outremer catamaran review

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

First look: Outremer 52 – serious adventure catamaran

• Toby Heppell
• July 24, 2023

If you’re after a serious round-the-world adventure and have the budget for a boat like this, the Outremer 52 could well be the cat you're looking for

Product Overview

Multihulls are clearly booming. They’ve been popular as charter boats for a long time, thanks to the sheer amount of real estate they offer, and the appeal of life on an even keel. The high-volume charter boats haven’t, however, done much to improve multihulls’ reputation for aesthetics or performance.

Outremer catamarans are cut from a different cloth. Light and fast, they are aimed at performance cruising with double-figure speeds, while still being comfortable to live aboard and without being extreme machines. They are serious blue-water cruising boats and are increasingly popular, albeit at a price that puts them on a par with the priciest top-end luxury monohulls.

French boat builder and owner of several mulithull brands, Grand Large Yachting has pooled serious knowledge, design and build experience to create what it deems to be an ideal family-sized fast catamaran for world voyaging. Outremer as a brand focuses on lightweight designs.

A proper chart table allows for watch-keeping below

The Outremer 52 combines the proven features of the 51 (over 100 built) with the fresh looks and success of the recently launched 55, which won a European Yacht of the Year award last year.

Outremer is aiming for 10-12 knot average speeds for this new model: ‘250 miles a day is enough for comfort and performance,’ said Outremer CEO, Xavier Desmarest, at the unveiling at Cannes Yachting Festival.

Its sister company, Gunboat, was involved to help lighten the structures while increasing stiffness, including the use of carbon bulkheads. The weight saved in structure allows more volume with slightly wider upper parts of the hull, and openings and glass surfaces have been increased.

In comparison to the 51 it is actually slightly heavier, but carries more sail area. VPLP, which spent two-and-a-half years developing the design with Franck Darnet and Patrick Le Quément, expects the performance to be similar if not slightly better than the 51. Sightlines and communication are also improved, with forward visibility from the bar area and saloon seating, and there are four opening ports in the saloon for ventilation.

Wheel and tiller options are offered or, uniquely, a choice of both on either side, while mechanical steering delivers the sporty feel for which the brand is renowned. The layout sees three or four cabins and three different ‘moods’ or styles. And, in line with its larger sister, a utility cabin option is offered so owners can choose an office, workroom, laundry or kids’ cabin.

Hull windows have been enlarged for panoramic views

The standard boat will have diesel engines, but the Grande Motte yard insists the yacht’s ability to sail well means these will be little used. It does already offer electric propulsion alternatives and – as seen on Roland Jourdain’s new 5X We Explore, which uses lots of flax fibre – it is increasingly building with recycled or recyclable materials.

The 51 has the potential to mount 2,100W solar panels, an option all owners are reportedly choosing. Outremer is continuing to increase its production capacity to try to meet the insatiable demand for its performance catamarans, but insists it will maintain its direct customer contact approach. The first boat has now been launched, although there is a four-year wait for those ordering now.

If you’re after a serious round-the-world adventure and have the budget for a boat like this, you’ll cover the ground at serious speed and in real comfort.

Outremer 52 specifications

LOA: 15.73m / 51ft 7in LWL: 15.71m / 51ft 7in Beam: 7.89m / 25ft 11in Draught: 1.07m / 3ft 6in Displacement: 12,800kg / 28,219lbs Mainsail: 95m2 / 1,023 sq ft Genoa: 60 m² / 646 sq ft Selftacking jib: 45 m² (484 ft²) Price: (ex VAT) €1.23m (sailaway €1.55m) Builder: catamaran-outremer.com

Enjoyed reading this?

A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price .

Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals .

YM is packed with information to help you get the most from your time on the water.

• Take your seamanship to the next level with tips, advice and skills from our experts
• Impartial in-depth reviews of the latest yachts and equipment
• Cruising guides to help you reach those dream destinations

Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.

