Lagoon Fetish - Part 2

[ArtM]

My future cruising lifestyle:

I have the great distinction to be one of a few people in this world who have both had and lost the opportunity to live in the mediterranean sea - Many have had, and have not lost, and therefore do not appreciate as fully as they can what they have. As a result, I know exactly what I want and need.

My future life is filled with sandy mediterranean beaches, seasonal crossings, summer moorings near rocky coasts, and an amazing variety of festivals and opportunities to sample foods, drinks, and other cultural delights.

However, I may also need to continue to support myself and my beloved, possibly as a computer programmer or as a data analyst, working remotely for clients who might be anywhere in the world.

For me, I believe that translates to the following:

a) A cruising catamaran which will calmly follow the sea without being overwhelmed=
b) Enough speed (under sail) to reliably complete a move from one coastal mooring to another, or to complete long-ish island crossings in a few days time
c) Not so much speed as to feel as if life is moving too quickly or that I have entered into a race against time
d) Shallow draft to approach the beaches and coasts very closely, or even to allow intentional beaching of the craft
e) Sufficient comfort and style as to be attractive to future guests without being flashy or ostentatious, whether they are boat enthusiasts or not
f) Maneuverable and powerful enough under motor to be confident in marinas
g) Self-sufficient enough to provide for a pleasant lifestyle for long periods between provisioning
h) Operating harmoniously with the environment - i.e. not being noisy, smelly, or a visual imposition on the natural environment
i) Sufficiently well behaved that piloting her for days at a time will not become exhausting or burdensome for myself or my partner
j) Sufficiently technological that the boat will safely pilot herself for hours at a time while we do our work in the large, open salon with an eye on the horizons

This is not intended as a list of features, but more a list of characteristics - a kind of "philosophical basis", which I'll later be translating to a list of desirable features.

So far, though, the Lagoon series is the one catching my attention. I'm not sure exactly what combination of length, style, year, and amenities will best meet my needs.

I invite your comments, suggestions, additions or changes to my philosophical basis. I'm hoping for great discussion, links to other threads, etc before moving forward from here

[SailingwithSoul]

Hi ArtM, Yea Lagoons are nice boats, but why start two separate threads and not just append this to Part 1?

[ArtM]

Different threads for different topics. I want to start several topics, though I'm trying to not start them all at once, but I wanted to keep them tied to a central theme - that I'm interested in a Lagoon and looking for ideas (which I'll be bringing out later)
I'm looking here for ideas on my cruising ideal - realistic, naive, sensible, unworkable? Others doing the same thing with experiences to offer? Any feedback is appreciated.

[dirkdig]

Sounds like an add for Lagoon.
Great boats would go perfectly with what you discribe

[ArtM]

It's been suggested that I should create a single thread.

Trying to put this into a single post is going to create a huge ramble. Here are the topics crowding my mind right now, which is why I want to spread it out a bit:

Ok, so I know what I want and need - now on to what I'm really looking for - which is a path from "here" to "there".

1) Do I really have a clear and sensible idea of what cruising will be like, or am I being overly idealistic and naive?

2) Is it really possible to achieve my goals with a single boat? How? What equipment? What design? Or is there really no boat in the world which can both be washed up on a beach for lunch, and sailed on the open sea like a luxury yacht?

3) I am hung up on the style and features of the Lagoon, as I know them, but what else should I be considering? I just now saw the SMG, for example - WOW. I saw some pics of a Catalac on this forum as well, which looks to be functionally similar if not quite as stylish (I'm not sure of this last point).

4) What about creative methods of coming into a Lagoon or equal in the future? I am NOT looking to buy tomorrow, but rather in 3-5 years. Is there some creative method I can start now? Some sort of partnership, lease buyout, charter subleasing - what?

5) I am not an experienced sailor, yet I feel absolutely no fear of the sea or of handling a 38, 45, or even 50 ft catamaran. What is wrong with me? Am I a walking deathtrap? Or just an unusually confident would-be sailor.

6) How varied is the equipment on these things? Does the same model/year of boat come with a variety of major options in handling equipment, such as swing boards, dagger boards, rudder types, etc? Or are all those things a fixed part of the boat's designs? How much do they vary between years? Do I need to study the various features of each year of the boat I'm interested in to get exactly what I want? Or are they going to be very much the same year to year?

