450: 2019 Lagoon 460F ordered!

[spvisd]

Hello All,

I've been a silent stalker on CF for quite some time and send out many heartfelt thank you's to all of the knowledge that everyone has contributed. I hope to return the favor and document my journey to hopefully pay if forward.

Ordered just about every option. The factory now offers a hardtop fully enclosed flybridge, underwater lights, hydraulic platform for tender and a few other cool options. Probably go with rigging for the code 0 so I can add the sail at a later time if desired.

Contract signed and deposits are paid should recieve the 46F next fall in time to sail back on the ARC in November. So between now and then I need to:

1) finalize all of the options
2) learn to sail
3) Sort out insurance
4) find crew with some experience for the ARC - mabe hire a prof captain for 3-4 months?

Should easily have 60+ days in the Med to sort out obvious warranty issues and then get to the canary islands by Nov 25th. Back to Florida for Christmas and New Year's then off to the Bahamas until hurricane season. It's a bit intimidating with no real sailing or blue water experience but you need to start somewhere Am I crazy?

Cheers - Scott

[LLCoolDave]

I would definitely hire a skipper and a couple crew members. New boats still have a lot of problems so your 60 day shake down cruise is a good idea.

When you don't have experience and you are buying a new cat throwing money at the problem is a good idea at least to get more experience.

Until you get the boat sail on anything you can.

Good luck

[Bean Counter]

Take a week off and charter a Lagoon 450 in Marsh Harbour and sail it every day. It may not prepare you for an ocean crossing but will be useful for every other aspect of operating the boat. There is also a Cruising Catamaran sailing school there too I think.

[spvisd]

Thank you for the advice

I think a professional captain for 3-4 months and sailing school will be the course of action. I'm not completely new to boating. in the past 20 years I've had a 46' Defever, 53' Hatteras and currently have a 46' Grand Banks but my boating experience has been around Florida, the Bahamas and a dozen trips to Cuba all in nice weather.

I've chartered several catamarans with friends and have sailed a catamaran from Tampa->Key West->Dry Tortugas and back. My problem is I have zero boating experience in rough seas/bad weather. I've always boated in beautiful weather and just about anyone can do that. No formal knowledge of sailing terminology, etc but with a few hours of instruction I feel I could sail a cat from A->B in nice weather (although I'm sure all of you would cringe/laugh at my poor technique etc.). Would not have a clue how to reef a sail or proper safety protocol on passages etc.

So sailing school seems like my obvious start, any recommendations for school other than Marsh Harbour?

Do you think I should try and volunteer as crew for delivery captains? Tons of friends with power boats but I don't know a single person with a sail boat.

Thanks you again for any sage advice I'm excited and nervous and looking forward to an adventure.

Cheers - Scott

[davedindubai]

Originally Posted by spvisd

Should easily have 60+ days in the Med to sort out obvious warranty issues and then get to the canary islands by Nov 25th. Back to Florida for Christmas and New Year's then off to the Bahamas until hurricane season. It's a bit intimidating with no real sailing or blue water experience but you need to start somewhere Am I crazy?

Cheers - Scott

Hi Scott, congrats on the boat, I have no doubt you're going to love it!

In terms of time scale, you're being a little too ambitious I think. It could easily take you a month to get from L Sables D'Onone to Gib and then a couple of weeks down to the Canaries. I'd aim to get down there early (October) to avoid the bad weather and the cruise around the Canaries while you prep for the ARC. There's some lovely places to visit down there.

You'll then do well to make St Lucia by Xmas and then Florida is still a very long way to go. We didn't hang around anywhere for long and it took us 4 months! My advice, follow a similar path to us, it's all very easy sailing with the wind coming over your stbd side/ aft quarter at 20kts for the first 3 months of the year. Enjoy it and by the time you get to Florida, you'll know how she sails inside/out.

Congrats again

[Dolphin460]

The simple answer to your question is.....YES!

The Med is the best sailing play ground for a cat. I too wanted to go to the Caribbean, but first I want to explore the Med. I have now been here cruising my Dolphin 460 for 12 years and still have places on my bucket list that I have not been to. So many safe places to see and visit. If you leave straight away you will miss the incredible sites of France, Italy, Sicily (best keep secret), Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Turkey with tons of history, good food, good wine/beer and people, which most is nonexistent in the Caribbean Islands. As for the expense, it is hard to beat. Take a look at winter berthing for your size cat in Marin di Ragusa, Sicily and the village of cruisers mooring there. IMHPO.

