420: Lagoon 420 Owners & Fans

[ess105]

How remiss of me. Congrats from me too.

We bought the genaker rig (and pole) but not Lagoon's genaker. We have since bought and used a code zero. It is larger than what Lagoon sells and sails very well. I have had it up to 70 apparent. I haven't done enough comparisons but it certainly improves low wind performance and adds performance in the 10-20 knot range. Vendor told me it would be ok around 20 knots although we brought it in once just shy of this and it was quite difficult.

[sarge]

Chris,

Thanks for the reply. Will go ahead and order the pole from Lagoon. We have a number of great lofts in Hong Kong so will try and get the sail purchased over here. The winds in Hong Kong can be very light in the summer so I think we will opt for as larger a sail as we can. I guess we will also need a Port side winch.

My only real other concern is that currently the Hong Kong Marine department doesn’t recognise an electric engines. They maintain that unless it has either petrol or diesel it is not a boat. Was laughing when they told me this but apparently they are serious and we now have to change the Marine registration laws in Hong Kong for my 420 to be registered. Another challenge of going green.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Muzza
On KataTonic 420 Hybride hull #166
Hong Kong.

[ess105]

Sounds strange to me. I wonder how they handle diesel electric ships?

[Octopus]

Originally Posted by sarge

My only real other concern is that currently the Hong Kong Marine department doesn’t recognise an electric engines. They maintain that unless it has either petrol or diesel it is not a boat. Was laughing when they told me this but apparently they are serious and we now have to change the Marine registration laws in Hong Kong for my 420 to be registered. Another challenge of going green.

I just put 'diesel' on any forms. It is sort of true and it saves having to spend hours explaining the concept or persuading bureaucrats to redesign their forms.

Chris

[Mark424]

Not sure if this is old news, just noticed the Lagoon 421 on their site.
catamarans LAGOON : construction, vente et location de catamarans de croisière

And the Lagoon 421 also features a large number of improvements directly inspired from numerous owners' suggestions:
- more dynamic lines and a lowered profile with the same comfort,
- a new and lowered fixed bimini,
- optimized hull lines with a redesigned underwater hulls shape aft,
- some new light grey tinted windows and hatches for an even nicer ambience and more natural light inside,
- and for good performance in light airs, the Lagoon 421 is available with a square
top mainsail configuration.

[sarge]

Guy's,

Seems my luck has changed. We had to swap out the new chip and went back to V2.3. Then we left the boat for a week in the Number 2 position as advised by Lagoon. When we came back to the boat the whole 12 volt panel was dead and we had all the 12 volt batteries checked and sure enough they were all flat. We checked and then could not see how the 12 Volt circuit actually gets charged. Do any of you have detailed electrical drawings for the 12 Volt circuit or do you know how the wiring is set up for charging. Where is the relay located? We checked the rear starboard transom steps and the charging wires for the 12 volt seem to be just not connected. Any ideas or suggestions. We are changing the batteries out so we have some charge but I would really like to know exactly how the 12 volt house batteries are charged and if anyone has had similar issues with the 12 Volt house batteries.

Regards

Murray in Hong Kong - KataTonic hull #166

[ess105]

Murray - you may get a quicker response from the owners forum.

The 12V batteries are charged using the 72V/12V cross chargers which can be found tucked up high inside the starboard transom locker. They are engaged at all times in mode 3 & 4. In mode 5 they're engaged if the genset is running and sometimes when it's off depending on the 72V charge state and recent history.

I've had installed a 3kW inverter/charger which allows me to charge my house batteries at 140A. I have a nice little pattern going where I cross charge in the evenings to reach the point I know we need to be at to deplete to about 50% charge in the morning. Then I run my genset for 30-40 mins to charge up both sets of batteries. The solar panels mean that when it's sunny I can skip a day or two.

[sarge]

Just came back to Katat Tonic after five days and found the house batteries were flat. We were told to leave the boat with the 12 volt circuit on as they said the LED display was a very low impact. We also had the boat in mode 2 as per the recent directive. On inspection the technical team from the broker could not really determine how the 12 volt circuit was charged. Does anyone have a detailed wiring diagram of the 12 volt house circuit or can explain the linkage for that circuit to the generator for charging. We checked the rear starboard transom and see the 72 Volt charges but not any relay for the 12Volt wires.

