Yachting Art Magazine (www.yachtingart.com) invites you to discover in detail the brand-new Lagoon 40, through an exclusive interview with Bruno Belmont of the Lagoon Marketing Department, a selection of the most beautiful pictures of this new catamaran and its technical data!

The Lagoon 40 replaces two models in your range, the Lagoon 39 and 400. Bruno Belmont, what prompted you to launch this model?

Bruno Belmont - We had several models in the process of renewal, and we wanted to quickly show our style in our entry-level models, a style worked by Lagoon's interior and exterior designers.

This launch is part of a more global context: evolution of the range, Lagoon upscale, new logo; what are, in terms of style, the axes on which you worked?

Bruno Belmont - As always at Lagoon, we first worked on the functionality of the boat, which must be irreproachable. For some years now, with VPLP and Patrick Le Quément, who is a very great automotive designer, we wanted to sophisticate, rework, and reaffirm the identity of Lagoon, its solidity, its reliability, both elements that are determinants in the success of Lagoon. With Patrick Le Quément and Marc Van Peteghem, we have redesigned the visual signature of the boat. We also worked on a harmonization of the interior, with Nauta Yachts Design. We wanted to raise the perceived value, the quality of our amenities, positioning Lagoon in a spirit a little more upscale than what we were doing here, to satisfy customers who, legitimately, are a little more demanding with the time.

In terms of exterior style for example, can you give us some gimmicks that sign the evolution of the range?

Bruno Belmont - For example, we have harmonized the integration of the large Plexiglass parts in the hull flanks, by reworking the proportions. Still with the help of Patrick Le Quément, we refined the line of the boat, with for example a chine, a little above the waterline. All these elements contribute to creating a general harmony in the design of the Lagoon 40.

With also the suspended roof and new beveled bows?

Bruno Belmont - Exactly, all this ensemble contributes to give, a rather mineral architecture, solid but which in all, in all the places where one can look at the boat, finds its harmony, its logic; the bows being what we look at most on a catamaran, the signature of a brand name.

The Lagoon 40 has been the subject of a lot of structural work. What can you tell us about that?

Bruno Belmont - We wanted to question many of the certainties we had, particularly in the composite, but also in the composition of the modules of a boat. We have completely redesigned the design of the casting moulds, because we tended to over-sophisticate their function. Meanwhile on the new Lagoon, the masts are pushed more in the rear, which posed different structural issues, because the mast is no longer based on a partition, but on a casting support. So, we optimized this structure on our new Lagoon and Lagoon 40, which allowed us to lighten them. Overall, we gained 330 pounds, which is still noticeable.

In total, so are 600 kilos less compared to a 39?

Bruno Belmont - 600 kilos less, knowing that the gain is even higher when you consider the whole boat. We wanted to add perceived value, and it shows in the bathrooms, with important parts in Corian material, with more storage, more attention to detail. We have completely reworked the wood modules, which accumulated over the years by creating an assembly overweight. All this work on the structure and wood modules still represents 35% gain on the whole, which is considerable.

What about performance?

Bruno Belmont - A lighter catamaran inevitably gains speed, and we have increased the sail area. It was at 3.75 on the previous generation, and it now reaches 4.12. We are very satisfied with the first tests: we made a crossing of 200 bmilles with very variable winds, and we find on this model relatively high average speeds, between 9 and 10 knots, with a helm sensitivity that has clearly improved and an addition of 6 m2 mainsail.

Inside, what are the major changes in this model, in terms of amenities and services offered?

Bruno Belmont - The first thing that draws attention on Lagoon 40 is wood, which we have changed. We were previously on light oaks, very light woods, and instead we wanted to lighten the floor and move to denser woods. We opted for walnut, which is a more luxurious, refined wood that adds warmth and luxury on board.

How many different amenities can you mention on the Lagoon 40?

Bruno Belmont - The Lagoon 40 is offered in three different versions: a proprietary version, with three cabins and two baths, and two charter versions, one being the  European charter, with 4 cabins, two separate baths and shower rooms, the other being the Anglo-Saxon charter or American, this time with 4 cabins and 4 toilets, which is a demand of the market.

What is the reception received by this model since its presentation? You wait for the first feedback with much anticipation I suppose...

Bruno Belmont - In the catamaran sector, we are having a rather pleasant time! We unveiled the boat in June to dealers, who had an extremely positive reaction, we made presentations a few days ago, whose feedbacks confirmed the first feelings, so the real question for us is whether we need to double the moulds, from the first six months or from the first year...

Technical Sheet for the Lagoon 40 – Technical data Lagoon 40

Length overall 11.74m / 38,6
Width overall 6.76 m / 22,2
Water Draft 1.35m / 4,5
Air Draft 18.42m / 60,5
Light displacement (EC) 10.885t / 24001 pounds
Total sail area close hauled 81.3sqm / 875sq.ft
Fully battened mainsail 47.5 sqm / 511sq.ft
Square top main sail (opt.) 33.8sqm / 364sq.ft
Furling genoa 65.6sqm / 706sq.ft
Engine (standard) 2 x 29HP / 2 x 29 HP
Capacity fuel tank 2 x 200l / 2 x 56US gal
Capacity water tank 300 l/ 76US gal
Number of berths 6 to 12/6 to 12 EC
EC Approval A: 10; B: 12; C: 16; D: 20a