Lagoon 42 vs everything else

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Lagoons are great for price, performance and space, the 42 is really a nice cat for a couple. We have the slightly smaller 400S2, absolutely sufficient for ocean crossings. We crossed the Atlantic recently and enjoyed it a lot.

totally agree !! And my wife just loves it. Nothing compares for her.

We had shorter but most likely more intense passaging AUS->NC and back and my wife has not even got seasick reaching in 5 m waves with occasional freak up to 10m. If you prepared to keep boat light, it performs surprisingly well also upwind doing even sub 90 tacks and good VMG.

[Wrtaylormd]

Galley in bill on Seawind is great. Way more room in the place yu spend most of your day Also gives everyone a little space which is key on boat. Don’t listen to people scaring yu away due to galley down

[philipcardelfe]

Why do you suggest Fly Bridge?

[Captaindball]

I’ve really been lusting after the FP Lucia 40 but pricing remains high. I haven’t liked the Seawinds that I’ve chartered, they just seem too light and I don’t like the ergonomics of their layout, feeling as though they’ve gotten too clever with some of their features that it comes at the cost of comfort for my family. I think pricing for the used Lagoons here on the west coast has been absurd. So if I want to keep it under $400k, I’m probably looking at a Lagoon 380 on the east coast and shipping it to California. I’d like a 400 or 440, it sounds from these forums like a 42 would be really nice. But I’m not going to be living on the boat for more than a week or two at a time, at least until it’s time to sail to Hawaii. So to address the OP’s question, I like a well-outfitted Lagoon 380, under $300k with enough room in my budget to ship it over here and customize/update as needed.

[Tin Tin]

Originally Posted by philipcardelfe

Why do you suggest Fly Bridge?

Because everyone on the boat wants to be up there


https://www.facebook.com/BalanceCata...28680137286462

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

Because everyone on the boat wants to be up there

https://www.facebook.com/BalanceCata...28680137286462

At least that boat is 76ft long and can somewhat more justify the flybridge than a 40+ footer can.

[aqfishing]

Hi,

I would say narrow it down to 3 or 4 boats then rent them and try them out, it would be money well spent.

The Balance 442 is my dream boat, but will probably be too pricy for your budget as they will still be very new in 2022.

You might want to look at a Leopard 45, also a lovely boat. We had the 44 and loved it.

We now have a 2020 Leopard 40 3 cabin, but thx to covid have not yet been able to get to her. We have sailed the earlier versions of the same yacht and loved it.

Good luck and enjoy.

[JamesPNW]

I love my L440. Once you sail on the fly bridge helm you will love it. You can check out Cat Impi, an L440. Brent sailed across oceans several times including his trip to the roaring 40. Don’t listen to the BS Production cat naysayers. Rent one and try it.

Check this out this list of the best cats ever. The L440 is in it.

https://www.cruisingworld.com/sailbo...rimarans-ever/

[JamesPNW]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

Because everyone on the boat wants to be up there


https://www.facebook.com/BalanceCata...28680137286462

Agree, every time I have a crowd on trips, everyone will be up there or the front cockpit. Also Going through shallow water, docking in crowded port or marina, enter port at night, or facing big waves of sudden squalls, there is no better place than on the fly bridge. Visibility is the key.

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by sgl

Thanks for feedback! I like the Seawinds, just not sure about the galley located in the hull.

Is there much of a difference between the Lagoon 440 and 450? I've seen a lot of 450s in that price range, too.

440 s are proven the world over and lots out here .find a great well maintained one ad go for it

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

Because everyone on the boat wants to be up there


https://www.facebook.com/BalanceCata...28680137286462

They are not spending 10 days in the BVI's with friends the OP is a couple wishing to spend a couple of years in the Caribbean and the sail to French Polynesia. What possible advantage is there to a fly bridge.

[Tin Tin]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

They are not spending 10 days in the BVI's with friends the OP is a couple wishing to spend a couple of years in the Caribbean and the sail to French Polynesia. What possible advantage is there to a fly bridge.

Yep we spent quite a few years in the Caribbean/Bahamas full time on Fly Bridge Lagoon. Have also sailed Tahiti in a L380.


Caribbean/Bahamas and South Pacific share quite a few similarities:


1. Crystal Clear Water
2. Hot humid days, mostly trade winds from east
3. Anchorages strewn with coral heads
4. Inaccurate charts
5. Very sparse beacons or channel markers
6. Cruisers are very sociable in these areas (outside the charter fleet anchorages) and quite often gather in parties of 8 or more on one boat to have cocktails, dinner, play dominoes etc.



So why a flybridge for these zones?


1. All the crew wants to be up there when sailing, not cooped up in the breezeless cockpit and certainly not the saloon, and they want shade so not on the nets.
2. On no wind days and motoring, again everyone wants to be up in the breeze not getting back draft of diesel down below.
3. The view from the helm when negotiating tricky passages or anchoring is excellent, you get good down vision on coral formations, you see what the crew is up to at the anchor or mooring lines.
4. Sailing at night in the tropics, one can also sleep on the helm station bench - it can seat 6 people (on the L440 450 500 may be Bali and NT fly too)
5. Sail controls are spread, but still well organized at the helm station not all congested one a one sided helm.
6. It frees up the cockpit totally to seat a large number of cruiser buddies
7. With 24 people aboard there are 4 zones to mix the front cockpit, the fly bridge (it is always full), cockpit and salon/galley.



So that is why for these locations. If you want to regularly criss cross oceans and be a "serious" purist type sailor - get a nice long dagger boarder, double the budget if you want to carry the same load though.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

Have also sailed Tahiti in a L380.

Six years sailing around the Pacific both north and south. 31 years multihull ownership, 20 years multihull live aboard. Sailed, delivered 40 different cats.


Fly bridges are great for short hop charter locations with lots of people on board but for long distance ocean sailing with 2 people on board a total disaster. IMO.

[aqfishing]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

They are not spending 10 days in the BVI's with friends the OP is a couple wishing to spend a couple of years in the Caribbean and the sail to French Polynesia. What possible advantage is there to a fly bridge.

Absolutely!

[aqfishing]

Don’t be scared to look at ex charter boats either, especially from Moorings or Sunsail, on the whole you can get some really good value and have money left over to replace the important stuff and make the yacht cruise ready.
For around $400-450k you could even get a 5-7 yr old Leopard 48, an awesome yacht and super easy to sail as a couple. As easy as sailing a 40 or a 44. Really no difference.

If you want to look at the 44 there is plenty on offer well under your budget.

The 40 is awesome, but look for the later version(after 2018 I think) where they made the aft cabins with island berths. 3 cabin is stunning.

Cheers.