In this article, we explore the world’s top power catamarans, ranging from a 36-footer ideal for a cruising couple to a 78-footer perfect for entertaining friends and family. The propulsion options are diverse, including outboards, diesel inboards, hybrids, and even all-solar setups.

Top Luxury Power Catamarans

The following power catamarans are all vessels we’ve reviewed. They are listed in no particular order.

• Fountaine Pajot MY44: A family-oriented cat suitable for long-range cruising and aimed at owner-operators. 
• Silent Yachts 60: This is a catamaran that can cruise comfortably for long distances using emissions-free solar-electric propulsion.
• Horizon PC74: With interior and deck space like a much larger vessel, the PC74 is perfect for cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean.
• Aquila 36: This beefy 36-footer is an outboard-powered, express-cruiser-style catamaran.
• Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat: A spacious design, this vessel fits the volume of a 130-foot-long monohull into just 78 feet of length overall. 
• Horizon PC68: This cat has a stable ride, long range, volume to spare and intriguing layout options.
• Two Oceans 555: An elegantly simple yet luxurious 55-foot custom with the space and amenities of a much larger vessel.
• Lagoon 630: From its open salon to its spacious decks, the Lagoon is a comfortable and luxurious platform.
• Fountaine Pajot MY5: A midsize cruiser with serious big-boat space for family and friends. 
• Prestige Yachts M8: The voluminous 65-footer lets owners customize onboard spaces.
• Aquila 47 Molokai: Calling all anglers: This cat has 60-plus-knot speed and is set up for serious bluewater adventure.

Fountaine Pajot MY44

The Fountaine Pajot MY44, a creation of Italian architect Pierangelo Andreani and French designer Daniel Andrieu, has a main deck that’s open from the aft-deck seating all the way forward to the starboard helm station. The sense of spaciousness is significant, for several reasons. First, four glass panels aft can all slide to port, creating an indoor-outdoor space with the aft deck and salon. In the salon, 32-inch-high windows extend for 12 feet down the sides of the yacht, with three sections per side, bringing in natural light along with the three forward panes that comprise the windshield. Finally, 6-foot-6-inch headroom provides vertical clearance, with a 21-foot-7-inch beam that adds interior roominess while keeping the yacht stable.

Quick Specifications

Silent Yachts 60

Solar panels, ocean-crossing range and self-sufficiency define the electric Silent-Yachts 60 power catamaran. If there was any question that the “Tesla moment” has arrived in yachting, the Silent 60 clearly provides a positive response. Consider, for a moment, crossing oceans in silence at 5 to 6 knots without consuming a drop of fuel and never needing to plan your course between fuel stops. Imagine sitting at anchor and running the air conditioning all night, not to mention all the galley appliances plus the washer-dryer, without the hum or fumes from a genset.

Horizon PC74

As founder and director of The Powercat Company, a Horizon Power Catamarans distributor, Stuart Hegerstrom had long believed that catamaran builders needed to design their yachts to more stylish standards.

“The boats were very boxy,” he says, based on his years of experience with cats in the charter market. He and his partner, Richard Ford, asked Horizon to produce models that had high-end finishes and looked good inside and out.

The Horizon team brought in mega-yacht designer JC Espinosa to work with its own craftsmen. The result aboard the Horizon PC74 is a catamaran with exterior styling, layout and functionality that should appeal to private and charter owners alike.

Aquila 36

The Aquila 36 is a departure from her sisterships in that she is an outboard-powered, express-cruiser-style catamaran, but she also adheres to MarineMax’s philosophies.

With a single main living level from bow to stern and a beam of 14 feet 7 inches, the Aquila 36 is like a bowrider on steroids. She has seating that can handle 20 adults for outings and barbecues, and there are two staterooms below, one in each hull, for family weekending. The staterooms have nearly queen-size berths, en suite heads, stowage and 6-foot-6-inch headroom.

Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat

Lagoon is a division of Groupe Beneteau, the world’s largest builder of sailing yachts, and the Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat is a developmental sistership of its Seventy 7 super sailing cat. The Seventy series yachts are built at Construction Navale Bordeaux in France, which had to add a new yard to construct these catamarans because they require separate stern molds for the power and sail versions.

Horizon PC68

Multihull yachts ride differently than monohulls, often counteracting the sea’s motion for a smoother, more stable ride. On the Horizon PC68, sharp hull entries make head seas seem gentle, and a Humphree stabilization system with blades reduces roll. Horizon uses SCRIMP construction for resin saturation that maximizes strength with an 111,112-pound displacement. And with a 5-foot-4-inch draft, the PC68 invites island cruising.

