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Old 20-08-2010, 14:41   #1
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Lagoon 400 Optional Equipment

Hi, I`m new to this forum and to sailing for that matter. I realize that it`s easy to be seen as a naive dreamer when considering going "all in" buying a fairly expensive sailboat without any experience other than local sailing in Norwegian fjordsNevertheless I`m looking into different options and now have my eyes on the Lagoon 400. Going true the Equipment list/optional equipment list, I realize that some of the equipment is very expensive when installed by the manufacturer. Examples: Generator/ air-condition/water maker/solar panels/inverter etc...

So, I can understand that the Air-condition and maybe the Water maker is systems which takes a lot of man-hours to install with pipes/ water intake/ integration etc... (Both systems in total 20000£!!!)

But 3200£ for inverter/10500£ for a generator/5200£ for 3*135w solar panels??

Isn’t it a lot of money to save on doing some of the installations yourself? Reading some threads in here I see that some of you are installing a lot of systems and equipment on your own. Can somebody help me with feedback on witch systems is ok installing yourself and what is worth letting the professionals deal with? (not only for the lagoon, but for multihulls in general)

Hope for a lot of answers

Kind regards

Jens
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Old 21-08-2010, 03:02   #2
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Hi Jens

Yes, I was buying in pounds sterling and found the cost of factory kit quite expensive too. I think that a bit like cars, they make good money on the extras. Also, on some of the kit, Lagoon just get an outside contractor to do the work and then add a margin.

I actually had all my electrics, electronics, and heating installed after delivery by outside contractors. I can't tell you that it has all gone easily and to plan, but I feel that by doing this, I have options that are much closer to my desired spec than what I could have got direct from the factory.

As for fitting it yourself, I guess that it depends on your skills. I have none, and so I had to pay others to do everything. So, I think that I didn't save much, but I had more control over the spec of the kit and the quality of the istall. For example, I wanted the heating install to be fairly comprehensive because my wife feels the cold, so I was able to have lots of extra outlets put in to ensure a toasty boat.

However, I think that if you are fairly practical and have the time, most boat kit is possible to fit yourself. Maybe at the current time you need to get as much info as possible about what kit you may need and the spec of it, because it is all expensive and once fitted, one would be reluctant to change it.

And as you probably well know, many charter boats run without much kit at all and are very well used and enjoyed by many. So, don't convince yourself that you need to make all the decisions too early.

Cheers

Garold
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Old 21-08-2010, 06:55   #3
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It is a tough call, I was lucky in that my builder added a small percentage for fitting the items, but gave me his price which was a lot cheaper than I could get if I bought the items myself. My extra's therefore ended up being relatively inexpensive. Those prices you quoted do seem hugely excessive. I can PM you my installed prices as a reference if you would like. I had my boat prepared, plumbed and wired for a generator, watermaker and washing machine. Those are only items I will need when I take the boat overseas in three years time. I do not need them now and did not want them sitting idle for three years. For me that was the perfect solution. I did have the aircon installed now as I felt it was easier to do when building the boat with all the vents big piping etc. Many people do insall the generator, watermaker etc afterwards. I know from my monohull the challenge is to get someone good and reliable to do it. An aftermarket fitment does not have to be worse than a factory fitment at all.
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Old 21-08-2010, 07:56   #4
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Hi Garold and Paulrack, thanks for the response. I am capable of doing some of it myself, but I`m not sure how it will affect the insurance/warranty etc..? Some questions whenever you guys have time answering:

Do you know what type of air cond (the cruisair) lagoon use? (Only cooler or with heat as well). The inverter they install, how many watts and what kind? what is considered the best battery`s (gel or Agm and which brand)/wind gen/water gen and solar panels? How is wiring for generator/inverter when ordering a standard boat? Cable access etc... And the same with pipes for water maker and interconnections with tanks etc..?

It`s nice to hear that some of the installations is not critical installing at the factory, and I hope that I can school myself with literature and forums, enough to make priorities and decisions that are more or less correct the first time. Paulrack, I`m definitely interested in prices on your setup...

