42: TPI Lagoon 42

[Lucey Blue]

Originally Posted by Lucey Blue

1) Lagoon 42 TPI bridge deck clearance:

Lucey Blue’s bridge deck clearance is approximately 55 cm at its lowest point. However, the majority of the bridge deck is much higher and this coupled with the large open trampolines means that we almost never slam the water under sail - see schematic diagram below for bridge deck profile.

Given the focus of the debate I have double-checked my approximate bridge deck clearance measurement (now that the wind/chop has dropped here in the Withsunday's) and believe a better estimate of minimum clearance is 60 cm. This measurement is from the midline of the bridge deck to the water.



There is no way that I can pass under the bridge deck in our dinghy without bending down low when we get to the area of minimum clearance. But a single feature does not dictate a boats motion through the water.

As in most things in life you have to consider the system in totality and this is where the Lagoon 42 TPI really shines. The bridge deck length and prolife, large trampoline areas, weight distribution, hull buoyancy and sail prolife all make for a very seaworthy and comfortable platform.

[Sand crab]

Thanks again Lucy. Multihulls Co has a TPI 42 listed for sale and they comment on the high bridgedeck clearance. These guys are pros and know way more than me. If Phil Berman et al say it then it must be true. Beats the pants off most especially Leopards, Mantas, Voyages and newer Lagoons. BOB

[SteveL42]

Hi Bob,

I've just joined the forum to respond to your post having had a Google alert.

I have owned TPI Lagoon 42 "Blue Dolphin" for 6 years and have cruised the Med, crossed the Atlantic and cruised up and down the Windward Isles, completing about 15k miles onboard.

I would say that I totally agree with everything that Lucey Blue has stated, particularly about boat speed. I have folding props which added about 1.5 knots, particularly in light airs.

The L42 is a very solid boat, if anything, potentially over engineered (Heavier) compared to more modern cats! In light winds she can be slightly slower than newer lighter cats, but as soon as the wind increases above 15 knots, she is in her element. I do not consider reefing below 20 knots and usually put 1 reef in the main if the wind looks like hitting 25 knots. Most of the newer cats seem to reef from 15 knots upwards.

I do find the self tacking jib a blessing as well as a pain. Upwind it is a definite blessing, allows the boat to point higher than most cats and maintain good boat speed. Downwind, the boat could clearly benefit from a larger genoa.

With regard to deck clearance, I do not have the measurements of mine and am not near the boat currently, however, mine is heavily loaded, complete with a fair amount of scuba gear and a 9kW generator in the aft lockers. I can get under mine in a dinghy, but only just! I have a Caribe dinghy, with 15hp Mercury. The engine clears the bridgedeck by a coupole of inches and I have to sit on the floor of the dinghy, almost lying on my back.

I have very rarely had the bridgedeck hit a wave, never when sailing downwind and only in extreme weather when upwind. The L42 tends to cut through the waves with the bow, then reach a point of buoyancy that lifts the boat clear without the bridgedeck hitting. It also doesn't seem to hobby horse as much as a newer cat. This may be due to the yacht like cutting through wave part?

This is very different to the Fountaine Pajot's that I have also sailed on, which tend to ride over the water like a canoe, but suffer from significant "Hobby Horsing" and bridge slap.

I would strongly recommend the TPI Lagoon 42 as an excellent liveaboard / blue water boat, much stronger than newer cats, but not as spacious internally, particularly in the saloon.

I hope this helps?

Steve

p.s. Lucey Blue, would you like to add mine to the list below: it is also with Web of Lies on Lagoon42.com I also know of a couple of others and will try and dig out their details.

Originally Posted by Lucey Blue

4) Lagoon 42 TPI locations:

Despite the fact that only 51 Lagoon 42 TPI’s were ever built they can still be found cruising all over the world. Lucey Blue is currently located in the Whitsunday Island about 16 nautical miles from the outer Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Other Lagoon 42 TPI's that we know of are listed below -

Atlantis II
Aupaluk II
Connect4 (formerly 'Hot Lips')
Mirage II
MudKat (formerly 'Web of Lies')
Skipper's Daughters
Tropic Daze
Ushuaia
Web of Lies

[Lucey Blue]

Thanks Steve,

I will update our blogsite to reflect your boat - it would be great to be able to locate all 51 Lagoon 42 TPI built.

