Best Cruising Multi - mid 40's - $450,000

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Charter Cat

I don't there is a "Best Boat" but there certainly is a "Best Boat for You". Every boat is a compromize, and the challenge buying a boat is understanding your priorities. Then finding the "Best Boat for You" is much easier.

To further elaborate, your priorities might change before you purchase and after you stared to use it. When that happens to large extent is when the owener bought a "bad boat for him" which is not the same as "a bad boat".

Example. I once had a sedan trawler. Great flybridge and a great cockpit behind the salon. Before the purchase I knew I was going to like to sit up on the flybridge and I thought the rest of my family would too. As it turned out, they much preferred to sit in the aft cockpit me ending up sitting alone up on the flybridge when driving. If they would have liked to sit up there as much as I did it would have been a great boat, but as they didn't it turned out to be a bad boat .... for me (us).

The Lagoon 440 is a "Breat Boat for many, hence its market success. The challange for you is to understand if its going to be a great bot for You, before and after the purchase. Only You can figure that thing out.

Fortunately most get it right. That's why there are many happy boat owers out there enjoying there boats. But again, the challengo is to understand if their priorities and the way they are using the boat is going to be the same as yours.

Agree. A Lagoon might suit many people, but it wouldn't suit me. I'd sooner give up some space for more sailing ability.

[REsCat]

I would suggest you take a look at Catana 431's, a quick look on Yachtworld turned up 4 in your price range and they are a superb sailing and cruising combination.

Bob

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Charter Cat

I don't there is a "Best Boat" but there certainly is a "Best Boat for You". Every boat is a compromize, and the challenge buying a boat is understanding your priorities. Then finding the "Best Boat for You" is much easier.

To further elaborate, your priorities might change before you purchase and after you stared to use it. When that happens to large extent is when the owener bought a "bad boat for him" which is not the same as "a bad boat".

Example. I once had a sedan trawler. Great flybridge and a great cockpit behind the salon. Before the purchase I knew I was going to like to sit up on the flybridge and I thought the rest of my family would too. As it turned out, they much preferred to sit in the aft cockpit me ending up sitting alone up on the flybridge when driving. If they would have liked to sit up there as much as I did it would have been a great boat, but as they didn't it turned out to be a bad boat .... for me (us).

The Lagoon 440 is a "Breat Boat for many, hence its market success. The challange for you is to understand if its going to be a great bot for You, before and after the purchase. Only You can figure that thing out.

Fortunately most get it right. That's why there are many happy boat owers out there enjoying there boats. But again, the challengo is to understand if their priorities and the way they are using the boat is going to be the same as yours.

Well said...

[Kiwikat]

Originally Posted by D&D

Well said...

Agree +1

[vegasandre]

450k? you should be able to get a decent lagoon 440 for in the low 300's USD maximum.

be sure to really research the "sale prices" not the asking prices.

[FLLCatsailor]

There is a really nice 2009 440 asking 479 but would sell for closer to 420... It has a custom hard top and all... Been on the bit a few times... Nice boat.

[Cotemar]

I would go with the Lagoon 440 over the Lugly Lagoon 450.

What were they thinking?

Their design inspiration for the Lagoon 450 must have been a shoe box with a mast sticking out of it.

[Clipper4730]

The L440 was on our short list but have decided on the L420. For live ability it just can't be beat. The deciding factor for us was the Parasol style hard top. Plenty of ventilation and lots of real estate for a big solar array. We also like the athwart ship berths and the separate showers, even on the charter versions. We have chartered a 44 twice and really like them but more often than not I was alone up on the flybridge.

Happy hunting

Will

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Clipper4730

The L440 was on our short list but have decided on the L420. For live ability it just can't be beat. The deciding factor for us was the Parasol style hard top. Plenty of ventilation and lots of real estate for a big solar array. We also like the athwart ship berths and the separate showers, even on the charter versions. We have chartered a 44 twice and really like them but more often than not I was alone up on the flybridge.

Happy hunting

Will

Fair enuf.

We noted the east-west berth(s) as an interesting feature on the 420 as well, but loved the flybridge and the forward cockpit -- Oops...sorry Andrew...forward seating area -- on the 440, plus the cavernous forepeaks for storing our exhibition stock won us over.

Each to their own!

Good hunting to Sundowner Porto...and anyone else out there boat-buying...enjoy the experience!

[vegasandre]

Originally Posted by FLLCatsailor

There is a really nice 2009 440 asking 479 but would sell for closer to 420... It has a custom hard top and all... Been on the bit a few times... Nice boat.

Here you have a broker telling you to Never look at the asking prices. This buyer will accept a price approx 20% off ask. I am sure you can squeeze for more.

There is no reason you cannot get a well equipped good shape L440 circa 2006-2008 for around 325k. Check the sold prices.


if you pay over 400k than you are overpaying.

[Clipper4730]

Originally Posted by D&D

Fair enuf.

We noted the east-west berth(s) as an interesting feature on the 420 as well, but loved the flybridge and the forward cockpit -- Oops...sorry Andrew...forward seating area -- on the 440, plus the cavernous forepeaks for storing our exhibition stock won us over.

Each to their own!

Good hunting to Sundowner Porto...and anyone else out there boat-buying...enjoy the experience!

Ok I'll have to say we do really like the forward cockpit err, seating area. We would sit there every morning and have our coffee on our charter in Croatia, also a nice place to sit underway. In the end the best value boat will win us over if it happens to be a 440 we will sail away very happy, wish the owner versions weren't so darn expensive, though.

Will

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Clipper4730

The L440 was on our short list but have decided on the L420. For live ability it just can't be beat. The deciding factor for us was the Parasol style hard top. Plenty of ventilation and lots of real estate for a big solar array. We also like the athwart ship berths and the separate showers, even on the charter versions. We have chartered a 44 twice and really like them but more often than not I was alone up on the flybridge.

Happy hunting

Will

Isn't the 420 the one with the odd shaped hulls (that don't sail well) even if it has diesels?

[D&D]

Originally Posted by vegasandre

Check the sold prices...if you pay over 400k than you are overpaying.

That sounds good, but we're very curious how one confidently checks the sold prices? We found that very difficult indeed.

...and of course to then gather the confidence to conclude that $X is "overpaying" would also involve at least some (if not a lot) of confidence that there are apples-to-apples comparisons in terms of vessel history and fitout...

[FLLCatsailor]

Originally Posted by D&D

That sounds good, but we're very curious how one confidently checks the sold prices? We found that very difficult indeed.

...and of course to then gather the confidence to conclude that $X is "overpaying" would also involve at least some (if not a lot) of confidence that there are apples-to-apples comparisons in terms of vessel history and fitout...

Ask your broker if you are working with one. I disagree with the statement about paying over 400k you are over payng. Not everything is apples to apples.

[Charter Cat]

Surely a 2004 L440 having spent its entire life in charter vs. a lightly used privately used 2010 well equiped boat will fetch some very different prices. The latter probably a 50-75% higher price than the old charter boat.

I myself will buy a cat in about 3 months (L440 is on my short list). Figuring out the market price is hard though. Its not like a house where there in most countries is easy to get very solid "sold price" data. I haven't decied if working with a "buying broker" is the right way. They do have access to soldboats.com which I think was is being referred to above, but I'm not sure how reliable that data is.

Hope I don't hijack the thread, but it would probably be in interest of the thread creator too.

Cheers.