(which is today the 51), launched at theCannes Show in 2009, has a place in thecoveted 50 foot market: designed byChristophe Barreau, it is the successor to thealmost legendary 50-55 footers by Danson.The 5X VPLP was released in 2012, and putthe company into an exclusive and sporty lit-tle niche for cruisers who wanted to go fast.The two catamarans hit the mark, andenabled the builder to make significantchanges to their operation. The challengesinvolved in producing the new version of the45 were such that the project was to takemore than two years to come to fruition.

A RECOGNIZABLE DESIGN

The Outremer family currently comprises three clearly definedmodels which, with all their advantages, are championing abrand, a personality, almost a philosophy! The new range hasseen a real increase in power, incorporating production tech-niques unseen on their predecessors (option to have the mast

and bulkheads in carbon, infusion process, etc)… with obviousconsequences to the price! All that’s missing today is a 40-42footer to complete their traditional place in the market. The des-igns, with their blue stripes, are instantly recognizable as beingby Gérard Danson, the 5X, the 51 and the 45, and are just asimportant. This perception is reinforced is by several styling ele-ments, which, despite having different designers involved,remain consistent. It’s here that the work of designer Patrick LeQuément, involved with the 5X and the 45, stands out.An Outremer has to give the impression of being powerful, yetseaworthy for serious offshore sailing. Fast between twomarks on the racecourse, comfortable between two continents,reassuring between two ways of life - these are the subliminalmessages imprinted into an Outremer. Large sail area, finehulls, high freeboard and aerodynamic coachroof are the com-mon denominators of this dynamic builder.

WELL-DESIGNED, SPORTY LINES

What makes the 45 attractive is the flowing design marked bya smaller coachroof set further aft atop elegant hulls. Theappearance of high freeboard is broken by a clever and subtlehollow. The forward window of the coachroof allows the track

for the self-tacking solent to be as far aft as possible, as well asproviding UV protection. The form of the side windows in plexi-glass, highlights the design, yet is easy on the eye while offe-ring a modern panoramic view. The design of the bimini is cle-ver and functional without impacting the overall lines.

DESIGN AND BUILD

A tour of the yard with Xavier Desmaret and Christophe

BOAT TEST

Designing a replacement for the much-loved 1st generation 45’ represented a serious challenge for theOutremer yard. A multihullsymbolic of adventure sincethe 2000s, the 45 is effecti-vely a passage-maker, aswell as a fast and fun boatall at the same time. We had a chance to try outthe successor to this magicalboat…Text: Philippe Echelle

Photos: Philippe Echelle and Morris Adant (Outremer)

A POWERFUL IMAGE!

In 2000 Didier Le Villain managed totake the prototype of the 1st generation45 to win class 3 of the single-handedPlymouth-Newport race (formerly theOSTAR). This great race was to herald asuccessful future for the model. GérardDanson (naval architect / builder of thatera) and his faithful production manager,Daniel Cailloux, had produced an exem-plary model which would become abenchmark for a whole generation offans. Unfortunately, the tooling (requi-red for hand laminating) and the narrowdesign of the hulls prevented from goinginto production, a model which is stillheld dear by many enthusiasts. WallyWallou, a lightweight version fitted witha rotating carbon mast remains formida-ble in all conditions and shows the pos-

sibilities of this high performance, relia-ble catamaran on the second-hand andrefit markets.

FITTING A NEW 45 FOOTER INTO ANALREADY BALANCED RANGE

The skillful transformation organized byXavier Desmaret and his team followingthe yard’s takeover in 2007 is today bea-ring fruit. The strong brand image andthe unfailing loyalty of the first genera-tion of owners with the founding archi-tect, represent considerable marketingpower, but might hinder further evolu-tion. Outremer Yachting seems to bewinning this challenge, by having inte-grated the values of the Outremer yardwithout having lost any of its identity inspite of a complete overhaul of the rangeand of production methods. The 49

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1 - The performance speaks for itself!

2 - The Outremer 45 shows how modern multihull sail plans haveevolved

3 - The bimini extends from the central “cuttlefish bone” passerelle,which gives access to the boom. Options include “ears” in fabric orcomposite, with water catchment, to complete the sun-screen effect.