Bob,

We have just found a screecher for Lucey Blue that is within our budget - should be fun playing with the 'extra' 62 m2 of sail area in light conditions, but I am sure we will still need our motors.......

Cheers
Nick

[K38bob]

Are they balsa or foam core boats? If balsa, any issues?
thanks
bob

[Lucey Blue]

TPI's are end grain balsa boats. We have had no issues with the core or delamination even after replacing old through hull fittings.

There is a little foam samwich construction on the deck below the main traveller - it's a section about a foot wide and 20 foot long. No idea why they opted for foam in this location, but like the rest of the boat it's is build like a tank.

[singlespeed]

Hey Lucey Blue,

We're Minx, a 1994 (built Dec. 1993) Lagoon 42 TPI. Not sure which number designates the hull number but the number on the back of the bridge deck is TSPLG0321394. We have owned the boat since June 2006 and have spent 5 years cruising the Eastern Caribbean and just this year sailed to Florida and motored up the Intercoastal Waterway from Ft. Lauderdale to Washington DC and back to Ft. Pierce, FL. Have only had the port engine operational for the last 1500 miles (long story), but the boat handles well, but very slowly, under a single engine. Getting ready to haul the boat and replace the bad engine.

Good Points

1. strong, stiff boat.
2. love the self-tacking jib, easy to singlehand.
3. 1 st reef at 25 knots, 2nd reef at 30 knots
4. Big rudders and balanced sailplan, I have never had to backwind to
tack, just ease off the sheet two to three inches and spin the wheel.
5. With a sock on the spinnaker, I can singlehand downwind, as long as I
drop the mainsail.
6. Boat really has a nice fast motion in 20 to 25 knots of wind.

Bad points

1. Most Lagoons sail bow down making it hard on the autopilot going
downwind in big winds/seas.
2. Never quite sure whether to grab an SAE wrench or a metric wrench
3. The jib traveller clam cleats are mounted in a foot catching location.

[tfsilver]

I have a lagoon 42 tpi located in the pacific northwest. I have owned the boat for 4 years and we have set her up for bluewater and are headed to Mexico in August. She is an awesome boat handling ugly seas well. As stated earlier sailing at half windspeed is correct. Our dinghy on davits sits above the bridgedeck well out of the way of water. As far as bridgedeck clearance goes you can kayak under the boat only slightly ducking your head. I has a smaller interior than more modern cats but is much more sea kindly. She is built tough by TPI so is a little heavier but you can trust her in the seas.

[mbarbian]

Hi,
I was reading this thread and thought I would post my Lagoon 42TPI as well. My boat is OZ a 1995 Lagoon 42 hull number 49. I bought it 18 months ago in Guatemala and after some refit time sailed it back to Brooklyn NY. This is my first cat so I wasn't sure what to expect but have come to love the boat. We are working on the interior now and will be sailing Long Island Sound this summer hoping to make it to as far north as Nova Scotia then down to the Bahamas for the winter.

Good to get to know more of the 42 fleet.
Mark

[Cheechako]

There is no way that I can pass under the bridge deck in our dinghy without bending down low when we get to the area of minimum clearance. But a single feature does not dictate a boats motion through the water.

Yes, the Outboard was the determining factor.... with me in the bottom of the dink! These boats are getting a little long in the tooth but they were great boats. The Marelon seacocks will all be bad by now, so be sure to get those looked at in your survey! Mine was never chartered but ate up two Yanmar 3GM30's in the first 2600 hours. The only other gripe I can think of is the headliner material is foam backed and the foam deteriorates. By now most would have been replaced I imagine... but something to watch for.
BTW, Did anyone here ever run into Jeff and Vicki on a 42 in the Caribe? They bought my boat, but I cant remember what they renamed it....