Browser Security Check…

• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Newsletters
• Sailboat Reviews
• Boating Safety
• Sails and Rigging
• Maintenance
• Sailing Totem
• Sailor & Galley
• Living Aboard
• Destinations
• Gear & Electronics
• Charter Resources
• Ultimate Boat Giveaway

Quick Look: Outremer 49

• By Alvah Simon
• Updated: December 27, 2011

Outremer 49

Outremer has been building multihulls for 27 years, making it a pioneer in the field. The company is a dedicated bluewater specialist with a straightforward motto: “Seaworthy, Fast, Simple.” At the expense of interior volume, the 49 carries a rounded trunk cabin smaller than similarly sized cats for enhanced structural integrity. The hard foredeck has been cut back almost to the cabin to eliminate flat surfaces exposed to boarding seas. The slender hulls are exceptionally fast.

Nevertheless, the 49 is aesthetically very pleasing to the eye, functional yet elegant below, and one exhilarating boat to sail. Fine entries, light weight, and twin dagger boards combine with a massive sail plan to drive the vessel at blistering speeds on or off the wind. A special feature is the twin tillers aft that will allow the true sailing enthusiast to “feel” the boat directly, not through the main helm’s hydraulic steering system. The cockpit areas and decks are spacious. Special attention has been paid to important safety features, including forward crash boxes and watertight bulkheads.

The cherry interior is nothing short of lustrous. The galley is equipped to handle a large and hungry crew. Consistent with Outremer’s core philosophy is a full-size, thoroughly equipped navigation station.

LOA 49′ 2″ LWL 49′ 2″ Beam 24′ 5″ Draft 2′ 9″/7′ 7″ Sail Area 1,336 sq. ft. Displacement 20,944 lb. Water 116 gal. Fuel 80 gal. Engine 49-hp. Yanmar Designer Barreau/Neuman Price $865,360 Aeroyacht Ltd. (631) 246-6448 www.aeroyacht.com

• More: 2011+ , 41 - 50 ft , catamaran , Coastal Cruising , multihull , outremer , quick look , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
• More Sailboats

For Sale: 1984 Camper & Nicholsons 58

Alubat Updates OVNI Models

For Sale: Little Harbor 63 Ketch

Sailboat Review: Fountaine Pajot Aura 51

​​Options To Explore

Cruising Tahiti: A Party in Paradise

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Outremer 55 first look: Efficient catamaran promises more sailing and less motoring

• October 14, 2020

Feedback from some 310 previous Outremer owners has gone into refining the design of the new Outremer 55

Plugging the gap between Outremer’s longstanding 5X and 51 models, the Outremer 55 will exhibit the brand’s typical balance of performance and comfort.

When the design was unveiled at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in January, we heard how VPLP ’s efficient hull shape will allow the boat to match wind speed up to around 12 knots.

“It means much less use of the engines,” explains commercial director Matthieu Rougevin-Baville. Outremer considers performance to be a key plank of its environmental policy. “If you can sail at 5 knots, you can sail 95% of the time,” he reasons.

Article continues below…

Discovery 50 review: This British bluewater catamaran could win over monohull purists

Many of us who dream of long-term cruising want to do it in comfort, preferably in a quality build from…

Lagoon 46 first look: Updating this catamaran is a significant step for the yard

Lagoon has sold 900 of its 450 catamaran model in eight years, maxing out the 130-a-year mould capacity in latter…

One Outremer owner has sailed round the world with his family yet filled the tanks only three times, we are told.

There are daggerboards for 15-degree better windward performance, and a swing helm pedestal that allows you to sit up on the side deck in fine weather, or shelter under the hard top when it turns inclement.

Tillers are still an option, but Outremer has worked hard to give the wheel better feedback. It is set up for short-handed bluewater sailing.

Outremer is part of the same Grand Large group which owns Gunboat, and there have been some technical improvements, notably on the lamination.

For instance, the coachroof is now stiffer, despite being lighter and having more openings. Powered winches are electric rather than hydraulic, saving kilos.

The yard also considers ventilation paramount for an eco-friendly cruiser, rather than fitting air conditioning, which needs more fuel and results in additional weight.

