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Best performance yachts: Our pick of the top options

• Toby Hodges
• March 10, 2023

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the performance yachts 2022 category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year . As such the boats nominated by the jury in the performance yachts category can be considered the best of the best.

This year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional definitive style of performance cruiser to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight planing cruiser – and even a new brand of sports  catamarans  for the thrill seekers.

Three Italian pure performance yachts and two very different yachts built in Slovenia made for a varied and exciting Performance Yachts category.

Best performance yachts

Winner best performance yachts 2023 – beneteau first 36.

Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it’s been much more the sexy, perormance yachts the Italian yards specialise in. But as French yards like Pogo and JPK have proven, there’s growing enthusiasm for lightweight planing yachts – and the First 36 is the first real production yacht in that spirit.

Here’s a yacht that puts the focus firmly back into sailing. The First 36 has been kept inviting and approachable – unlike many yachts that can plane, the look is modest, not aggressive. It’s uncomplicated, unfussy and the result is a pleasure for all to sail. It’s more about what you can’t see, the design and engineering, which should ensure longterm demand.

The small, fiddly heads compartment and lack of tiller options are perhaps the only real detraction from an otherwise brilliant collaboration by Seascape and Beneteau, from concept to build quality.

It was their goal to keep this area of the market relevant and prove a mainstream brand can do it, rather than only niche specialist yards. To create a mass produced yacht at this weight and to this foam-cored quality and one that can bring so much fun is a feather in the cap of the First brand.

Grand Soleil 40

The Grand Soleil 40 is an archetypal Med cruiser-racer, and an absolute delight to sail – a feature I’ve learned that Matteo Polli designs tend to share (he also drew the Ecoracer). We sailed the race set up with ORC keel (an IRC version is available too) and six winches, an extended bowsprit and a taller mast. It was one of my most memorable trials of the season in 10-12 knots, with the deep and forward positioned rudder giving plenty of control and lovely direct steering.

The three cabin interior can have one or two heads and different galley options, the cabins are a good size with modest stowage, and it’s all tastefully styled by masters Nauta.

Italia yachts 12.98

At 5ft longer and from the board of Cossutti (who Polli once worked under), the Italia Yachts 12.98 is another cruiser-racer in the same grain as the GS40, but with a markedly different looking white interior. We sailed the ‘Bellissima’ cruising version, which 80% of customers have opted for.

Italia’s yard is now in Fano and its one-shot infused vinylester build looks impressive. However, the deck lacks some refinement and practical stowage, while the three cabin interior isn’t voluminous by today’s standards.

This is a slippery yacht that has a lovely, light feel on the single rudder – the interior styling will be the deal breaker for most.

Solaris Yachts on the other hand has perfected its recipe, tripling its yard size to cater to demand for its sexy Acebal-designed performance yachts.

The Solaris 50 we tested in 2015 and which won this award was arguably the turning point that propelled the brand’s popularity. The owner of the new 50 we tested previously had the original 50 and a 58 and confirms this replacement has nearly the same space as the 58, yet is faster, more powerful and stable than its predecessor (we easily matched 7-8 knot winds under gennaker).

It heels onto its chine and accelerates well, while twin rudders provide ample control. The design prioritises helming experience but the yard needs to come up with a better helm seat option. The interior is well executed, especially the spacious forward owner’s cabin.

The Elan E6 is a big 47-footer, high and beamy and one that leans more towards spirited cruising with generous accommodation over racing. That said, extensive options allow you to tailor it either way, including foam cored furniture and a taller carbon mast for those looking for extra oomph.

It’s a fine collaboration between Humphreys Yacht Design, Gurit, Pininfarina and Elan, while an impressive standard spec includes a carbon sprit and six winches.

The E6 is fun to sail at various angles and gives a nice, sporty feel on the helm – it likes to heel but has plenty of grip and tracks well.

The cockpit is deep and comfortable, with good optional protection and there’s ample deck stowage. A really smart three (or four) cabin interior shows a high standard of construction, finish and styling. It is bulky and you pay for the size in weight, but it looks good and Elan knows how to build a great boat for the price.

Best performance yachts 2022

Winner best performance yachts 2022 – jpk 39fc.

Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined the modern performance cruiser: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39 is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infused construction and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed had plenty of stowage too.

It looks different, behaves beautifully and stands up to its canvas, is designed to sail efficiently with a loaded displacement, and has a deck set-up to encourage you to trim it to your heart’s content. My only slight negative is the unnerving mess the cockpit can become as there are so many control lines.

