Thanks to its striking turquoise-blue and white colour scheme alone, the ‘Imladris’ is a real eye-catcher in any harbour. And, of course, because of its sheer size. This catamaran is Lagoon’s flagship, the Eighty 2. It is based on the Seventy 7, but is set to outdo it in every respect. That certainly piques one’s curiosity.
From the Seventy 7 to the new flagship
The initial sketches were drawn by the legendary Patrick Le Quément, who made his name as a car designer. The 81-year-old now works as a consultant for the French studio VPLP. The aim was to create a sailing charter base without compromise. The motto: maximum space and the highest level of comfort.
The final design was then taken over by the team at VPLP, which has been bringing Lagoon catamarans to life since 1987 – the first being a 55-footer. VPLP also provided the structural calculations for this space-saving marvel. The focus of the creative minds – and a real attraction for the up to eight guests on the ‘Imladris’ – is a detail that doesn’t immediately catch the eye in the harbour: at the stern, a floating platform extends first aft and then upwards. In this way, the open cockpit, which is partially shaded, is extended to include a 22-square-metre sun deck. It can accommodate a tender or jet skis and serves as a starting point for swimming or diving.
Whoever charters the ‘Imladris’
Swiss businessman Armin Dressler has added the catamaran to his charter fleet. Through the Morii platform, he rents out a range of Lagoons from 51 feet in length. When asked who would book the 24-metre-long Eighty 2, he replies without hesitation: “Ordinary people.” For Dressler, there are two typical types of customer: either a well-off family member invites their loved ones on a sailing trip together. That could well be the grandmother, says Dressler. Or a group of friends share the charter fee. Currently, the rate starts at a hefty 56,000 euros per week.
Despite all the comfort, this isn’t about glamour, the entrepreneur emphasises: “The concept is all about tranquillity and sustainability.” On board his Lagoon, he sees classic sailors who have grown older and can no longer – or no longer wish to – do everything themselves, but still enjoy taking the helm from time to time. There are also an increasing number of motor yacht clients expressing an interest in more environmentally friendly travel. And finally, there are those charterers who, instead of going to an all-inclusive hotel, encourage their friends with the words: “We’re off sailing now!” They don’t have to miss out on anything, as the floating boutique hotel comes complete with a Michelin-starred chef, all-round service and diving equipment. “I don’t think we’ll be seeing any football stars here, as they’d want a swimming pool and to post selfies. Our customers aren’t really the sort you’d recognise in public,” says Dressler.
He imagines the start of a typical day of sailing going something like this: “At six o’clock in the morning, the crew sets sail; by ten o’clock at the latest, breakfast is served in a beautiful bay. Swiss-style discretion.” Thanks to a draught of 1.90 metres and certification for vessels under 24 metres in length, the day’s destination can also be in shallow waters. Travelling in peace – under sail or on electric power where possible. The John Deere engines, each with an output of 170 kilowatts, are only started in an emergency.
A luxury catamaran serving as a floating boutique hotel
During the summer season, guests are sure to enjoy spending time on deck, but when it rains – or when it’s very hot – they’ll be glad to be able to sit in the cool saloon. Here, they’ll find panoramic windows offering all-round views; on the starboard side is a U-shaped sofa, and opposite it a dining table seating eight people. Between the open-plan galley-bar and the navigation centre lies the door to the lounge on the foredeck, complete with a trampoline.
Stairs on both sides lead down into the hulls. The port hull accommodates the crew, the galley and two guest cabins. The starboard hull houses a VIP cabin as well as the owner’s apartment with a double bed and a private folding balcony for that first coffee in the morning. Both suites have their own separate access from the saloon. A third suite can be fitted out on request, bringing the total to five. In the ‘galley up’ configuration, it is located in the port hull.
The designers at Nauta have created a calm, clean-lined interior on board the ‘Imladris’ in shades of beige and cream, ‘luxurious, inviting, cool and bright’, as studio co-founder Massimo Gino puts it, ‘a trendy interior with timeless style’. The climb up to the flybridge is surprisingly steep. Patrick Le Quément put a great deal of thought into the design of the delicate staircase, with its rounded wooden steps suspended centrally from an angular chrome rod. With a smile, he warns: “You won’t be able to resist the temptation to climb these stairs!”
