A forerunner in fast two-hull cruising
Le chantier Outremer is the fruit of the collaboration between a young naval architect, Gérard Danson, and a technician, Daniel Cailloux. Both work in the Conati shipyard, based in La Grande Motte. The year is 1984. The catamaran market was in its infancy. Long-distance cruising could only be imagined in monohulls.
But the two partners, working against the trends of the time, imagined and built a 40-foot catamaran designed for ocean cruising. Their first model was above all a lightweight catamaran, with thin hulls and reduced dunnage. It soon became a success, and a second model was sold even before the prototype was launched. The two partners saw this as a great opportunity to develop products for a niche market, and named their shipyard Atelier Outremer.
An immediate success
Atelier Outremer's development was initially based on the manufacture of one-offs, in order to best adapt to each customer's requirements. The first productions could be differentiated by roof surface, choice of motorization (inboard or outboard on well), open cockpit.
The yard makes a name for itself and needs to develop its production capacity. New hangars were installed and the team acquired a specialized design office. Attracting a new clientele of tourdumondists, the yard also owes its success to the emergence of new ocean races (Transat des Alizés, Transat des Passionnés, Transmed, ARC), in which Outremer catamarans take first place.
A range true to the shipyard's DNA
Outremer's products have remained faithful to the shipyard's principles, namely powerful, lightweight daggerboard catamarans that offer superior on-board comfort. Today, the Hérault-based shipyard offers six models in its catalog:
Outremer 45
This best-seller is the smallest model in the range. Simple and easy to handle, it features a cockpit equipped with a wheel and two additional tiller bars, for steering from the off-center seats on each side.
Outremer 4X
Based on the hulls of the 45, the Outremer 4X is designed for a faster sailing program, thanks to the use of carbon on certain structural elements of the boat. 600 kg lighter than its twin, it boasts superior performance under sail, enabling it to shine in offshore regattas.
Outremer 4X ZERO
The Outremer 4X zero is the first production cruising catamaran equipped with an electric motor. With no fossil fuels on board (diesel or gas), its 17.5kWH battery pack is powered by a combination of solar panels and hydro generation.
Outremer 51
Twice awarded European Yacht Of the Year and Boat Of the Year in the USA, the 51 is the travel catamaran the benchmark for family sailing around the world, on a multihull combining performance and carrying capacity.
Outremer 55
The latest addition to the site, the 55 is a subtle blend of the very best in performance under sail and onboard comfort. Benefiting from innovative accommodations, it is also equipped with modular helm stations for steering outside or under the shelter of the rigid bimini.
Outremer 5X
The shipyard's flagship has no shortage of superlatives. A top-of-the-range, sleek, fast, comfortable and reassuring catamaran, the Outremer 5X has satisfied the most demanding (and wealthy) sailors.
A community of owners standing together
Today, some 440 Outremer catamarans sail around the globe. The shipyard's products can be found on all the world's seas, with crews made up mainly of families with children.
The Outremer community of catamaran owners gathers every year for the Outremer Cup, combining fun under sail with entertaining activities. Outremer also offers a range of tools to facilitate the planning of voyages: a Facebook group dedicated to owners and a technical information blog.
A new direction with the arrival of Grand Large Yachting
Following the death of founder Gérard Danson, the Outremer shipyard was taken over in 2007 by Grand Large Yachting, the group that owns the Outremer shipyards Allures , Garcia , Gunboat and RM . Benefiting from the group's joint actions, Outremer's teams apply a concrete ecological approach to its new productions, while preserving what has built the shipyard's reputation.
After implementing eco-design throughout the shipyard, Outremer presented the 4X Zero, a completed catamaran project with no fossil fuels on board. Sailor Roland Jourdain will take the start of the Route du Rhum 2022 at the helm of a 5X whose hulls have been made from flax fiber instead of fiberglass. This tough sail from Saint Malo to Point à Pitre will showcase the behavior of different bio-sourced materials and their mechanical resistance in a hostile environment.
"By committing to this project, our ambition is that these new technologies will one day arrive on all boats and enable us to have a positive impact on our carbon footprint." explains Xavier Desmarest, co-founder of Groupe Grand Large Yachting.
