Leopard VS Lagoon

[Bean Counter]

When you get to a boat show to compare the 45 footers (make sure they are actually 45ft or more) a couple of things to note, 1. Bedding arrangements and how easy it is for the bed-maker to get around, the easier the less tiresome a job every morning. 2 Distance from Galley to Rear Cockpit (this will be the go to place 90% of the time) and how easy galley operator can hand things through the window, chat etc etc. 3. Helm, can you stretch out along the helm seat, can two people do it? 4. When sailing for say 8 or 9 hours between islands with say 4 to 6 on board in the tropics where do the other 2 to 4 people sit? If you have 3 on the boat where does the third person sit? These are questions aimed more at living on and working the boat rather than whether it can go faster than the competition, or can carry more pay load, or looks prettier.

[LeeV]

While I find the look of the Leopards "sterile," it seems to be sturdy enough, although we found issues with the latches on the "forward lounge door," and a few other items.

One of my biggest gripes about the 45 was that because of how they designed it, they went to a deeper draft; I believe its around 5' 2 or 3" which makes a huge difference in shallower areas, e.g., Chesapeake Bay, Bahamas, etc... Doesn't mean you can't sail or go there, but it's limiting when you look at other similar sized boats with 4'+ draft.

Anecdotally, the dealer was explaining about a client to was concerned about the draft, and then proposed cutting of the keels (which are sacrificial) so that he could dock the boat at his house in Va. I believe we met the couple during our visit to Dania.

Everything is a compromise; my wife thinks the 45 is the cat's @$$! :-)

What a nice dilemma to be in - debating whether to buy this 45 or that.... Enjoy the process....

[Bean Counter]

Maybe with deeper fins it will point higher than the 4ft draft boats - something to crow about I am sure, - the penalty of 1 ft as noted above makes shallow anchorages more unobtainable and you will be anchoring further out with the shallow draft monos. Maybe the keels will be sacrificed more often. Having increased fin depth by 25% the other problem may be the tripping effect when going sideways down a wave.

[sea2ocean]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Everything is a compromise; my wife thinks the 45 is the cat's @$$! :-)

What a nice dilemma to be in - debating whether to buy this 45 or that.... Enjoy the process....

Quite likely that's because one has a couple in a double bed and one has a couple in a queen bed. That extra one foot in the water is for good reason.

[saltydog47]

Hull Lay-up . I am old school and would only go for a boat with a solid lay up below the water line . Lagoons are built this way , solid below W/L.
I believe Leopards are cored above and below the W/L .
Another difference is in the sofas , Lagoons are all nice and straight, where as others are curved . Try relaxing on a curved sofa , terrible . I know I made this mistake years ago . Looks great at the shows , but then try living with it .
My Choice , which I hope to order next year is the Lagoon 450S .
I have been cruising mono’s since 1993 .

[LeeV]

Are you positive they are solid below the w/l?

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...an-179410.html

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Are you positive they are solid below the w/l?

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...an-179410.html

I recently saw a Lagoon 420 that was run on a wave breaker, lots of damage, but still floating, looked like solid layers of fiberglas only with diferent string orientations on the layers. No core whatsoever. My 400S2 is also solid - I drilled a throughhull for the forward scan sensor with a circular saw. there is only fiberglas and gelcoat.

Maybe the big Lagoon was a hurricane salvaged vessel, that was repaired the wrong way?

[saltydog47]

Hull lay up .
Direct from Lagoons Technical brochure ; balsa core above , solid glass below W/L.

That was for the 450.
I have seen other Lagoons quoted as being layed up this way .
I haven’t actually cut one in half myself . Just going from what Lagoon prints .
But I would ask them , I will .

[DavefromNZ]

Bored through above and below water and all I saw was solid fiberglass. L450

[boom23]

I went to the Lagoon and FP factory before I bought my 2012 Lagoon 450. The Lagoon 450 was solid FG below the water line. At the same time, the FP Helia had balsa core almost to the keel. I am not sure what they use now.

[Cruising4Christ]

My L450 is solid glass below the waterline. But the new L42’s are end grain Bolsa like FP and Leopard. Not sure about the new L50...?

In other news, when is Lagoon going to release the plans for the updated L450 line; I’m thinking it’ll be a L46 or 47.

[Nelsons]

There will be a Lagoon 460 soon following the 420 design which is much nicer than the old fashioned 450. But coming back to the topic, I am convinced that in no way it can compete with a Leopard. I did a lot of research before I have signed for a Leo45 three months ago and it was not even a close decision.

[Dulcesuenos]

Never heard of a leopard with core or blister issues.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by Nelsons

But coming back to the topic, I am convinced that in no way it can compete with a Leopard. I did a lot of research before I have signed for a Leo45 three months ago and it was not even a close decision.

Seems you have a very strong opinion. Obviously not everyone shares your wisdom as FP and Lagoon also sell a few boats

[saltydog47]

Regards Lagoon vs Leopard and hull construction .
Today sitting in yards in the Caribbean are loads of once very expensive Cats . I recently noticed $ 700000.- Leopards going for an asking price of $39000.
Had been Holed below the W/L , the core would have saturated with water .
In my opinion the boat is not repairable, one would have to completely cut away the core . Solid hulls are easy comparatively to repair.
Look at Antares Cats , solid hull below W/L , same as Lagoon .