420: Lagoon 420 Owners & Fans

[SVP]

Seaqul,
Thank you so much! Happy sailing! Will have work on her when I get her up to the Carolinas in May and measure my exact mast height including wind meter etc. May just have to stay outside the ICW a lot. Still love the lagoon 420! Thanks again!!

[Jan B]

We are original owners of a 2008 Lagoon 420. You will not be able to go under 65 ft bridges on the ICW without having your mast cut down. Perhaps if you were going under one bridge, you could wait for low tide, but you can't plan on going on the ICW and reaching each bridge at low tide. For three years we spent hurricane season in Charleston, SC and went north most of the way on the outside. Two years ago we had our mast cut down to 63 feet. We now easily go under 65 ft bridges. If you choose to cut down your mast, as a number of 420 owners have done, of course your mainsail will have to be cut down too. The riggers cut it at the top, making a fathead (squared top) sail. You lose very little sail. If you ever want to go to the west coast of Florida, you will have to go all the way south to Key West, rather than cutting across the state in Marathon under the 65 ft bridge there. That was the first 65 ft bridge we went under after having the mast cut down, and believe me we were smiling. We still choose to go outside most of the time, but it is very nice to have the option of using the ICW. For example there will be times when the weather is not safe or comfortable for being on the ocean, but with a shorter mast you will be able continue your cruise on the ICW.

[SVP]

Thank you so all so much for your expertise. Guess I will get a quote for cutting a foot off the top when I bring her to the boatyard in the Carolinas and make my decision from there. Would probably prefer to cut a foot off the top over climbing up to the top every time I have to go under a bridge. Thank you again!

[Jan B]

Originally Posted by SVP

Thank you so all so much for your expertise. Guess I will get a quote for cutting a foot off the top when I bring her to the boatyard in the Carolinas and make my decision from there. Would probably prefer to cut a foot off the top over climbing up to the top every time I have to go under a bridge. Thank you again!

If you decide to cut your mast down, consider carefully how much you need to takeoff to get comfortably under the 65 ft bridges. A friend on a 420 had a foot cut off and scraped the antenna going under every bridge. Another friend on a 420 did the same and ended up having another foot taken off. We learned from their mistakes.

[FlagPole]

And I have another coincidence, I am bringing my 420 (Solshine) to Annapolis from Charter in Martinique the beginning of April, and my first stop is St Thomas. Hope to be there by around April 8th. Then also non-stop to Annapolis. I am figuring on about a two week trip from St. Thomas to Annapolis. Where are you going to keep your boat? I am also planning on cutting the mast and most likely going for Boom furling.
Joe

Originally Posted by Fearnow

What a coincidence, I will be coming back in May from St. Thomas. Plan to make a straight passage to Norfolk, and up the bay. I'm new to sailing too, but managed to find experienced crew to help me make the trip. One broker, from Annapolis, told me the boat would not make it up the ICW, without cutting the mast down. I would go on the main forum and ask about bridge heights.

I spend a lot of time in OBX kitesurfing. Absolutely, beautiful island.

[Fearnow]

I am getting my boat in Martinique too. I will take at least a month to change from French flag to US, from what I have been told. I pick it up on April 1st. and will not be able to leave the Martinique area for approx. 1 month. I would like to hear how you are doing things. I live by a little cove on Kent Island and will moor the boat there until I find a slip. Stay in touch! It will be fun to hit the Wye river this summer. Great spot!

[SVP]

Having a captain and crew deliver my boat from Tortola (I can't take enough time off work to find a good weather widow) to probably charleston at beginning of May. Furling mainsail sounds awesome!!!!! Jealous... Safe and happy sailing...
Billy

[Fearnow]

Well, it's been 5 months now, and I'm back in the Chesapeake. After one week in Martinique, my wife flew home. I stayed for 2 months and slowly made my way back. I'm hoping to get here "on board" this summer, and will attempt another trip back to the Carib. The purchase and survey went well, and the charter company fixed many of the minor problems. Cruising throughout the Caribbean was such a blast, but the passage from PR to Norfolk was a nightmare! Rough seas, coming over the bimini, were common. I was sick for 9 days.

