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Thanks for the fantastic review Dave, it's always nice for the design team to see our efforts are appreciated ! You are of course welcome onboard to test the first 52' before she is premiered in La Grande Motte boat show 12th-16th of April ! Keep up the good job !
Wow!! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!!! I just LOVE what you guys do and the real design style that you apply to each boat. It’s really something to get a note from you. Thanks!! If my wife will let me go I’ll be there. Lol. Thanks again!!
Dave, another fantastic review!!! We are right there with you and the 52 is number 2 on my vision board (sorry I'm really smitten with the HH's)... that said, it would be an absolute dream to be able to share a bay with you, Sylvia and two outremer 52 sister ships!!! keep up the great work!!!
Another great review Dave, your enthusiasm for this catamaran beams through clearly to the audience! This new 52 would be an absolutely fantastic choice for any couple planning a circumnavigation...but that being said, here are some things that for me are a downside: 1) Polyester - you fell for the sales pitch from Outremer (which I love the boats and the brand, so don't take this the wrong way). I know because I received the same eloquent response from them during my due diligence. Using the cheapest resin possible has nothing to do with repairing the boat in remote locations and 100% to do with cutting costs. It's total BS that you are going to have trouble fixing an epoxy (you don't even have an epoxy e-glass boat on your list of boats you've reviewed) or VE boat, but yes it would be a challenge for carbon fiber hulls. Speak to anyone other than the sales guys at Outremer and they'll tell you a different story. Hell, even the Seawind 1370 is full VE. There are better values out there for the dollars spent. 2) Versa-helm set up totally misses the point on the O52 of how you'd actually use the boat in real life. There is not an actual helm position with wind instruments, throttle controls, chart plotter, enclosed weather protection, and comfortable seating position at the lower helm. You are not going to lower the helm and hand steer the boat, you want to be protected and have the controls in an ergonomic position. Now you'll come back and say they chart plotter can rotate, but think about standing at the upper helm position, it is tucked under the coach roof, and you won't even be able to see it when standing. Having designed products for ergonomics over the years this is a failure it is not good for either helm position. 3) Cramped cockpit without access to the transoms. The transoms are blocked off and you have to crawl up and over and around totally breaking up the flow of the boat. I understand they'll say it is to mitigate the effects of a following sea, but hey if you like it that is all that matters. 4) No U-shaped galley - they sort of sneaked this one in because it makes the interior flow much better. Also no hatch above the kitchen area where cooking will take place. 5) Lack of storage space and cabinetry compared to the competitors. Those slim hulls and long trampolines come at a cost. I wish the manufacturers would be required to give a volume of storage space, but this boat would be 60-70% of the others. Small coach roof means only space for a few flexible solar panels that only last 3-5 years and are 20-30% less efficient than rigid panels. Would these stop me from buying this boat, nope, not if it was the boat that really spoke to me. I think this new boat will be sold out for years and hold its value as well as anything out there. I'd only suggest getting some sea miles and time at anchor under your belt with the lovely wife so you can begin to understand what is truly important to you guys. Maybe a newer Privilege Series 5 will be what you really want vs. the performance-oriented boats like this gorgeous new Outremer 52. Cheers and keep the reviews coming!
Hey Kirk. Fantastic counterpoints, as always!! And I really can’t argue most of them. Having said that, their design flare certainly can lead me to overlook many of them lol. The hull, though…that one can’t be argued. You are just plain right. It’s time they took a step forward and caught up to their design and brand promise….but gosh! I still can’t help myself. I love this boat!! Lol.
@@navalgazingatcampdavid There is a lot to love! Huge step forward from the 51 model and they will sell and sail extremely well. I certainly would be proud to call one of these home for a few years!
On the Polyester construction point, I was speaking with an experience production Catamaran boat builder, who admires and speaks highly of Outremers, but also questioned why they doesn't not use a epoxy suggesting it would not add more than Euro30,000 to their costs. This amount would seem money well spent as it would save on weight (the new 52 being nearly 1 ton heavier than the current 51). Outremer must have their reasons and I think it may be more than just cost. It maybe it is a case of the saying 'if its not broken don't fix'.
@@alexfuller818 Boats are all a series of compromises, they cut here to give somewhere else to try and achieve a certain price point. Outremer's customer service and after sales support is definitely an area where they do not cut corners, and IMO more important part of ownership in the long run.
being parked next to one of these for a few weeks - beautiful .... but needs some refining on the sailing side - rope management is a mess. Also full sized drop down windows at the front would be better, and finally helmstation protection ... even just from the sun... needs more design thought.
I share your obsession on the 52 and also gaze at a picture of it daily! To the point that it's actually not healthy! 😂Outremer really knocked it out of the park on this model. (FWIW- the base price as of 9/22 is 1.19m Euros) Thanks for the great review and hope your dreams become reality! Cheers
Your enthusiasm makes me smile and is very understandable. Except for the outside engine controls...they look like being on a pedestal to your left. No idea how I would manoeuvre the two engines with my (left!) hand only, I think I prefer not to try ;-). I block the rudder midship and use both hands for the engine controls, as I suspect we all do.