Two Oceans 555

With 27-knot speed, house-like volume, an on-deck master and top-tier tech, the Two Oceans 555 is a formidable power catamaran. Dave Jirikovic of HMY Yachts was on a quest. The sales broker was looking for the meanest, nastiest patch of Gulf Stream he could find to show a potential client what the Two Oceans 555 power cat could handle. And just as he had intended to show us, the broad-shouldered power cat didn’t even notice. He even dropped the single-lever throttles back to idle and left the 25-foot-wide Two Oceans 555 beam-on to another set of square-edged seas. The 55-footer brushed that off too. Jirikovic tried quartering into the seas—never a happy angle for catamarans—and the yacht drowsed through them.

Lagoon 630

Fitted with the optional twin 300-horsepower Volvo Penta D4 diesels, the Lagoon 630 MY burns only 1.64 gph total at 6 knots, giving a theoretical range of 2,952 nautical miles with standard tankage of 793 gallons. Hull No. 1 had an optional 502-gallon tank, giving it transatlantic range.

Luxury, stability and economy are all hallmarks of Lagoon’s return to luxury motor yachts. If you can take a ride, it will be worth your time.

Fountaine Pajot MY5

The flybridge deck on the Fountaine Pajot MY5 is a standout feature, offering virtually unobstructed 360-degree ocean views and an elevated beach club vibe. Aft of the off-center starboard helm is a spacious area perfect for entertaining, complete with a wet bar, refrigeration center, and ample seating. It’s the most popular space aboard according to the builder. And if the weather turns for the worse, a second helm station in the saloon allows the skipper to pilot the MY5 in climate-controlled comfort.

Prestige Yachts M8

How fitting it was that Prestige Yachts introduced its new M-Line flagship, the M8, at Portopiccolo, a picturesque yachting village outside Trieste, Italy. Formerly a quarry, the cliff-side area had been chiseled into a clean site rife with eye-catching vistas, much like the French builder’s 65-foot power catamaran and its nearly 3,000 square feet of usable real estate.

Aquila 47 Molokai

With every boat, there’s an origin story. In the case of the Aquila 47 Molokai power catamaran, it starts with MarineMax, which saw people renting boats for bareboat charters. MarineMax Vacations was born. After experimenting with several production yachts, the company decided to build its own: the Aquila line, designed for charter as well as for sale to owner-operators.

The post Discover the Top Power Catamarans for 2024 appeared first on Yachting.

2017 Lagoon 630 – Balance – Miami, Florida

A combination of design elements come together aboard the Lagoon 630 MY Balance making it equally suited for bluewater cruising, weekend sojourns or dayboating with friends. United Yacht Sales currently has this 2017 power catamaran listed at $2.35 million.

Optional twin 300 hp Volvo Penta D4 diesels power Balance, should provided a 10-knot cruise speed, a 16-knot top-end speed and a theoretical max range of 4,800 miles at 6 knots thanks to its optional extra fuel tank, based on Yachting’s original sea trial. 

Balance can clearly go the distance–transatlantic even–however, do its entertainment spaces and sleeping accommodations hold up? The answer is yes. This 630 MY comes with a four-stateroom layout and has 6-foot-9-inch headroom in the salon and the staterooms. Nauta Design handled the yacht’s interior appointments, giving it light, alpine-oak finishes, storm-grey upholstery and leather accents throughout.

2013 Horizon PC60 – Indigo – Tortola, BVI

“Being a catamaran, the PC60 has a wide beam (nearly 25 feet), and the builder takes advantage of every inch of volume. You can invite 20 friends for a party aboard, and there’s elbowroom to spare, even if you only use the main deck. There’s seating for everyone too. The PC60’s twin-hull design also means exceptional stability, which allows you to have loose chairs, even on the flybridge, without worrying. There’s no need for stabilizer fins or gyros; the hull form gives a solid ride, and it’s comfortable in a seaway,” Yachting previously reported. 

With a 24-foot, 6-inch beam and volume that rivals that of a 100-foot monohull motoryacht, Horizon Power Catamarans’ PC60 gives owners home-size living and entertainment spaces in a 60-foot platform. Indigo is a 2013 PC60 that was built by and is currently listed with The Powercat Co, a subsidiary of Horizon Power Catamarans, for $1.965 million. The power cat has a Bahamas-friendly sub-5-foot draft, three well-appointed staterooms and a 1,500-nautical-mile range.

