Outbound 46 Review

[@markrmcgann]

Hull #83 here Nice review of the that covers many of the things I like about the Outbound 46. I was looking for a new sailboat around 45ft, and I choose the Outbound 46 because I was looking for a sailboat I could live on for extended periods while doing coastal passage making with the occasional longer distance trip. I also anticipate when traveling coast-ally that I’ll anchor or pick up a mooring ball rather than dock (not a fan of sitting at a dock). Having the aft workroom rather than a 3rd aft cabin was key to this as it grants the space needed to have all the equipment aboard for being away from dock for longer periods (water maker, generator, etc..). I also really like the more traditional hull shape, as has been mentioned in other comments here. I’ve sailed a lot of ~40ft modern design sailboats that carry the beam all the way aft with twin helms. They work well for knocking around on nice days and have tons of space, but they don’t do as well in less ideal conditions. One of my favorite boats I sailed long ago is a C&C 40. It was ancient, built in the late 80s I believe, and was nothing to write home about down below, but an absolute blast to sail. I’m hoping to recapture some of that sailing magic with the Outbound 46’s traditional hull design. No boat is ideal. Things I traded off choosing an Outbound 46 include a 3rd cabin I could make use of occasionally and more space on deck to lie around on nice days dock deck while at anchor. There is space to relax on deck, but not as much as a more modern design sailboat would have. The hard dodger also factors in here as you can’t take it down to allow maximum airflow in the cockpit on hot days. What you get for ‘less comfy at anchor on nice days’ is a cockpit that is much better protected and secure when you’re out sailing in less ideal conditions. I also considered an Island Packet 439. The IP 439 has a full rather than fin keel but has a similar interior design including a work room in place of a 3rd aft cabin like the Outbound 46. I know an IP 439 owner and he loves his boat and the only issue he has with it is that his wife didn’t like being on board for 2 weeks! What pushed the IP 439 out of consideration was that I had to put down money to do a test sail, and the next build slot for an IP 439 was in two years (plus 6 months for the actual build). In contrast the Outbound 46 is anticipated to take about 11 months to build from the point I signed the contract. Passport is another brand to consider with a similar design philosophy to Outbound. I was very happy with the test sail I did on a Passport 54CC. The only thing that pushed them out of consideration was that they don’t make a boat as small as the Outbound 46.

[@valeriesorrells]

never heard of outbound yachts, and now I want one.

[@DistantShoresTV]

Great review guys!! I especially liked your thoughtful segment on deck storage and capsize screening. Well done highlighting an all-too-common problem...

[@beautifulcitydrives4409]

Another great review, and as always, so well produced. Keep up the excellent work, there's no other channel out there doing what you do!

[@rolanddunk5054]

Hi to you both,the OB46,a practical looking boat,I like the layout.It is also a good looking boat.50 years younger and deep pockets and I would seriously consider one.Thank you for the tour.Roly 🇬🇧.

[@danknox9986]

I have a friend that completed a circumnavigation just a few years ago on an Outbound. Both he and the boat survived after hitting a whale! Also the boat is surprisingly speedy.

[@christopherkohel8555]

This boat just moved up my list! Of course I have to win the lottery first. Kind of a short video but again, great job, much appreciated!

[@jessefalsone1247]

Excellent point about tankage and stability. The OB46 is a well conceived ocean cruising yacht. Anyone wondering where the space is at is clearly looking at the wrong boat.

[@svfairisle]

Yes, as I said in an interview a while back, if a salesman tells you ‘this the most interior space of any 46 footer’ run a mile, it means they’ve built it to sit in a marina!

[@Yeaitstemp]

Was my favorite at the Annapolis boat show my new dream boat

[@buzzofftoxicblog791]

Wow we thought out quality ship excellent review 👏 👍

[@FighterFred]

Fantastic vessel if you can afford it. What would be very good is a ranking list of value/money as regards bluewater boats, incl used ones.

[@glevumconsulting146]

Whilst i take your point about tankage, my production 48' Beneteau Oceanis "has 400L diesel tankage and 600L Water tankage all under the floor. Works perfectly.

[@svfairisle]

Yes as a coastal cruiser it’s fine, it would also make a good Mediterranean boat. My beef with manufacturers these days is marketing, why name it an ‘Oceanis’ when it’s not got the tankage for off shore snd it has a capsize screening ratio over 2 which is designated as a coastal boat only?

[@LeifurThor-qu2bz]

Like the Viking longboats (during their day), the Outbound 46 is the best mono hull built today. The design is an 11.

