The Lagoon 43 - The Art of Pleasing Everyone

For over two decades, I have been deeply involved in the cruising sailboat industry. In America, the past two decades have brought significant transformations in the types of sailboats offered and the clientele purchasing them.

Since the early 2000s, a new type of customer has rapidly emerged. These wind and sea enthusiasts have a different profile from the typical seasoned sailor, who usually has extensive sailing knowledge and prioritizes sailing pleasure over onboard comfort.

The new type of sailing catamaran buyer often has little to no sailing experience but significant financial means. This neophyte sailor seeks a new challenge, a new adventure, or simply to add a boat to their existing leisure activities. They dream of exploring the sea and discovering places otherwise difficult to reach, all while making no compromises on comfort and onboard luxury.

This increased demand for onboard comfort is reflected in the growing popularity of catamarans over monohulls, as well as in the size of the units sold and the equipment chosen. It is now rare for a catamaran to be sold without a complete set of outdoor cushions, air conditioning, a generator, and a desalination system. Gone are the days when the only acceptable comfort in the cockpit was a few thin, square blue cushions. Gone are the times when a propane BBQ and a genoa furler were enough to signify a well-equipped boat. Now, we want it all—home-like comfort combined with the magic, wonder, and tranquility felt on the water.

Faced with this reality, manufacturers have tried to adapt by creating models increasingly focused on comfort, sometimes at the expense of sailing performance. Some companies have made more significant changes than others. One player in the industry practically bet everything on the open-air concept of the salon-cockpit area with the famous garage door. Others have emphasized numerous outdoor relaxation areas with comfortable cushions, even controversially removing the iconic trampoline—a feature that has been a distinctive characteristic of sailing catamarans since their inception.

Other manufacturers have remained more conservative, opting for less living space to maintain a sleek hull line and a sportier look, boasting better-adapted rigging for sailing.

Lagoon, the world's largest catamaran manufacturer, has until now focused on versatile models with interesting performance-comfort compromises. Lagoon's primary efforts have been directed towards construction quality, after-sales service, and the development of luxury models over 60 feet.

Continuing this logical progression, just two months ago, Lagoon announced a new model that I would describe as revolutionary. Revolutionary in the sense that it has everything to satisfy and reconcile the two types of sailing catamaran buyers and owners of today. The word "compromise" is not in this new boat's vocabulary. It is a model that promises to offer the best of what competitors have to offer while maintaining the essence of Lagoon's quality and reliability. In short, a catamaran that appeals to both well-off novices seeking adventure and comfort, and more experienced sailors looking for maximum sailing pleasure and quality construction.

The Lagoon 43 is the first iteration of a catamaran reinvented on several levels.

The Salon and Cockpit: A True Two-for-One

On this 43-foot model, Lagoon unveils a spacious interior and an open cockpit with multiple relaxation areas. Among other features, there is a spacious aft bench that allows the backrest to pivot, so you can either sit facing the sea and the small terrace (created by adding a net and cushions on top of the bowsprit) or be oriented towards the cockpit for evenings with friends.

Where they have truly excelled is with the 3-panel glass door that fully opens the interior salon to the cockpit, creating an immense space. As if that weren't enough, the interior table with a bench can be joined to the cockpit table by a panel, resulting in the largest table ever seen on a boat of this size. You can comfortably seat 10 people. The beauty of this concept is that it allows for an interior and exterior space or a hybrid space. During navigation, you have a large, secure, and comfortable exterior cockpit that can double its surface area once at anchor with the glass doors open (unlike competitors where the glass garage door must be closed when in motion, resulting in the absence of a wind- and spray-protected exterior living space).

Another important innovation is that Lagoon has addressed the often awkward and clumsy situation of boarding catamarans when the boat is at the dock. With its freeboard opening and railing that opens on both sides of the stern, it's almost as easy to board as entering your home.

The Flybridge: Just a Matter of Thinking

Until now, on units under 50 feet, you had the choice on some models of a spacious flybridge with an integrated helm station or, on others, no flybridge but a lowered helm station that allows you to stay in contact with others seated in the aft cockpit. The L43 now offers both! A spacious flybridge (thanks to the advanced mast and raised boom) with sun loungers, a bench, and a table, but a helm station halfway between the aft cockpit and the flybridge. Gone are the days when the helmsman is isolated during rough sea navigation while the rest of the crew takes refuge in the aft cockpit. When at the helm, you can be with those enjoying the salty breeze as well as those protected in the cockpit.

The Foredeck and Trampoline

The bow of the Lagoon 43 also holds pleasant surprises. It retains the forward trampoline that inspires dreams and offers a unique relaxation spot while providing access to a comfortable foredeck cockpit with benches.

Cabins Without Compromise

Lagoon had the brilliant idea of giving more volume to the hulls of its new 43-footer, but only above the waterline. The result is surprisingly spacious cabins, both forward and aft. Unlike other shipyards that had to cut cabin space to provide more spacious common areas, Lagoon manages to offer both!

With no official tests or information to support this yet, I would be inclined to think that the difference in hull width above the waterline could contribute to slightly lifting the bow of the boat and improving its performance, especially when running with a moderate following sea.

More Than Respectable Sailing Performance

The numerous improvements the Lagoon 43 brings to onboard comfort have in no way affected the performance of this boat. The advanced mast allows for a larger mainsail area while eliminating the famous support pole in the middle of the salon. By replacing the self-tacking jib with a much larger genoa, a highly efficient rig is completed. With the lowered helm station, the result is a spacious, practical, comfortable, and high-performing boat.

Lagoon has achieved the feat of offering a catamaran that appeals to both traditional sailors and those seeking comfort. All this, without making any compromises. Comfort and performance reign supreme on this new boat.

For more information and a quote for the Lagoon 43, please do not hesitate to contact us.