2023 Aquila 54PC – Water Born – Pompano Beach, Florida

Looking for a power catamaran made for extended cruising and entertaining in stylish comfort? Water Born, a 2023 Aquila 54PC, could check off the boxes. The asking price is $2.795 million.

“The 54′s interior has square footage that’s roughly the same amount of space as a 68- to 70-foot monohull. It’s also a smartly designed space: The cockpit has a table for alfresco dining, as well as three stools at a bar that connects to the galley inside via an opening window and door. Thanks to the boat’s 25-foot beam, the main deck effectively turns into one vast social area. Add the salon’s seating, 360-degree banks of windows and 6-foot-9-inch headroom, and the area feels more like a waterfront condo than a boat,” Yachting previously reported.

HMY Yacht Sales stated, “This Aquila 54′ has just under 50 hours on her optional 550 Cummins motors. You won’t find another like her because she is the only Aquila 54 in North America with this engine option! Commissioned by an experienced owner operator, every option on this 54′ Aquila was carefully chosen to maximize the versatility of this already fantastic platform. Everything from the upgraded additional fuel tanks to the spare propellers and shafts and electric glendinning, the owner has spared no expense.”

2023 Leopard 53 PC – Princess Oxana – Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Princess Oxana, a Leopard53 PC, is listed with Galati Yacht Sales at $1.8 million. The 2023 power catamaran has just 200 hours on its Yanmar diesels. The power cat also has a three-stateroom, three-head layout with accommodations to sleep six guests for extended cruising.

Designed for watersports fun, Princess Oxana has a hydraulic swim platform that doubles as the yacht’s tender stowage and lifts to deck height. Stepping into the 53-footer’s cockpit, there are two seating options with a bench seat with L-shaped backrest to starboard and an L-shaped sofa and fixed table to port. Adding a few loose chairs around the table creates alfresco dining six.

2021 Aquila 54 – Liquid – St. Petersburg, Florida

For cruisers looking for a power catamaran ready for voyaging adventures, there is Liquid, a 2021 Aquila 54. This power cat is capable of entertaining 30 guests and sleeping 10 (or more). Liquid has a reported top-end speed of 22 knots, a cruising speed of 15.5 knots and a range of almost 1,000 nautical miles at 7.8 knots. Liquid just came on the market and is asking just under $2.17 million. 

“The 54′s interior has square footage that’s roughly the same as a 68- to 70-foot monohull. It’s also a smartly designed space: The cockpit has a table for alfresco dining, as well as three stools at a bar that connects to the galley inside via an opening window and door. Thanks to the boat’s 25-foot beam, the main deck effectively turns into one vast social area. Add the salon’s seating, 360-degree banks of windows and 6-foot-9-inch headroom, and the area feels more like a waterfront condo than a boat,” as Yachting previously reported.

2008 Leopard 47PC – Whensday – Stuart, Florida

Whensday, a 2008 Leopard 47 Powercat listed with HMY Yacht Sales for $465,000, is designed by naval architects Morrelli and Melvin and built by South African boatbuilders Robertson and Caine, a company known for its expertise in power-cat construction.

The Leopard 47 Powercat integrates an open-plan layout with exceptional interior volume, offering a comfortable cruising platform catamaran that combines spacious accommodations with admirable performance. Leopards are perennially popular vessels with private owners as well as charter enthusiasts.

Some of the yacht’s recent new-equipment upgrades include reconditioned Cummins diesels, an Onan generator, solar panels, a watermaker and new mechanical, electrical and navigation equipment. Run off the grid using solar power, watermaker and a 260-gallon freshwater tank, while cruising up to 900 nautical miles. Owners and guests will voyage those miles in substantial comfort too, thanks to the powercat’s four-stateroom layout, all with queen berths. There are also four heads.

Axcell Yachts 650 – Awol Shaka – West Palm Beach, Florida

AWOL SHAKA, an Axcell Yachts 650 power catamaran, is listed with Worth Avenue Yachts with a new asking price of $2.19 million, which represents about a $1 million reduction from the original asking price.

The 67-foot powercat’s hull was constructed in 2010, however, the yacht was only officially commissioned in 2020, and it underwent an extensive refit in 2022.

The refit included an interior update, outdoor furniture being reupholstered, decks resurfaced, a rebuilt head system, repainted engine and lazzarette bays, upgraded Garmin electronics, and updated tender garage–that accommodates 15-footer–and more.

