420: Lagoon 420 Owners & Fans

[ess105]

PotA - My stance remains unchanged. Due to the delays during Dignity's delivery, I now have to await next February before I get personal experience. I have additional data points from the feedback from my first charter. Given all that had been said, I was looking to see if there were complaints about performance and fuel usage. There were none. The feedback wasn't overall 100% - not sure it ever is - but the overall summary was good.

For my part - and I admit I probably fall in line with the comment made earlier that owners will defend their decision - here's how I view the purchase.

Given that we went out to buy a boat in which we could live in and move from time to time, the interior has exceeded our expectations. I can't tell you how excited we are with the prospect of moving aboard some day.

Definitely disappointed with the delays, the more than expected teething issues and the reports of concerns around performance. I am not taking all the talk at face value as these are complex machines and care has to be taken to understand the differences between observations and cause.

It's going to be difficult to get good feedback on the regeneration system from charter as the usage profile isn't optimal - although I think charterers will be able to make something of it if they want. The real feedback will come from the owners who are, around now, preparing to set off. Probably a few months away from the real lessons coming out.

Even after splash I was offered the opportunity to back out the deal and get my deposit back. I didn't take it and I don't regret the decision. I probably have a bit more work ahead on the boat than originally anticipated but we really have a boat that we looked to get - our home on the water. In charter it is selling well and the limited feedback I have is encouraging.

[libellula]

Simon,
I have started a thread on hybrid engines and can we continue the discussion there?
My apologies to this thread for the hyjacking:-)

[Simon Slater]

To all
My apologies for the hijacking, will switch to new thread.
Simon

[Jan Dean]

For all those with question marks,

I completed a four hour test sail on the on the Lagoon 420 Hybrid on August 29, 2007, off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Winds ran from low 8 knots to 12 knots. The 420 moved along at 4.5 to 6.0 knots, averaging about 5.6.

Staley Weidman with Catamaran Yachts was at the helm and 420 was very snappy through all its manuvers. He showed us how to neutralize the prop drag using the throttles and we were very please by the overall
performance of the boat.

We've read alot of negative comments on this forum and expected to be very disappointed in the 420, but the exact oppsite was true. Here are some specifics:

1. The electric drive is very powerful. We easily maintained 6.0 knots without going to full throttle.

2. The Gen Set was so quiet that I couldn't tell when it turned on or off.
We went below when it was running and checked both the Master birth and quest birth. Anyone who would complain about the faint hum of the
generator is super sensitive. My ceiling fan over my bed makes more noise that the Gen Set!!!

3. The Gen Set cut on to recharge the batteries at one point in our cruise and ran for about 10 minutes before we hit full charge and the Gen Set automatically powered down. Information stating that the Gen Set must run for an hour every time it turn on if not correct.

4. Tacking: We had read some negative comments on the boat being sluggish through her tacks and again we were pleasantly surprised. We lost 4/10 of a knot coming through most the tacks. I believe that the 420's performance depends allot on the experience at the helm.

5. Last but not least: Batteries- Staley with the Cataraman Company told us that the next generation of batteries that will be interchangeable with
the current batteries will be extremely light and have a 8 or 9 year life expectancy.

If you have a 420 on order, give yourself a pat on the back for being brave enough to be first in line for the FUTURE!!! You are going to love it!

Roger Dean
Alpharetta, Georgia

PS - I've been sailing since 1988.

[mikereed100]

Staley with the Cataraman Company told us that the next generation of batteries that will be interchangeable with
the current batteries will be extremely light and have a 8 or 9 year life expectancy.

Does Staley know something he's not sharing with the rest of us?

[libellula]

Jan Dean
Thanks for the rundown
The 420 has captured my attention but it might not be suited to my intended use (circumnavigation)
Do the new boats all have galley up that access directly to the cockpit

Even though I really like the concept, it appears to be one more for the anchor at the end of a sail on the bay

any ideas/opinions

[ess105]

We're intending on Circumnavigating in our 420. We're very much going to be taking our time and spending most of our time stationary. Hence our emphasis on living conditions. We don't expect to make any long passages for a couple of years in which time we expect to be fully acquainted with the boat and be ready, in ourselves and boat, for the longer trips.

[Boracay]

"he who is silent is taken to agree"

[ess105]

Originally Posted by libellula

Do the new boats all have galley up that access directly to the cockpit

As far as I know, yes. Galley up was one of our prerequisites as the cook is not excluded from social activities as well as benefiting from the view.

[northerncat]

lemons get your lemons here, nah seriously the idea is cool i just couldnt believe how heavy they were going to turn out at now imagine the same boat at half the weight i bet it would be a different story in terms of speed economy and power needed to move the damn thing
sean

[Badgerman]

I'm sorry guys but we chartered the 440 for the first week in the BVI and the 420 for the next two weeks BACK TO BACK so we had a direct A/B comparison.
If we had only been in the 420 we would NEVER consider chartering a cat again......the boat was THAT uncomfortable......hard mattresses.......moved constantly at anchor or mooring. Horrible pitching ride to weather compared to the 440. Helm was disorganized. Everything was just a clusterf*** compared to the 440. Several times the power decreased at some critical moments for some unknown reason. The electric was weak compared to the diesels of the 440. The genset exhaust sits right by the owners cabin. The boat was noticeably slower than the 440......combined with the bad ride it made short hops seem like eternity.
If we hadn't have known better by being on the 440 first then I could see you all being skeptical........BUT......we went directly from the 440 to the 420 hybrid and the sea conditions were practically identical. Sure the inside is spacious......but so is my house and I'd rather stay in my house than have to board that 420 again.

[cat man do]

Yep, sort of goes with what a few of us have said earlier.

Only so much stuff you can put into short fat hulls and expect it to actualy do anything.

Might get away with all that accom. and weight on a 50 footer, but even then it would suffer IMHO.

We have an Australian equivelent, plenty of everything, but the ability to sail.
Basically a very expensive house boat.

Dave

[Whimsical]

Originally Posted by cat man do

We have an Australian equivelent, plenty of everything, but the ability to sail.
Basically a very expensive house boat.

Dave

Which one are you thinking of, a multihaven? There are several ausie boats that may fit that category
Mike

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Whimsical

Which one are you thinking of, a multihaven? There are several ausie boats that may fit that category
Mike

Was'nt even going to mention Multihaven, I don't even consider them a catamaran.

I was more thinking these

Tasman Catamarans

Which worked much better without the rig IMHO

Tasman International

But maybe I'm being a bit harsh, they are still have a displacement 5930kg LESS than the Lagoon.

Dave

[Fielder]

Whoever was still thinking about buying a L420: go to cata-lagoon.com and see the real pictures of the new design with black floor:
What did they do with the formerly nice interior? It looks cheap and tasteless. Its inacceptable...