With a cruising displacement of just 15 tons and a beam of just over 28 feet, the 5X carries a fractional sloop rig with 1,947 square feet of sail area. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 33.09—figures that place it among the livelier cruising catamarans afloat.
Design and Construction
The 5X was designed by Van Peteghem Lauriot Prevost, the office behind the AC45 catamarans. Its hull is credited to VPLP, described as the fastest architects’ office on the water.
Outremer builds its catamarans with solid fiberglass below the waterline for impact resistance and a foam- or balsa-cored GRP sandwich above. The 5X has daggerboards and spade rudders. Draft ranges from just under 4 feet with the boards raised to 8.69 feet with them deployed, giving the boat the geometry to point while still allowing access to shallow anchorages.
A capsize ratio of 3.67 reflects a moderate, performance-oriented stability profile rather than the inertia of a heavy-displacement cruiser.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries a mast that rises 77.1 feet above the waterline. Its generous sail plan, combined with the 15-ton displacement, provides a power-to-weight balance unusual for a boat of this length.
Sail described the 5X as a performance boat aimed at the same niche as Gunboat. Multihulls World noted that during one of its first outings, it was a beautiful object, elegant and fast. The slim, easily driven hulls keep the boat moving in light air when heavier cruising cats would be motoring.
That performance comes with demands. Owners should expect the lightweight construction and performance rig to require disciplined tuning. The daggerboards add versatility, providing shallow draft when raised and better pointing geometry when deployed.
Accommodations
The interior favors expensive simplicity, with subdued and classy styling. Lightweight composite furniture is finished mainly in white, and buyers can choose from three sleeping configurations.
Each layout makes the most of the relatively slim hulls, which deliberately trade volume for performance. Accommodation is efficiently concentrated, but bulk stowage is limited compared with beamier cruising cats. The cabin feels considered rather than lavish, prioritizing structure and seakeeping over maximum interior volume.
The Verdict
The Outremer 5X is a serious offshore performance catamaran that trades interior volume for speed, structural refinement, and helm feel. It’s intended for sailors who measure a cruise by miles sailed rather than by square feet of salon.
Pros
- Light 15-ton cruising displacement and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio deliver lively performance
- High-performance VPLP-designed hull with daggerboards
- Subdued, classy, lightweight interior with three sleeping configurations
- Slim, easily driven hulls maintain progress in light air
- Shallow draft with the daggerboards raised
Cons
- Slim hulls limit cabin storage compared with beamier cruising catamarans
- The performance focus demands disciplined rig tuning
- Interior volume is deliberately traded for performance