The post 7 Used Power Catamarans Available Today appeared first on Yachting.

“I was surprised at how well the power catamaran performed in these conditions, but really, I shouldn’t have been. The 630 MY is based on the Lagoon 620 sailing catamaran and, with more than 50 620s built, is a tried-and-true platform for open-ocean cruising,” Yachting previously reported. 

“For those skeptical that a sailing catamaran hull can perform as well as a designed-from-scratch power cat, I should tell you that the last 20 percent or so of the hulls’ underbody was redesigned by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prevost along with the engineers at Lagoon to provide support for two larger (than you’ll find in the sailing version) Volvo Penta D4 diesels with V-drives turning 24-by-21-inch, fixed four-blade props.”

A combination of design elements come together aboard the Lagoon 630 MY Balance making it equally suited for bluewater cruising, weekend sojourns or dayboating with friends. United Yacht Sales currently has the 2017 power catamaran listed with a $2.35 million price tag. 

Optional twin 300 hp Volvo Penta D4 diesels power Balance, providing a 10-knot cruise speed, a 16-knot top-end speed and a theoretical max range of 4,800 miles at 6 knots thanks to its optional extra fuel tank, based on Yachting’s original sea trial. 

Balance can clearly go the distance–transatlantic even–however, do its entertainment spaces and sleeping accommodations hold up? The answer is yes. This 630 MY comes with a four-stateroom layout and has 6-foot-9-inch headroom in the salon and the staterooms. Nauta Design handled the yacht’s interior appointments, giving it light, alpine-oak finishes, storm-grey upholstery and leather accents throughout.

The only difficult decision guests will have aboard Balance is choosing where to spend their time. Will they head to the bow and enjoy the sun pads and freshly installed trampoline material, which can be shaded on demand with a sun shade. Or will they head to the flybridge and enjoy sundowners and casual conversation on the U-shaped settee, which can host alfresco dining for up to 10 people around a teak table.

Two L-shaped sofas flank the salon with the standing helm station forward. Aft, the salon opens up to the teak cockpit, which has a transom bench seat aft, a teak dining table and additional bench seat forward and to starboard.

The galley is equipped with a Corian countertop, cockpit access and enough stowage for a long-range cruise. Appliances include:

• Upgraded larger galley sink and faucet
• Samsung side-by-side fridge freezer with ice and water dispenser
• Miele dishwasher
• Miele washer and dryer
• Miele microwave
• Propane cooktop with extractor fan
• Wine cellar

When it’s time to turn in for the evening head belowdecks where all four staterooms have upgraded anti-microbial marine mattresses and en suite heads with shower stalls.

Starboard Hull Accommodations

• Master Stateroom: Amidships with a queen berth
• VIP Stateroom: Forward with a queen berth and a desk

Port Hull Accommodations

• Guest Stateroom (1): Forward with a queen berth
• Guest Stateroom (2): Amidships with bunk berths

Some other notable features on board Balance include:

• Onan 23 kW generator (main – factory upgrade) 2,400 hrs. (1/25/2024)
• Fischer Panda 9 kW generator (spare – portside in engine room) 820 hrs. (1/25/2024)
• 6 touch displays at 3 helm stations:
• Two Simrad NSS EVO2 16″ displays at each flybridge helm (4 total)
• Two Simrad NSO EVO2 16″ displays at salon helm
• Featuring built-in GPS, StructureScan® HD imaging, and Chirp sonar
• Fish finder 50/200 KHz, down structure 455/800 KHz
• Forward-facing sonar
• QS80 rudder joystick at salon helm
• AC42 autopilot
• Halo 5G 3-foot open-array radar
• Solid-state wind temperature, speed, direction and barometric pressure sensor
• NAIS 400 AIS class B
• RS90 VHF radio with handsets in salon helm and flybridge helm
• 15-foot Highfield RIB tender with a 60 hp Honda.
• Hydraulic swim platform
• Solaire propane grill

Where is Balance located? The yacht is currently lying in Miami, Florida.  

Take the next step: Contact United Yacht Sales, Aaron Antonson, 954-648-1234, antonson@unitedyacht.com

Quick Specifications

• Length Overall: 64′
• Maximum Beam: 32’10”
• Fuel Capacity: 1,300 Gal.
• Draft: 3’11”

The post For Sale: 2017 Lagoon 630 Motor Yacht appeared first on Yachting.