This lightweight blast will best suit experienced sailors and those comfortable with short-handed sailing. And it guarantees smiles.

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One such sports catamaran is the IC36, an exciting first offering from a new Czech brand that’s packed with fresh thinking. The first turbo version of this cruising catamaran (Independence) is built using a carbon fibre crossbeam, bowsprit, boards and rudders, epoxy hulls, plus a custom Pauger rotating mast, which all serve to keep weight below three tonnes.

It provided some spirited sailing, particularly when fetching at a measured pace of 10-13.5 knots with the code 0. The direct feel of tiller steering while seated in the low rotating bucket seats was a highlight.

The finish quality in the hulls is first class and there is somehow space for up to eight berths. The coachroof features a retractable bimini and removable vinyl side panels and solar panels, while the cockpit table, which includes an exterior galley, is also removable.

In fact the IC36 can be dismantled to 2.55m beam to make it legally trailable. It has so many options and ideas – too many perhaps – all reflected in the price.

Monohull enthusiasts will share our congratulations to J-Boats for its elegant new flagship. The J/45 won the hearts of the jury and made for a long drawn out decision against the JPK. In the end the two yachts will appeal to different sailors and tastes.

J has stayed true to its roots, yet still managed to bring a current, classy new offering. The unmistakable Alan Johnstone lines have been paired with a contemporary, warm European interior designed by Isabelle Racopeau, while much focus has been paid to the joinerwork and the invisible quality. We saw the two cabin version, which has an excellent technical cabin in place of the second aft cabin.

The J/45 is designed to still perform when loaded with cruising gear. True to J’s reputation, it was a witch upwind and could outpoint anything else during our trials. The compromise is that it won’t plane easily like a JPK or Pogo.

The Solaris 40 is another looker from Soto Acebal and the blue steel metallic hull colour of the test boat made the powerful hull shape really stand out.

We liked the recessed traveller, direct steering to the twin rudders, neat folding helm seats, clutches integrated into the coamings and the easy access to the side decks. However, the jury found the cockpit with its short benches and deck design a little too flat and minimalist.

The interior is smart and contemporary, again offered with two or three cabins with two heads it makes good use of the space.

One of the yachts I was looking forward to sailing most was the Pogo 44, and the only one shortlisted that I didn’t manage to! A collision with the photographer’s RIB shortly before my scheduled trial put it out of action.

However, my colleague Rupert Holmes did a full Pogo 44 test and report on it for Yachting World and describes the 44 as designed to thrill and unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size. The stability from the beamy hull and deep lifting keel combines brilliantly with the ability to sail fast easily and in comfort. However some jury members didn’t like having to rely on an autopilot to use winches.

The interior is like a loft apartment, with so much natural light – it’s minimalist yet comfortable, spacious and practical for cruising.

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Welcome to Performance Yacht Sales, your go-to importer and distributor of the best European grands, including Nautitech Catamarans, Neel Trimarans, and Northman Yachts. We specialize in blue water vessels and offer a wide range of sailing vessels and power yachts, from Monohulls to Multihulls and Trimarans.

Nautitech Catamarans:

As proud representatives of one of the best French multihull brands, Nautitech Catamarans are the sailor’s choice when upgrading to multi-hulls. These true blue water sailing vessels offer unparalleled sailing performance in all weather conditions, making them perfect for the avid sailor of the coastal cruiser.

Neel Trimarans:

Experience the perfect combination of speed and comfort with our remarkable range of Neel Trimarans. As the fastest growing cruising trimaran brand in the world, Neel Trimarans are the perfect choice for those who demand the very best in their sailing adventures. Our qualified and experienced yacht brokers will be happy to explain why Neel Trimarans make sense.

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Over the course of more than a decade, our Northman Yachts journey has evolved into a distinguished shipyard with a global footprint. Northman Yachts, born from a blend of industry expertise, ongoing technological advancements, and the integration of cutting-edge tools, have garnered acclaim across the world. Our commitment to excellence manifested through a relentless pursuit of perfection and a dedicated focus on exceeding customer expectations, has led to a clientele whose satisfaction surpasses even our most ambitious projections

With sales offices in three different locations – Miami, Annapolis, and more – we’re always here to cater to all your yachting needs. Contact us today to learn more about our exceptional collection of sailing vessels and discover why Performance Yacht Sales is the ultimate choice for discerning sailors

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2023 Boat of the Year: Best Performance Cruiser

• By CW Editorial Team
• December 7, 2022

One of two categories with a solid lineup of five nominees, the Performance Cruiser class provided the judges with tremendous sailing and difficult choices. Beneteau, J/Boats and X-Yachts had all delivered winning entries in previous years. This time, price and production—as well as performance—all factored into the final decisions. 

