Production has now started on the Outremer 52, which features a huge array of solar panels and further refinements of Outremer’s signature cockpit design
furnishings and hotel style appearances are way down on the list. Yet, Rougevin- Baville believes that, like performance, comfort is an area that has amuch greater part to play in the overall design and build of the boat thanmany people expect. ‘There are plenty of new designs out
there that are pushing the straight- line performance of a cruising looking cat to the point where flying a hull is the norm. But to achieve this as a manufacturer means making key decisions about the fundamental design of the boat that will then have a big influence on what you can offer when it comes to comfort,’ he says. ‘For example, hulls will need to be narrower which reduces internal volume and limits what you can achieve in the sleeping accommodation. ‘Weight is also a big issue which leads
many to build using expensive and sophisticated foamcored construction techniques to keep the displacement down.We don’t believe that this is the right approach for a genuine blue water cruiser. The trouble is that you are potentiallymore vulnerable if you go aground or collide with something, which is bound to happen at some stage when you’re blue
water cruising. Instead, we believe that in the real world you should be allowed to makemistakes and not be compromised by them. ‘As a result, we build our hulls using
‘Performance starts to mean something very different when racers go cruising’
solid laminates for the very bottom. But of course, because we are also focused on speed and handling, keeping the weight down wherever
possible is still very important, so we save weight where it matters while maintaining our overall objective to create a solid and robust cat. We achieve weight savings through the use of resin infusion which will typically save around 500-600kg. Our main bulkheads are carbon foam core but auxiliary ones for watertight compartments are wood epoxy and all are laminated in place.’ ‘Building this way means we can
The underwater parts of the hulls are solid GRP laminate for ease of repair
achieve both a robust and reliable boat, but also a boat that can deliver good average speeds across a wide range of conditions. The goal across our entire range is that typically you should be able to sail at windspeed until 10-12kts. Ten knots for the average sailor and 12kts for those who want to spend a bit more refining the specification with items like a carbon mast. Then, in 12kts of wind we would expect to be sailing at 12kts, without flying a hull. ‘At the breezier end of the scale
A short bridgedeck is a key factor in these boats’ seakeeping and speed
there’s a popular misconception that modern cruising cats can’t sail upwind in 25-30kts of wind, we disagree. Our boats sail in this and more, plus they achieve this without creaking or groaning. And they are comfortable too, because we believe that comfort is as much about confidence in your boat as it is about what you feel around you. ‘Visibility is a good example of something that contributes to comfort and confidence,’ he continues. ‘The size, height and number of windows is very important in all our designs. Being able to see all around, whether you are sitting or standing, whether inside or out, is every bit as important as the speed of the boat.’ � SEAHORSE 75
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