With the Lagoon 630 Motor Yacht, the French catamaran builder gives owners five interior layout options: two with six staterooms, two with four, and one layout with five staterooms. 

In two of those setups, the galley is down and located in the portside hull; the three other setups have a central galley with the salon. Headroom throughout the yacht is 6 feet, 9 inches. Nauta Design handled the yacht’s interior look and feel. 

At press time, there were 13 Lagoon 630 MYs available, ranging from $1,700,000 to $2,474,042.   

From the Archive

“The 630 MY marks Lagoon’s return to the motor yacht sector after an absence due to its growing sailing-catamaran business. From the beginning, Lagoon wanted to create an exceptional bluewater passagemaker with accommodations and equipment that made living aboard feel both safe and elegant, and this new model achieves that.”

— Yachting, April 2015

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Oftentimes, powercats end up looking like wedding cakes. They start wide at the base and narrow with each successive level. Making them look good is a real challenge.

All credit, then, to Lagoon’s regular preferred creative partners, automotive-design legend Patrick Le Quément and VPLP, which respectively take the bows for exterior design and naval architecture on the Lagoon Sixty 7. It’s a catamaran that manages to unite elegance and functionality.

The Sixty 7 and its sailing sistership, the Sixty 5, replace the outgoing Lagoon 630 Motor Yacht and Lagoon 620. Around 80 of the 630s were built from 2012 through this past January, and around 170 of the 620s were delivered in the 10 years since its 2009 debut.

Usable space is the key evolution from old models to new. Lagoon says the new-generation cat designs deliver around 30 percent more floor area inside and outside. The flybridge alone adds about 40 square feet or so of alfresco lounge space below a hardtop with a sunroof. But check out the foredeck: A seating area connects to the salon via a 12-millimeter-thick glass door, making the forward end of the yacht an integral part of the living area.

A two-person sofa is just outside the salon door, and up three steps is an open deck for movable furniture, beanbag chairs and the like. Lagoon has an exclusive range of stand-alone items from the Belgian outdoor-furniture company Tribù, which is responsible for most of the other furniture aboard. And if music’s your thing, then make sure to tick the box for the optional Waterfall Audio sound system; the clarity is unbelievable.

Given the yacht’s volume, the Sixty 7 is surprisingly nimble in turns, and the driving ergonomics couldn’t be much better at the main console in the salon or up on the flybridge. The displays are all from Simrad. A leaning post is standard at the lower helm, and a seat is optional.

The biggest difference between the power and sail versions of this yacht are the diesels and fuel tanks. The sail version has twin 150 hp Volvo Penta D3s. The powercat has more than twice the oomph: either twin 340 hp Volvo Penta D6s or twin 440 hp Yanmar 6LYs. Cat buyers—whether opting for rigs or no rigs—mostly choose the most powerful engine option.

With the Yanmar diesels, 32 percent fuel, 40 percent water and nine people aboard, the Sixty 7 we ran in the Mediterranean topped 21 knots flat out, which means 3,350 rpm and a total fuel burn of almost 48 gph, or 30 hours’ worth of run time. Acceleration from rest to top speed took around 35 seconds. Not bad numbers for something moving through the water with space comparable to a $5 million, 3,000-square-foot Manhattan apartment.

Slow the yacht to a constant 2,000 rpm and 12 knots, and allowing for a 10 percent reserve, owners can plan on 1,200 nautical miles between fuel pumps. Speed up to a 14-knot fast cruise, and that range gets cut in half. Fuel capacity on the powercat version is 1,452 gallons across four tanks, two in each hull.

Generated from a three-piece mold tool, the Sixty 7′s hulls are slightly longer and flatter aft than those on the sail version because the extra weight of engines and fuel adds approximately 18,300 pounds to the yacht’s displacement. The Sixty 7 powercat draws less too: just 3 feet, 10 inches.

Nauta Design handled interiors. Three principal veneer choices are available: walnut, light oak and gray oak. Accommodations options are modular. Combinations from four to six staterooms are possible, although one sleeping space would normally be specified for crew.

The Lagoon Sixty 7 I got aboard had four double-berth staterooms, including a master in the after half of the starboard hull with a sofa, separate shower and head stalls, and a private entrance aft. The galley and crew mess were in the after half of the port hull. There’s also the option of a galley at main-deck level, but the first four Sixty 7s were sold with the galley down; the fifth will get the galley-up layout.

