450: Purchasing and Commissioning

[Kinch]

Hello, I have switched for the Rocna 40kg last summer, and I've got every reason to be happy about that.
Had been draged once with the original 25kg Delta in 5m water / 40m chain / 35 Kn (guts at 40 Kn) wind. In this case, the bottom wasn't probably the best I could get. Anyway, I was never fully confident with the Delta, given the boat's windage. The Delta is now my backup + I have aboard a Fortress 55 as well.
The only issue I can think of is the fact that it's a bit longer, so I can't change easily the anchor fixation (see photo).

[Kinch]

Hello, I have switched for the Rocna 40kg last summer, and I've got every reason to be happy about that.
Had been draged once with the original 25kg Delta in 5m water / 40m chain / 35 Kn (guts at 40 Kn) wind. In this case, the bottom wasn't probably the best I could get. Anyway, I was never fully confident with the Delta, given the boat's windage. The Delta is now my backup + I have aboard a Fortress 55 as well.
The only issue I can think of is the fact that it's a bit longer, so I can't change easily the anchor fixation (see photo).

[Kinch]

Originally Posted by Lucky Larry

So far I've just been reading the posts in this thread and gleaning from all your experiences. We're the happy owners of hull #93. We got it pretty well loaded. I'm wondering if anyone here has replaced their main anchor. I'm looking at using the 55 pound Delta that came with it as a backup and hanging a Manson Supreme or Rocna as the primary. Both the Manson and Rocna web site sizing charts seem to indicate the next size up, which would be a 80 pound Manson or 73 pound Rocna.

Have any of you switched anchors yet? If so, to what and with what results.

Hello, I have switched for the Rocna 40kg last summer, and I've got every reason to be happy about that.
Had been draged once with the original 25kg Delta in 5m water / 40m chain / 35 Kn (guts at 40 Kn) wind. In this case, the bottom wasn't probably the best I could get. Anyway, I was never fully confident with the Delta, given the boat's windage. The Delta is now my backup + I have aboard a Fortress 55 as well.
The only issue I can think of is the fact that it's a bit longer, so I can't change easily the anchor fixation (see photo).

[DavefromNZ]

We have just had two of our shower drain Whale Gulper 320 pumps fail. The plastic gears have stripped. I thought maybe blockages causing back pressure but I can blow thought the pipes OK. The are in different hulls so not connected at all.

The pumps are less than a year old and really haven't been used that much. The Lagoon 450 has both shower drains on one side and an electric bilge pump connected into the same overboard pipe so when any pump runs it relies on the flapper valve on the other two to prevent back flow and pump the water overboard.

Has anyone had problems with these pumps. They seem highly recommended so any ideas why two would just fail?

Thanks, Dave

[Catopia]

We had replace one of our shower sump Gulpers on our L450 after a few months (warranty). We have not had any problems since.

[Lagoon4us]

KINCH is that a picture of your swivel?

Check out ULTRA Swivels they are much better engineered, if that is your swivel i wouldn't be able to sleep with it attached .......seriously.

[meirriba]

Re: Shower pumps
In our L400, Lagoon installed 3 x Gulper 220 as shower pumps.
Two of these failed within the same week after two months of use (May 2011).
Lagoon sent us 3 x Gulper 320 pumps as warranty replacements (I have requested replacement for all three). However, the third Gulper 220 that did not fail, still works fine after two years.
When the original failure occured, we were moored near L450 that was commissioned in France about the same time as our boat. The skipper told us that all three of his pumps already failed and he expects replacements.
It seems that Lagoon installed a bad batch of Gulper pumps around the beginning of 2011.

[DavefromNZ]

Interesting, Thanks Mark.

Our Lagoon was built around Oct/Nov 2011. It is nice to have a bit of ammunition if the replacement under warrantee is not forthcoming.

Cheers
Dave

[gonzemoi]

Hi Dave,

My L450 #132 and Next life #130 both had to change 4 out of 6 of the culper 320 pumps in less than 6 months usage.. lagoon provided spare ones under warranty.. I would guess that there must have been a bad batch of pumps.. all breaking the same way as yours in particular those that are used the least .. ie guest shower pump and electrical bilge pumps.. for now 4 months of no problem.. keeping fingers crossed..

[DavefromNZ]

Hi Gonzemoi,

There seems to be sufficient evidence of a batch problem that should have triggered a recall. However Lagoon is just replacing those that fail. Well the Gulper 320 pumps in the bilge are never run as the auto electric pump cuts in before you would run the Gulper. So the first time you discover that the bilge pump also fails is the first time you use it when you really need it!

Lagoon are sending me 2 replacement pumps. But I will place those as the bilge pumps and use the older bilge pumps as shower pumps.

[DavefromNZ]

I have asked my dealer to ask how many of the pumps have failed and I have emailed Whale as well. This is a bit more of an issue than just not being able to empty the shower. It is about having reliable bilge pumps on our Lagoons!

[roetter]

Thanks Dave for contacting Whale. Keep us posted.

As Gonzemoi said we had a large number of Gulper 320 pumps fail. Also, on both our L450's all sensors for the Rule bilge pumps failed. I had a slow leak from a loose clamp on the hot water tank on the port side. One day while opening the sewage valve we see water sloshing around in the bilge all the way to the aft bed. The automatic switch failed. I thought, no problem, start the electric pump. Only a strange grinding noise but no reduction in water level. Good we also have the manual bilge pump. Check the other side, and that sensor was not working either. Same with Gonzemoi. Replaced all with the old fashioned float sensors.
Rolf

[boom23]

I am getting my 450 ready for Transpac 2013 and I am getting concerned about the quality of the Gulper pumps and bildge pump switches... I will be having spares but I would rather avoid known problems.

What are you guys doing? Are you replacing the pumps with the same brand/model or are you getting something else? Was it just a bad batch of pumps?

How about the bildge pump switches?

Originally Posted by roetter

Thanks Dave for contacting Whale. Keep us posted.

As Gonzemoi said we had a large number of Gulper 320 pumps fail. Also, on both our L450's all sensors for the Rule bilge pumps failed. I had a slow leak from a loose clamp on the hot water tank on the port side. One day while opening the sewage valve we see water sloshing around in the bilge all the way to the aft bed. The automatic switch failed. I thought, no problem, start the electric pump. Only a strange grinding noise but no reduction in water level. Good we also have the manual bilge pump. Check the other side, and that sensor was not working either. Same with Gonzemoi. Replaced all with the old fashioned float sensors.
Rolf

[gonzemoi]

For the time being Lagoon has replaced all the failing pumps with new ones same model. So far so good. Maybe it was just a bad batch of pumps. I heard good reviews about this pump from several charter agents. Time will say. I still carry spares of the same model. In regards to the bilge pump switches we are now using the traditional floating ones and they work fine.

Gonzalo

[DavefromNZ]

I am pursuing the issue so a quick update. Replacement pumps have arrived in Auckland, which was remarkably quick.

I received a very prompt reply from a Munster Simms engineer. They make the Whale pumps. This is what he said:

"We have become aware that there has been a recurring issue with the Gulper pump on some of the Lagoon installations, and we have been working with Beneteau to find a long term solution.

This has resulted in a modification to the pump which is being fitted to all new Lagoons going forward."

I am trying to get all 6 pumps on my L450 replaced with the modified pump.
Dave