Cheers

Jens
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Old 21-08-2010, 17:55   #5
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Hello Jens, I thought about having the extra’s fitted by contractors here in Australia to save money but for me I felt it may finish up with not much saving if at all and worse still a poor result, having said that of course you could save a bundle and pick and choose your favourite products and finish up with a very satisfactory result, each to his own I guess. I did study the options but finally decided to order everything ex factory for the following reasons, Lagoon supply equipment with worldwide warranty I have ordered the gen set with air con (it is reverse cycle) as well as dual plotters, radar, electric toilets, electric winches etc. so I really have a lot of stuff to go wrong, therefore warranty was very important for me, I also reasoned that it would be a better fitted well specs’ job if done by Lagoon at the factory whilst it was being built, I also think resale value could be enhanced by having all the goodies fitted by the factory. Jens, my Lagoon 400 is arriving here in Melbourne Australia in about ten days time if all my assumptions outlined above prove wrong I will advise in due course. I would take a lot of notice of what Garold says as he has gone the DIY way with his lagoon 400, we have a thread called ‘New Lagoon 400’ you might find of interest. Good luck with your research and decision makes process. As always just my thoughts, Regards Peter
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Old 22-08-2010, 00:17   #6
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Resale value

Jens

I think that Peter has made a valid point that I hadn't thought of.

If you have factory fitted options, no one, not even surveyors tend to question the quality of fitment, And it's easier when valuing your second hand boat to get out the Lagoon price list and say to the buyer 'well, if you bought this new from Lagoon today, it would cost you XXX but mine will cost XXXX amount less'. And a direct comparison can be made.

We don't have any insurance problems in the UK with aftermarket fitted gear, but then again, I guess that could change.

Since Peter has had most of his gear factory-fitted, he will be most up to date with the factory used brands. However, be aware that this can and does change.

As I said, my option to retro fit was mainly because I didn't want the factory spec on the options, and Lagoon don't tend to offer any option to change any of the details of their options. Peter is right about fitment of some options afterwards. e.g. The factory-fit genny is fitted during build and is shoe-horned into the locker in a manner that you just couldn't achieve afterwards.

So, looks like the choice is whatever suits you. Good news is that on a catamaran, there is often more space to work with and so there is usually a way to fit whatever you desire.

Cheers

Garold
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Old 22-08-2010, 08:39   #7
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Thanks a lot guys! I added up all the extras and found prices on water makers/gen sets/ air condition mounts/ solar panels and inverters with more or less the same spec as the factory ones and calculated that I could save around 12000 £ doing some of it myself and get a air cond company doing both the water maker and Aircond. But my conclusion is that it`s to many if`s and buts. Time/ Help/ Equipment/ Working with the boat in a country where I don’t have any contacts. And like you both pointed out, resale value and warranty. And also the fact that it`s better to stick with what i know and earn the money doing what I do to pay for a proffesional job done on the boat Even the big company I contacted who mainly deals with fitting Cruiseair air-condition systems in boats this size, advised me to pay the extra 5000 having the factory installing it! (I`m glad he was honest, but still? strange

A lot of questions to come...

Jens
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Old 22-08-2010, 08:43   #8
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Thanks a lot guys! I added up all the extras and found prices on water makers/gen sets/ air condition mounts/ solar panels and inverters with more or less the same spec as the factory ones and calculated that I could save around 12000 £ doing some of it myself and get a air cond company doing both the water maker and Aircond. But my conclusion is that it`s to many if`s and buts. Time/ Help/ Equipment/ Working with the boat in a country where I don’t have any contacts. And like you both pointed out, resale value and warranty. And also the fact that it`s better to stick with what i know and earn the money doing what I do to pay for a proffesional job done on the boat Even the big company I contacted who mainly deals with fitting Cruiseair air-condition systems in boats this size, advised me to pay the extra 5000 having the factory installing it! (I`m glad he was honest, but still? strange

A lot of questions to come...

Jens
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Old 24-07-2011, 00:59   #9
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Re: Lagoon 400 Optional Equipment

And here is Jens, and frends on there way, Happy sailing, ++

Samson
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