Lagoon 410 - Modern before all the others!

This is the first of the current generation of Lagoons. Innovative, with its imposing coachroof flanked by a battery of vertical portlights, like a rotunda, it remains a reference amongst ocean cruising catamarans, after having won over the charter companies.

The sea breeze finally started to blow. We could cut the engines and start sailing. Perched at the steering position, offset to port, we enjoyed a good view of Kristin's bows, but the feel of the helm was not that of a Tornado... And the speed? We had to believe the GPS, which showed over 8 knots off the wind, in a breeze which was no stronger than a force 4. The rather slim hulls slipped smoothly through the chop; the high bridgedeck didn't slam in the seas... Not bad for a pure cruising boat. "The boat is quite light; it sails well in light weather," explained Harry Blazeby, skipper of this 410 for four months, with his partner, Fraya. Indeed: weighing seven tonnes unladen, the 410 seems like a hightech machine compared to the 400 – 10.35 tonnes – and the 421 – 12.17 tonnes. Obviously, a configuration with folding propellers and a gennaker will further boost this cat's performance. At Lagoon, there are even reports of top speeds of over 20 knots. The only weak point is sailing close-hauled, when the very short fin keels (the draft is limited to 1.2m) don't allow you to sail too close to the wind. "I settle at around 50 degrees," Harry explains. This summer, the skipper was sur...