Lagoon 43: A Blend of Comfort and Performance

The Lagoon 43 shows off clean lines, wide side decks, and responsive sailing performance, making nearly 7 knots closehauled in light air. Walter Cooper

In the early 1980s, Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prévost were a couple of young naval architecture students in Southampton, England. They decided to merge their talents, and their initials, to create their own design firm. Today, VPLP is a global ­powerhouse with more than three ­dozen employees. It has designed everything from America’s Cup winners to round-the-world record-setters.

VPLP’s first big break came in 1987, when a fledgling French boatbuilder called Lagoon commissioned the firm to draw the lines of a 55-foot cruising catamaran. It was the start of a long and productive relationship. VPLP has produced many more Lagoons since then, including the company’s latest model, the Lagoon 43. It’s a collaboration with exterior designer Patrick le Quément and interior ­designer Nauta Design. 

This background is important for a couple of reasons. First, it speaks to Lagoon’s distinctive, consistent look and style over the intervening years. Second, it helps to explain Lagoon’s DNA. It’s a builder whose cats combine plenty of creature comforts with the performance for which VPLP is known.

Interestingly, VPLP took ­until the late 1990s to introduce what I consider to be Lagoon’s signature design ­feature: the distinctive coachroof treatment that overhangs the ­forward windows and resembles a gun turret. It came with the introduction of the 410 and 470. It’s readily recognizable here on the 43, and the roof itself extends aft and over the cockpit to provide protection from the sun and elements. 

Aesthetically, the lines are clean and uncluttered. The ­waterline is maxed out, the freeboard is ample, and there’s a noticeable chine in the hulls—a nod toward expanded ­interior volume in the staterooms. The raised steering ­station, beneath a hard Bimini top, is to port. (For some unknown reason, this setup is to starboard on most cruising cats.) A series of sun pads and a wraparound settee are adjacent to the helm, a sensible solution to adding upstairs lounging space on a boat not really large enough for a flybridge. The side decks are wide and, with a molded-in bulwark, safe and secure. One of the cooler elements of the exterior plan is the cutouts aft in each hull for side boarding from a dock or dinghy. There are also nice sets of steps in the transoms for swimming or coming aboard.

A raised helm station with adjacent sun pads and wraparound seating creates a practical “mini flybridge” for steering and socializing. Courtesy Lagoon

The interior layout truly ­maximizes the space, making the boat feel much more expansive than its 45-foot-5-inch length overall. (A 25-foot-3-inch beam doesn’t hurt matters.) There are a few innovative items I haven’t seen before, starting with adjacent dining tables in the salon and cockpit that can be configured a dozen (yes, 12) different ways. For example, with the sliding doors open, they can be paired to seat a dinner party. With the doors shut, the salon table can be dropped down with cushions inserted to create a roomy berth. About half of the 43s built are expected to go into charter service, so this flexibility is a necessary feature.

Along those same lines, in the double-berth stateroom aft, there’s a “high-rise” single berth perched over the double. The single can fold down when not in use. Also, that stateroom and the owner’s space, to starboard, can each be accessed from separate entrances in the cockpit, along with access down a few stairs from the main salon. (A charter layout has four double-berth staterooms as opposed to the dedicated owner’s space on our test boat.) Forward is the commercial-grade galley with a four-burner stove. Nearby is a flat-screen TV that can be raised or lowered, and there are fridges inside and outside. Gracious living and entertaining were clearly top priorities. 

Construction is an infused laminate incorporating E-glass and polyester resin that employs a balsa core in the hull, deck and coachroof. The twin auxiliaries are 57 hp Yanmar diesels with saildrives. There’s a solar array topside as well as a generator to meet power needs, and all equipment is top-notch: Raymarine instrumentation, a Quick windlass, Harken winches, Spinlock clutches and Elvstrom sails (including a square-topped mainsail).

The spacious salon features flexible dining tables that can be configured in a dozen ways, maximizing comfort for cruising or chartering. Courtesy Lagoon

During Cruising World’s 2025 Boat of the Year ­contest, we sailed the 43 on a fall Chesapeake Bay afternoon with a pleasant northwest breeze of 10 to 12 knots. Closehauled, the cat clipped along to weather nicely, making just shy of 7 knots. Easing sails and falling off to a beam reach, the 43 still registered nearly 6 knots. The helm was light and responsive, and the boat was quite fun to sail. 

The 43 replaces the popular Lagoon 42 in the brand’s current lineup. That model is a tough act to follow: More than 1,000 of the 42-footers were launched after its introduction in 2016, making it one of the company’s all-time bestsellers. Lagoon has ambitious goals with the new boat, hoping to build a hundred a year. As of this past fall, the yard was off to a great start, with 70 units sold. 

The partnership of VPLP and Lagoon has been a long and lasting one. It shows no signs of slowing down.

Take the Next Step

Price: $710,000
catamarans-lagoon.com

Herb McCormick is a CW editor-at-large.

The post Lagoon 43: A Blend of Comfort and Performance appeared first on Cruising World.