The next generation

81

OUTREMER 45 The compact coachroof moved aft, and

having mast stepped on the roof,contributes to the sporty lines

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BOAT

TEST

83

Commard (Industrial Director) gave a clear picture of the caretaken in the build quality. The use of the infusion processimplies (and facilitates as well) rigorous precision, as it dictatesa meticulous sequence of lay-up, of applying the PVC foam,the installation of the strengthening structure and the resininfusion under vacuum. A record is made of each compositepart produced, including the type of the cloth used, whereexactly it is fitted, and how. A second check by the operatorand the quality controller are then formalized in the boat’stracking record. This production method is made possible byrigorous work by the design team who set out the architect’sdesign. A look at the molds shows how important this is. Witha strongly reinforced structure, the female mold ensuresconsistency of form, and provides for long-term use withoutrisk of deforming. The hulls are well-balanced, the mast andthe coachroof moved further aft, allowing very fine bows and agradual increase in volume. The small step on the inboard sideis quite subtle, and doesn’t generate any wave noise. Thesemi-circular sections become bigger level with the forwardbeam, a flare out into a wide, flattened U-shape to create agood load-bearing space. The delicate hollow in the hull allowsfor speed in moderate and breezy conditions, and this slightbend doesn’t impact on the boat’s progression. The strengthof the bottom of the hulls is aimed at haul-out and taking theground (optional supporting skegs), the covering of the under-water surface in vinylester resin increases the water-resistantquality of the composite. The bulkheads have corner profileson both sides. In short, great work!

SIMPLY, FUNCTIONALLY AND TASTEFULLY FITTED OUT

A good thing for moving about the boat, whether inside or out.The design of the bimini with a central step and fixed (or can-vas) wings, and rainwater catchment device is very clever: theboom is easily accessible, the cockpit access is safe and com-

fortable. This has a spacious table which comes into its ownwhen the large sliding door is opened up. Franck Darnet’sinterior design is simple, with linings in light colored Alpi (thisstuff sets the standard of rot-resistant reconstituted woodpaneling) which has a warm shade which contrasts with thedarker floor coverings (which are in sandwich). The build qua-lity is very good and the finish is attractive. The same effect iscreated in the cabins, whose bunks have comfortable slattedbases, and good stowage with fiddles. But the best has got tobe the bathroom of the owner’s version: it is perfect! All theusual problems have been overcome: there is plenty of space,lots of useful stowage, light and ventilation are well cateredfor, there are no sharp corners and the access and functiona-lity are excellent. The total volume of the salon is understan-dably less than on other boats in the cruising market, but theheadroom is the same throughout, keeping this area a lightand pleasant living space. The L-shaped galley is open to thecockpit, the salon table can easily seat five, and there is anoptional telescopic leg for this, creating a lounger for whenunder way. This doubles the entertaining space if the cockpittable is used for dining. The little operating console no longerhas the superb chart table of previous models, but is now set

Model: S2C45 O Yachts CL4 Dazcat 1495 Tri Neel 45 Catana 47cr Slyder 47

Builder: SWISS CAT O YACHTS MULTIMARINE NEEL CATANA SLYDERUpwind sail area in m²: 122 124 120 106 139 129

Light displacement in t: 10.5 7.6 6.5 6.5 10.9 8.2Price in € ex-tax: 770,600 590,000 744,000 450,000 609,700 549,000

T H E C O M P E T I T O R S

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

Architects: Christophe Barreau/ Frédéric Neuman

Designer: Patrick Le Quément

Interior Design: Franck Darnet

Builder: Outremer Yachting

Light displacement: 8.7tLength: 13.77 metersBeam: 7.1 metersMast height: 17.50 meters

Draft: 1/2 metersMainsail area: 69m2Solent: 41m2Gennaker: 90m2Asymmetric spinnaker: 120m2

Motors: 2X30 hpTransmission: saildriveConstruction: foam sandwich / poly-vinylester / glass infusion process

- Basic price owner’s version ex-tax: €469,500

-Offshore pack ex-tax: €66,373 (comfort, safety, solar panels, gennaker, folding propel-

lers, bimini, watermaker, full B&G electronics, deck upholstery, saildrive skeg

- Sport Pack ex-tax: €98,045 (rotating carbon mast, hydranet mainsail, spinnaker, til-

lers)

Other principal options - prices in euros ex-tax:

- Carbon bulkeads: 12,200- Forced air heating: 9,980- Electric toilets: 1,050- Watt&Sea hydrogenerator: 7,750

- Kevlar capshrouds: 7,350- Electric winch: 2,368

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up for electronic navigation. The designis configured to include the electrics,being adjacent to the salon bench underwhich is the battery compartment. Thisset-up, along with the same build qua-lity found on earlier models, has deser-vedly earned a reputation for reliabilityamong crews.