The Lyman-Morse LM46 is an heirloom-quality craft, but it is also a semicustom boat with a seven-figure sticker price, and it will have a limited production run compared with its rivals. Still, the panelists could not ignore its overall excellence . That left four powerful contestants, and the “sail-off” that followed couldn’t have been more pleasurable or rewarding. This division truly lived up to its name, with a roster of performers that lit up under sail. 

Winner: J/Boats, J/45

The Johnstone family business has certainly evolved in the 45 years since the company launched with the J/24, but the common denominator in the boats it has built since then is pretty straightforward: They’re all terrific sailing craft. Over time, J/Boats pivoted from one-design classes to ocean racers and full-fledged cruisers, and all that experience has culminated with this sleek, slick, dual-purpose 45-footer. 

“As expected, this boat sailed beautifully,” judge Ed Sherman says. “Its 75 hp Volvo Penta saildrive gave us ample speed when motoring, and was quiet too. I see this boat as an answer to the hardcore racer who wants to scale back a bit and enjoy cruising with the family in comfort while not sacrificing the performance they’re used to.” 

Fellow judge Mark Pillsbury explains what put the boat over the top in his mind: “During Boat of the Year sea trials, we’re usually accompanied by builders or dealers who tell us what a boat’s intended to do, and we’re left to determine how successfully they hit the mark. In the case of the new J/45 , we got to hear directly from an owner himself, who wanted a boat that he could seriously race with his mates, and then take his family of four young daughters off cruising. After a summer of doing both, the verdict was in: He loved his new J/45. And after our sail, so did we. ‘Rides like it’s on rails,’ I jotted in my notes. ‘Very smooth.’”

Finalist: Beneteau, Beneteau First 36

The French builder’s First line of boats has always been performance-oriented (as opposed to its Oceanis line of dedicated cruisers), and the company has upped the ante since obtaining the Seascape brand and incorporating it into Groupe Beneteau. 

“I reckon First 36 owners are going to be racing more than cruising,” says judge Herb McCormick, who led the charge to give the boat “special recognition” . “It will excel in both club races and doublehanded events, which are becoming more and more popular. But this boat can do both well. It gives you so many options.” 

Sherman concurs: “Another boat offering the racing enthusiast a genuinely viable cruising option. Simple but solid construction and finished to a high standard, this model represented to me what a modern racer/cruiser should be. Equipped with a 30 hp saildrive, it motored along nicely at 8 knots, and this was on a day when we had lots of wave action and over 20 knots of wind at times. This Slovenian-built Beneteau was also a joy to sail.”

Finalist: L30 Class, L30

Our judges were highly impressed with this sweet little trailerable sailboat, which was developed by Ukraine’s most famous sailor, Olympic sailing medalist Rodion Luka, and which is still being produced in the country despite the ongoing conflict. 

Our sea trial, in a stiff 20-plus-knot southerly, was easily one of our week’s wildest. Here’s Pillsbury’s take: “The L30 is an interesting boat with just enough interior accommodations for short cruises or overnights en route to a regatta and back. The boat we sailed was set up for racing, meaning lot of lines to tug to adjust sails. But its retractable keel, cassette rudders and mast stepped on a tabernacle make trailer sailing a definite possibility.”

Finalist: Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding Inc., Lyman-Morse LM46

Our Domestic Boat of the Year is a showstopper on multiple levels, a boat built by the midcoast Maine company that produced the beautiful Seguin line back in the day, of which the LM46 is a worthy successor. 

Sherman peels back the technical layers: “Mastervolt lithium battery power and a 120-amp, high-output, main-engine-driven alternator eliminate the need for an onboard air-conditioning generator. Further enhancing this concept, the engine is connected to a Centek muffler system so that when the engine is running to recharge the batteries, things stay quiet. Our engine motoring tests confirmed this with speeds at over 8 knots with noise decibel levels in the low 70- to 74-decibel range on a 20-knot windy day that generated a lot of ambient noise.”

