Ep1 Surveying a Lagoon 440 in Tortola - Sailing Someday

[@CatamaranImpi]

Hi guys - nice video and congrats with your purchase. I just want to bring some more perspective to this as someone who has owned two catamarans and been sailing our 440 cat called Impi through some very rough oceans and for years on end. We purchased the Lagoon 440 some 10 years ago and have been SAILING full time for 8 of those years on this boat - our home on the sea. First thing: ALL boats have their issues and it's no secret that on a 440 the outer bulkhead in your video is the one to go on a 440 (sometimes even from incorrect rig tensioning). There are plenty of them sailing this way over the oceans and 440's do not have a reputation for dis-masting or breaking hulls. Shrouds sit quite a long way aft of the bulkhead alignment - but lets forget that for now. What your surveyor (I assume by accent my fellow South African, South Africa being where Leopards are built) could have done, is to point out how the boat is constructed instead of referring to it as a 'glue boat'. So on a 440 catamaran, the manufacturer has built in a VERY solid bulkhead from center of one hull to center of the opposite hull. That bulkhead is incredibly strong and glassed in all the way around (mid hull to mid hull) - certainly on later 440's. They have then joined in the OUTER section which has been 'glued' in. That is the join you see as being 'distorted'. When we purchased our boat new, we sailed her from France to South Africa via Brazil and we decided to have the panels removed and we glassed in the OUTER section bulkhead. We don't understand why Lagoon did not do this in the first instance and we certainly discussed it with them, but they continued this same process on the 450's. The good news is that it's not as serious an issue as one would think, and its totally viable to effect the repair / modification. It is not a massive undertaking (it is unpleasant) and is not necessary to extend the glass all the way through and up the wall although I'm the guy that would. It certainly is not a job required by an exceptionally skilled person even, although a good artisan would get it done sooner and with a nice finish. Glass up to the under side of the bed and make it as strong as the main bulkhead center, and then glass it in under the ceiling board if you do not want to struggle with the section between. Since your surveyor clearly knows this as an issue, what would have been more helpful, is for him to have made it more clear that whilst it needs some attention it is not a structural write off of the boat, and that in Tortola it could be repaired successfully at a cost of around $X. We've cruised in the BVI's on our boat and there are some very competent guys there that would knock that job out for you without much fuss - one just needs a price in advance of purchasing it. Knowing boats as I do, there will always be issues with any / all brand of boats and the trick is to know what they are and how to rectify it. The Lagoon 440 is a fantastic cruising boat as are many of the Leopard and other brands. Personally I am not convinced about the new stainless steel 'space frame' being used on some models as stainless steel contrary to popular belief can 'degrade over years' in salty environments (carbon fiber would be another matter). This is true especially where the frame is concealed and has joins or abutments, but this would be a discussion all on its own and will become more apparent years down the line. What is more important on a cat is how it is set up for what you intend it to do. What I would be looking for is how much gear is on the boat for ocean cruising (if cruising is what I am going to do) - battery banks (type, size etc), electrical wiring, deck gear, windlass, winches, lines / halyards, clutches, navigational equipment, washing machine, air conditioning, water maker, generator, engines, saildrive type and condition, propeller type and condition, anchor set up, trampoline (small aperture trampolines increase slamming massively so one wants a larger aperture good condition trampoline for cruising - water slams upwards off the hulls in cross current oceans ) sail condition, sail types and set up etc. etc. This is where your expense / cost saving is going to be. So sure, the bulkhead scenario is one thing and there is a cost involved ( how much?), but ultimately it could be a small cost compared to gearing your boat for cruising. I write this for the benefit of folks new to boats and cruising - surveyors have to point out the issues which he clearly does - but be careful not to be so drawn into what may seem to be a massive issue which in reality can be repaired at a suitable cost considering all other great features a boat may have. I'm sure you looked at this but hope its a benefit for others looking at boats that its important to make a choice based on the 'bigger / overall' picture. Cheers guys - great video and so happy to see you reach your dream. All the best Brent

[@sailingsomeday2702]

First, we watch your videos so we are totally flattered that you watched one of our videos! Second, thank you for such a thorough description of what to consider when you are looking at a boat. I am sure this will come in very handy for anyone who watches and reads your comments!

[@CatamaranImpi]

Sailing Someday great guys - yes - I try to watch folks who are just getting going because we love the sailing community and it’s so awesome to see people reaching their dreams and becoming part of it :) Feel free to stop a line anytime and I will be sure to keep up with your travels :) Cheers for now

[@johnniesmith5489]

We love following ya'lls journey, keep the videos coming! So if you could go back to the time when choosing a boat, would you eliminate the 440 from the list? We have been saving up to buy our first Cat and have our eye on either the Leopards or 440. Whats your thoughts?

[@MakeMemoriesTravelMore]

We looked at Karisma too, and backed out after talking with Geoff finding that he already did a survey on the boat in January. He seemed very honest and thorough. Glad we bought the Leopard

[@sailingsomeday2702]

Yes, he was very thorough and I loved that he went into detail regarding the de-tabbing of the hulls, which is something that we had read about on the 440, but the had told us that the issue had been "fixed". Gotta love a surveyor that saves you from making an investment that will require an investment of it's own!

[@stevefuller6499]

I've visited a few owner forums for the lagoon catamarans and this bulkhead issue has been well documented. The general consensus seemed to be that these production cats are not true bluewater cats, and are made to a price point. Their design brief is coastal cruising.

[@johnyyaussi1339]

Nothing makes me more angry than to see a person standing on the coral. If you plan to start sailing please do not do anything to destroy our coral reefs.

[@danjohnston7851]

If I could suggest getting a gimbal on your hand held camera stick. Very shaky video hard to watch....