MOTORS AND STEERING

The two power units are mounted as farforward as possible in the boat, underthe structural aft bulkhead, so space islimited. All the routine items to check(belts, water pumps, levels) are on theaccessible side, but any more seriouswork would mean they would have tobe accessed from inside the aft cabins.The superb mechanical helm linkagedoes cost more, but it is magnificent.The mechanism is made a little morecomplicated by the two-position helm(wheel, which can be disengaged, ANDtillers), but the design team have comeup with a remarkable solution. The til-lers are fitted on rotating pivots, them-selves secured at three points (by rollerbearings above and below, and by a divi-

ding shelf). A solid bracket holds thepulleys for the steering cables. Theautopilot is protected from the ele-ments: it is directly fixed to the alumi-num bar linking the two rudders (a car-bon tube and fiber cables would havebeen more in keeping with this beautifulmachine) by means of a short couplingwhich is adjusted with washers. It allinspires confidence.

SEA TRIAL

The deck layout of the 45 is simple,easy to understand and easy to use: for-ward of the wheel is the primary winchwith a bank of clutches for the mainhalyard, the reefing lines and the solentsheet. The optional electric winchwould be very appealing for family crui-sing. In addition, there is also winch forthe spi and gennaker sheets, and finallyone at the mast, for foresail halyards(well-placed on the forward end of thecoachroof, and not actually on themast). The stand-up blocks for the gen-naker do away with the need for multi-position tracks. In the cockpit are thewinches for the mainsheet, the traveler

and the daggerboards, ergonomicallymounted on consoles, as already seenon the 51. Maneuverability under motoris good and the power transmitted bythe 30hp motors to the three-bladed fol-ding propellers is totally sufficient.Readying the gennaker and the Code Dfor hoisting is made easier by the trian-gular welded bowsprit onto which isfixed the tack point. With a light wind of7 to 10 knots, the 45 made way energe-tically, the well-balanced rudders werefairly neutral, and the feel of the helmwas pleasant in spite of the inertia in thesteering cables (they still move evenwhen the wheel is disconnected). Thisslightly “sticky” feeling is always there,but becomes minimal at speed, as isnot really a nuisance. The carbon wheelis a joy to hold, and it steers the boatwell, without particularly losing feel.The daggerboards slide perfectly in theirhousings, and the boat tacks itself verynicely upwind. The optimized size of thesolent reduces the usual gap comparedto an overlapping genoa: the perfect for-mula for cruising.After the first afternoon of light mode-rate winds of 7 to 10 knots, and a good

Warning: certain boats compared includeoptions (the S2C45 and the Class 4 have carbon masts for example). You are advisedto check the specifications with the individualmanufacturers.

4- The hulls are designed to beable take a good load, and thewake, although a bit messy at lowspeed, smoothes out with higherspeeds5 - The helm station is in keepingwith current trends (deck layoutbased around a single navigationstation), but bucks the trend withthe “Sport Outremer” version withtillers6 - The tiller and pivoting helmseat encourage the enjoyment ofhelming in light airs, or for a realfeel in moderate conditions. Thewheel (and the autopilot) takeover when conditions become abit more challenging7 - A clear and functional styleare upheld by a high build-quality8 - When fully open, the large sli-ding door improves the cockpit /galley interface 9 - Effective and controlled comfort10 - Faultless!