Flybridge: Sail handling across 50 square metres
Le Quément particularly recommends the Fly for watching the sunset. On the 50-square-metre roof terrace, complete with a dining table, seating area and bar, you realise for the first time that you are truly on a sailing yacht: there are no fewer than two helm stations here, with five large winches positioned between them, each with storage compartments underneath for sheets and halyards. Everything is easily accessible to the crew, and handling the 337-square-metre laminate sails close to the wind is almost child’s play. The mast, soaring 36 metres into the sky, is positioned well forward. As the furniture is movable, the space can be used flexibly.
Solar power for the air conditioning, galley and navigation systems
The roof and bimini are fitted with Solar cells equipped with systems that supply up to 50 per cent of the energy required on board and recharge the lithium-ion batteries. These energy storage systems ensure that the yacht can operate self-sufficiently for hours whilst at anchor. They provide sufficient power for the air conditioning, galley and navigation systems. There is no need to start up a smoking diesel generator. And that is just one aspect when it comes to sustainability. According to the shipyard, the Lagoon Eighty 2 contains 80 per cent recycled fibreglass, around 70 per cent of the timber is reused material, and just under half of the resin used in construction – a total of no less than eight tonnes per boat – is bio-based.
The Beneteau Group, to which Lagoon belongs, also uses an adhesive for the hulls that consists of 100 per cent natural or recycled ingredients. Through this measure alone, the brand aims to save ten tonnes of CO₂ per catamaran during the construction phase. All of this forms part of the French yacht builders’ large-scale initiative to reduce their harmful environmental impact by 30 per cent by 2030. Those involved are well aware that this alone will not solve the world’s environmental problems. Nevertheless, such sustainability concepts are important and worthwhile.
For the shipyard, the Eighty 2 represents a major step towards a world in which discerning clients wish to take delivery of a bespoke yacht – at least as far as the layout and interior fittings are concerned. The company has gained sufficient experience with larger models. “Since the very beginning, we have built 88 yachts over 75 feet in length. Of these, 52 were Seventy 7 and Seventy 8 models, and 36 were one-off builds,” says brand director Thomas Gailly.
The Eighty 3 doesn’t need a mast
The French also demonstrate their pragmatism in a completely different way: the designers developed a second version of the catamaran without a mast, with only minor changes to the hull profile. The Lagoon Eighty 3 resembles its sailing counterpart both in appearance and in its dimensions.
The Lagoon Eighty 2, on the other hand, retains the exclusive ability to glide smoothly across the water powered solely by the wind. This is likely to be a decisive factor in favour of the ‘Imladris’, and not just for die-hard sailors.
Technical specifications of the Lagoon Eighty 2
- Overall length: 24.97 m
- Fuselage length: 23.91 m
- Length at the waterline: 23.85 m
- Width: 11 m
- Draught: 1.9 m
- Sail area when sailing close-hauled: 337 m²
- Engine: 2 x John Deere N5 – 230 HP
- Fuel tank: 2 x 1,400 litres
- Fresh water: 2 × 800 L
- Cabins: 4–5
- Design: VPLP Design
- Outlines: VPLP Design / Patrick Le Quément
- Interior: Nauta Design
Book recommendations
Catamaran sailing explains how sailing a twin-hulled boat differs from sailing a monohull. Tom and Brian Phipps discuss types of catamarans, their construction and maintenance, as well as manoeuvres such as tacking and jibing.
No sun spray on deck, please! takes a different approach: Johannes Erdmann recounts everyday life on a 13-metre catamaran in the Bahamas. The focus is on his interactions with his guests and the challenge of reconciling their differing expectations of a sailing trip. Rather than sailing techniques, the book offers insights into life on board – a perspective for readers who are thinking of chartering a catamaran.
Would you be willing to forego traditional sailing experiences for the sake of greater comfort on holiday, or does the ‘Imladris’ strike the right balance? Join the discussion and share your views in the comments.
Uske Berndt
Editor News & Panorama