Lagoon 500

The Lagoon 500 is typical of the “440 generation”, which succeeded the 410. The vertical panoramic windows remain, but the curves of the coachroof have given way to more angular lines. The 500 also brought us the concept of the flybridge, with its helm station raised up compared to that of its little brother. The debate began in 2006 with the 440 - for or against the flybridge. A debate which is still far from resolved… Lagoon remains a yard which is as provocative as it is innovative. Today’s catamaran sailors are more than aware of the well-founded principle, which leaves the cockpit entirely free for relaxation. The boom, however, is very high up, which can make stowing the main in the lazy bag a bit tricky, not to mention the issue of dealing with reefing lines. With an extra two meters of overall length compared to the 440, the 500 becomes a real ocean cruiser. And with that, even more ambitious projects can become a possibility. Maneuvering this model in harbor poses no difficulties: the visibility is good from the flybridge and the two motors (55 or 75 hp) set seven meters apart allow for tight turns with one motor ahead and the other astern. You get the same feeling when hoisting the sails: sure, an air draft the same length as a swimming pool is impressive, but in the end, sail handling maneuvers, cleverly concentrated around the three winches at the helm station, are easily managed. At the helm, perched on the flybridge, there’s little sensation... other than that of piloting an incredibly powerful machine: 160m² of sail area and 20 tonnes laden. Not inconsiderable.

The gullwing shape of the nacelle displaces waves very effectively: the boat remains comfortable upwind in a breeze.

Quite the athlete

The good news is that in light airs, the 500 isn’t averse to slipping along through the water. An experience which is improved if the boat is fitted with folding propellers. And from ten knots of wind, the 500 shows itself to be one of the fastest in the “in total comfort” category. With a Force 4 on the beam, it bowls along at 10 knots. This means great possibilities for an Atlantic crossing, where one often encounters moderate downwind conditions. Hard on the wind, the course is fairly limited, due to the skegs which are not terribly deep and windage resulting from the freeboard of the hulls and the nacelle: best not to expect to get higher than 50 to 55° off the wind. In choppy seas, however, the behavior of the 500 is surprising: there is relatively little pitching, movements are supple and the few slams that you experience are quite deadened. Actually it comes as a surprise from the calm of the nacelle to feel the wind strength and sea state outside. Comfort under way is one of the Lagoon 500’s best attributes for all those - and there are many - who want to head offshore. Downwind in heavy weather, it remains a very safe catamaran; the large volume of the bows allows it take the seas comfortably. The ideal configuration for the rig, so as to be able to keep the genoa on the furler, would be to fit a baby stay (removable or otherwise) which would enable you to hoist a storm jib.
On deck you find a good-sized cockpit for a 50 footer, which is perfectly protected by the rigid bimini. This does however come across the aft passageway, making it somewhat narrow. Forward, though, before you reach the trampolines, the designers have managed to fit in a little extra cockpit. Under way, this little “bathtub” finds all sorts of uses - storage space for downwind sails, jerry jugs, and so forth. At the foot of the mast are three lockers, one large and two small. The spaces in the bows are accessible via deck hatches, but they shouldn't be loaded too much, as you need to keep the weight centered.

The flybridge offers a perfect view over the water and of the sails. All sail handling is managed from here, with three winches.

Multifunctional table

The nacelle provides a superb panoramic view… if one stands up. Sat down in the salon, you don’t see so much, which is a shame. However, the table is worthy of note: it is modular, meaning that in a few seconds it can be changed from a low coffee table (or aperitifs) into a big dining table which can seat ten. Facing forward, there is a huge nav station and interior helm position - this was an option when the boats were built. To port is a large, slightly lowered, U-shaped galley. There's a deep (60cm) stainless sink, a three burner cooktop and oven, microwave, dishwasher (again, an option, but one in keeping with the boat) and storage everywhere - including below the salon sole. Depending on the version, there are between three and five cabins. The early ones gave most over to the owner, with the entire starboard hull being one suite. On other models, there are two nice bunks of landlubber size, but which are narrow and have an awkward access from aft. The same goes for the bathrooms, which don’t quite make the grade. The standard of finish is excellent: leather bench seat, sliding drawers, big windows giving a good view (but not from the outside looking in towards the cabin), slatted bed-base… Lagoon has achieved a really good standard of work. And that’s great, because it ages well!
The Lagoon 500, being a very voluminous 15 meter catamaran, offers exceptional comfort. You might think this would cease to be the case when you leave the dock, but not a bit of it: the 500 is equally comfortable at sea. A family could easily undertake long passages in complete confidence. We have our heading…

The nacelle boasts a clever adaptable salon table, a nav station and a great galley.

The plusses

Exceptional comfort
General ly good performance
Easy to handle for a boat of this size

The minuses

Access to the aft of the cockpit
No sea view when sitting down in the salon
Access to the aft cabins and heads is a bit tight for a 50 footer

What To Check

There’s nothing to note concerning the structure, the rig or the fittings: Lagoon know their stuff, even on big boats, which need heavier fixing and compression points - chainplates, forestay, mast foot and so on. The keels only stick down 1.40 meters, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check the state of things below the sole. Polyester is easily repaired: a few impact scratches needn’t be prohibitive, but you should sort them out, rather than risk the glass cloth taking in any water. A fault often mentioned: the watertightness of certain hatches and deck panels leaves a bit to be desired. Watch out for any damage which water ingress may have occasioned to headlinings and interior woodwork!

Technical specifications:

Overall length 15.54 m
Waterline length 14.93 m
Beam 8.52 m
Draft 1.40 m
Weight 18.6 t
Upwind sail area 160 m2
Mainsail 93 m2
Genoa 67 m2
Cabins 3, 4 or 5
Fresh water 2 x 240 l
Fuel 2 x 240 l
Motors 2 x 55 or 75 hp
Construction polyester sandwich
Naval Architect VPLP
Builder Lagoon Catamarans
Number built 150 units from 2006 through 2012
Second-hand price From €370,000 ex-tax
Tested in Multihulls World No.85