Lagoon 380 a blue water boat?

[David1033]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Give me a shout nearer the date and we can chat if I'm not busy..
Should be around two and a half to three weeks depending on favourable weather and winds.
Moving to the Algarve or the West coast.?

Our most likely end destination is the Silver Coast, to the south of Peniche (Lourinha area), but we'll be looking around a bit before deciding.

Thanks for your reply. I will certainly contact again when details are a little clearer.

[spiv]

The L380 is the largest, roomiest 38' cat built.
That's probably why is is also the most built cat around.
It's design is dated, but it was designed when cats were built to sail.....
Its not an Outremer or Catana, but still sail well.
Modern same sized cat are heavier and (as a generalisation) do not sail as well.

I come from a Schionning Cosmos and a Salina 48 and I must say I was impressed by the sailing ability of my 380.
In my maiden voyage (solo) I was caught in a Bora that had forecasts to 33kn, but gusted to 60 and she handled well.

Yes the galley could be considered small, but with a little remodelling, you can have all you need.

Also, the two fore cabins can be used for anything, just keep the two aft for you and the odd guest.

[Michael Cobbe]

I saw a number of UK Prout cataramans and an American one, I don't know the brand, in the Caribbbean.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by Michael Cobbe

I saw a number of UK Prout cataramans and an American one, I don't know the brand, in the Caribbbean.

They are all over the world. I think over 2,000 if memory serves.
Pretty much everywhere I go I come across them. There are four here right now in Le Marin martinique.

The L380 is the Snowgoose of the 21st Century

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Gortn

Anyone who would like to see pictures of a totally destroyed Lagoon 380 PM me and I will forward them. It will scare the heck out of you. I was in the Grand Cayman after the big hurricane a number of years ago to survey a Cabo Rico and a Bristol Channel Cutter with the owner of the SLM boat company at that time. The hull thickness below the water line where a front sponson was completely torn off the hull was 3/16" thick and even less in other areas measuring with a Starrett dial caliper. You could have walked right through that boat, it was destroyed while other well built monohulls only had superficial damage caused mostly by other vessels masts falling across them and so on. I shudder to think what would happen if you were unfortunate enough to hit a partially submerged container that came off a container ship in a storm. Most are filled with electronics packed in styrofoam and they float a few feet under the surface. It would open a Lagoon up like the Titanic. Personally, I liked them until I laid eyes on that one ! Also as a dealer for Sta Lok, their head rigger suggests replacing the rig twice as often as a monohull because the Cats can not heel and the loading on the rig is increased enormously.

If any fiberglass boat hits a submerged container at speed it's going to "open up like the Titanic". Which was itself a very sturdy monohull with a 1" thick steel hull, as an FYI

[ATCPinto]

Great feedback! The "cons" that I can gather from the posts are mainly superficial...a small kitchen I can remodel around, NBD. 95% of the time it will just be the two of us and I think there is plenty of room while still small enough to take care of more easily. Appreciate your input!

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Gortn

Also as a dealer for Sta Lok, their head rigger suggests replacing the rig twice as often as a monohull because the Cats can not heel and the loading on the rig is increased enormously.

If their head rigger really suggests this he's clueless and should be sacked.

The rigging loads on a 60 mono are far greater than a 30 foot mono. So guess what? Designers specify bigger rigging! Similarly with cat's.

It's not rocket science, rigging loads can be calculated.

Static loads are in fact lower on most modern cat's with "column" type rigs. The mast is held in prebend and alignment by diamond stays, who's loads are fully contained within the mast. The forestay and shrouds simply hold the mast up.

Loads in windward sailing and close reaching can be higher than on mono's due to higher boat speed generating more apparent wind, but then loads on deep reaches and downwind sailing are accordingly lower.

If cat rigs were really more prone to failure the insurance industry would know about it. My rig is now 10 years old, and no requests from my insurer to replace or even inspect the rig.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by ATCPinto

Great feedback! The "cons" that I can gather from the posts are mainly superficial...a small kitchen I can remodel around, NBD. 95% of the time it will just be the two of us and I think there is plenty of room while still small enough to take care of more easily. Appreciate your input!