[@zalacainbilbao]

Very nice review, thank you. I'm guessing that an Outbound 49 would be ideal if such a thing existed, and I could afford it!

[@Tomm9y]

Interesting boat. I like the encapsulated keel. Given the increased incidents of contact with whales etc. I wonder how much additional engineering goes into skeg, rudder and hull design. I note some boats have watertight bulkheads to isolate the steering area of the hull. Good to see a mention of the stats, I think the categorisation system should be changed to identify the limits of many modern production yachts.

[@svfairisle]

Yes we certainly need to tighten up on categorisation, and manufacturers need to be a bit more honest about what their yachts are designed to do rather than call every boat a ‘blue water yacht!’

[@sergest-pierre6160]

Very nice boat but old design and more a cold climate one. Very small cockpit with no table. At least you can walk around the single helm, no need to climb over a bench to get to it. Agree with you on jerrycan sitting on top. I like a clean deck when sailing too. Not really for my sailing program. I plan to sail where the water and weather are warm.

[@julianmckernan1348]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. 👏👏

[@MistaEmPe]

Thank yoh so much for the review!!!

[@markperrins9485]

Hi there. Enjoyed the video. I would love to live on that boat. I think so would the lovely Judy. Nice to see you sporting the ne w jacket there Steve. It looks good on you. … keep up the great work and do email me if you would like a male and female crew for a trip. Deb and I would love to. 🥰

[@maurolimaok]

Nice video. Thanks.

[@pointdoc1]

How much? What other new SV would you consider an equal? I would consider/compare an Island Packet. Enjoy your show...thanks!

[@svfairisle]

Depending on your spec around 3/4 million dollars. Sadly there are very few other manufacturers making new boats of this kind (ie ones that are designed to sail rather than sit in a marina looking nice and spacious) There are things like the Boreal and Garcia but that’s a different concept again & personally not one I would go with although lots of people love them

[@pointdoc1]

@@svfairisle I have been reviewing the "Southerly" and am considering that a swing keel should be a consideration of my search. Any thoughts when reviewing the Outbound and Kraken?

[@svfairisle]

@@pointdoc1 If there’s a particular reason you want to have a beachable shoal draft boat ( like you intend to spend your whole time in the Bahamas) then something like the Southerly might fit. Personally if I had to go that way I would go for the Garcia we showed in the boat show episode. But personally I would never go the twin ruddered route, just too much added risk for me. Also be aware that if you go with any sort of moving keel find out how well it’s made, it’s not just the whole thing seizing up you need to worry about, but how firmly it fits in its slot. A drop keel that rattles around when you sail is no fun! The Kraken has done everything right in making a strong safe boat built for the job of cruising. Personally I don’t like the layout, the deep saloon makes you feel like your living at the bottom of a bucket and seems disjointed from the rest of the boat. You might love it but for me it doesn’t feel so nice. The Outbound is great if you want a sporty boat to cruise in but I would worry about the exposed spade rudder. It’s difficult finding the perfect boat!

[@jimlofts5433]

Question from the rear armchair admiral retired - can those electric winches be used manually in case of power failure ??

[@svfairisle]

Yes they can

[@jimlofts5433]

@@svfairisle thanks - I just saw the black cover on top but nowhere to put the winch handle - thanks for that and I like your new boat haha

[@svfairisle]

yes actually I've just checked the Selden website and it seems they don't accept a winch handle! I thought the top cover was removable, but not on this model... not sure I like that idea!

[@markrmcgann]

You can't menaully crank the selden cabin top winches shown in this review. That's a non-starter for me and I'm having it changed out for another electric which you can crank. -Hull #83

[@sandypaige9780]

@@markrmcgann Hull 82 here. Thanks for pointing that out as I'd not appreciated that. We have one electric and one manual, on the cabin top so we'll stick with it for now.

[@martynlemarquand191]

I ,also, was impressed by the Outbound; unfortunately it is rather outside of our budget. We have recently purchased a Shannon 43 ketch and are looking for a tender and I am wondering if you are still happy with your True Kit Navigator?

[@svfairisle]

Yes the navigator is doing very well. It the best lightweight dinghy I think so if you’re needing to put it on deck it’s great.

[@martynlemarquand191]

@@svfairisle Thank you for the prompt response and keep up the good work on the channel. How has the dinghy been for leaks and are they relatively easy to repair?

[@svfairisle]

We did put a hole in it two years ago in Venice (hit a nail sticking out of a wall!) Of course at the time I couldn't find the repair kit that comes with it so used some glue meant for repairing welly boots and an old patch that was knocking around & it held up until late this summer, now it leaks slightly. I will do it properly now as I've found the kit!