With 2.3kW of solar panels on the coachroof, Outremer claims the 55 is electrically self-sufficient – and that is despite having equipment such as watermakers and dishwashers.

The rear of the saloon completely opens to unite the cockpit and the interior, and there is the option of three or four good-sized double cabins.

Specification

LOA: 16.69m (54ft 9in) Beam: 8.28m (27ft 2in) Displacement (light): 13,500kg (29,762lb) Price: €1,215,000 (ex. VAT)

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• Sailing Blogs
• List Your Catamaran For Charter
• List Your Catamaran For Sale

Outremer 45

Lovely Lines The 45 is a great looking boat, well proportioned and designed to deliver the Outremer promise: fast, safe sailing in comfort. For the French yard, comfort is more about the motion of the boat and speed of passage than huge berths in fat hulls. This is an ocean crossing boat like a Looping catamaran : one that gets going quickly in light airs and which is a blast to sail in windier conditions. It’s incredible how catamaran design has evolved in 20 years (read our Prout 45 review for a comparison of a boat from the mid nineties).

Photos credit, catamaran-outremer.com, sailing-lavagabonde.com

• The Outremer 45 is a fast, seaworthy yacht designed for crossing oceans. She is probably the market leader in her category.
• With centralised weight and those long trampolines, she has a smooth ride in waves.
• She’s well built and sturdy, and great to look at.
• The Outremer after-sales service has an excellent reputation, especially compared to other French manufacturers which, how should we put this, …. are not so fast once they have sold you the boat. If you have a problem in Tahiti, these guys will do their best to help you out.
• Outremer also offer a thorough training program for purchasers of new boats. Their philosophy is one of building up a family of owners: something to be applauded.
• Outremers hold their value very well compared to other manufacturers. These boats are in demand.
• The compromise is living space compared to other 45 footers. So even though she’s the same length as, for example, a Nautitech 46, she feels like a 40 once you step inside. But you will be leaving the Nautitechs behind on the 45.
• With the aft cockpit covered by a long strip rather than a full bimini, you are more exposed on a 45 than other catamrans. You can opt for material or hard “ears” which extends the cover out to full width for some of the bimini length. Some owners opt for a dodger at the helm station as well.
• This bucket seats could be a little bigger.
• The base price is pretty competitive, but the options can add up.

The hulls and deck are constructed in vinylester with a divinycell core and beneath the waterline the boat is solid glass for safety in the event of a grounding. Carbon is used in high-stress areas and the bows have multiple “crash boxes” to contain the danger of taking in water in a collision. The daggerboard trunks are tough and the boards have been designed to fail on impact. The upshot is that this is catamaran with a considerable amount of time and effort that has been spent on safety aspects.

Those slender hulls mean that this is a quick boat, but the compromise is living space. Have a read of our Voyage 480 review if you are looking for a bigger living area: there are plenty of options out there, but if you want to get to your destination quickly and safely, no-one does it better than Outremer,

These yachts are designed to last 50 years according to Director of Sales Matthieu Rougevin-Baville.

Let´s talk about sailing first, shall we, as that´s the main reason for buying an Outremer 45. She is powered by a substantial fully-battened square-top main. Up front is a self-tacking solent and larger sails are flown off the bowsprit. With her narrow hulls, and decent length she moves through the water nicely, and the low-profile deck house is shaped to reduce wind resistance, just like her predecessor. The design has moved on from the older design of the earlier 45, but you can still spot the DNA.

Lines Back to the Helm All control lines for the mainsail and the self tacking solent come back to the helm, where you can also control the gennaker, code 0 or code D furler: all of these sails have halyards running to the helm as well if you want to set it up that way.

Her motion is kindly for a 45 footer and you can expect to be hitting speeds in the teens when the wind hits 15 knots and over. As long as you don´t overload her, you will see speeds of 5 knots and more, even in light winds: you don´t see these boats at the fuel dock that often. The plan on this boat is to achieve 80 to 90% of true wind speeds.  In a 5 knot breeze, for example, the Outremer 45 should hit 4-4.5 knots, and 15 knots is an attainable target in windier conditions. You’ll see 20 knots and over surfing if you can handle the adrenaline and you have your waterproof pants on.

