Review of Oceanis 55.1

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.

The boat is equipped with 694.0 liter fresh water capacity.

The Oceanis 55.1 is equipped with a fractional rig. A fractional rig has smaller headsails which make tacking easier, which is an advantage for cruisers and racers, of course. The downside is that having the wind from behind often requires a gennaker or a spinnaker for optimal speed.

The Oceanis 55.1 has been built with different keel alternatives.

Shallow keel

One option is a shallow keel. A shallow keel allow to sail both coastal and inland waters.

The boat can enter most marinas as the draft is just about 1.56 - 1.66 meter (5.12 - 5.42 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Fin keel

Another option is a fin keel. The fin keel is the most common keel and provides splendid manoeuvrability. The downside is that it has less directional stability than a long keel.

Oceanis 55.1 can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 1.91 - 2.01 meter (6.27 - 6.57 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Deep keel

Another option is a deep keel. A deep keel provide a better healing moment than a shallow keel.

The boat can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 2.30 - 2.40 meter (7.55 - 7.85 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

The boat may be equipped with an inboard engine at 80 hp (59 kW). Calculated max speed is about 7.7 knots

The fuel tank has a capacity of 400.0 liters (105 US gallons, 87 imperial gallons).

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Oceanis 55.1 is 1.95, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

Oceanis 55.1 holds three CE certifications:

If less than 12 in on board the boat is by European Union certified as Class A. OCEAN:
If less than 14 in on board the boat is by European Union certified as Class B. OFFSHORE:
If less than 16 in on board the boat is by European Union certified as Class C. INSHORE:

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 9.5 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Oceanis 55.1 is about 503 kg/cm, alternatively 2821 lbs/inch.
Meaning: if you load 503 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 2821 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

The Motion Comfort Ratio for Oceanis 55.1 is 27.5.

Comparing this ratio with similar sailboats show that it is more comfortable than 24% of all similar sailboat designs. This is a comfort value significantly below average.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

The l/b ratio for Oceanis 55.1 is 3.22.

Compared with other similar sailboats it is more spacy than 85% of all other designs. It seems that the designer has chosen a significantly more spacy hull design.

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

The DL-ratio for Oceanis 55.1 is 135 which categorizes this boat among 'ultra light racers'.

82% of all similar sailboat designs are categorized as heavier. A light displacement requires less sailarea and has higher accellerations.

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 74m² (796 ft²).
Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Note: If you use a paint roller you will need more paint than if you use a paintbrush.

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Oceanis 55.1 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us. Criticism helps us to improve.

[Ref 1]: ISO 8666 Small craft — Principal data.
[Ref 3]: ISO 12215-5 Small craft — Hull construction and scantlings.