August 2006

New boat: Outremer 42

For those not familiar with Outremer, the French catamaran builder’s philosophy may seem drastically different from many of the big cat builders out there today. Whereas big cats tend to lean toward the luxury side of things, often at the expense of performance, Outremer favors the other side of that equation, sacrificing some interior comforts for performance.

One of the last boats designed by Gerard Danson before his death, the Outremer 42 follows the company mission to make catamaran sailing quick and fun. The hulls are somewhat narrow, so the three cabins are a bit more spartan than on other big cats. The boat does, however, have the large, open saloon that is one of the great benefits of big cats. The galley is smaller than on comparable sized cats, and comes with a two-burner stove and oven. But remember, you’ll be getting to your destination much quicker, so you won’t have a problem making dinner at a local restaurant.

The rest of the interior is rounded out by a chart table and two double-bed aft cabins and one or two single bed forward cabins. An “owner’s” version features a master cabin that fills the entire starboard hull.

The deck layout is conducive to sailing, but still comfortable for lounging. The 60-foot aluminum mast will offer a sizeable amount of sail area to keep the 42 on its toes. Forget the sluggish big cats, the Outremer reminds sailors what cats are supposed to do.