Europe's Yachts of the Year 2022: What the jury says about the winners - Part 5: Outremer 55
YACHT Online
· 28.01.2022
Three times the YACHT readers agreed with the expert jury in our online survey ( here all results! ). In the cruising yacht category, they chose the Hanse 460 as the winner, and in the luxury yacht category, the Hallberg-Rassy 50. And in this, the last category of Europe's Yacht of the Year 2022, they also hit the bull's eye! The majority saw the Outremer in front, followed by the Allures 51.9, which belongs to the same shipyard group.
Because one boat did not make it to the tests, the HH 50 catamaran, the selection was limited to four candidates this year. They were:
- Allures 51.9 - the surprising one
- Outremer 55 - the outstanding
- Ovni 370 - the convincing one
- Windelo 50 - the superior one
All great, as the characterisation suggests, all suitable for covering long distances safely and comfortably and having an unforgettable time at anchor or in port for months, if not years. Why did the Outremer 55 win out in the end? Read for yourself!
Germán de Soler, our jury colleague from Spain from"Nautica y Yates"justified the choice as follows:
"An outstanding catamaran developed by an impressive trio of designers - VPLP, Darnet Design and Patrick Le Quément, supported by a shipyard with more than 30 years of experience in building cruising catamarans. The result of this collaboration is what you would expect from a boat that fulfils every sailor's dream: Quality of life on board and the ability to go far while enjoying sailing. The transparent interior with an unobstructed view of the surroundings, the protected cockpit and the steering comfort in all conditions thanks to the tilting steering wheel, which can be operated from the side deck or from the cockpit, are plus points that go far beyond pure sailing performance."
Loïc Madeline from"Voiles & Voiliers" says in France:
"It's impressive, it's fast, and it's big enough to take a whole family around the world in comfort. The Outremer 55 may not be the most obvious choice when thinking of a long-distance yacht. But it offers the safety of fast ocean passages, a huge cockpit and saloon on the same level, real privacy when you're in your cabin, and more than enough space to bring everything on board that really matters. You don't get all this for free, and not every harbour offers berths for such a large cat. But it is currently the best in its class."
Joakim Hermansson from the Swedish"Praktisk Båtågande" praises:
"Outremer has been known for decades for its high-quality long-distance catamarans, which are used by circumnavigators around the globe. The new 55 has some particularly interesting and innovative features such as the two helm stations with four-way adjustable steering wheels, which offer both sunny and more sheltered positions. The feel of the helm is great anyway, at least for a catamaran - responsive on the one hand and so smooth you can steer with your fingertips on the other."
YACHT boss Jochen Rieker came to the following conclusion:
"There are few other boats that eat up miles as easily and quickly as the Outremer 55. In an 18-knot breeze, you can log 13 to 15 knots under gennaker, room-sheet without realising it. Whilst such speeds are not essential for a blue water cruiser, it is very reassuring to be able to call up enough power to bypass a weather system when needed. Designer Marc van Peteghem, one of the founders of VPLP, has managed to keep the catamaran light enough without sacrificing space and comfort. Great!"
Spoiler 1: The price list starts at 1.48 million euros
Spolier 2: The delivery time is currently the end of 2024
So that's it, the summary of the jury's comments on the winners of Europe's Yacht of the Year 2022! If you've only just got in, you can find articles on the other winners here:
You can read the comprehensive report on all the nominees and winners in YACHT 4 - available now to subscribers, from Wednesday next week in well-stocked newsagents or directly from the Delius Klasing shop ( please click! ).
And here is the photo gallery for the Outremer 55, compiled for you as always by our photo editor Sören Reineke!
