Design Evolution
The Outremer 51 did not emerge from a blank sheet of paper. It shares the basic molds of the earlier 49, but a major survey of owners identified many areas for improvement, including a lengthening of the hulls to 51 feet. The extra length manifested in extended sugar-scoop transoms, whose inner walls were eliminated to ease boarding from a dinghy. Styling cues were borrowed from the larger Outremer 5X: hull edges were squared off, the cabin-top sheer was re-swept, and the forward windows tuck back under a distinct eyebrow. A later facelift brought additional weight savings, ergonomic interior refinements, and a redesigned galley area.
Rig and Sail Handling
Outremer’s philosophy that “light is fast, fast is fun” permeates the 51’s sail plan. Construction is a PVC foam/E-glass sandwich with solid laminate below the waterline, reserving exotic materials primarily for the rig. The standard aluminum spar can be swapped for a carbon-fiber rotating wing mast, which lowers the center of gravity and sharpens light-air performance. Headsail choices range from a self-tacking solent for effortless passagemaking to an overlapping genoa combined with a staysail for sailors wanting a more nuanced inventory. A furling screecher or gennaker lives in the bow locker, ready to push speeds comfortably into double digits.
Cockpit and Helm Stations
The cockpit is designed as an all-weather living space. A rigid bimini shelters the entire area, and protective covers can isolate the crew from the elements—a detail particularly appreciated by families with young children. Inside, a U-shaped settee wraps around a drop-leaf table that converts into a bed while leaving a side section usable for meals. From a steering standpoint, the 51 offers genuine multiplicity: a bulkhead-mounted wheel in the cockpit, a nav station tucked forward in the saloon, and—most memorably—a pair of tillers outboard on the aft quarters that deliver sensations worthy of a light dinghy.
Living Aboard
Despite a compact bridgedeck inherent to performance-oriented cats, the interior feels spacious and logically arranged. A forward-facing nav station gives near-panoramic visibility for watchkeeping or all-weather steering. The galley, positioned aft to remain open to the cockpit via a wide sliding door, keeps the cook in the social flow and draws praise for its excellent stowage. Typical owner layouts dedicate the port hull to a generous stateroom with a large head and shower, while the starboard side offers two good-sized cabins sharing a separate head and stall. The saloon settee serves as a secure sea berth, and later interior versions adopted a cleaner, more contemporary aesthetic with light oak finishes and straighter furnishing lines.
Systems and Payload Flexibility
One of the 51’s defining traits is its payload capacity. The design accommodates more than three tons of possible payload, allowing owners to fit watermakers, washing machines, dive compressors, air conditioning, or a generator without crippling performance. Real-world setups often prioritize self-sufficiency: a substantial solar array above the dinghy davits can keep a large battery bank topped up for days, while a Watt & Sea-style hydrogenerator on passage frequently eliminates the need to run the engines at all.
The Verdict
The Outremer 51 occupies a rare sweet spot in the bluewater multihull world: it genuinely sails like a performance boat while providing the robust, comfortable platform that long-distance cruising families demand. Its ability to be configured—from the helm stations and rig down to the interior layout—means no two 51s leave the yard exactly alike, yet the underlying pedigree of responsive handling, structural integrity, and thoughtful seagoing ergonomics remains constant. For those who view speed as a safety feature and comfort as non-negotiable, the 51 makes a compelling case.
- Light, stiff construction produces exhilarating yet predictable passage speeds.
- Multiple steering positions—wheel, tillers, and interior nav station—offer redundancy and genuine sailing pleasure.
- Highly customizable sail plans and rig options suit both short-handed simplicity and performance ambitions.
- Enormous payload capacity enables extensive long-range cruising equipment without overloading.
- Cockpit shelter and convertible table make the outdoor living space genuinely all-weather.
- Short bridgedeck saloon is cozy compared to charter-oriented cats of similar length.
- Performance capabilities depend heavily on how the boat is loaded and optioned; a heavily equipped boat will not sail as its light-ship numbers suggest.
- Daggerboards, while boosting upwind efficiency, add complexity and require careful operation in shallow or debris-laden waters.