Great review. I always thought they were more cramped but it looks great 👍. I don't think it would be essential to tell Sylvia or Aurora it's a performance boat as really like a fast car, we very rarely use that power. Having it there makes us feel good but realistically am I going to use it with just the 2 of us on board on a world rally? - no chance. The joy would be using 70% of its potential and doing 15 knts.
I hear you David. My goal would be light airs sailing and motoring less. I have some work to do to convince Sylvia that crawling into bed from the bottom is good…but who knows! Lol.
Th galley, other than in the O55, in Outremer cats is a space that has taken the most compromises. I like to eat, my skipper loves to cook. This will not work in the 49, 51 or new rendering of the 52. No place to brace, as in a U shaped space. Fine if cooking is not on the cruising must haves. And the placement of the cook top, pushed back to an unreachable corner is odd, unless one is not into cooking. Horses for courses to be sure. Thanks for your enthusiasm for this life!
Hey Andreas… only “preliminary“ points. Purely based on the numbers as published. Having said that, given Outremer’s experience and resources, I’d feel quite comfy with the preliminary assessment. Thanks so much for watching and especially for taking the time to leave a comment!!
Hi Julien. Thanks for watching and for the good question. Always take the prices as approximate. The real application is for relative cost comparisons and not exact unit pricing. The challenge is that the exchange is fluid and often quite volatile. Additionally, commodity pricing has had wild swings and logistics costs have also been very unstable. The bottom line is that these prices can change $50k to $100k either way rather quickly. Many of the manufacturers with large order books and lead times that exceed 24 mnths no longer guarantee the final price and the deposit simply holds the build slot. So to answer your question, the only way to be sure of the price is a signed manufacturer’s quote with an expiry.
The mix and match helms situation is a healthy design step.. Still waiting for progress in the hull materials...recyclable ...lower energy ....low Hydro Carbon content, Superior properties .
Hey Clive. Great to see you back!!! You and Kirk are on the same page with the hull materials, and I’m moving over to your side on that one now. Outremer is a leader and a premium brand. Their designs are beautiful!! But they do need to transition to at least Vinylester and maybe try basalt or s-glass to live up to their brand promise.
@@navalgazingatcampdavid They have a new recyclable resin that can be separated from the fibers.. theres been a featured article on the two models to pioneer its use. Basalts got some great advantages. ... and so has hemp..and possibly Bamboo. The latter lock up carbon in the structure for the life of the boat and Basalt is inert and doesnt involve carbon in its manufacture if you can side step the energy to melt it ..from renewables. The windelos... Due to their PPE sandwich construction will float even if both hulls flood.
the Outremer is an amazing boat, but the polyester resin is a cost saving issue. The reason given is a deflection. It's an inferior product to vinylester or epoxy. It is heavier, not a strong, and can absorb water (that' why they put a vinylester coat on the outside. Further, repair of vinylester or epoxy is not a difficult process, you just can't use polyester resin (which is likely more available in remote locations). I don't think getting Vinylester or epoxy sent to your location if you have a major repair is a big problem - probably the least of your problems at that point.
The Outremer to my eyes however is the most beautiful boat by a lot. And I value sailing efficiency. Nothing worse then having to motor. The 52 looks like she can move in sub 10 knots (which is >50% of sailing)
Dave, why don't you place your deposit on the Outremer 52; so you can take deliver by 2029 for your retirement? Sylvia will be impressed that you pulled the trigger and will be ready to sail around the world.
Normally you make very nice and informative videos, but what happened? firstly the Portofino is an aluminum boat, secondly.. why don't you compare with the new Portofino 52? thirdly, everyone in the industry knows that Vagadond was sponsored, they have even admitted it on youtube (that's why they left and moved to a new sponsor...fourthly, this time you are comparing apples to pears..
Hi MK. Thanks for taking the time to comment! I’ll try to answer your concerns. I’m not sure about your concern RE aluminum. I just see it as one of many hull materials ( glass, basalt, carbon, polyester vinylester, elium, epoxy, aluminum, formed plywood etc). I don’t compare like materials to like materials, just mostly boat length and, usually, application ex. Cruise, performance cruise, performance. Although, there have been times when I mix the application class so that others (like me) who are new to this industry, can see the difference between these often discussed categories. Re the Portofino 52. I have not pulled this in just yet because there is still much less available info on it than there is on the 47. Additionally, the actual LOA for each model does not match the model designation. Lastly, the 52/55 is still being adjusted. Jon, from the Bare Foot Doctors, who introduced me to this wonderful brand, is working with Portfolio to finalize a new variation on the 52/55 that has a different hull shape and helm location. Their latest video goes through this nicely. Re Vagabond and Outremer, Riley addressed this in their video when he announced the Rapido desision. Outremer provided financing for SVB’s 45 purchase, but that was the extent of their support to the channel. Re my personal bias. I fully admit to being enchanted by Outremer as a company and designer. Lol. I’m happy to admit it. I love their marketing. I love their promotion of sailing through their 30 month circumnavigation rally. I love love love their real design approach and detail. No secret. Lol. I’m a marketer and I LOVE great design. I’m also an operator and I appreciate the way they operate as a company. I hope that all helps. I really appreciate comments like yours and others as they have forced me to dig in and learn so much more than I would have ever done on my own, so keep those cards and letters coming!! Lol.