Finalist: X-Yachts, X-Yachts X4 3

It’s always a memorable year for the BOTY judges when a new X-Yacht is one of the nominees. The Danish builder has left a consistent mark on the proceedings, with multiple victories in its respective classes over the years. 

X-Yachts’ latest versatile offering, Pillsbury says, picks up where previous models left off: “Well, they’ve done it again. The team at X-Yachts has launched another stunning performance cruiser, this one a 43-footer that’s lively under sail and well-thought-through below. Counters have deep fiddles, handholds abound, the deck is uncluttered, and the single rudder delivers smooth-as-butter steering. The X4 3 replaces a popular model of the same size that sold more than 100 boats. I’m guessing that the newest model will give its predecessor a run for its money.” 

View all of the winners by category, meet the judges, and more…

• More: 2023 Boat of the Year , Boat of the Year , performance cruiser , print Jan 2023 , Sailboats
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XPerformance

Sleek, comfortable yachts combining world-class performance and cruising amenities

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Combining a 35-year heritage of performance yacht design and the very latest in contemporary yacht design and build technology, the Xp range is the fourth generation of performance yachts by X-Yachts. The range consists of the Xp 44 and Xp 50.

X-Yachts believe these boats represent the most advanced yachts available in the market today, no other series production yard supplying boats in this size range, offer epoxy infused hulls with carbon hull structure built into a epoxy infused hull-liner. Epoxy infusion is an expensive but superior build technology which creates the lightest possible structure, giving us the ability to offer yachts, which are perhaps slightly lighter, but primarily having a larger proportion of their total displacement deep down in the lead bulb.

Xperformance Range

New External Features

The external appearance of each model of the Xperformance will become refreshed by a few means:

• New Waterline Stripes
• Larger Hull Portlights
• Extended Coachroof Window
• New Pedestals & Instrument Boxes
• New Pushpit/Pullpit and Stanchion Gateway Design
• New Light Grey Side Decks

Xperformance Features

• Vacuum infused epoxy hull construction
• High stability and large sail plan
• Composite, encapsulated lead T-keels with draft options, recessed hull fittings
• Discontinuous rod rigging as standard
• Carbon keel frame structure for strength, safety and reliability

Xp Innovation

The Xp yachts can be highly customised with many exclusive features.

The Xp range is designed to be truly dual-purpose, and each model is offered with both standard aluminium and optional high aspect carbon rigs. The Xp 44 and Xp 50 are also offered with a T-bulb keel in either standard or deep draught.

The X-Yachts steel keel frame has been updated with a new carbon/composite structure which gives an improved strength to weight ratio for hull impact resilience and rig stability with a lighter overall weight.

Asymmetric headsails and under-deck furlers ensure owners can switch simply between short-handed and fully crewed sailing modes. The Xp 44 and Xp 50 feature a choice of four multifunctional bowsprit options for flying asymmetric or ‘Code’ sails and easy anchoring.

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Boat Test: New Luxurious Multihull Lagoon 60

Multihull manufacturer lagoon is the world leader in building cruising multihulls. they’ve gone big with their new lagoon 60 as sam jefferson finds out..

Lagoon 60 : Double the pleasure

Lagoon catamarans is without doubt the biggest cruising multihull manufacturer in the world and their yachts are ubiquitous be it in the South Seas or the South Coast of England. The manufacturer states that there are around 7,000 Lagoons bobbing around on the oceans. The secret of their success could probably best pinned on their consistency of purpose; the Bordeaux based manufacturer has never really tried to produce anything other than comfortable cruising catamarans. Sure, they have always looked to improve performance and internal volumes but they have always kept the faith with the idea that they know what they want to produce and they believe that they are in tune with the buying public. The results speak for themselves; nobody is ever going to win races in a Lagoon but they will always have a comfortable platform for cruising adventures and the fact that you find Lagoons the world over suggests that the boats are tried and tested in quite extreme conditions. 

Having said that Lagoon has always displayed a consistency of purpose is true but its also fair to say that they have diversified slightly in recent years. The introduction of the spin off Excess range of slightly more sporty cruising cats spoke of a desire to diversify slightly. Meanwhile, the launch of the Lagoon Sixty 5 and Seventy 7, big cats aimed squarely at a slightly more bling audience than smaller models, also pointed to a desire to move into a new market, one remove from their previous flagship, the Lagoon 55. The 60, which replaces their bestselling 620, is a clear attempt to bridge the gap between the 55 and the Sixty 5 and there is plenty of evidence that they have looked to take the best aspects of both these boats and fuse them in the new 60. This is a yacht that shares plenty of styling and design characteristics with the 55 and its smaller sister the 51 yet, once aboard, I definitely felt that it shared a lot with the luxurious Sixty 5 when it came to the interior space. 

