Design and Construction
The original Danson-era hulls were narrow and light, producing the sensation of gliding with a tiller in hand, and the 2014-generation boat measures 14.54 meters overall with a beam of 7.15 meters and a displacement quoted by the builder at 8.8 to 12.0 tonnes. A notable structural evolution arrived in 2018 when the hull lost nearly 500 kg while retaining the same core materials as its Gunboat cousins, and storage became more ergonomic. The 2014 redesign brought improved quality of finish over the early production years, and extended hulls — optional until 2017 — then became standard, pushing stated length to 48 feet. The boat carries a 2.5-tonne payload design target, described by the builder as comfortable for a circumnavigating couple.
Rig and Handling
Central to the Outremer philosophy is single-handed capability. All maneuvers are reachable from a helm station at the boat's center, where an ergonomic seat and tiller sit with engine controls and windlass close at hand for seamless docking. An electric winch forward of the helm serves mainsail hoisting, and the very low boom eases mainsail access while lowering the sail's center of effort. The sail plan pairs a versatile self-tacking solent with a downwind gennaker for trade-wind efficiency, and the upwind area is 110 m² spread across a 69 m² mainsail and 41 m² self-tacking jib. Daggerboards give a draught range of 1.25 to 2.05 meters, and the builder rates the 45 as the most forgiving of catamarans — a meaningful claim for a performance-oriented multihull.
Accommodations
Visibility drives the layout. The saloon and cockpit deliver a 360° view, and the helm provides clear sight over all four corners for confident maneuvering. A chart table positioned for night watches spares the navigator a deck climb to scan the horizon, while the coachroof is reached by a single step near the mast. CE approval covers 8 to 16 persons, and the builder's description of a comfortable seat wedged in at the helm underscores the voyaging posture rather than the charter-style lounge.
Refits and Ownership
Beyond the 2018 weight reduction, the standard boat gained davits, bimini, and gennaker fittings in 2019, and 2020 brought a CZone multiplexer for electrical-system control. A documented example named Teoula logged 40,000 miles, received a full service and antifouling facelift, and appeared almost new after emerging from a yard. The Atlantic circuit is the typical owner program reported for the type, and the combination of central helm and clear visibility has kept these boats in demand among serious cruising families.
The Verdict
The Outremer 45 bridges Danson's original racing-bred catamaran and a refined modern cruiser without losing the forgiving, light-handed character that defines the marque. It is a voyager's tool: narrow, light, and visibility-dominated, with a rig engineered for short-handed trade-wind passage.
Pros
- Single-handed maneuvers from a central helm with clear 360° visibility
- Self-tacking solent and low boom simplify sail handling
- 2018 structure shed 500 kg while keeping core materials
- 2000 prototype won its English Transat category
Cons
- Early-production finish below later 2014-generation standard
- Extended hulls only standard after 2017, complicating length comparison
