Sailing vessel Hope is a 2018 Lagoon 450F made in France by Lagoon, in partnership with VPLP Architects and Nauta Design Studio. This catamaran is constructed to be a blue-water cruising catamaran with an emphasis on space, comfort, functionality, and livability. Although she is not a performance cat, she sails quite well and is a very comfortable ride.
The prior owner kept the boat well maintained since their purchase of her at the Annapolis boat show in 2019. She is a great catamaran, and the perfect boat for us in this season of life!
SPECIFICATIONS
| Hull Length | 45.80 ft. | ||
| Beam | 25.72 ft. | ||
| Draft | 4.4 ft. | ||
| Mast height from DWL | 75.7 ft. | ||
| Light displacement (MLC) | 34,171.61 lb |
EQUIPMENT
| Engines | 2 x 57 HP Yanmar 4JH57 Engines |
| Sails | Large Square Top Mainsail, Genoa, Screecher, Code Zero |
| Navigation | B&G Zeus 12″ Display at Helm and 2nd 12″ Display at Nav Station; B&G Autopilot Remote |
| Saildrives | SD60 Yanmar designed and developed |
| Generator | 13.5 KVA Onan Generator + Cacoon |
| A/C | Cruiser 48000 BTU |
| Inverter #1 | 12/110V – 2000 VA |
| Inverter #2 | Victron Energy |
| Solar | 3200 Watts |
| Batteries | 5 Relion Lithium Deep Cycle Batteries |
| Watermaker | Spectra |
| Anchor | 73lb Rocna Anchor with 164′ Chain, 50′ Rode; 2nd 55lb Delta anchor |
| Winches | Electric Harkin Winches at Flybridge & for Davits |
| Hardtop | Custom Hardtop with Ladder |
| Enclosures | Full Isinglass enclosures w/windows in cockpit & flybridge |
| Cabins | 3 cabins (full owner’s version on Starboard hull) |
| Heads | 3 heads with Quiet Flush Electric Toilets |
| Propellers | 2 x 3-Blade Folding Props |
| Windlass | Windlass + Remote Control at Flybridge w/Chain Counter |
| Refrigeration | Steel Fridge, Steel Freezer, Dometic Waeco Cockpit Fridge, Ice Maker, Dometic CFX 75L Dual Zone Cooler |
| VHF | B&G VHF V50; 2nd VHF Handset at Helm Station |
| Radar | B&G 4G Radar |
| AIS | AIS 500 B&G Transceiver with Antenna Coupling |
| Dinghy | Highfield CL 340 Hypalon Tender with 25 HP Electric Start Yamaha Outboard Safety Gear |
Pros
One of the best things about the Lagoon 450F is the fly bridge, hands down. We can fit 6-8 people up there comfortably during day sails or overnight passages. Also, we can completely enclose the flybridge and back cockpit, so we never have to worry about someone falling overboard.
There is great visibility from the flybridge. You can see all four corners of the boat from up top which is especially helpful when docking and anchoring, and it is easy to communicate with one another when anchoring or getting a mooring ball.
The flybridge is a fantastic place to hang out when you are anchored. It’s a great place to have a cup of coffee, read a book, and admire the scenery.
There is also a great sunbathing area in front of the helm which I utilize almost every time we sail or sit on the hook. We’ve had people sleep up there and watch the stars as well. It’s very comfortable
I love the interior cabinetry. The 2018 Lagoon comes with a walnut finish which compliments the lighter floors really well. It looks really classy and modern. The cabinetry can get nicked easily if you drop something on it, so we’re just mindful of laying down a towel on it if we’re going to be putting heavy tools there, etc. The cabinets are easy to clean with a microfiber rag and either a vinegar/water solution or my favorite Sprayway glass cleaner. Its the best!
Cons
There are a lot of ways to hurt yourself on this boat, particularly going up and down the stairs to the flybridge. You have to watch your footing up there too while you’re working the winches, raising the mainsail, tacking, etc.. If you step back the wrong way you are down the steps into the aft cockpit. We have learned to watch ourselves and have not fallen yet. We’re just always aware that the steps are there.
The most uncomfortable thing about our catamaran is sailing upwind, but that’s probably true of most catamarans. The bridge slap is intense and it sometimes sounds like the boat is going to come apart. It’s not going to because we know the boat was designed for that and so much more, but it can be very unpleasant at times. We have found that it’s best to find the right weather windows where we don’t have to sail up wind and put excess stress on our boat. Things tend to break more that way, and we just don’t want to chance it. When we do have to go upwind, it helps to slow the boat down or tack often so we are on more of a beam reach.
Why we named our boat Hope?
Check out the details here: An Anchor For the Soul