So who is the boat designed for? Well, while the 55 is mainly aimed at cruising couples, Lagoon accepts that the 60 will likely need a full time crew. Sure, the set up is simple enough to sail as an energetic couple but this is a genuinely big boat and that means an awful lot of cleaning if nothing else. The boat is designed by VPLP with Nauta doing the interior. This is a classic team for Lagoon and they rarely make too many mis steps. The design is far from radical and features hulls designed for volume and also taking into consideration that this is a yacht that is likely to be loaded to the gills. Lagoon is realistic enough to know that they are not going for blinding performance with this boat so daggerboards are out of the question and the tulip shaped midship sections ensure that there is big outward flare well above the waterline to boost volume. The boat relies on stub keels which give a draught of 1.6m to give a bit of grip going to windward but she is not going to compete with the Catanas or Outremers of this world – nor is she intended to. Given that this is a yacht that weighs in at 32,000kg it is perhaps no surprise that the sail area is big, with an air draft of 100’ meaning that, even with the flybridge reducing the size of the main somewhat, this is a big rig. As with the 55, the rig is stepped further forward than on earlier models and is fitted with overlapping headsails. Naval architect VPLP says these offer more flexibility and efficiency on a boat of this type than the near ubiquitous non-overlapping jibs of today’s yachts.

Approaching the boat from the water (she was anchored off the port of Fornells in Minorca when I tested her) I was struck by the strong family resemblance with the 55. Stepping aboard though and I felt like I’d moved into an altogether different size bracket. Make no mistake, this is a big boat. Approaching from astern you have wide bathing platforms on the sponsons and two steps up take you to the cockpit. A notable feature is the dinghy/bathing platform which is a massive wood slatted platform that drops down to water level when at anchor and can be submerged to allow the dinghy to float free. At deck level there are two side flaps on both quarters that drop down to give you even more space. This feeling of space is genuinely astonishing by the way – as you can probably imaging given the boat has a beam of 32’. 

One notable feature is that the entire boat from stern to bow features no steps up or down. This was more of a challenge for the designers than you imagine and was a conscious decision based on the idea that they wanted the boat to feel as open as possible. It means you have an unobstructed walkway from the back of the aft cockpit, through the saloon to the forward cockpit. The aft cockpit area is big with an L-shaped sofa and twin tables to port. The drop leaf tables fold out to make one very large single table ideal for dining al fresco. To starboard is another sofa with a fridge at the forward end. There is storage both under the seats and under the deck plus access to the engines. There is also direct access to the owners stateroom from the starboard side of the cockpit via a fancy doorway/hatch made from toughened glass.  

Two steps up takes you onto the side decks which are wide and feature a good handhold on the coach roof. Up at the bow there is a forward cockpit area with loungers and sofas. This is also a pleasant space and there is a door that leads you straight back into the saloon, so access is excellent. The Solid foredeck does not extend right to the bow, which is reserved for two crew cabins to port and starboard of the trampoline. These feature a reasonable amount of space for crew and the port side has an ensuite with shower. 

Heading back into the cockpit and then up to the next level via well proportioned stairs is the flybridge, which is well shaded by a solid bimini. This area is huge, with a work surface, sink and fridge aft and to starboard and l shaped seating area with table to port. The stairs up to this deck are to starboard and the helm is also offset to starboard. Forward of the helm station is a large seating/lounging area with a coffee table in the middle. The solid Bimini has a detachable ladder up to it which gives access to the main and has solar panels on it. There are four giant harken winches with 14 jammers – seven each side – which handle all the running rigging. In addition the buttons for the furling code 0, staysail and Genoa are to port And starboard The helm station is comfortable with a broad seat. 