[johnnyH]

nice ride scott. lagoon makes a damn fine cat. wishing you following seas and fair winds

[jim King]

Congrats on your Lagoon 460F I checked the Lagoons out at the Miami Boat Show last year and didn't see the 460F. I did check out a 450f. Is the 460 new? I'm comparing it to the Leopard 45 and it was more expensive because of the dollar vs Euro exchage. It came out about $80,000 more than the Leopard because of exchange difference. Can you tell me how much cheaper it is to buy straight from the manufacture in France?
Cheers,
Jim

[DeepCut]

I would suggest getting some time on a cat with instructor. The Lagoon 460 has rigging very similar to Lagoon 42. I would suggest that this might be a better size learn on initially (since Lagoon 460 not yet available).

[John Holbrook]

Scott if you want a recommendation for a easy going French Captain who has done the transatlantic 11 times and often on brand new Lagoon please PM.

I did the transatlantic on a new 52 last year, we left 3 days after it was launched and had no problems other than the plotter upstairs failing. The Captain checked everything daily for the first week.

[spvisd]

Hi Jim,

The 46 is a new model for Lagoon. I'm told the first one will be shown in the USA at the Miami boat show in Feb 2019 and the first deliveries will not begin until June 2019. I just assumed they would call it the 460 but maybe it will just be the 46 https://www.cata-lagoon.com/en/46

[spvisd]

Originally Posted by Dolphin460

The simple answer to your question is.....YES!

The Med is the best sailing play ground for a cat. I too wanted to go to the Caribbean, but first I want to explore the Med. I have now been here cruising my Dolphin 460 for 12 years and still have places on my bucket list that I have not been to. So many safe places to see and visit. If you leave straight away you will miss the incredible sites of France, Italy, Sicily (best keep secret), Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Turkey with tons of history, good food, good wine/beer and people, which most is nonexistent in the Caribbean Islands. As for the expense, it is hard to beat. Take a look at winter berthing for your size cat in Marin di Ragusa, Sicily and the village of cruisers mooring there. IMHPO.

Dolphin460,

The Med does sound pretty enticing and it is def on my list of places to visit. I started a craft brewery in Barcelona and lived there for 4 years so I've had some time to explore that area by land and it is indeed lovely. My plans were to get back to Florida where I have a much larger support network and familiarity to getting anything modified/upgraded/repaired on the boat. The Caribbean is close to home and allows me to get some sailing experience and is an hour flight away for home so easy access for family and friends to join in the fun. I'm planning to cruise for several years, so I will def be back in the Med. Safe travels and I hope we cross paths, thanks for the great advice! Cheers - Scott

[spvisd]

Originally Posted by jim King

Congrats on your Lagoon 460F I checked the Lagoons out at the Miami Boat Show last year and didn't see the 460F. I did check out a 450f. Is the 460 new? I'm comparing it to the Leopard 45 and it was more expensive because of the dollar vs Euro exchage. It came out about $80,000 more than the Leopard because of exchange difference. Can you tell me how much cheaper it is to buy straight from the manufacture in France?
Cheers,
Jim

Thanks Jim

I'm on it! Planning to start off with the basic sailing courses 101,103 & 104 etc and work on getting some time on a 42. Cheers - Scott

[spvisd]

Originally Posted by davedindubai

Hi Scott, congrats on the boat, I have no doubt you're going to love it!

In terms of time scale, you're being a little too ambitious I think. It could easily take you a month to get from L Sables D'Onone to Gib and then a couple of weeks down to the Canaries. I'd aim to get down there early (October) to avoid the bad weather and the cruise around the Canaries while you prep for the ARC. There's some lovely places to visit down there.

You'll then do well to make St Lucia by Xmas and then Florida is still a very long way to go. We didn't hang around anywhere for long and it took us 4 months! My advice, follow a similar path to us, it's all very easy sailing with the wind coming over your stbd side/ aft quarter at 20kts for the first 3 months of the year. Enjoy it and by the time you get to Florida, you'll know how she sails inside/out.

Congrats again

Hi Dave!

Big fan on your videos really great stuff. Congratulations on the new family member you and Hayley look super happy. Thanks for sharing so much of your life and adventure. I imaging you are at the bottom of the ocean? I am very excited for the adventure and have 1000 questions for you, but I'll only bug you for a few (for now!). Plan on copying your route for the most part. Making the 7 straight days to Gib, then spending 14 days Gib to Barcelona. I have a craft brewery in Barcelona and have lived there for several years so it would be fun to see friends and do a lot of provisioning, repairs etc. where I have a large support network in addition to loading the boat down with as much beer as possible. Spend a week or so in Barcelona and then 21 days back to Gib. Then 21 days Gib to Canary Islands this should put me there no later than Oct 15th giving me a month to plan for the ARC. Will need to sort out some experienced crew at minimum for France to Gib maybe keep on one crew member for the trip to BCN and back and then a few professional crew for the crossing to St. Lucia.

Does this seem reasonable? Cheers and thanks again - Scott

[davedindubai]

Any plan that involves a lot of beer is indeed a very good plan!