I found the galley to be pretty adequate for our needs but A/ I'm a Brit and B/ I wash up and stow as I go and don't pile everything up to do after eating.
Basic Monohull practice..

[spiv]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

If their head rigger really suggests this he's clueless and should be sacked.

The rigging loads on a 60 mono are far greater than a 30 foot mono. So guess what? Designers specify bigger rigging! Similarly with cat's.

It's not rocket science, rigging loads can be calculated.

Static loads are in fact lower on most modern cat's with "column" type rigs. The mast is held in prebend and alignment by diamond stays, who's loads are fully contained within the mast. The forestay and shrouds simply hold the mast up.

Loads in windward sailing and close reaching can be higher than on mono's due to higher boat speed generating more apparent wind, but then loads on deep reaches and downwind sailing are accordingly lower.

If cat rigs were really more prone to failure the insurance industry would know about it. My rig is now 10 years old, and no requests from my insurer to replace or even inspect the rig.

Exactly, there are so many people out there that have no idea of what they talk about.

My rig is 16yo, the boat was in charter until last year, possibly abused, so I am replacing it now because I want to be safe, even though inspectors said there is not any visible problem.

[yeloya]

We have been looking after all kinds of boats for more than 40 years, I have just seen one 20+ years mono terribly maintained dismassed as the rigging failed..

Whenever you send a rigger up the mast with his red dye on his hand, he would definately find something, but are these really worth addressing to is big question mark. Cats have mostly diamond rigging and 7-8 times stronger than an equivalent monos as the loads are bigger. IMO, the problem with riggings are not so much related to the load but rather to the corrosion. The type/quality of materiel that were used, how well they were kept and to what type of climate they were exposed to will determine the life span of the rigging.

Cheers

Yeloya

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by yeloya

We have been looking after all kinds of boats for more than 40 years, I have just seen one 20+ years mono terribly maintained dismassed as the rigging failed..

Whenever you send a rigger up the mast with his red dye on his hand, he would definately find something, but are these really worth addressing to is big question mark. Cats have mostly diamond rigging and 7-8 times stronger than an equivalent monos as the loads are bigger. IMO, the problem with riggings are not so much related to the load but rather to the corrosion. The type/quality of materiel that were used, how well they were kept and to what type of climate they were exposed to will determine the life span of the rigging.

Cheers

Yeloya

I personally know of three rig failures, 2 mono's and 1 cat, all three occurred immediately or shortly after being re-rigged. One was found to be a failed fitting sourced in Thailand. So I would agree that knowing the quality and where the wire and fittings originate is very important. Just because you buy the wire in Europe or the US does not mean that is where it was made. There are only few places that manufacture high quality ss wire, Korea being one.

[django37]

Have sailed 45000 nm in our 2007 Lagoon 380 now nearly round the world. Mostly only 2 onboard, but 4 is also fine, 6 persons too much. Crossed the Atlantic at 7.8 knots average, Pacific slower at 6.5 ...

[Happ]

Originally Posted by ATCPinto

Are there many Lagoon 380 owners out there with feedback on its performance in blue water? Is the size sufficient for a comfortable (subjective, I know) two-person live aboard?

I have friends who sailed one of the first hulls built around the world as part of one of the Arcs. They put the boat In charter for 5 years before going around the world. They said that the boat was fine. They still live on her and cruise up and down the coast.

[SV Coronado]

Here's a video from the previously mentioned The Sailing Family. They're sailing a L380 in 20 foot seas with 50 knot gusts. She seems to be holding up quite well.

https://youtu.be/vzJu17GiN9E

[sv Stella Maris]

Wow...watch the linked video. Respect L380. I hope someday I’ll handle my L450 as calm as that couple does.

And yes, the 380 is kick ass, but I have 6 kids, sooo........