The saloon is huge and loosely divided into three areas with the galley aft and to port and a small nav station aft to starboard. In fact this galley area is a sink, wine cooler and fridge plus storage space because the actual galley is just aft of this, completely separate, with it’s own entrance in the cockpit. Down here you have a good space for cooking with a huge full height fridge four ring hob and oven plus ample workspace and a small crew dining area. There is an option to expand the galley in the main living area, dispense with the large ‘crew’ galley to starboard and turn this into an extra cabin. This marginally reduces the feeling of space in the saloon but might work better if you had plans to charter the boat out a lot. Staying in the saloon and forward on the port side is a huge seating area with a coffee table in the middle and then a dining area to starboard. It’s all very open with sliding patio doors into the cockpit and a large door leading to the forward cockpit.

Descend to starboard and you are in the owner’s suite. This is huge and very light and spacious. The double bed is athwartships and there is more than enough space to walk either side of the bed and also a desk area forward of this. After is the bathroom which has a totally separate heads and steps aft which, as already mentioned, lead directly onto the aft section of the cockpit. The smoked glass ensures privacy while also letting in masses of natural light. It’s an extraordinary place to take a shower. Staying in the starboard hull and forward of the stateroom –  and completely separate – is a large guest double with ensuite. There’s plentiful room and a good feeling of space.  

Stepping into the port hull and moving forward of the galley which we have already discusse, there is a twin bedroom with fore and aft berths plus  ensuite. Ahead of this there is a double cabin with the bed set athwartships forward of this with the ensuite at the bow. The boat therefore sleeps eight comfortably plus the crew up forward. The overall ambience is very pleasant and the quality of the fit out was impressive. Trite as it may be to say, this is far more spacious and comfortable than many mid sized apartments. 

One thing you can’t do with a mid sized apartment is take it sailing. Something you definitely can do with the Lagoon 60. Conditions in Minorca were somewhat tricky for a boat weighing in at 32 tonnes. The wind was between 5 and 10kn, although the water was relatively flat. Under sail the 60 proved a powerful performer in very light winds and with the Code 0 unfurled we were largely able to match the wind speed up to 7kn. Sail handling was simple but the hydraulic steering was a touch on the notchy side and lacking in feel. I’d just come from a week sailing a tiller steered Jeanneau Selection 37 so this was a hard contrast. Although it’s fair to say that the contrast in comfort aboard was similarly striking. Things have improved a lot in a short time when it comes to hydraulic steering but even so, it lacks a bit of feel and on any long passage you’ll be sticking it on autopilot and simply enjoying the ride. The boat is medium displacement and is designed to sail heavily loaded down so that powerful sail plan is a must and it works well. She’s not massively close winded but she does truck along thanks to that big sail plan. Under power she was very responsive and the addition of bow thrusters meant it was supremely easy to manoeuvre. The Raymarine dock assist system further helped ensure that mooring was truly effortless with six cameras allowing you to see clearly all sides of the boat and their distance relative to the quay. 

Sam’s verdict on the Lagoon 60

At the mid point of the test, we anchored up for a couple of hours and enjoyed lunch and a swim. For all the Lagoon 60’s fine sailing I felt it was this that truly showcased the potential of this yacht; its supremely comfortable and large enough to be both a sociable space but also allow you the space to unwind in a quiet corner. As with all Lagoons, you’re not going to win a Transatlantic race, but you’ll get there without any fuss and once you arrive, you’ll have the most comfortable yacht in the anchorage. 

Comfort: 5/5

Performance: 4/5

Lagoon 60 Specifications

Hull length: 18.27m (59’11”)

Length overall: 19.77m (64’10”)

Beam overall: 9.87m (32’5”)

Naval architect: VPLP Design

Exterior design: Patrick le Quément

Interior design: Nauta Design

Water draft: 1.65 m (5’55”)

Air draft: 30m (98’5”)

Light displacement: 34.6 T (76,293 Lbs)

Sails area upwind: 222 m² (2,389 sq ft)

Genoa: 87 m² (936 sq ft)

Contact: catamarans-lagoon.com

Alternative boats

Fountaine Pajot Samana 59

This Berret Racoupeau design is narrower and lighter than the Lagoon 60 but is clearly designed with comfort in mind – boating the biggest flybridge in her class according to the manufacturers.

catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com

A catamaran that places luxury squarely above performance. This is a big, spacious and very comfortable cat that can easily be optimised for skippered charter. Intriguingly, the 60 is available with electric motors as standard, which is a real revolutionary touch.

sunreef-catamrans.com

Privilege Signature 580

Privilege edges closer to the performance market, offering an interesting compromise between luxury and speed. This Marc Lombard design is lighter and marginally narrower than the 60. 

privilege-marine.com

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