Bruno is a brand new (2017) Lagoon 450 F. The Lagoon 450 F hits a sweet spot in terms of size. It is perfect for a family, a couple with guests or a large group of friends, but is still small enough to sail and maintain without a professional captain. The popular Lagoon 450 F replaces Lagoon’s Benchmark 440. Of course, the irreplaceable qualities of the Lagoon 440 have been retained to include: a helm station on the fly bridge accessible from both sides of the cockpit, a forward cockpit, performance under sail and an unbeatable comfort in the saloon and the cabins. Larger and with a bigger sail area, this Lagoon 450 F has 4 cabins and 4 heads, and benefits from important improvements in terms of safety, performance and cruising comfort.
ON DECK The Lagoon 450 F has oodles of deck space, one of the reasons these cats are so popular for chartering. The cockpit is larger than on the 440. It has comfortable seating all around and could easily accommodate a big dockside party. For those who feel lazy, there’s even a large reclining lounge where you could nap or daydream underway. The most noticeable difference between the 440 and the 450 is an inside passage between the cockpit and the flybridge that puts the sailing area in better communication with the passenger area. The two spaces are still distinct, a conscious decision by the builder. COMFORT The saloon on the Lagoon 450 F flows easily into the cockpit, and all the space is bright and open, so you hardly notice whether you are inside or outside. Each hull has two spacious guest cabins, each with a double berth, head and separate shower. The U-shaped galley shows the boat’s French heritage, with plenty of counter space, thoughtful details such as a dish drainer built into a cabinet, and lots of stowage in well designed self-latching drawers and cabinets. A second fridge makes stowing provisions a breeze. The interior decor complements the layout nicely, with light wood and fabrics that create a clean, inviting appearance. It’s not dramatically hyper-modern, but comfortable and contemporary and all in very good taste. UNDER SAIL The Lagoon 450 F preforms well even in light winds. She tacks reliably and moves gently along on all points of sail. The boom is set high above the cabintop to clear the flybridge bimini, but the sheets lead to hand comfortably at the helm station, and an electric winch makes sail setting and trimming easy. Realistically, most skippers will start up the engines in light stuff, but it’s good to know that the boat will, if necessary, keep moving in near-drifting conditions without auxiliary power. POWER PERFORMANCE Bruno is equipped with twin 45-horsepower Yanmar diesels engines fixed props. Close-quarters handling is very good. She will pirouette in her own water with the two engines pushing in opposite directions. The raised flybridge helm station has 360 degrees of perfect visibility making docking easy. |
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