[@martynlemarquand191]

Thanks Steve I am in contact with Fergus at Truekit and am seriously considering the 3m version with stainless eyes on the transom so that we can raise it on the davits for short coastal hops.

[@anthonyfrattalone9937]

how do you like the Shannon 43? my wife and I have this ranked number one on our boat hunting list but have never even been on one, so would love to hear more about your experience so far. The shallow draft centerboard option is one of the main reasons other than aesthetics that we are interested in it, since we plan to frequent the Bahamas and keys and the west coast of Florida.

[@richardhill3035]

Do you have the start and likely optioned sail away price for one of those? Great review btw.

[@svfairisle]

It’s in the region of 3/4 million but there are many options. You can even just go for the original 44 hull without the adding swim platform, which saves you a few thousand!

[@richardhill3035]

@@svfairisle hmmm nearly Kraken money? Actually I suppose it’s a couple of hundred K less but once you’re at that level maybe you stop counting!

[@svfairisle]

@@richardhill3035 Ha! Yes I wouldn’t know, not a problem I’ve had!

[@rangie944]

I disagree Steve, MORE wittering please. These facts are really interesting, very important for the safety of seafarers. Agree with you both on your conclusion and surprised the Outbound only 44' usable length. Thanks for posting.

[@anthonyjohnwoodward]

More wittering please!

[@thearchibaldtuttle]

Nice boat! What is your backup system if your electronic charts smoke off?

[@svfairisle]

Well on board Fair Isle we have 4 xiPads 3 x phone and two computers all able to independently access charts and GPS. Yes it's possible that there could be a lightning strike, direct and powerful enough to wipe out that lot I suppose (including the one in the oven) but by that time Fair Isle would be just a smoking hull so navigation wouldn't be my first concern!

[@andiruslan7113]

Kota Makassar.. Sulawesi Selatan.. Indonesia

[@psystealth]

a very nice boat.

[@naveenjayapal2331]

hmm not a skegged rudder..may be that's something that can be customized as part of "Partially custom build"

[@svfairisle]

Sadly I don’t think it is

[@philipwright7186]

Always interesting to learn about other boats, but I wonder why you compare the Outbound to far less expensive European boats? On price I susepct she competes with many established premium European brands, so a buyer can then compare like with like. She looks impressive to me, but from what I can see the bigger 521 has a more conventional keel, so this is the only one in the range to have a semi integrated keel. And have you seen the new 5360? Open transom, twin wheels...

[@svfairisle]

Yes sorry we weren’t really aiming at doing a ‘best cruising boat for the money’ type series although maybe that’s something we should do. What we were trying to point up for this series was a ‘what makes a good cruising boat’ That’s really in response to salesmen at the boat show trying to pretend that every boat is a ‘blue water boat’ and the increase in people buying a boat meant for weekend sailing and living on it. Might just be good to point out that there are boats that are better suited to live aboard cruising just like there are good boats for having fun in sheltered waters

[@philipwright7186]

@@svfairisle Maybe the HC has spoilt you!

[@svfairisle]

@@philipwright7186 ha! Well yes! But it’s given us an appreciation of what a real off shore boat is like and the fact that these boats are available at all sorts of prices. Fair Isle cost less half the price of most similarly sized new production boats for instance & examples that need some TLC could be had much cheaper than that.

[@chrisyarnold6205]

Beautifully built boat, loved the hard dodger and the workroom, but in fairness to you, you pointed out the one issue I wasn't so keen on in the first sentence. That rudder looks like an Orca snack to me, granted only a minor geographical issue, but even though it is in-line with keel, nets could snag it. Suppose you can't worry about every eventuality though.

[@svfairisle]

It's all a trade off of course, they want a sporty responsive boat that gives great feed back to the helm, and for that you need a balanced rudder & I think they decided a partially skeged balanced rudder wouldn't do the job well enough so went the whole hog with the spade. I personally prefer a protected rudder as well but I can see why they went this way. It doesn't worry me anywhere near as much as twin rudders would though. The sooner designers get away from that madness the better!

[@craigmooney2630]

I’m only 3 minutes in and I can see the height of the Dodger would be painful

[@HeathLedgersChemist]

What is a liter?? How does is compare to a litre?

[@judyaslett6209]

If you live in America. Both spellings are correct for the same measurement

[@sheerluckholmes5468]

I think it's a 1:1 conversion factor. 🤣

[@HeathLedgersChemist]

@@judyaslett6209 In the free world, the correct spelling is litre.

