Design Brief & Intent
The core mission of the Outremer 42 was to refine the uncompromising, lightweight racing-cruiser DNA established by the earlier Outremer 40 and 43 models, adding just enough interior volume and payload capacity to satisfy long-term liveaboards. In contrast to its predecessors, which featured narrow, highly restricted "bubble" coachroofs, the 42 introduced a more upright cabin house with vertical windows and a prominent overhang to minimize solar heat gain. The interior represents a study in functional minimalism. Instead of the heavy, dark wood veneers typical of traditional cruising monohulls of the era, the Outremer 42 features clean, low-maintenance white fiberglass surfaces accented by light woodwork and marine-grade laminate. Structurally, the hulls and bridgedeck nacelle were built using vacuum-bagged infusion technology with a closed-cell foam core and polyester/vinylester resin, ensuring high stiffness and saving weight, while keeping the lower hull bottoms monolithic for grounding impact resistance.
Variations & Configurations
The Outremer 42 was offered in two primary accommodation layouts. The Owner’s version features a dedicated port hull configuration with a large double berth aft, a central study or navigation desk, and a generous head compartment forward. The starboard hull houses two double cabins sharing a midships head. A Charter layout was also built, providing a symmetrical four-cabin, two-head arrangement optimized for fast blue-water delivery or racing crews.
Under the waterline, the boat utilizes high-aspect carbon fiber or composite daggerboards in dedicated trunks, allowing draft to vary from a shallow 2.6 feet with boards up to 7.55 feet with boards down. Power configurations historically varied; earlier hulls were equipped with twin 28-horsepower Yanmar 3GM30 diesel engines, while later production models often featured 30-horsepower Volvo Penta D2-30 diesels mated to sail drives. Propellers and rudders are protected by protective skegs, which allows the boat to be safely dried out or beached on sandy bottoms.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The physical feedback of the Outremer 42 at the helm is defined by its conservative displacement of 15,653 pounds and an assertive upwind sail area of approximately 1,011 square feet. This translates to a high Sail Area to Displacement (SA/Disp) ratio of 25.87, which ensures exceptional light-wind responsiveness compared to heavy production cruising catamarans. Its Capsize Screening Ratio of 3.67 reflects the physical stability inherent to its wide 22.97-foot beam.
When pointing to windward, the daggerboards allow the Outremer 42 to sail at true wind angles of 45 to 50 degrees while maintaining speeds of 9 knots or higher—angles and speeds that conventional fixed-keel cruising catamarans cannot match. The helm remains light, balanced, and communicative. The slender hull forms slice through chop without the punishing, hobby-horsing motion common in high-buoyancy, wide-bow multihulls. Windage is relatively low, meaning the boat handles predictably under power in tight marina spaces and does not suffer from extreme sailing-on-the-anchor behavior.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Because only a limited number of Outremer 42s were constructed during its production run, the model is highly sought after and commands a premium on the brokerage market. It trades at a significantly higher value than equivalent-sized production catamarans of the same vintage due to its build quality and prestigious performance pedigree.
Prospective buyers should anticipate a specialized valuation structure. High-performance upgrades such as rotating carbon masts, carbon-foam biminis, and advanced composite sail inventories significantly elevate individual boat pricing. Because these vessels are frequently used for transoceanic passages, refit economics are heavily influenced by the condition of the standing rigging, sail drive seals, and the condition of the daggerboard trunks.
Known Issues & Triage
While structurally robust, the Outremer 42 has specific vulnerabilities that require careful inspection:
- Weight Sensitivity: This is the most critical non-structural issue. The boat's narrow hulls are highly sensitive to overloading. Excessive cruising gear, massive battery banks, and heavy auxiliary equipment (such as washing machines or high-capacity watermakers) will drag the sterns down, raising the waterline and severely degrading both speed and bridgedeck clearance.
- Daggerboard Trunk Wear: Over years of hard driving, the sacrificial UHMW polyethylene or Teflon glide strips inside the daggerboard trunks can wear down or dislodge. This leads to play in the boards, causing an audible clacking sound when sailing. The repair involves hauling the boat, removing the boards, and bonding new glide pads into the trunks.
- Electrical System and Alternator Heat: Given the performance-cruising nature of these boats, many owners push the standard alternators to their limits to charge large house banks. Standard alternators on the Yanmar or Volvo engines are prone to overheating if not regulated correctly. Buyers should check for heat damage to the wiring harness around the engine spaces.
Modernization & Upgrades
Modern owners of the Outremer 42 focus heavily on weight-conscious upgrades to improve off-grid living:
- Lithium (LiFePO4) Conversions: Replacing heavy lead-acid or AGM house batteries with Lithium Iron Phosphate cells saves hundreds of pounds while dramatically increasing usable capacity. This is often paired with high-output alternators (such as Balmar) equipped with external smart regulators that feature temperature sensors to prevent overheating.
- Rigid Carbon/Foam Biminis: The original canvas biminis are frequently replaced by custom, lightweight carbon fiber and foam-core rigid structures. These biminis provide stable platforms for high-efficiency solar arrays, adding valuable green energy generation without adding excessive weight aloft.
- Synthetic Rigging: To further shed weight aloft and improve stability, several owners have retrofitted their standing rigging from traditional wire to synthetic Dyneema (such as DM20 or Dux), which reduces heel momentum and pitching.
The Verdict
The Outremer 42 is a rare breed of cruising multihull that refuses to sacrifice sailing pleasure for interior volume. It is an uncompromising passagemaker designed for those who measure comfort by how quickly and safely they transit oceans, rather than by the square footage of their salon.
Pros
- Exceptional sailing performance, windward pointing ability, and tracking due to its deep daggerboards.
- Extremely robust, lightweight composite construction that ages well under hard blue-water use.
- Low-maintenance exterior and functional interior with minimal exposed wood.
- Excellent safety margins and high bridgedeck clearance to prevent pounding in rough seas.
Cons
- Highly sensitive to payload weight, requiring disciplined packing and minimal luxury appliances.
- Far less interior volume and cabin headroom than beamier, high-freeboard cruising catamarans.
- Premium brokerage pricing and limited availability make it difficult to source on the used market.
