Before the tour of the turquoise-blue and white "Imladris" gets underway, visitors are presented with various facts about the sustainable construction of the 65-tonne vessel on a screen on the quay. According to this, the cat contains 80 percent recycled glass fibres, around 70 percent of the wood is recycled material and almost half of the resin (a total of eight tonnes per cat) is organic. The Beneteau Group, to which the Lagoon brand belongs, also announces that the adhesive for the hulls is made from 100 per cent natural or recycled ingredients, thus reducing the carbon footprint by 50 per cent. The brand aims to save ten tonnes of CO2 per cat in the construction phase alone. This is part of the yacht building giants' large-scale initiative to reduce their harmful impact on the environment by 30 per cent by 2030.
The motto of the Lagoon Eighty 2
The Lagoon Eighty 2, together with its owner and crew, draws on the experience gained around the Seventy 7 but wanted to surpass it in all facets. The first sketches were drawn by the legendary car designer Patrick Le Quément. The aim was to create a sailing charter base without compromises. Motto: Maximum space and maximum comfort. Le Quément continued to fine-tune the concept, taking care of various details, which in his opinion "are never just details, because the design is a big whole and everything must contribute to its effect". The final design was handled by the team at VPLP, which has been bringing Lagoon-Kats to life since 1987 - the first was a 55-footer. Le Quément, now over 80 years old, acts as a consultant for the French design studio. VPLP also provided the structural calculations for the space miracle.
The focus of the creative minds and a real attraction for the up to eight guests of the "Imladris" is an accessory that does not immediately catch the eye in the harbour: a floating platform extends from the stern and then upwards, so that with its impressive 22 square metre surface area, it extends the open cockpit, which is half in the shade, by a sunny terrace. The platform can accommodate a tender or jet skis and serves as a starting point for swimming or diving. If more space is required for sporting activities, the crew can quickly remove the free-standing seating in the cockpit. From here, there is a seamless transition to the huge saloon with all-round views, a U-shaped sofa to starboard and a dining area for eight people opposite. Between the open galley bar and the navigation centre is the door to the foredeck lounge plus trampoline.
The interior is timeless and unagitated
Stairs lead into the hulls on both sides. The crew plus galley and two guest cabins are located on the port side. The starboard hull houses a VIP suite and the owner's flat with king-size bed and private folding balcony for the first coffee in the morning. Both suites have their own access from the saloon. Customers can also request a third suite, making a total of five. In the "Galley up" version, this is installed in the port hull.
The designers from Nauta created a calm, linear interior in beige and cream on board the Eighty 2, "luxurious, inviting, cool and bright", as studio co-founder Massimo Gino says, "a trendy interior with a timeless style". The French Maison Sarah Lavoine is once again the partner for the decoration with accessories such as cushions and vases. Back in the cockpit, the first visitors make their way up to the Fly. The look of the filigree staircase on the port side is no coincidence or even an afterthought in the design process. Le Quément gave a lot of thought to the dimensions and arrangement of the rounded wooden panels suspended from the centre of an angular chrome bar and warned in advance: "You won't be able to resist the temptation to climb the stairs."
On the Fly, guests discover an "oversized living area", which Le Quément recommends above all for sunset. On this 50 square metre roof terrace with dining area, lounge and bar, you can be sure for the first time that you really are on a sailing yacht. There are two helm stations here, with five large winches with pockets underneath for the sheets and halyards. Everything is easily accessible for the crew, and handling the 337 square metres of laminate sails downwind is almost child's play. The mast, which rises 36 metres into the sky, is positioned far forward so that it does not disturb guests while they are relaxing. As the furniture up here is also mobile, the area can be used flexibly.
A charter base for ordinary people
The roof plus bimini are covered by solar cells that supply up to 50 per cent of the energy required on board and charge the lithium-ion batteries. The batteries make the yacht self-sufficient at anchor for hours and provide power for the air conditioning, galley and navigation. In addition to the design, this is another aspect of the brand's sustainability catalogue.
On the flybridge, we meet the owner, Armin Dressler from Switzerland, who recently added the Lagoon cat to his Morii charter fleet. When asked who would book the 24 metres, he answers without hesitation: "Just normal people." He quotes a possible weekly charter rate of 65,000 euros, with "everything included" from around 80,000 euros.
For Dressler, there are two typical types of customer for the project: either a kind of sponsor such as a grandmother or father who invites the whole family on the yacht, or a group of friends who share the rate. Despite all the comfort, this is not glamour, the entrepreneur emphasises: "The concept stands for tranquillity and sustainability." On board his Lagoon, he sees classic sailors who have grown older and are no longer able or willing to do everything themselves, but still enjoy being at the helm.
There are also more and more motor yacht customers who are interested in environmentally friendly travelling. Or people who, instead of going to an all-inclusive hotel, encourage their friends by saying: "Let's go sailing!" They wouldn't have to sacrifice anything, because the floating boutique hotel is booked with a star chef, top service and diving equipment. "I don't think we see any football stars here, because they want a pool and to post selfies. You don't tend to know our customers," says Dressler.
He describes the start of a typical sailing day as follows: "The crew sets off at six o'clock in the morning and breakfast is served in a beautiful bay by ten o'clock at the latest. Discreet Swiss style." Thanks to a draught of 1.90 metres and certification for a length of less than 24 metres, the excursion destination can also be located in shallow and sensitive waters. Travelling in peace, if possible under sail or with electric power. If necessary, the John Deere engines, each with 170 kilowatts of power, will kick in. For the shipyard, the Lagoon Eighty 2 is an important step into a world in which discerning customers receive a customised yacht in terms of layout and interior design. Lagoon has experience with large models. "Since the beginning, we have built 88 yachts over 75 feet in length. Of these, 52 are Seventy 7s and Seventy 8s and 36 are one-offs," says brand director Thomas Gailly.
The Eighty 2 is also available as a motor yacht
In many respects, the French demonstrate their pragmatism and show that two different worlds can be catered for with one model. The designers also developed the cat for use without a mast, with minor changes to the profile. The Eighty 3 is similar to its sailing sister both visually and in terms of its dimensions - the width, hull and waterline length are exactly the same, while the overall length is slightly shorter. The motor yacht version of the Eighty 2 has long been in the starting blocks. Although construction number one is still in the hall, it will be in the water this March.
Technical data
- Overall length: 24.97 m
- Hull length: 23.91 m
- Length waterline: 23.85 m
- Width: 11 m
- Draught: 1.9 m
- Sail area downwind: 337 m²
- Engine: 2 x John Deere N5 - 230 HP
- Tank: 2 x 1400 litres
- Fresh water: 2 x 800 litres
- Cabins: 4- 5
- Construction: VPLP Design
- Exterior lines: VPLP Design / Patrick Le Quément
- Interior: Nauta Design
Uske Berndt
Editor News & Panorama
