Developed for private ownership or charter service, the 37 is essentially a smaller Lagoon 42. It retains the series’ curving lines and rounded, podlike cabin structure, while subtle sheer in the hulls helps keep this sub-40-foot catamaran from looking overfed. The VPLP office drew the hulls, and production began in the early 1990s. Only 41 boats were built.
Design and Construction
Lagoon gave the 37 a serious composite structure from the outset. The hulls and deck use Baltek end-grain balsa core throughout, sandwiched between hand-laid triaxial glass fiber in vinylester resin. The hull element—including both floats and the bridge deck between them—is laid up essentially in one piece as a monocoque.
The deck and cabin top come from a single mold. At the hull-to-deck joint, an inward flange is chemically bonded with a high-strength, two-part urethane adhesive. Mechanical fasteners at the stanchion bases and deck cleats aren’t part of that primary bond. The compression post anchors to solid ash glassed into the intersection of three structural bulkheads.
The 37 was initially built in the United States by Tillotson Pearson Inc. Composite, one of the precursors of infusion-based composite building. It later entered charter fleets under the Moorings 3700 name.
Rig and Handling
The steering gear is thoughtfully arranged. Small tillers on the rudder stocks connect to a continuous tiller bar beneath the cockpit coaming. At the helm, an Edson pedestal drives a conventional chain connected to a quadrant at the end of the bar.
The rudders have glassed-over, welded stainless webs on solid stainless stocks. Patented Jeanneau bearings use large neoprene donuts to absorb side loading. Writing in Cruising World, test sailors found that the direct linkage provided good, positive feel and responsiveness under way.
The 54-foot spar carries a high-roach mainsail and an overlapping, roller-furled genoa. The chainplates are secured outboard to heavily glassed knees. At the bows, an aluminum crossbeam is pinned to brackets, allowing the hulls to work slightly without torquing the extrusion. Inboard genoa sheeting and long fin keels provide good tracking to weather.
Performance
With a Displacement/Length ratio of 143, the Lagoon 37 is on the heavy side for a truly performance-optimized multihull. Even so, its sail plan delivers. Cracked off, acceleration is instant. At about 120 degrees in moderate air with the chute up, the boat is stellar.
A Lagoon 37 took third in class on corrected time in the light-air 1993 Marblehead-Halifax race. In really light air, she ran best at about 95 degrees off the wind. In 15 to 25 knots, she could come off to 120 degrees apparent and fly at well over 10 knots.
Two keel configurations were offered. The deep stub-keel version draws 1.24 m and sails closer to the wind than the 0.93 m shallow-draft model.
Accommodations
Below, subdued teak trim and white Formica keep the interior bright and easy to maintain. The saloon occupies virtually the entire nacelle, with an aft-facing U-shaped settee, large cabin-top windows, and two opening overhead hatches.
The standard sleeping arrangement includes two queen-size forward doubles, one in each hull, plus a smaller double aft in the starboard hull. An optional second head can be installed amidships in the starboard hull as a walk-through compartment.
The galley includes a three-burner LPG stove and oven, an over-under freezer/reefer, and twin stainless-steel sinks. The galley and chart table are partly pushed into the middle of the hulls. At the navigation station, there’s a breaker panel, a fold-down chart table, and space for electronics.
Equipment and Systems
Two 18-horsepower Perkins M20 freshwater-cooled diesels sit in generous stern compartments. The starboard engine is reached through a large hatch beneath the aft berth, while the port engine is accessed through a bulkhead opening in the head.
Hot and cold pressure water is standard, supplied through a 12-gallon heater connected to one engine’s heat exchanger. Each hull has an automatic electric bilge pump and a manual pump.
The electrical system includes four 85-amp-hour deep-cycle batteries, with two in each hull. They’re charged by 35-amp alternators, and electrical distribution is handled at the starboard navigation panel.
Verdict
The Lagoon 37 is a thoughtfully engineered small catamaran that punches above its length, thanks to its VPLP hulls, monocoque balsa-core structure, and direct steering. It’s heavier than a pure racer, but in return it offers generous space, charter-grade systems, and surprising light-air speed.
Pros
- Monocoque balsa-core hull and deck with chemically bonded joinery
- Direct Edson steering with patented side-load rudder bearings
- Bright, roomy nacelle saloon and queen-size forward cabins
- Strong light-air and downwind performance, backed by a documented race result
Cons
- A D/L ratio of 143 limits its pace compared with performance-focused multihulls
- The shallow-draft version is weaker upwind than the deep-keel model
- The port engine can be accessed only through the head bulkhead