The Lagoon Sixty 7 has visual appeal, the volume of a house, and the range to cruise the Eastern Seaboard almost nonstop with accommodations for a large cruising family. Sometimes, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Take the next step: cata-lagoon.com

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The Lagoon Seventy 8 is 1 inch longer in length and width than the size of a doubles tennis court. Picture sitting center court at Wimbledon: With lifelines placed just outside the service lines, you have an accurate visual of the Seventy 8’s sheer magnitude, which can be difficult for owners of 78-foot-long monohulls to grasp. Origin Story Lagoon is a division of Groupe Beneteau, the world’s largest builder of sailing yachts, and the Seventy 8 Powercat is a developmental sistership of its Seventy 7 super sailing cat. The Seventy series yachts are built at Construction Navale Bordeaux in France, which had to add a new yard to construct these catamarans because they require separate stern molds for the power and sail versions. As You Like It

The Seventy 8’s one-level salon exudes cool elegance. Owners are given a blank sheet of paper to arrange the space as they wish. On the yacht I toured, there was a seating area to starboard with a wraparound sofa and 55-inch fold-down TV, great for family movie night. To port was a glass-topped dining table with seating for eight, next to a wine cooler.

On standard Seventy 8s, the lower helm is forward to port, with a door nearby that opens to the foredeck.

Dance Floor, Anyone?

The foredeck on the Seventy 8 has teak planking covering a 322-square-foot platform — the same size as some studio apartments in New York City. Through the salon door is a sitting area with sofas and a table, with the beam-to-beam open space stretching out beyond. The yacht I toured had a smattering of round, chaise-style lounges with side tables here, but again, it’s owner’s choice.

How Suite It Is

There are multiple choices when it comes to the accommodations in the hulls and, frankly, I lost count at the 10 layouts that are considered standard. And, regardless, owners are encouraged to bring their own ideas.

But I fell in love with the arrangement called “owner’s stateroom avec plage” (meaning “with beach”). Leaving room at the stern for a VIP stateroom with en suite head, this layout gives the owners the remaining hull, with a walk-around, athwartships king-size berth facing windows, a walk-in closet forward with built-in bureaus, a love seat under bookcases, a desk/vanity, and a marble-lined en suite head with shower.

What I find so special about this layout is that the bulkhead folds outward to become a private teak beach where owners can soak in some rays or simply enjoy a coffee and croissant in the morning.

Guest Zones

The Seventy 8 has three or four staterooms, and both layouts have a crew cabin for two. Guest staterooms can be VIPs with larger berths, or they can have twin berths. Beyond that, Lagoon offers some unusual options to turn the port after staterooms into a cinema room with four lounges and a large-screen TV, or into a studio with a built-in massage table and a cabin for a masseuse. Whether you’re into bridge, canasta or Go Fish, Lagoon also offers a playing-room option with twin card tables and a head. Or, if you’re fanatical about business, the builder can create a boardroom with a conference table and video projector. Bring your own whiteboard.

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French Cuisine

The galley, as on most European yachts, is hidden from sight. It’s in the port hull, either forward or aft depending on the owner’s layout choice. Either way, the chef has a bistro-quality office for creating nouvelle cuisine. On our test yacht, the galley and crew mess were combined, with a dinette opposite an L-shaped work area that had a Miele induction cooktop and a double-door fridge, plus a separate freezer, an espresso machine for a morning cafe noisette, and a washer/dryer.

How Do You Say Tractor in French?

While owners can choose 510 hp Volvo D11 diesels, Lagoon says that most owners are going green: the color of John Deere. Our test yacht had 580 hp John Deere N13 diesels turning 32-inch Bruntons five-blade props. Top speed was 20 knots, with a transatlantic range (4,000 nautical miles) at 10 knots from her 2,246-gallon tanks, according to the builder. When showing us the engine rooms, our French host kept pointing at the green engines and repeating, “blindé.” Turns out, it means bulletproof.

Upstairs

Like the rest of the Seventy 8, the flybridge is stunning in its space, and the layout is ready to customize. Owners can choose a hot tub with surrounding sun pads or a rail-to-rail sun pad aft. A bar with stools or a dining table that seats eight can be added without crowding. Whatever the choice, the skipper has a centerline helm forward and a doublewide companion chair to starboard.

The Back Porch

Built-in seating lines the cockpit, from the salon sliding doors to the transom settee. A sun pad/lounge is to port, and an L-shaped dinette is opposite with three chairs. Wide stairs on each side lead to the stern platforms, where a TenderLift platform spans the space between the two hulls. The platform can carry a tender as large as the 15-foot-1-inch Williams Sportjet 460. When not carrying the tender, the platform can become a dry or submerged beach for swimming or sunning.

