What $190k Gets You: Updating a Lagoon 440

[solecollector]

Here are all the GREAT people I worked with to make this project happen. All the crappy ones – well – you don’t want their info.

Aluminum Pipe Installation: Custom Pipes, Dave (754.224.9588)
Hardtop Fabricator: Mangrove Marine, Mike (727.515.8501)
All LED Lights: Lumitec Lights (561.272.9849)
Boatyard: Just Catamrans Laurent (954.589.2343)
Raymarine: Keys Marine Electronics Brad (305.852.4668)
Rub Rails: MATE USA: Skip or John (954.463.5757)
AwlCraft Paint Supplier: Gold Coast Luke (954.463.8984)

Vinyl Lettering: BoatArt, Carla (954.328.8319)



Money!

$190,000 doesn’t go as far as one might think – even if they do a lot of the work themselves. If I had to pay retail for everything that I did on the boat these projects would have cost a TON more. Luckily I was able to get steep discounts on many items (some items more than 60% off).

How did I manage that? I showed people a picture of the AwlCraft SE on the boat and said: “Your products would look great on this boat” And explained all of the things I was doing. More than half the times I would have companies respond positively and offer some type of discount. Take Lumitec for example – we made a deal that allowed them to shoot the boat when it was done in exchange for a discount. A win win.

There is no doubt I feel lucky to have worked with such great companies. There are very few people that I wouldn’t work with again.


Done !!!!!!! Now Let’s Go!




Overall I’m super, super happy with the completed projects!! Here is the first big shakedown cruise with my cousin. Sailed from Key Largo to Andros and then down the Exumas. Everything worked pretty darn well with just a few items that I need to massage out. You can see there is a lot of room under that hard top….





Thanks all for taking the time to read this post._steve

Instagram: svmovingon
Facebook: Steve Mullholand

[Tortuga's Lie]

Impressive amount of work, looks great! (not to mention documenting all of this)
And whats more, is the pride you'll have looking at her swinging on the hook enjoying a sundowner...............

[daletournier]

Man, more patience, tolerance and tenacity than me.....and Im just talking about your post :-)

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[sailnow2011]

Would love to know what the hard top cost you? Just the top, and not the pipes? Please?

[solecollector]

Thanks all for the kind words!

Originally Posted by sailnow2011

Would love to know what the hard top cost you? Just the top, and not the pipes? Please?

The top - without the paint / non-skid / pilot hatch / lights was around $9k. My friend who purchased an off the shelf top - half this size - was around $7,000. You can find them cheaper. Mike - he truly is THE GUY when you are looking for a custom hard top....

The thing I didn't mention is that part of the design spec was to keep it as thin as possible. To do this he put a layer of carbon fiber in the areas that could flex. I stand on it all of the time - no flexing at all - and of course the support structure has something to do with this as well. Those K braces work great.

[solecollector]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Man, more patience, tolerance and tenacity than me.....and Im just talking about your post :-)

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Took WAY longer than to create this post than I though tit would. There is a limit to how many photo links you can put in each post so I had to write it in word and copy it back and fourth to make sure it was what I wanted / pics matched up with the description. And then you can only make one post per 30 seconds and I wanted to get it all up there before anyone replied to it....

[Suijin]

Amazing write up. Thanks for all the pictures and detail.

I've always found it ends up being cheaper to pay a professional to do the actual spraying when it comes to painting. It's a craft, and there are a lot of technical details the ramifications and best execution of which can only be fully leveraged with the experience of having done it lots of times. And 95% of the cost is in labor for prep. I sand, wash, tape, mask etc. and let the pro handle the gun.

[Tortuga's Lie]

I hope you intend to keep her a long while after you put your blood, sweat and tears into this project! Of course, Lagoon might want to buy her back and sell her as a new model

[impi]

An awesome job Steve - you can be proud !!! You took the meaning of 'project' to a whole new level. Looking forward to your travels

[KP44]

Incredible work. You have more tenacity than I.

I researched paints. I found that with many popular paints I would probably never be able to match the color if I had a scratch or repair, because of the topcoat. So I opted for a Sterling product. After waiting 8 months for delivery of the products, I painted the brightsides and mast with a one-part polyurethane and I am satisfied with that. That is, I had a pro do it with "roll and tip". I did the undercoats with a brush and light sanding. The whole thing cost far less than the Sterling products that never came. I used an off-white so the mast and hull are slightly different and can be spotted easily in a forest of masts.

