New outremer model coming

[CatNewBee]

Of course, all boats are a compromise between price, comfort and performance.

Good to have a choice.

As cruisers and liveaboards, our goal is to slowly explore the world and see beautiful places very few can access, be self sufficient as much as possible along the way and not rely on harbors, marinas etc. , be able to fix stuff under way ourselves, and not suffer too much from downsizing.

It is a long journey ahead, if we would want it fast, we would use an airplaine to fly to the destination. We do not consider our journey a racing sport event, it does not matter if we arrive somewhere faster, but to enjoy the way and explore, one more stop over along the way is not a bad thing either and if it is a remote and deserted place, inaccessible from land and away from the beaten touristic paths, the better.

We enjoy having no schedule to follow. Of course a faster vessel shortens passages and helps run off bad weather, it can add to safety, but it also can lead to stupid decissions when relying on performance and overstreching it. A more conservative approach can be sometimes better.

I think we have found the right vessel for us, but you may have different goals. Even if I had the money for a 50ft+ boat, I would not be the O55, I would buy a eXquisite X5 instead, same price, but much more adequate for what we are up to.

[Barra]

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that a discussion about a 55 foot performance cruiser has turned into a discussion about why their lagoon 400 etc is better for them?

Anyone care to speculate why?

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Barra

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that a discussion about a 55 foot performance cruiser has turned into a discussion about why their lagoon 400 etc is better for them?

Anyone care to speculate why?

No not really It will only end in tears.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Barra

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that a discussion about a 55 foot performance cruiser has turned into a discussion about why their lagoon 400 etc is better for them?

Anyone care to speculate why?

O is appealing to the Lagoon buyer.


O's have a performance pedigree and the new O55 appears to be sacrificing performance in favour of comfort/luxury - more Lagoon like. Can't agrue with that from a marketing strategy that is why Ford and GM sell more cars than Bentley or McClaren.

Perhaps it is because O is being pushed out by the likes of Dazcat 1495 / Seawind 1600, comparable performance and more comfort. Plus the real performance market is being attacked by new players on the block like Eagle Class 53

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by Barra

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that a discussion about a 55 foot performance cruiser has turned into a discussion about why their lagoon 400 etc is better for them?

Anyone care to speculate why?

I don't know either why the thread deviated to compare a L400 with a O55, two very different boats.

But saying Lagoons cannot sail is simply not true, they do move quite decently. They are not performance cats, but instead quite comfortable, seaworthy and stable.

It is also unfair to compare a O55, that costs as much as 3 fully equipped L400.

You can also compare the O55 to a Gunboat 68 cat if you like. Would be the same difference I guess.

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by Barra

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that a discussion about a 55 foot performance cruiser has turned into a discussion about why their lagoon 400 etc is better for them?

Anyone care to speculate why?

I don't know either why the thread deviated to compare a L400 with a O55, two very different boats.

But saying Lagoons cannot sail is simply not true, they do move quite decently. They are not performance cats, but instead quite comfortable, seaworthy and stable.

It is also unfair to compare a O55, that costs as much as 3 fully equipped L400.

You can also compare the O55 to a Gunboat 68 cat if you like. Would be the same difference I guess. https://www.gunboat.com/series/gunboat68/

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Barra

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that a discussion about a 55 foot performance cruiser has turned into a discussion about why their lagoon 400 etc is better for them?

Anyone care to speculate why?

sorry guys this was me. Reason is i wanted to calculate how much costs 0.1 kn long term extra performance based on boat with similar carrying capacity and internal space. L400 to us has enough of both, dont want any more. My assumption is O55 has similar space and carrying capacity to L 400 from numbers i was able to get.

SO if O55 costs 1.4m eur , L400 would cost 400k eur similarly equipped. Then difference is 1m EUR.

If O55 has average travelling speed is 9 kn and L 400 6.5kn hence difference is 2.5kn.

Concentrating on speed only, meaning 0.1kn of extra speed will cost you 40 k eur. Presume this calc will work out across different boats with similar space and carrying capacity. If one lowers carrying capacity, then sure will get cheaper 0.1kn but that is not fair comparision.

If I had the money my wife would not compromise on space. So O 55 would be really the only option for me, from what i can see is out there.

hope you get it now

[Factor]

Nope - Don't get it, are you say that your 39 foot Lagoon has more space than any boat up to the O55?

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Factor

Nope - Don't get it, are you say that your 39 foot Lagoon has more space than any boat up to the O55?

No other boat comes close to being candidate for next boat than O 55 if i get lucky enough to get that $.

No point considering boats that do not meet our other criteria, so, yeah in away you are reading correctly.

[Klmont]

Does anyone know if Outremer plans on updating the helm position on the 45 to include a pendulum mechanism as in the new 55, the Balances and the new HH44? It seems like a great boat but perhaps needs a refresh. I'll be at the Annapolis show and am looking at the both the Balance and HH - the Outremer may not make the list simply because I want a safer helm position for inclement weather. Love what they did with the 55 but that's just way out of my price range...and comfort level to sail as a couple...