Fusion

The Seventy 8 has resin-infused fiberglass hulls and keels, with balsa core above the waterline in areas such as the deck to add rigidity without weight. All totaled, she has a 136,911-pound displacement.

The post On Board the Lagoon Seventy 8 Powercat appeared first on Yachting.

The Ferretti Group calls the Pershing 9X a “fighter jet.” Lagoon says its Seventy 8 offers “a universe free of compromise.” And Monte Carlo Yachts deems the MCY 96 “pure ocean pleasure.”

Hyperbole? Perhaps, but we’re not arguing. Each of these new models, for different reasons, has us wanting to hit the water.

The Pershing 9X is built on the same hull as her predecessor, the Pershing 92, but with lots of carbon fiber and a bigger cockpit for sunbathing. She looks sexier but still performs: With twin MTU 16V2000 M96L engines, she’ll top out at 42 knots.

By contrast, Lagoon ‘s Seventy 8, with a top speed of 19 knots, is more about long-distance cruising comfort. Owners can customize the flybridge layout; the master suite can have a “private beach”; and accommodations plans can include as many as five staterooms for those cruising with a large family.

The MCY 96, meanwhile, offers a bit of everything. She can hit 27 knots and is available with three or four belowdecks staterooms in various configurations, plus a main-deck master. Kevlar and carbon fiber are used in her construction.

So go ahead and believe the hype. These three new models are indeed inspiration for big cruising dreams.

The post Hello, Beautiful appeared first on Yachting.

Lagoon, which just had the premiere of its Seventy 7 catamaran at the Cannes Yachting Festival in early September, has announced plans for a Seventy 8 power catamaran that will debut in 2017.

The Lagoon Seventy 8 is the motoryacht version of the Lagoon Seventy 7. She will have a length overall of 78 feet 1 inch, with a beam of 36 feet 1 inch. Exterior design is by Patrick le Quément with interiors by Nauta Design.

Where to learn more about the Lagoon Seventy 8: Check out the model’s dedicated website here.

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A quick glance aft confirmed what we were all expecting. Strong northerly winds of 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots, had whipped the Gulf Stream into a wild washboard of 6- to 8-foot waves, every other one cresting into a white foamy top that approached the stern of our Lagoon Yachts’ 630 Motor Yacht with a growling sound that cut through the rise and fall of the wailing breeze.

I watched from my perch on the aft deck as a tall wave rolled up behind us, ducked under our yacht’s hulls and lifted them briefly, and then I felt the acceleration as the 630 MY surfed down the face. Looking through the salon to the screen at the interior helm, I saw the speed pick up to 14 knots, then slow to our original 10 knots as the wave passed. It was a thrilling ride, never out of control, and very predictable as the autopilot once again found our original course. The 32-foot beam kept the sole squarely under my Top-Siders, and I marveled at the roll resistance of her twin hulls.

I was surprised at how well the power catamaran performed in these conditions, but really, I shouldn’t have been. The 630 MY is based on the Lagoon 620 sailing catamaran and, with more than 50 620s built, is a tried-and-true platform for open-ocean cruising.

For those skeptical that a sailing catamaran hull can perform as well as a designed-from-scratch power cat, I should tell you that the last 20 percent or so of the hulls’ underbody was redesigned by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prevost along with the engineers at Lagoon to provide support for two larger (than you’ll find in the sailing version) Volvo Penta D4 diesels with V-drives turning 24-by-21-inch, fixed four-blade props.

The finished product achieves a running angle of just a few degrees of lift in the bow for a perfect running angle in all kinds of sea conditions. Short keels in the center of the boat are deep enough to protect the running gear should you decide to beach the boat and explore. Spaced wide apart, the engines give out standing handling in close quarters, but Lagoon also specified an electrical bow thruster in the starboard hull for added maneuverability.

We were delivering the 630 MY from Marsh Harbour in the Abacos to Miami over a period of three days, and had left that delightful Bahamian destination the day before, hoping to make Freeport before nightfall. As luck would have it, the leading edge of the front swept in well before we could make it there, so instead of trying to navigate the tricky Freeport approach in the dark, we altered course northward in deeper water and dropped the hook in the bight of Sales Cay. Dinner that night was “bugs,” or Bahamian lobster tails, grilled to perfection.