7) These things seem to be scattered to the corners of the world. I am an exceptionally mobile person, with the ability to travel on short notice to virtually anywhere in the US, making regular trips to Southern Florida (primarly south-east coast) -- yet I am finding it difficult to find these things for sale where I can SEE them, or to meet people actually sailing them.

8) What are my options for coming into posession of one of these things? I have time to plan in advance. Are there creative approaches I should be considering? Partnerships, pre-arranged lease buyouts, charter contracting, etc? Maybe seek to trade for one, or to crew someone elses?

So I have at least 8 topics here all oriented around the question "I know what I want, how do I get it?"

[downunder]

Too many threads on essentially the same topic could end up with you talking to yourself.

Cheers

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by ArtM

My future cruising lifestyle:

I have the great distinction to be one of a few people in this world who have both had and lost the opportunity to live in the mediterranean sea - Many have had, and have not lost, and therefore do not appreciate as fully as they can what they have. As a result, I know exactly what I want and need.

My future life is filled with sandy mediterranean beaches, seasonal crossings, summer moorings near rocky coasts, and an amazing variety of festivals and opportunities to sample foods, drinks, and other cultural delights.

However, I may also need to continue to support myself and my beloved, possibly as a computer programmer or as a data analyst, working remotely for clients who might be anywhere in the world.

For me, I believe that translates to the following:

a) A cruising catamaran which will calmly follow the sea without being overwhelmed=
b) Enough speed (under sail) to reliably complete a move from one coastal mooring to another, or to complete long-ish island crossings in a few days time
c) Not so much speed as to feel as if life is moving too quickly or that I have entered into a race against time
d) Shallow draft to approach the beaches and coasts very closely, or even to allow intentional beaching of the craft
e) Sufficient comfort and style as to be attractive to future guests without being flashy or ostentatious, whether they are boat enthusiasts or not
f) Maneuverable and powerful enough under motor to be confident in marinas
g) Self-sufficient enough to provide for a pleasant lifestyle for long periods between provisioning
h) Operating harmoniously with the environment - i.e. not being noisy, smelly, or a visual imposition on the natural environment
i) Sufficiently well behaved that piloting her for days at a time will not become exhausting or burdensome for myself or my partner
j) Sufficiently technological that the boat will safely pilot herself for hours at a time while we do our work in the large, open salon with an eye on the horizons

This is not intended as a list of features, but more a list of characteristics - a kind of "philosophical basis", which I'll later be translating to a list of desirable features.

So far, though, the Lagoon series is the one catching my attention. I'm not sure exactly what combination of length, style, year, and amenities will best meet my needs.

I invite your comments, suggestions, additions or changes to my philosophical basis. I'm hoping for great discussion, links to other threads, etc before moving forward from here

Nice list...

Good luck in the execution phase...

[geoleo]

Ft Lauderdale is loaded with used Lagoons

[geoleo]

plus Yachworld.com has hundreds of Lagoons for sale worldwide

[geoleo]

......and like most Catamarans a few have been capsized way out at sea with loss of life

[geoleo]

couple other Lagoons burned and sank not long ago at their docks while owners were away--they do not have marine tinned wiring-they have common copper wiring that corrodes over time-------Caveat Emptor my friend.........

[guyver]

Did somebody in a Lagoon tease you or something George? Or run off with your better half? You certainly are the "King"" of doom and gloom.

Guy

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by guyver

Did somebody in a Lagoon tease you or something George? Or run off with your better half? You certainly are the "King"" of doom and gloom.

Guy

Trying to keep the prices down. Wants to buy one...

[geoleo]

I wish my better half did run off----I was interested in getting a Lagoon and researched them pretty good was amazed at what I discovered. I still am interested in a Lagoon but a American one built by TPI which buillt all of the Lagoon 42 TPI s ,some of the Lagoon 35 TPI s and most of the Lagoon 37 TPI s its not gloom -its just facts.

[dirkdig]

Thank god for gps and map updates.
We need it to get around all the sunken Lagoons according to some.