Will install some solar panels in the next few weeks as we can’t afford to run the house bank flat but it seems we may have a short circuit and more worrying is that the broker’s team can’t explain how the 12volt batteries get charged.

Murray - #166 420 Hybride Kata Tonic.

[ess105]

I have it on my list to hunt for this relay too. Haven't got to it yet.

[capcook]

Originally Posted by Octopus

Hi Bulabro

The early 420s were launched with unresolved problems in the hybrid systems. The G2 Upgrade has now, I believe, been installed on all hybrids. Since having the upgrade, our 420 meets all the performance figures claimed for it at its launch and, whilst not being a greyhound in the performance stakes, has proved acceptable for us on a 12000 mile Atlantic circuit completed over the last year. Sailing performance has also proved acceptable. We found that using the gennaker in windspeeds of less than 15 knots gave us all the speed we needed.

Hello Chris,

I was down at Strictly Sail a couple of weeks ago and had a really good look at the 420... not sure I like the changes coming but understand they are lowering the saloon roof for performance issues. I really like the current 420, thought I wanted a 44 or 50 but the 420 is a better boat. I am concerned about the performance issues I have heard about and would appreciate hearing from any owners out there about what they have seen from their boat... 4kts in a 12 kt beam breeze is not very good...

cheers

[ess105]

I agree with Chris in that a genaker (or similar - we have a Code Zero) is needed in under 15 knots. Sailing the Caribbean in our 420 we've rarely needed this. Between the islands we've had the boat in the 8s and 9s, sometimes, less, which is adequate. This was while regenerating mind you. Given that we're rarely moving the living space rather more than makes up for the adequate sailing performance. Example. We've been in Dominica for a wonderful 2 weeks. Arriving 30 mins earlier would have increased our time here by a fraction.

On the regen side, we're fans. It is wonderful to leave an anchorage silently, get the sails up and arrive at your destination fully charged (house and drive) and to have made the next weeks water. This is typical of sailing between the islands.

The new 421 will presumably find it's customers. Personally I would not trade up for an extra knot if I had to stick my head through the bimini.

[capcook]

Originally Posted by ess105

The new 421 will presumably find it's customers. Personally I would not trade up for an extra knot if I had to stick my head through the bimini.

I would totally agree with you on this point too... The current Bimini and Helm location is what sells me on the 420... I don't like being seperated from the family while at the Helm most of the time (but there are other times...) The 420 Helm is very family friendly, if my son would want to take the Helm I can keep an eye on him from the Saloon etc.. I too would not want to stick my head through the Bimini... I think this is a big mistake on Lagoon's part..

Thanks for your thoughts on the 420 performance

[James Joll]

Hi L420 users.
Has anyone any observations on the Fountaine Orana, comparative to the L420/1.
Would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks

[Octopus]

Originally Posted by Alaskagator

... We need a fuel level sender but can't buy one from the manufacturer unless we go thru Lagoon and Lagoon refuses to help us...

Given your troubles, it's not much of a consolation, but the fuel level sender is a notorious source of problem in the Lagoon 420. When ours failed, we found that the float had simply dropped off in the tank because the fixing screw hadn't been tightend properly. A problem that was easy to fix.

We have found Lagoon to be entirely honourable and our UK broker (Ancasta) have been excellent, so I think you must have been unlucky, but you are certainly not the first person to find Lagoon difficult to deal with. My view is that their way of doing business probably only makes sense if you are French.

Chris
Octopus, Lagoon 420 Hybrid, Hull 52
Isle of Arran, Scotland

[sarge]

Seems when we are in Mode 5 and moving over 4.5 Knots that we can get regeneration but only in the starboard battery bank. I have the motors on and the throttles just off neutral but we only register positive current in one engine. Can anyone confirm if this is your experience. I would have thought both Port and Starboard engine monitors at the helm would register when regen is occuring. Any feedback appreciated.

Murray - Katatonic 420 Hybride - Hong Kong. Hull 166#