Outremer 4X Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 4X is built on the same hulls as the Outremer 45 but with three-foot extensions aft, paired with an optimised appendage and deck layout, a carbon rotating mast, and carbon reinforcement in highly stressed zones based on the hulls of the 45 with 3ft extensions aft. Outremer's own build is optimised for weight gain, and the 4X carries more carbon in the strong structural elements — mast, bulkheads, compression beam, and bimini support — while shedding mass elsewhere through detail work pushed very far. On the scales, despite carrying more equipment, the 4X weighs 500 kg less than the 45 and therefore accelerates faster. All structural parts are laminated, and the boat has vacuum infused carbon composite reinforced bulkheads; the builder has stated the goal is that the boat will last at least 50 years. Loïck Peyron, whom Outremer employs as a consultant on ergonomics and line handling, observed that work had clearly been done on the weight, and noted that lightness on these boats is not only a question of performance but of safety.

Rig and Handling

The sail plan and deck layout are studied to handle all weather conditions, and the 4X gives the demanding owner more possibilities for sail trimming than the 45, with a square-top powerhouse mainsail and a generous J area for furling foresails. The carbon rig is a rotating mast, and the upwind sail area is 122 m² from a 69 m² mainsail and 53 m² genoa, with optional 115 m² gennaker and 167 m² spinnaker. The bimini is reduced in size to let crew pass through the cockpit to the starboard and port winches, while removable canvas on carbon posts shelters the cockpit at anchor or in port. Test sailors recorded a steady 11–13 knots in 12–15 knots of wind during a second trial, and made 9 knots at 70° true wind angle upwind with light steering loads at both the coachroof wheel and the stern bucket-seat tiller. Under a single 30 hp engine the 4X cruises at 6.5 knots, limiting noise to one hull and cutting fuel use.

Accommodations

The interior preserves the same level of comfort and the same storage space as the Outremer 45, with the same quality of finish, yet the fit-out is basic to the point of minimalist because the boat must stay light to sail fast. Simple and light-weight fixings define the joinery, and some Corian worktops have been replaced by lighter composite. To save further weight, the builder suggests replacing doors and some shelves with fabric structures closed by zips or magnets. Freeboard is necessarily high for headroom and bridgedeck clearance, making the boat tall to look at and to board.

Known Issues

The principal tension in the 4X is the design philosophy: to keep the boat fast and safe through low weight, the interior is deliberately minimalist, and owners are steered toward fabric replacements for rigid furniture. The same weight discipline that gives the 4X its acceleration and payload advantage over the 45 also means the accommodation is austere compared with conventional cruising catamarans.

Refits and Ownership

Owners have taken the 4X seriously offshore. An Outremer 4X finished as the first production boat in the 2018 Route du Rhum, and Jean-Pierre Balmes campaigned one in that race before recommending the model to many families. The Hibberd family, Australians who started their adventure aboard Puffin, their second Outremer, in 2020, illustrate the repeat-buyer loyalty the design inspires. With a recommended maximum load identical to the 45 but a lighter hull and higher payload, the 4X rewards owners who cruise light yet carry more.

The Verdict

The Outremer 4X is a focused instrument: a 45-derived hull stretched and carbon-reinforced to weigh less and accelerate harder, wrapped around a minimalist interior that preserves the older boat's comfort and stowage. It is a rare production catamaran that has proven itself both as a family world cruiser and a regatta competitor without compromising either brief.

Pros