Outremer 50 light early 2000s

[alsail]

4Hi. Anybody has an opinion oc Outremer 50 light, 2002, 2003? Bridgedeck clearance is surprisingly low...580 mm, according to multihull dynamics. My other option is Privilege 465. I know they are different boats and I like them both for different reasons. The decision comes down to bridgedeck clearance/slamming and seaworthyness. Any help much appreciated.
Thanks.

[Jeannius]

You won't find much accommodation on that generation of Outremer. They are small boats with long hulls. Fast but not spacious.

[fabgo]

I would go with an Outremer 55 over a 50. In addition to the longer waterline it also gives you more space for solar panels over the davits, and a higher carry capacity, which is low to begin with.

Btw, there are some excellent 55s on the market right now!

Also, the bridgedeck clearance is more than 580mm. 700mm I have in my notes. These are first-hand measurements.. And that is in cruising trim, Empty, the clearance is probably 100mm more.

[alsail]

Thanks guys. I guess Privilege would be the best compromise I could make.

[Scaramanga F25]

Much better light air performance, better to weather, sits on top of wave action, low daggerboard draft.
Outremer for me. I do not want 4 cabins.

[alsail]

Jeannius , is there any videos with your boat sailing? Tried youtube and didn't find much.

[Dsanduril]

I might be biased but for us the Outie won. The 50L has accommodations pretty similar to the 45S, depending on crew size that could be fine, but if more than 4 adults then it may get a bit cramped. Otherwise, well, we like sailing our boat. Almost never have to motor (until we got up here to SE Alaska where there is either no wind or too much). Indoor/outdoor living isn't as luxurious as some other choices so the tradeoff depends on your needs/desires.

[alsail]

Wow, you got yo Alaska...they say cats can't sail high latitude...

[jdazey]

Petersburg isn't that high a latitude. The Northwest Passage is, and yes, cats have done that too.


We weren't terribly surprised to find another cat in a secluded bay just south of Lisianski Strait last year. That it was another Chris White (Atlantic 42) did get our attention. Last July there were three cats in Sitka including another one that had come in from Hawaii arriving the day after we got there from Ensenada.



Cheers,

[Dsanduril]

We arrived in Sitka last year from Hawaii on July 5. We made the crossing sort of in company with a French O55L, although they ended up on Vancouver Island rather than in Alaska. We sailed almost rhumb line, there was no high at the time.

Catamaran is too broad a definition, there are some cats that are quite resilient and strong and suitable for just about everywhere and others that aren't - same goes for monos and tris.

[alsail]

What Outremer do u have? I am looking at a 50 light from 2002. Do you know anything about them?

[Dsanduril]

We have a 1999 50S, so very similar, but also a bit different. The standards have a bit more room, the 50L is really the 45S extended at the aft end (and a few other odds and ends of changes), so in terms of space it is more like the 45. The layout of the 50L is similar to ours, but the hulls are bit narrower and thus so are the bunks. We could easily sleep 6 or 8 adults (we rarely do) because the midships bunks have a bit more space than the 45S/50L. That's why I'd say 4 adults on the 50L for any longer term arrangement, although plenty of space for smaller folk in addition.

We love how she sails. Most of the time (cruising) we have one or two reefs in the main and still move along quite nicely. When the air gets really light, well, we can hoist the whole thing and move when it's blowing 5 knots.

I'll absolutely say these boats aren't for everyone. For me the sailing trumps other factors - but then up until this year we have been sailing > 15k miles/year. That's not to say they're difficult to sail - they're not, but it does come at a bit of cost in the accommodation.

If the goal is something that will get you to a nice tropical island and allow lounging in comfort, well, we do that, but our comfort standard is probably a bit lower than many. As an example, the bunks in the Privilege are yet more spacious, probably have more headroom, and some of them don't even require you to clamber out of bed over your partner I can't fault anyone for liking those features.

[alsail]

Thank you. We are a family of 4. I am tempted to sacrifice a bit of comfort for sailing ability. Can u please comment on the bridgedeck clearance of 50 L? I get mixed info. Also, in a blow, do you think 50L is safer than Privilege?
Thank you

[Dsanduril]

I don't know the answer to either of those

On ours we can drive the 3.10m RIB inflatable with outboard under the bridgedeck when fully loaded for cruising. Just barely. The bow clears by about 1 cm, the motor by a few more. I have no idea what that is in real measurements. It is generally "enough" - there are conditions that will get an unpleasant slap on the underside, but not too often. Often enough that we call them "table thumpers" (the saloon table is pretty much centered on the bridgedeck). That's the best I can offer. - If you do look at the O, under the table there are a bunch of ribs that stiffen the bridgedeck. Check the tabbing on these, on ours some tabbing had delaminated, reducing stiffness. Fixing this made a big difference.

I've never sailed on a Privilege, only visited them. I can only say that on our way into South Africa we got caught out by the formation of a "rotating extra-tropical storm" right over our heads. Saw 60+ for about 4-6 hours, 45+ for a day. Never felt unsafe or in danger (although we did really want it to end). I can make no comparison with the Privilege because I simply haven't been aboard one in any conditions (other than anchored) that would allow me to evaluate.

[alsail]

Thank you for your honest opinion and comment.
All the best.