With the daggerboards up, draft is only 85cm and the draft when is 2 meters: this allows the Outremer 45 to point higher into the wind and keeps the speed up will minimising leeway.

The 45 feels like a safe boat to clamber around on, with wide decks which are an easy hop up from the cockpit and plenty of handrails along the coachroof with patches of anti-skid in all of the right areas.

A Boat for Sailors You sail from a single port helm station and you can add the option of twin outboard tillers with bucket seats for maximum sailing feel at the back of the boat. I’d say that’s a compulsory option.

The main traveler runs along the width of the aft cockpit where you have a decent dining table. Other lines like the controls for the boards and the furling line for the headsail run all the way aft, and there are Lewmar winches, tracks and blocks with Spinlock clutches to help you manage the sails.

Centralised Weight For a Smooth Ride You’ll notice in general that the Outremer 45 has long nets and a shorter cabin top than many other catamarans. This helps to keep the weight in the middle of the boat and is one of the ways that they achieve such a smooth ride.

Up on those long nets, you notice that the trampolines are split by a central beam along which the anchor chain runs. You can drop anchor from the helm or directly at the windlass.

A great safety feature is the location of the life raft in the port trampoline. The water and diesel tanks (300 liters each) are forward of the mast and you will find two large, forward, lockers for your additional equipment and sails.

Of course, there is one area that you will need to compromise on in order to achieve all of this speed and centalised wieght and that is in the living area.

Clever Use of Available Space Compared to a production cruising cat, the space is more limited of course, but Outremer have done a great job of maximising comfort in the available space. You can choose between the 3 cabin Owner’s or the Four Cabin version.

The saloon is well designed with an L-shaped galley to starboard which flows through to the aft cockpit when the large sliding door is open. There is a decent nav station, and plenty of seating – it’s a well thought out design.

With those slender hulls, she slips nicely through the water powered by twin 30HP Volvos, comfortably achieving 6 knots with one engine going at 2200 RPM and 7.5 with 2. The idea is to get sailing as quickly as possible on these boats though. As soon as a breeze kicks in, you should be sailing.

Going Greener and Greener Solar panels are standard on all Outremers (the 45 has 560 W of power). Add a hydro-generator and lithium batteries, and you will achieve some very good generation and storage numbers. The 45 will come in an electric version (Outrememr 45E) which is being developed for Jimmy Cornell.

How much does an Outremer 45 Cost? What is the Price? This is highly dependent on the options you go for, but a figure of around €750 – 800k gets you in the right ball park for a new boat.

Do Outremer Produce Other Versions of the 45? They are developing an all electric version with Jimmy Cornell called the 4E. There will also be a hybrid model available called the 4H.

The Outremer 45 is built to sail:  she’s a safe and secure catamaran designed to be handled with a small crew. For long voyages, this boat is probably the market leader in her class.

Designing a catamaran to follow Gérard Danson’s much loved design was never going to be easy, but Barreau and Neuman have pulled it off once again, designing a catamaran that moves as well, but is more comfortable with the same length to displacement ratio.

Technical Specification

Contact Katamarans

Share your details with us and we’ll be in touch to discuss further.

" * " indicates required fields

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies
• Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

More information about our Cookie Policy

CatamaranReviews.com

Outremer 51 catamaran.

Bagging prestigious awards such as The European Yacht of the Year Award and the Boat of the Year Award, the Outremer 51 catamaran is a prime example of a boat built for bluewater cruising. The strength and power lent through the refinement of its predecessor Outremer 49 ’s technical features and the sleek elegance provided by Franck Darnet’s interior design, led to the Outremer 51 being a best-selling pinnacle of offshore sailing. Perhaps what makes the Outremer 51 such a sight to see and an experience to liveaboard is the incorporation of feedback received from owners and sailors.