Thanks for your lengthy documentation. I appreciate your generous sharing of this adventure.

[ranchero76]

Well, let me be honest. Not impressed at all with what actually was done for $190K. For me it would be impossible to justify spending 190K on paint, underwater lights, few batteries and solar panels, bimini, some railing and few other cosmetic things. If you would post approximate cost of each of these upgrades separately, it would help to understand things.
As noted in OP, there were a lot of mistakes on preparation and paint stage.
And actually, one question arises. Was there particular reason to buy cheap catamaran and almost double its price by doing upgrades? Considering that 2006-2009 Lagoon 440 can be purchased currently for 250-270K (or less, taking in consideration negotiation), plus 190 spent, that's 460K approx.
400K will buy 2009 Lagoon 500 today. Yes, it's not silver and has no underwater lights, but it has different level of comfort, and still, 60K will be remaining for refit...

2009 Lagoon 500 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[YachtBroker]

Wow! Just Wow! Lots done and so well documented!

[solecollector]

Originally Posted by ranchero76

Well, let me be honest. Not impressed at all with what actually was done for $190K.
2009 Lagoon 500 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

I'd love to put all the prices up - but many of them were at a discount and the guys just wouldn't do the job for the same amount of money - like the hardtop. So instead of breaking them all out - I just added up the bills. I didn't put in all the other items that are the "toys" as I just got tired of writing. Inspire 2 and all kinds of "cool" stuff.... well - cool to me


If you add everything that you would have to install on a new or new to me boat - it adds up. Some things I wouldn't want to live without. Some "cheaper" items like maintenance was done during this timeframe - like all new thru hulls / servicing engines / generator / re-fiberglassing the anchor roller / new Spade - those little expenses add up. Then start adding in medium items like washer / dryer, wifi extender, air conditioners (3), a year plus in the yard (money down a black hole) - the number builds more. And lastly add top end lithium batteries from Lithionics / hi-end solar panels (there are panels for the hard top as well), overbuilt dingy, custom hard top, custom davit and custom installation of hard top / solar panels - everything adds up quickly. One item that cost $19k is 10% of the total... and there were a few in that range.

Believe me - I wouldn't be impressed with the funds spent either until I added each one up.... As for the boat - we already had it - paid for - so that was a starting point. I wasn't invested in buying a different boat / paying taxes / adding in stuff that will last for 7 years (like I hope this stuff will for the most part). And there is zero chance you can buy a 440 in this condition for under $300k. You can buy many 440s for under $300k but not ones that are well taken care of and low hours. I know - still a 2006 - and things are getting older - but at least it wasn't chartered or beat.

I appreciate your opinion - and as I said on the first page.... everyone would have spent the money differently. I assume not everyone here has the same car. My mission was to update my boat with all the capability that I want for a cruise around the world.

BTW - that 500 is a super sweet ride. If I could have started out with it - I would have for sure. _steve

[YachtBroker]

Ranchero,
Well in my opinion, maybe it's not what you would have done but it's what he wanted to do. It's no different than the $25K I invested in a 1969 24 Piper daysailer that I first owned in 1986 and bought back to restore in 2013. $12K alone was spent on building a whole new Teak Deck. I did it because I wanted it done. Any stock Lagoon needs a lot of upgrades above and beyond what the factory does especially if your venturing is out of the Caribbean.

[Jenta]

Such an awesome post, and such an awesome boat.

Thank you SO much for your time and effort in posting this. It would have been so easy to just let it slide and not open yourself to who knows what when dealing with the internet.

I may be in Oregon, but if I'm ever in Florida I'll definitely be searching you out to buy drinks, or a steak - whatever. Something to show my appreciation and just to get to know you at least in passing.

Indeed, there were things you did I may do differently (easy to say from my keyboard) but everything you did was an inspiration and informative. My wife and I are in the "flux zone" of whether to buy new in a couple years or used in a year or less. The Lagoon 440 is at the top of our list as a week spent out of La Paz on one just felt like it could be home. I'm further inspired by your work to know that we can really customize whatever boat we end up with to suit our wants and not just our needs.

Thanks again, and hope to run into you sometime. Cheers!

PS - Jealous that you got to have a drink with the Wynns as well. We enjoy their Vlogs a lot and owe them a beer too!