Lagoon 39

By John Armstrong

It is no wonder that almost all the charter companies have a fleet of multi hulls. For the length of this boat, and considering the price, the Lagoon 39’s catamaran design delivers remarkable space.

More than that, much of the space is nicely divided into two sections, one in the starboard hull, the other in the port hull so two couples can enjoy real privacy of a sort that even much larger mono hull boats have trouble delivering.

In particular, the Lagoon 39 has a private head and shower in each hull, making good use of the forward areas while keeping the more beamy midsections and aft area for dressing and sleeping accommodations.

Each hull is a private stateroom with full rectangular queen sized berth for “at home” sleeping comfort. Deck hatches and port holes keep things fresh and cool. Throughout the interior, the finish of Lagoon 39 features Grey alpi oak vertical grain cabinetry and laminated Milano oak floor. It is light coloured and very contemporary looking below.

Topsides, the catamaran design delivers abundant flat deck space for moving about, relaxing or tanning. You’d even have plenty of room for your morning pilates session!

The Lagoon 39 is available in four different layout options, thus meeting all of the requirements of its prospective buyers; couples, families or charter operators. On our test boat, the saloon was a highlight offering 6’6” height and impressive space. The galley is on the port side with double sinks, stove top and oven as well. A good sized refrigerator adds to cruising enjoyment and the galley is at deck level with lots of glass for views all around.

There is an interior navigation station forward of the galley. This navigation station includes a chart table and mounting space to accommodate all of the required electronics to permitting sailing from inside with the use of an autopilot for inclement weather situations.

The saloon is under a full coach roof yet the interior is bright thanks to the large vertical windows. Everyone gets a panoramic view even when seated at the five-person dinette. While the accommodations are most impressive, it performs well too.

Lagoon was founded in 1984 and is now part of CNB, a division of the Beneteau Group. Lagoon has always been on the cutting edge with new models and has once again come up with what I consider an outstanding cruising cat.

The new 39 has a number of innovative changes from its predecessor the Lagoon 38; one of the main changes is the rig which has been moved aft, reducing the size of the mainsail and increasing the size of the genoa making the boat easier to handle by allowing for a self tacking jib, as well as allowing all the halyards and sheets to be accessible from the helm station. The way the mast is supported is by a large structural grid in the bridgedeck with a fiberglass girder running from the aft to forward main bulkhead and secured with lateral stringers to both sides of the hull.

It has an integral cockpit hardtop that blends into the line of the cabin top. The plumb bows give it a new look while extending the waterlines and thus increasing the performance.

The cockpit is large, very comfortable and uncluttered with a simple transition to the saloon. There is ample seating and the ergonomics of the interior make it a pleasure to entertain and enjoy your dining.

I had the pleasure of sailing this new Lagoon after the Miami Boat Show last February. The weather at the time was 25C, winds were 15-20 knots and the seas were 8-10’. We sailed out of Government Cut set the sails and headed North East. The boat was fast and ran the better part of 7 knots to windward. I felt the Lagoon 39 was very responsive while I was at the helm and came about like a true thoroughbred. We stayed dry and encountered very little rolling. It was determined that 50 degrees off the true wind is the penultimate for performance, off the wind I noted 8 knots on my GPS, and again, was a dream and very simple to manage. I tacked a number of times and with the helm layout and self tacking jib, it was effortless.

We returned to the Marina under power, cruising at 7 knots and with the twin screws it was very easy to put it back on the dock.

A lot of thought and innovation went into the design of the Lagoon 39, the end result being a cruising cat that is very comfortable, easy to sail, and comes in at a price point that makes it very affordable.

SPECIFICATIONS

Length waterline: 37’10’’ / 11.53 m

Beam overall: 22’3‘’ / 6.79 m

Mast height over water: 60’4” / 18.40 m

Draft: 4’1’’ / 1.27 m

Displacement Dry: 24,674 lbs / 11.19 t

Full batten main: 409sq.ft. / 38 mÇ

Square top mainsail (opt.): 473sq.ft. / 44 mÇ

Self tacking furling genoa: 344sq.ft. / 32 mÇ

Water: 79 gals / 300 L

Fuel: 2 x 53 gals / 2 x 200 L

Standard engine size: 2 x 21 HP