[@svfairisle]

Isn't the correct spelling in the free world gallon?!

[@sheerluckholmes5468]

@@svfairisle depends which gallon you use either 3.785 or the real gallon at 4.546 litres. I am assuming that a US litre is the same as the rest of the world.

[@stephenchapman8344]

👍

[@svsalserenity4375]

Funny how the bast boat at the show is one of moderate old world design and build . Classic plastic of today

[@ArazQizilbash]

I'm sorry, I would never entrust my journey to a Chinese product. Maritime and sailing is an ancient activity with seriousness and principles, unlike Chinese craftsmanship.

[@svfairisle]

Well pretty much every yacht sailing is entrusting to Chinese products these days. Batteries, Radar, AIS, Autohelm etc. all crucial items and with very few exceptions all Chinese

[@Kenneth_McGrew]

too expensive, 4x as much as similar "blue water" boats therefore i cant take it seriously as a contender.

[@svfairisle]

If you're talking about new boats I wonder what you have found that is an actual offshore boat boat that is cheaper? Of course there are very good older boats around that perform well offshore and are much cheaper, that's the route we took!

[@Kenneth_McGrew]

​@@svfairisle comparing apples with sort of apples (no two truly identical boats from differing manufacturers exist) and, if you ask 100 sailors what an "actual offshore boat" is you'll get 100 answers, but both an island packet 439 and a Sirius 40ds spring to mind, you would sail away with a lot of change in your pocket, (if you had that sort of money to splash on a new boat) You could argue about the Sirius's non encapsulated keel, you could also argue the IP has a better protected rudder and has better "offshore" pre-requisites in the "you cant sail around the world unless a boat has...XYZ" list You could also argue many sailors are happily going around the globe in benneteaus in violation of the "a boat must have" rule truth is, there isn't a "boat that fits all" and every boat is a compromise somewhere, in this case it seems price, if money were no object im sure it would be a contender for me, but at 750k odd do you even "budget" at that level of expenditure? i do understand your beef though, i seriously think there is a gap in affordable new offshore boats, (affordable being the key) this kind of thinking is missing in many new boats that are being designed these days, hence why older boats retain their value as there is nothing new replacing them.

[@svfairisle]

@@Kenneth_McGrew Yes all very valid points. To be honest we didn’t do any of these reviews based on price. Our aim really was to focus on boats suitable for cruising. Maybe we should do a series on best cruising boat for your money some time? If we were actually looking for a boat price would be the first question asked of course!!!

[@Kenneth_McGrew]

@@svfairisle i think best boat for the money is a subjective topic, as everyone's circumstances and requirements are different, although im sure it would be informative and well put together episode by you guys, but if you think about it at a reasonable price point it becomes a supply and demand thing on the used market, do you spend years waiting for a UK registered Hans Christian / used Island packet, oyster etc etc to come on the market or do you pick from whats available and suitable/capable at the time? i think you purchased yours pre Brexit when the EU market was an option, which brings me onto; I think what is a far more interesting topic, and one much avoided by media is the exact ins and outs of boat registration, what it means in terms of travelling within the EU, can you import a boat to the UK and avoid the RCR on older boats if your long term plan is cruising / never selling it for example what i mean is (and i'm terrible at explaining), as a UK citizen does purchasing an older boat and outfitting it for cruising even makes sense post brexit? if you listen to the advice from the RYA they say its impossible or at the expense of the RCR to bring a boat up to UKCA standards to comply, or if your going to live aboard and set off in 6 months / a year once you've outfitted it does RCR even matter? (RCR recreational craft regulations, formally RCD recreational craft directive under EU rules which does not recognise grandfather rights) therefor it would be cheaper to buy a new boat rather than make an old boat complaint. (of course if the boat is uk registered pre brexit does not apply) the RYA are saying its all relevant on day one to come into the UK on any boat purchased post Brexit or face possible "impound until rectified", which effectively is closing the market and freedom of choice, if the UK is the only market you can choose from, as you cant "temporarily" import a non uk registered boat as a uk citizen, if you had dual nationality different ball game, but effectively purchasing a french registered boat for example means it needs re-assesing with RCR if its to be "used in uk waters" and we all know a 1990s engine wont pass emissions, and neither will a 1970s boat have the right construction information for other checks on stability etc.

[@svfairisle]

@@Kenneth_McGrew interesting, I didn’t think pleasure craft came under the RCR, or is it just if they are being used for charter etc?

[@stephenjdixon1]

not good sound