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night alongside, then we had a real moderate breeze of14 to 18 knots. This is what the Outremer is made for!The 45 is a passage-making multihull, but the enthu-siasts like to let her run free and unrestrained. Underthe (square-topped) mainsail and Code D, well sheeted-in, the increase in wind allowed the 45 to match thisincrease in a dynamic fashion, accelerating with thewind. With the drive being on the leeward hull, the wakeregularly stretched out behind us, and from about 13-14knots this came back and became at little characteristicvortex. We made the most of this sustained wind forseveral hours, and were able to see the boat’s true abi-lity. Between 10 and 15 knots of speed, the playfulnature of the 45 is quite clear, and general balanceconfirms the good positioning of the tiller (a tiller exten-sion would improve the comfort of the helmsman). The enjoyment of it hits the spot.

CONCLUSION

In the weather conditions we had for our test, the 45 sho-wed itself to be fun, easy to live aboard and fast. Thereis a good feel to the helm and it is easy to handle. Theoptions list would allow you to make this pretty boatmore sporty, and there would be genuine results for theexacting and wealthy enthusiast, but the version we tes-ted was everything you could wish for. Dr. Cruising andMr. Fast, the 45 remains true to the Outremer character..

BOAT

TES

T

◆ Expensive options◆ Tillers a bit short◆ Saildrives and rudder blades fixed

◆ Nice lines◆ Well built◆ Dynamic qualities

85

DESIGNING THE NEWOUTREMER 45

BY FRÉDÉRIC NEUMAN AND CHRISTOPHEBARREAU

Replacing the previous 45, an intel-ligent, performance boat, presenteda challenge. But, the Outremer 49and the 51 had already succeededin maintaining the brand’s funda-mental principles, while improvingthe comfort (without over-equip-ping or fitting-out), light, space andergonomics. It had to remain acatamaran of the equivalent form (length to displa-cement ratio), and at this size, this is a difficultequation to solve! In order to maintain perfor-mance and stability, the overall proportions formeda large part of the slenderness, a higher nacelle, thevolumes of the hulls set well apart, a beam suffi-cient for safety and performance, without compro-mising the weight. The fine shape forward led us tobringing the coachroof further aft, though the mastis stepped on the coachroof and not on the deck. A lot of work went into the geometry of the cockpit,so that the overall shift aft of the structure didn’timpact on the link with the interior, nor on theaccess to the water. This balance led us to a hullshape quite different than that of the 51. Theweight is shifted further aft, and the increasingvolume of the hulls follows this pattern as well.The hull is clearly designed for high averagespeeds! The theory of the flowing design was proved using a digital towing tank (Numeca Fine /Marine), then more recently, out on the waterwhere the first few sails have met with expecta-tions! A steady 8-10 knots, peaking at 14-15 in a fairly choppy sea and a wind around 15 knots, we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of pitching; the boat went over a wave and stabilizedstraight away. In line with the rest of the range, it leaves you with a real impression of serenity.

The wheel (and by extension, the autopilot!)

is for regular cruising.The cable-linkage

provides for effectivesteering.

The wakes aresmooth atspeed, but

can be a bit turbulent when

going slower.

The access to the boom ispractical, creating the makingsof the bimini.

The sail plangives the power

you wouldexpect, but

remains hand-leable. A fixedor rotating car-bon mast is an

option, andwould go hand

in hand withcarbon bul-

kheads.

The design of thebows is good,

modern withoutbeing excessively

fashionable.

The vertical appearanceof the freeboard isevened out by the effect of the hollow.

The 45’s compactcoachroof shows itscharacter.

The hallmark of anOutremer, the optional tillerallows a direct contact with

the boat whether on passage or racing. It’s a

must-have for enthusiasts.

Equipment typical of Outremer: thedavits support solar panels, allowinggreater independence when blue-water cruising.

The well-proportionedhulls refine the lines.

11- The weight of the motors has been moved as farforward as possible, making the space above the cylinder heads more restricted, but access is possiblethrough the aft cabins. The regular checks and maintenance points are easily accessible12 - A general view of the mixed helm mechanism(wheel and tiller), and the excellent accessibility

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phot

o M

orris

Ada

nt

True wind in knots True wind angle in ° Boat speed in knots Headsail

9 70 6.5 Gennaker

11-12 110 9 Gennaker

12.1 95 9.2 Code D

13.4 100 9.6 Code D

15.2 100 11.2 Code D

18.2 110 14.2 Code D

Table showing the performance results of our test(as verified by GPS using a Garmin Quatix watch)

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