Even though I regret being home, it's given me a chance to get a lot of things done on the boat, at a lot cheaper price, and at my pace. I finally purchased a Honda eu2000 and will skip the turbine, as advised. I haven't done anything with the 2 blade prop, as some of you said that the folding knocks down the rpm when cruising at 2800. The Raymarine chart plotter is out, after straining to see it in full sun, on the passage back. Just picked up a Simrad Nss12 for a great price.

Took out the counters and put in corrian with flush mount sinks. Replace all the heads and hope to wrap up with a dodger, lazy bag, and new interior and exterior cushions.

Not sure what to do about the shower drains. One works automatically, but the rest have push buttons in the wall. Must have been a charter company improv. Ha!

Did anybody install a larger inverter? 300 watts doesn't cut it. The ac breaker in the control panel blows often too. Looks like there is another ac option, but no switch.

I'm sure this is stupid, but where is the hull number?

[FlagPole]

Hi John,
The Flexofold 3 bladed prop is still the best bang for the buck improvement I have made. Can go 6.5 with one engine @ 2600rmp and 8 with both. Top RPM is reduced from Yanmar spec of 3600 to 3000. Full consumption is 1.2 gal/hr.

I will be installing a Mastervolt 2K sign wave next week. Replaced the 4D batteries with 8 6volt T105 golf carts. Need new battery boxes and they should be here by end of the week.

Getting the dodger finished this week.
Installed Ray Marine remote wireless autopilot.
Heaters use a lot of amps I can run 1 on high or 2 on low and that is it, so I just purchased a kerosene heater. I also replaced the shore power connections with a smart plug as I was melting the old ones with the heaters and is the #1 cause of boat fires.

My shower drains are the same. I just got to new trough hulls (above water line) for the rear 2 sinks so they do not drain into the showers.

The last four characters indicate the month* and year the boat was built, and the model year.

* A=JAN, B=Feb, C=March ... L=Dec

See the USCG Manufacturers Identification Code (MIC) Database at:
Manufacturers Identification Code (MIC) Database Attached Thumbnails

Not exactly sure how this helps us.

Joe
Solshine L420 St. Augustine Fl.

[Fearnow]

Thanks buddy. Wish we were hanging with you guys. Will give a shout over the weekend.

[EW-WE]

Eric and Wendy Ramsey on EW-WE II. 2008 Lagoon 420 hull#90 in Panama City FL


EW-WE II

[JKP]

Eric, I grew on the water boating in Destin. If you get a chance go to Destin as it is absolutely beautiful at crab island. Much more different than Panama city.

[Fearnow]

That's funny. My sister is in Panama City Beach right now looking for a place to retire with her husband. I'll tell her to check it out while down there. I'm somewhat interested too. Any reasonable marinas in the area?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by EW-WE

Eric and Wendy Ramsey on EW-WE II. 2008 Lagoon 420 hull#90 in Panama City FL


EW-WE II

Hey Eric and Wendy it's Jody, the IP 38 across from you, did you make it to the keys / Dry Tortuga's?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Harl]

Originally Posted by ess105

Lot's of interest, it seems, for the Lagoon 420. This thread is a hangout for owners (current or future) to hang out and get in touch.

If you're a current, future or possible owner, please introduce yourself, and let us know your aspirarions.

For my part, I am the owner of Hull #42 which I intend to name "Dignity". I will have Dignity in charter for a few years (with CatCo) whereupon my wife and I intend to live aboard and cruise.

Steve

Having been looking at the Lagoon 420 as a strong possibility close to part retirement. The starboard helm is preferable for my pontoon, I like the idea of accessing the bunks on either side, the full hard cover over the cockpit and minimum crew requirement. For me, if it is not a quick boat, I'm not particularly fussed if it has most of the other features that fit the bill. Are there any pitfalls with this boat that people do not typically know about?