The Outremer 51 has been built specifically with performance and speed as the top priority and easily out. Despite being a 51-footer, it can easily outperform other catamarans and sailed short-handed even with its large sail plan (91 sq. meters mainsail, 31 sq. meters self-tacking jib).

Table of Contents

DESIGN – INTERIOR & EXTERIOR

The sharp new look of Outremer gives 51 an almost formidable air. The coachroof outlines are harder, and the angles more pronounced. For the interior, the selection of wooden finishes offered ensures that the catamaran correctly reflects the elegance and style of its owner.

As opposed to Outremer 49, the 51 has sharper angles, such as those seen in its sugar scoop transoms. These new angles are not only attractive but serve an enhanced function. For example, in the case of the sugar scoop transoms, boarding onto the catamaran is now easier.

The hull and the deck of Outremer 51 have PVC foam sandwich moldings and a solid laminate below the waterline and under deck fitting. The front deck itself has the characteristic Outremer tillers on each side and the infamous white space-pod chair. There is also a raised, padded bench at the outdoor helm station for those who do not feel completely safe on the space-pod chair for night watches. The padded bench also has a footrest to facilitate those of smaller statures but could have been made more secure with armrests. Despite the presence of tillers, the helm station is located at the starboard bulkhead is complete and ideally positioned, with clearly visible navigational instruments. All the lines lead aft, and both the forward and stern visibility offered by the helm station is excellent.

The cockpit of Outremer 51 catamaran is spacious and can easily host a party of people on its sizeable U-shaped settee and table. In addition to that, there is enough space for deck chairs to seat even more people. The cockpit area is protected by a hard-top, which can also serve the purpose of hosting solar panels for an energy-efficient watercraft. However, the cockpit top does not protect the helm and the helm station is entirely exposed to the environment.

The foredeck of the Outremer 51 has two large trampolines, and there is also a liferaft placed forward. The positioning of the liferaft is ideal, as it is away from potential sources of fire such as the engine bay or the galley.

The saloon of Outremer 51 is accessed from the open cockpit via a large, “patio” style sliding door. The saloon offers a comfortable living space, housing an L-shaped settee wrapped around an expandable table with further two ottoman cushions stowed under the table.

The navigation station is to starboard and faces forward. Although the navigation desk is not large enough to place the charts, it is comfortable and cozy. The windows lining the saloon are now more vertical than slanting, offering not only a panoramic view of the world beyond but also reducing the heat transferred to the interiors while the hatches allow for better ventilation. One thing to note, however, is that the mainsail is not directly visible from the seat at the navigation station, but it can be viewed during night watch from a window two paces away.

The U-shaped galley is compact and has a two-drawer fridge. The position of the galley enables it to serve both the cockpit and the saloon.

ACCOMODATIONS

Outremer 51 comes in 3-cabin and 4-cabin versions. The owner’s version has a large master suite which boasts a queen bed and a separate head in the port hull. There are two cabins in the starboard hull with an option of a forward cabin with a double berth or upper and lower bunks. There is also a possibility of having an additional bunk room in the owner’s hull.

The Outremer 51 is powered by two Volvo 40-hp diesel engines with saildrives are accessible from the back of the sugar scoop. The location of the engine bay is not ideal and slightly risky to access on rough seas, but the layout of the inside of the bay is easy to navigate. Everything in the watertight compartment is clearly labeled, which does help make maintenance checks easier.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Outremer 51 catamaran has an overall length of 51.3 ft and the maximum beam of 24.4 ft. Its total displacement is 8.2/11.1 tons. The air draft of Outremer 51 is 23.08 meters, while the draft itself is 0.95-2.95 meters.

PRICE RANGE

The price of Outremer 51 catamaran varies from $730,000 to $800,000.

In conclusion, Outremer did its reputation of optimum performance and stylish design justice with its model 51. Despite there being minor flaws that need resolution, the Outremer 51 is luxurious and spacious while also meeting high standards of sailing.

Outremer 51 Specs

Make: outremer, catamaran rating, outremer 51 pictures, new catamaran reviews.

Seawind 1600

Privilege 585

Catamaran makes, new reviews, most popular.