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10-09-2014, 13:16
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 20
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Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Hi everyone!
I'm narrowing down my search for the perfect ~46-50 ft catamaran, and am seriously considering the Lagoon 500 (a 2007). I've looked at the Leopards, Catanas and Fountaine Pajots as well. I like the layout and the lounge area forward of the Lagoon 500, but have no experience with flybridge boats. I am wondering if anyone has any comments / opinions or experience on this boat, or on flybridge catamarans in general.
My concern is that it may be uncomfortable up there in weather with the higher helm position, perhaps providing a "camel riding" experience.
Any advice is appreciated, including recommendations to look at other
Thanks,
Chris
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10-09-2014, 13:22
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Boat: Research vessel for a university, retired now.
Posts: 10,406
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by cbrooks07
Hi everyone!
I'm narrowing down my search for the perfect ~46-50 ft catamaran, and am seriously considering the Lagoon 500 (a 2007). I've looked at the Leopards, Catanas and Fountaine Pajots as well. I like the layout and the lounge area forward of the Lagoon 500, but have no experience with flybridge boats. I am wondering if anyone has any comments / opinions or experience on this boat, or on flybridge catamarans in general.
My concern is that it may be uncomfortable up there in weather with the higher helm position, perhaps providing a "camel riding" experience.
Any advice is appreciated, including recommendations to look at other
Thanks,
Chris
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Another consideration is increased windage causing the boat to not sail as well to weather and the fact that sail area that you would have had without the fly bridge is no longer there. Lower sail area is better versus sail area up higher which causes more heeling.
__________________
David
Life begins where land ends.
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10-09-2014, 16:49
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Boat: TRT 1200
Posts: 7,268
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by cbrooks07
Hi everyone!
I'm narrowing down my search for the perfect ~46-50 ft catamaran, and am seriously considering the Lagoon 500 (a 2007). I've looked at the Leopards, Catanas and Fountaine Pajots as well. I like the layout and the lounge area forward of the Lagoon 500, but have no experience with flybridge boats. I am wondering if anyone has any comments / opinions or experience on this boat, or on flybridge catamarans in general.
My concern is that it may be uncomfortable up there in weather with the higher helm position, perhaps providing a "camel riding" experience.
Any advice is appreciated, including recommendations to look at other
Thanks,
Chris
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Are you interested in performance and sailing ability or just the livability aspect?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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11-09-2014, 23:10
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Winter Bahamas - Summer BC
Boat: Lagoon 450, Bavaria Vision 40
Posts: 518
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Flybridge is the best that ever happened to us on a Lagoon 450. Don't want to go back.
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13-09-2014, 01:58
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,398
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
How do you guys go zipping up the sailbag on those flybridge boats? The boom seems a awful long way up..
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13-09-2014, 05:54
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Boat: soon to start catamaran
Posts: 7
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Flybridge is a great plus on Lagoon 500.Anchoring,docking and sailing is a lot easier than other steering positions.Also no matter day or night,sailing or motoring,in Lagoon you can watch and steer sitting inside at navigation desk,360 degrees view in saloon,I only go up there for sail trimming or when enter to port.
When you zip the lazy bag you can either lower the boom all the way down or walk over the boom using a preventer.
I'm so happy with this set up and I will go for a bigger sister of Lagoon
Haso
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14-09-2014, 10:54
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Winter Bahamas - Summer BC
Boat: Lagoon 450, Bavaria Vision 40
Posts: 518
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat
How do you guys go zipping up the sailbag on those flybridge boats? The boom seems a awful long way up..
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Simple - no zipper. We use lazy bags with cover-flaps. On the edges of the cover-flaps are lines with weighted ends. Throw the weighted ends over the top and tie the ends to the boom - done. We can open and close the lazy bags while underway in big seas - no problem.
I never climbed onto the boom in 15000+ miles.
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14-09-2014, 11:44
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Germany
Boat: secondarily boatless
Posts: 184
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Hi, Chris,
my purely personal opinion is that I don't like the flybridge at all. And during the last season in the Caribbean I can say that the 440s and 450s were no match in speed or pointing ability - but then there were only a few times where we departed an island at more or less the same time heading up the chain. I do love our Lagoon, so it's definitely not a matter of not liking the brand. And by the way, as a long time sailor I think the newer 39 and 52 are going to point even worse - the large headsail will deflect the wind more before it even hits the mainsail...
Enjoy the hunt - we surely did...
Oliver
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20-09-2014, 14:44
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 20
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Thanks for all your feedback!
Clearly the flybridge option is a hotly debated personal preference situation. Best thing for me to do is get down there and rent one and see how I feel about it.
Chris
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20-09-2014, 15:53
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,398
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by roetter
Simple - no zipper. We use lazy bags with cover-flaps. On the edges of the cover-flaps are lines with weighted ends. Throw the weighted ends over the top and tie the ends to the boom - done. We can open and close the lazy bags while underway in big seas - no problem.
I never climbed onto the boom in 15000+ miles.
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Sounds reasonable. How about the main halyard? How do you secure that so it doesn't flap against the mast?
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21-09-2014, 05:38
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Geelong,Australia
Boat: Lagoon 440 Pathfinder
Posts: 845
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Would not have a cat without one, great all round view and an extra 5 seats that are very popular.
Bad weather just navigate from inside.
No issue with sea motion up there at all.
Anyone who has been on ours loves it, ocean racing mono guys too
Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum
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21-09-2014, 05:55
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Live-aboard Cruiser
Boat: Lagoon 450
Posts: 628
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat
Sounds reasonable. How about the main halyard? How do you secure that so it doesn't flap against the mast?
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Leaving the halyard attached to the main, we release the clutch and with a hook pull it down and attach it to a snap shackle pre-installed under the boom and then give it a bit of tension. Works well.
Steve
Emerald Sea
L450
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21-09-2014, 06:38
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#13
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Eternal Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Australia
Boat: Lagoon 400
Posts: 3,650
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Also it's probably a square top main so the halyard ends up 1m + from the mast. Probably a tie near there would secure the block so tension can be taken up on the halyard. Works well for us. Although we can reach the boom easily so I leave a spring clip on the lazy bag and clip it onto the halyard block. Also mast rake on cats helps keep the halyard well clear of the mast
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21-09-2014, 12:32
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Winter Bahamas - Summer BC
Boat: Lagoon 450, Bavaria Vision 40
Posts: 518
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Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat
Sounds reasonable. How about the main halyard? How do you secure that so it doesn't flap against the mast?
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We have a regular main, not a square top one. If you leave it reasonably loose then it does not flap. Tightening it makes it flap. The main's head is kept down by a dousing line, so no worry about the halyard pulling it up. When I store the boat I wrap all halyards around a shroud.
Rolf
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21-09-2014, 19:26
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Live-aboard Cruiser
Boat: Lagoon 450
Posts: 628
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Re: Flybridge opinions and comments / Lagoon 500
Quote:
Originally Posted by monte
Also it's probably a square top main so the halyard ends up 1m + from the mast.
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Yes, we have a square top, however halyards on square top mains are not secured to the top of square sail, its a direct vertical pull under the top mast pulley - at least on L450's. The square top is lifted and shaped by a smaller lanyard.
__________________
Steve
SV Emerald Sea
L450
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