[eneas]

What a fantastic thread to read through. What do you guys think of the O55 vs the just announced O52 and then compared with also just announced HH52?
(I would not put the all-carbon HH55 in the mix as it is just a different league price-wise)

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by eneas

What a fantastic thread to read through. What do you guys think of the O55 vs the just announced O52 and then compared with also just announced HH52?
(I would not put the all-carbon HH55 in the mix as it is just a different league price-wise)

The HH52 is a much more interesting boat than either Outremer, but all of them continue the modern design trend of heavy and powerful performance cruising boats. I guess that’s to support the bigger accommodation spaces that people seem to require, but it worries me because it puts these powerful boats into the hands of people who don’t necessarily know how to handle that power. Lighter boats would allow less sail area and more gust resistance, while heavier boats have got the displacement to withstand gusts; these boats are in the mushy middle with much lower gust resistance. /rant over/

HH definitely is bringing interesting ideas to their boats, although they’re pushing the traditional helms into the aft quarters (like Catana and Bali, but even more so). The forward cockpit idea is great and seems better for cruising than the aft helms, though I’m not sure about sterns visibility for docking. Not sure why the dinghy davits need to be so low - I suppose it’s to maintain aft visibility from the salon, but it is low for open ocean sailing.

The O52 is likely going to be a better sailor than the O55, with similar albeit less spacious accommodation. A more traditional design than the HH.

[poiu]

Originally Posted by eneas

What a fantastic thread to read through. What do you guys think of the O55 vs the just announced O52 and then compared with also just announced HH52?
(I would not put the all-carbon HH55 in the mix as it is just a different league price-wise)

The HH52 is derived from the 50 hull. I don’t know if they enlarged the engine bay, but in my view it is unacceptably small.

[Kinkircating]

Originally Posted by eneas

What a fantastic thread to read through. What do you guys think of the O55 vs the just announced O52 and then compared with also just announced HH52?
(I would not put the all-carbon HH55 in the mix as it is just a different league price-wise)

It's actually a tough call that would come down to personal preferences and budget, the new O52 and O55 along with the HH52 all have some unique strong characteristics that could make them a clear winner in an individual shopper's eyes. I'd just point out a couple of items to consider:

The Outremer's are polyester boats with carbon fiber reinforcements, and you can option a whole lot more if you prefer. The HH52SC is CF, but there is an option for Epoxy/CF if you get the HH52OC version that saves some money, I think you can still option the OC version with daggerboards as well. The material costs alone make the upgrade to the HH52 a significantly better value when you consider what you are getting for your dollars. The HH's are built in low-cost countries (China for the first few hulls, then the Philippines).

The overall build quality and value proposition of the HH is better than the Outremer, but then there is a slight drawback because if you are a US citizen wanting to flag the boat as a US vessel, there is the whole challenge of the 25% excise tax on a hull built in China, that can be a factor for some, others who wish to avoid paying taxes can always flag the boat elsewhere. This may not be a factor for everyone but should be something you are aware of going into your purchase.

My personal preference would not be the aft helm stations of the 52, having to remove the helm seat each time and store it away doesn't make sense to me and not being able to see the sails and having to look through the entire boat I don't care for, but will not be an issue for others, I think the forward helm option is brilliant though, and would be my first choice. The Outremer is a good compromise having the pivoting helm to allow for both an elevated and cockpit view, I get that they copied the Balance 526 because they were losing customers, but they should have just gone ahead and had an actual lower helm with a seat and chart plotter/throttle controls so you could actually pilot the boat down there like the Balance cats have, but I can understand they didn't want to take up the real estate as the flow is better and more open without a true helm station.

The concept drawing of the HH52 looks fantastic and it will be a sharp boat, but just a consideration that with the entire roof having solar panels that are glued to the coach roof without any air gap, I'm not sure how they will keep the saloon from being a sauna, and it will surely impact the efficiency of the solar output. Also, the racked windows have no overhang to help keep the direct sunlight out, this is what people criticized the old Privilege's about, but I guess what is old is new again lol. The one thing that is awesome though is the full windows pivot open. Will they leak, of course over time, but the benefit outweighs the PIA factor down the road IMO...just don't have them open on a passage, as taking on a wave with those open could be a catastrophic event for the boats electronical systems.

Neither boat has hand holds moving forward on the boat to the bow which is odd to me that this would be left out on a blue water boat, maybe they are options, not sure. The HH is a painted boat vs. gelcoat which is big plus and big cost adder as well.

Anyway, there are many other subtleties to point out, but in the end any of these would be fantastic boats to circumnavigate with your family in safety and abject luxury. You sort of have to pick the one that calls to you and the hell with what anybody else's opinion is, as long as you smile and say to yourself "that's my boat" when you motor up to it with your dinghy after a great day on the water.