at La Môme Plage. There’s a sea breeze. You got sand underfoot and that Riviera soundtrack of clinking glasses and low chatter. I settled for the sushi. It was fresh, simple and perfect. Mr. Gidget studies the menu like a critic and decides to order a very fancy steak. He’s like, he’s legit. He just came over and said, how much, how much steak do you want me to cut for the dog? This is what we’re having, by the way. Over lunch, we trade stories. Routes people dream about. Boats they’re eyeing. That one upgrade they’d make tomorrow. If money and time were easy. What do you think is the biggest trend we’re seeing right now in the boating community? Cannes is very special. Yes. And you can see many different things here. So very nice boats or very simple boats. So it’s everything here. The biggest trend is catamarans this year. Yeah. So I think monohulls are going a little down because people really love to be in a large spaces. We see a lot of catamarans this year. So if you are first time buyer, Cannes is the best place to start. High heels on a boat. Yay, or nay? Never. Jonas high heels. Yes, everywhere. Everywhere. We’re getting mixed responses. What do you think is the coolest new piece of technology here at the boat show? I’ve seen a lot of good tech. However, over there in the other hall from a boat builders perspective, accessories for the deck, well as tie downs for tenders and toys. Also carbon fiber components, great companies over there. Very cool. It’s a reminder that boat shows are about more than the hardware. They’re about the people and the big why behind the miles we sail. We do a quick espresso, have a last look at the beach, and we’re back to the festival. We’re recharged and ready for round two. Time for a Cannes essential. Two marinas, one show. You got Vieux Port on the one side and Port Canto on the other. We hop the shuttle boat for a quick ride, great views, and a chance to reset our feet. The shuttle drops us at the next stop and we dive back in. Fresh camera batteries, fresh eyes. We wrap back up right where we started, back at the Bali booth. The light gets soft, the docks feel like a little village. We keep the mini moments rolling, quick questions with the team about design choices and what they’re most proud of this year. This boat is fitted with 48 volt. We’re on a 52 footer and we have a massive, massive rooftop. This has been designed with a lounging area. A huge thanks to Bali for inviting us and for the warm welcome today. Whether this video is sponsored or not, we like to keep things honest. When something works, we’re going to tell you. And if there’s something we change, we don’t like, we’re going to let you know as well. We’re going to link the full Bali 5.2 tour as soon as it’s live. With our trip complete, we make the long journey back to Sicily to keep our Mediterranean venture going aboard the Gidget. If you’re new here we’re Chris and Michelle, make sure you hit that subscribe button for more Cannes insights, more catamaran living, and more of our honest takes. Thanks for watching. We’ll see you out there. If you’d like to support the channel and be part of the crew, head over to patreon.com/SailingWithGidget. From all three of us, thank you for keeping this adventure going.

We have VIP, pre-opening access to the Cannes Yachting Festival and take you fully behind the scenes. If you’re researching the Cannes Yachting Festival or want a real first look at the Bali 5.2, you’re in the right place. In this episode we explore the Cannes Yachting Festival across Vieux Port and Port Canto, ride the shuttles, and step aboard the Bali 5.2 during its world premiere.

You’ll see what makes the Cannes Yachting Festival unique (two marinas + sea shuttles), meet the BALI team, and get honest first impressions of the Bali 5.2. We also share practical Cannes Yachting Festival tips so you can plan your visit and spend more time aboard boats—especially the Bali 5.2 if it’s on your list.
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⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Intro “Hook” — VIP at the Cannes Yachting Festival
01:18 Travel day to Cannes
01:58 Arriving pre-opening at the Cannes Yachting Festival
02:43 World premiere of the Bali 5.2 — first look
03:53 BALI interview (pro crew) — celebrity vibes
04:24 Mr. Gidget’s VIP photoshoot
04:55 Tips for visiting the Cannes Yachting Festival
05:34 Mini Moments with the BALI team
07:02 Lunch at La Môme Plage
07:48 Mini Moments with the public at the Cannes Yachting Festival
09:04 Two marinas: shuttle Port Canto ↔ Vieux Port (Cannes Yachting Festival)
09:35 Back on the Bali 5.2 — teaser for next episode
10:06 Leaving Cannes — wrap
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Visiting the Cannes Yachting Festival

• Book key boats before the Cannes Yachting Festival gets busy.
• Wear socks for quick on/off deck visits at the Cannes Yachting Festival.
• Use the sea shuttle to move between Vieux Port and Port Canto at the Cannes Yachting Festival.
• Talk to people—the Cannes Yachting Festival community is as valuable as the hardware.
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About the Bali 5.2 (first impressions)

We board the Bali 5.2 during its world premiere for clean, crowd-free impressions. The Bali 5.2 stands out for salon-to-bow flow, bright cabins, and liveaboard-friendly design. We’re producing a separate, dedicated Bali 5.2 walk-through; this episode shows how the Bali 5.2 feels underfoot and why the Bali 5.2 is drawing attention among cruising couples and charters.
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Links

• Full Bali 5.2 Tour (coming soon): [URL] — dedicated deep dive on the Bali 5.2.
• BALI Interview (when live): [URL] — link to BALI’s full interview post.
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💖 Support Our Journey

Your support keeps us sailing and filming. Get BTS updates, live streams, merch, and more.
👥 Patreon: https://patreon.com/sailingwithgidget

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Every bit of support helps us keep creating and sharing our catamaran sailing adventures. Thank you for being part of this journey!
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🎥 Let’s Connect

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Question of the Day: What’s your must-have—open salon flow, solar/lithium power, or cool/quiet AC? If you’ve visited the Cannes Yachting Festival, share your best tips. And if you’re considering the Bali 5.2, tell us what you want covered in the full Bali 5.2 tour.
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🎞️ Video Editing

Special thanks to Fahim Edits @fahimedits2

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