Outremer 55

The Outremer 55 is a performance-oriented bluewater cruising catamaran built by Outremer Yachting of La Grande-Motte, France, and unveiled at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in January 2020. Slotting between the company's Outremer 51 and the larger 5X, the 55 was developed with naval architects VPLP Design — the same studio behind the Gunboat 68 — and features styling input from Patrick Le Quément with interiors by Darnet Design. It won the European Boat of the Year 2022 award in the Bluewater Cruising category.

At 16.73 m (54 ft 9 in) LOA with an 8.30 m (27 ft 2 in) beam, the 55 weighs just 13.9 tonnes light — roughly a tonne less than a Catana 53 despite being two feet longer. Pricing starts from around €1.6 million excluding VAT. The boat is offered in three- or four-cabin layouts, and is CE-certified for up to eight passengers offshore.

The hulls and superstructure are built using composite lamination techniques that Outremer has refined through its membership of the Grand Large Yachting group, which also owns Gunboat. The coachroof was redesigned to be simultaneously stiffer and lighter than earlier models while incorporating larger openings for natural ventilation — a deliberate choice to reduce reliance on air conditioning. Electric rather than hydraulic winches were specified from the outset to save both weight and complexity.

Daggerboards are a defining feature of the design: they improve windward efficiency by up to 15 degrees of pointing ability compared to a fixed-keel equivalent, and retract fully to give a shallow draft of just 1.2 m (4 ft 4 in) for coastal exploration. The rotating carbon mast and composite rigging contribute to the vessel's light overall displacement and performance focus. A fully battened square-top mainsail in Hydranet and a Hydranet self-tacking solent jib are standard. Two 60-hp diesel saildrive engines provide propulsion under power, each fed by a 300-litre fuel tank.

Outremer's stated design goal for the 55 was a boat capable of matching wind speeds up to around 12 knots, making it possible to sail rather than motor for roughly 95 percent of a circumnavigation. Owner accounts back this up: at least one documented circumnavigation required only three fuel fills over the entire voyage. The twin helm positions are mounted amidships rather than at the extreme stern, pivoting between an upright station and an outboard position for better feel and visibility. The arrangement suits short-handed and solo sailing.

The gennaker option — up to 182 m² (1,959 sq ft) — gives the 55 strong downwind power in light air, which is particularly valuable for trade-wind passages. The daggerboards allow meaningful upwind performance unusual in a cruising catamaran of this size, while retracting cleanly for downwind legs and shallow anchorages.

The interior is designed around flush soleboards and wide, unobstructed passageways to ease movement at sea. A central island galley can be converted to a dining table using a fold-up shelf extension, and the entire aft saloon wall opens to merge the cockpit and interior into a single living space — a characteristic Outremer social arrangement. Three or four double-cabin layouts are available, accommodating owners and guests in equal comfort.

Self-sufficiency is a priority throughout. Standard equipment includes 2.3 kW of solar panels on the coachroof, twin 270-litre freshwater tanks supplemented by a watermaker, and a 40-litre hot-water system plumbed to both shore power and an engine heat exchanger. A dishwasher is offered as standard equipment, reflecting the vessel's liveaboard credentials for extended offshore passages.