With narrow, purposeful hulls and a large rig, the 45 is a performance bluewater cruiser rather than a floating condominium. The yard describes it as “the most forgiving of catamarans,” a claim supported by test sails in which the boat kept its crew comfortable and confident in moderate seas. Built by Outremer Yachting, it draws on nearly a quarter-century of the marque’s multihull lineage without sacrificing the seakindliness expected of a serious offshore boat.
Design and Construction
The Outremer 45 pairs a solid fiberglass hull layup below the waterline with vinylester and Divinycell-cored hulls and deck above. The solid glass is intended to provide security in a grounding. Rather than simply gluing the hull/deck joint to an inward-turning flange, Outremer securely glasses it all the way around. Multiple crash boxes in the bows are designed to contain water after a collision.
Carbon reinforces high-load areas, keeping the structure rigid and durable without adding unnecessary weight. In 2018, the structure shed nearly 500 kg while retaining the same core materials as its Gunboat cousins. The builder has stated that the boat is intended to last 50 years.
The narrow hulls have plumb stems and transoms to maximize sailing length, while the gracefully sculpted, low-profile cabintrunk reduces windage. The daggerboard trunks are rock-solid, and the boards are designed to break away first, acting as fuses. One hull spent four days grounded on a reef off Tahiti and emerged with little more than scratches below the waterline.
Extended hulls were optional until 2017, when they became standard and brought the boat’s overall length to a full 48 feet. Air draft is near 67 feet, which limits passage under some fixed bridges despite the daggerboards providing shoal access.
Rig, Helm, and Handling
All maneuvers are accessible from the central helm station, with the engine controls and windlass within easy reach for docking. The helm seat is ergonomic and gives a clear view of all four corners of the boat, helping with single-handed maneuvering.
The test boat carried a carbon Axxon mast and an aluminum boom, with a carbon boom available as an option. It flew a powerful, fully battened square-top mainsail. The very low boom makes the sail easier to reach while lowering its center of effort. An electric winch in front of the helm handles mainsail hoisting. The inner headsail is self-tacking, while a reaching sail can be flown from a sprit.
Daggerboard control lines run aft to either side of the cockpit, and the mainsheet traveler spans the cockpit’s aft edge. Writing in SAIL Magazine, the tester found the Jefa steering light and wonderfully responsive. The rig and hulls were well balanced, leaving the autopilot with little work to do, and the boat tacked in conditions where less nimble catamarans might falter.
On a close reach in around 15 knots, the 45 made 9–10 knots. In 4–5 foot seas, its motion was easy and predictable. Under power, it managed 3.5 knots at 1,000 rpm and 7.5 knots at 2,700 rpm. Sources differ on engine output: the manufacturer’s specification lists two 38 HP engines, while SAIL measured two 30 hp Volvo engines.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The saloon and cockpit share a 360° outlook. A chart table is positioned so the crew can scan the horizon during night watches without going on deck.
Outremer offers two layouts. The three-cabin version devotes the entire starboard hull to the owner, while the four-cabin arrangement adds a cabin in the starboard bow. This isn’t the voluminous accommodation found aboard wider cruising cats, but the boat was sized for a 2.5-tonne payload—comfortable for a couple circling the globe.
In the saloon, the L-shaped galley sits to starboard. Its inboard counter can be reached from the cockpit when the sliding door is open. The navigation station is directly forward, with a dinette opposite.
Wide-open sidedecks make it easy to move around the boat. Handrails run along the cabintrunk, outboard toerails offer additional footing, and an anti-skid step sits aft of the self-tacking track.
Refits and Evolution
The Outremer 45 evolved steadily during its production run. In 2019, davits, a bimini, and gennaker fittings became standard. On the test boat, the davits also served as solar-panel mounts. Electrical control advanced in 2020 with the addition of a CZone multiplexer.
These changes reflect the yard’s own statement that the 45 has continued to evolve since its launch, with more performance and comfort as well as an improved finish.
Verdict
The Outremer 45 is a thoughtfully engineered performance cruiser that shows a catamaran doesn’t need enormous accommodations to take excellent care of its crew. Its narrow hulls and low cabintrunk produce less pitching and windage than bulkier cruising cats, while the central helm and self-tacking solent make shorthanded trade-wind sailing genuinely simple. The boat’s seakindliness remains central to its character as a serious offshore boat.
It is quick, balanced, and reassuringly built, with a structure intended to last for decades. The trade-off is clear: owners get less interior volume than they would aboard a wider cruising cat, along with an air draft that restricts access beneath some fixed bridges.
Pros
- Solid glass below the waterline, a fully glassed hull/deck joint, and crash-box bows provide collision security
- Narrow hulls and a low cabintrunk contribute to easy, predictable motion and reduced windage
- Sailhandling and docking controls are accessible from the central helm, with an electric winch for hoisting the mainsail
- A self-tacking solent and available sprit-mounted reaching sail suit shorthanded passagemaking
- The structure was lightened by nearly 500 kg in 2018 while retaining the same core materials; the builder targets a 50-year life
Cons
- It lacks the voluminous accommodation of wider cruising cats, offering either an owner’s hull or an additional bow cabin
- Sources disagree on engine power: the manufacturer cites two 38 HP engines, while SAIL measured two 30 hp Volvo engines
- Air draft near 67 feet limits passage under some fixed bridges, despite daggerboards providing shoal access