There were five of us aboard, including Lucas Lafourcade, the captain, and Victor Buson, the engineer, who had only recently brought Hull No. 1 of the Lagoon 630 MY across the Atlantic from France on her own bottom — a telling achievement. Yann Masselot, Lagoon’s global director, was also aboard, along with Lana Lohe from the company’s Annapolis, Maryland, office. We spent a quiet night anchored in good holding ground, in a layout that was conducive to privacy and relaxation. This 630 MY was the lateral galley, four-stateroom version, meaning the galley was down in the portside hull along with two of the four staterooms, all with en suite heads.

My hosts had offered me the owners’ stateroom, which was down and aft in the starboard hull. Long and spacious, it was equipped with a glassed-wall shower, double sink vanity, enclosed head and queen-size berth with loads of stowage in the forward part of the cabin. I particularly liked the private entrance to the aft deck, a feature that is shared with the lateral galley in the portside hull.

Most of the other cabins had large berths that, like the one in the master, sat athwartships with the foot of the bed toward the outside of the hull. One exception on Hull No. 1 was the portside central cabin, which was fitted with bunk beds for the captain and engineer. The layout options include a pair of four-cabin versions, one five-cabin version and two six-cabin versions, two of which offer the lateral galley that was on our test 630 MY and three of which offer a central galley in the same space as the salon. In all versions, headroom in the salon and the cabins is 6 feet 9 inches.

As you might guess by looking at the salon photo, the lateral galley allows this common space to be wide open and generously furnished with seating. Lagoon selected Nauta Design to give all of the accommodations a modern, comfortable look with an elegant finish that rivals those it has created for numerous yachts and homes.

The 630 MY marks Lagoon’s return to the motor yacht sector after an absence due to its growing sailing catamaran business. From the beginning, Lagoon wanted to create an exceptional blue-water passagemaker with accommodations and equipment that made living aboard feel both safe and elegant, and this new model achieves that.

Two Simrad multifunction display screens are at each of the three helm stations — two on the flybridge aft, on either side, and one in the center of the salon forward. The salon station has a joystick instead of a steering wheel, while the flybridge stations are near a seating and sunning area with a folding-leaf dining table to starboard, an outdoor kitchen and bar, and two sun pads — perfect for a crowd or a family getaway. In the hardtop, there is a folding fabric sunroof, allowing the host to optimize or minimize the amount of sun coming through to the flybridge seating and sunning areas.

AS YOU MIGHT GUESS BY LOOKING AT THE SALON, THE LATERAL GALLEY ALLOWS THIS COMMON SPACE TO BE WIDE OPEN AND GENEROUSLY FURNISHED WITH SEATING.

Access to the flybridge is from the port side of the aft deck, up a flight of stairs equipped with stainless-steel handholds. An electrically actuated hatch can close off the flybridge to help keep the aft deck dry during a rainstorm.

It was, by the way, never necessary to close this hatch while we were running in the big waves of the Gulf Stream, because the flybridge is well elevated above the waterline.

The aft deck was our favorite place to dine and hang out, and it came with its own bar housing a refrigerator and ice maker. Lagoon installed teak planking on every weather deck, from the swim platform to the foredeck, for improved footing.

The custom Lagoon RIB tender was stowed on a hydraulic platform, and at anchor with the tender deployed, that platform doubled as a small teak beach for swimmers. It can be lowered just beneath the water for youngsters and others looking for a lift back to the aft deck stairs following their latest swim or snorkeling adventure. Masselot told me that beyond such features, the power cat’s shape and fuel-efficient engines would be key to the yacht’s success.

THE AFT DECK WAS OUR FAVORITE PLACE TO DINE AND HANG OUT, AND IT CAME EQUIPPED WITH ITS OWN BAR HOUSING A REFRIGERATOR AND ICE MAKER.

“Fitted with the optional twin 300-horsepower Volvo Penta D4 diesels, the 630 MY burns only 1.64 gph total at 6 knots, giving a theoretical range of 2,952 nautical miles with standard tankage of 793 gallons,” he said. “Hull No. 1 had an optional 502-gallon tank, giving it transatlantic range.”

Luxury, stability and economy are all hallmarks of Lagoon’s return to luxury motor yachts. If you can take a ride, it will be worth your time.

Lagoon Motor Yachts, 410-280-2368; lagoonmotoryachts.com

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Lagoon’s 630MY will makes its debut at Miami this year!

To visit Lagoon’s website, click here!

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