Design and Construction
Exterior styling comes from Patrick le Quément, whose work SAIL Magazine suggested bordered on sorcery for its blend of appeal and practicality, while Nauta Design handled the interior anchor. The solid fiberglass hulls and deck are paired with extended, specially adapted transoms that the manufacturer describes as enabling safe, easy access, and wide swim platforms protrude aft of the hull sides with the help of a solid outboard handrail. A three-panel glass door separates the cockpit from the saloon and tucks up ahead of and below the helm, while a sliding glass door opens to fuse the saloon and cockpit into one continuous living space. The trampoline forward is asymmetrical, split by the composite longeron carrying the anchor chain from the crossbeam back to the windlass. A two-rung ladder leads from the helm up to the Bimini, where a sunbed was added so guests can keep the skipper company.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries 836 square feet of upwind sail area, built around a 599-square-foot optional square-top mainsail or a 540-square-foot full-batten main with roach, paired with a 237-square-foot self-tacking jib. The main sheet runs double-ended on the Bimini with no traveler, simplifying trim from the helm. Testers found the 237-square-foot jib's reefs more of a suggestion than a necessity, and noted that with the square-top main and self-tacking jib they slipped along at 7.2 knots on a beam reach in 16 to 18 knots of true wind, dropping to 6.5 knots when pointing up to 50 degrees apparent. Twin 29-horsepower Yanmar diesels with Saildrives are the only propulsion offered and deliver six knots at cruising speed. A single winch serves all the lines at the helm, which puts the jammer arrays to the test, though the bulkhead helm to starboard has room for a driver and a line handler working at once.
Accommodations
Below, the Lagoon 38 is offered with three or four cabins and two heads. The owner's version dedicates the entire port hull to a stately stateroom with the bed forward and a colossal head and shower aft, while the starboard hull holds two double cabins sharing a head and shower stall. The builder lists berths from six to ten, with a generous saloon described as ideal for gathering family, and the modular layout seats up to ten for dining in a warm atmosphere. Salon seating runs along the port side and out to the cockpit, and the cockpit dinette to port uses a movable bench that can face in or out for on-the-spot changes. A wide fixed transom seat sits just ahead of the davits with a bench to starboard, and a deck-level sunbed occupies the port side of the cockpit. The galley spreads across the forward bulkhead beneath the front windows, with a three-burner Eno propane stove and oven and floor-to-ceiling refrigeration to starboard. A cushioned mini-lounge behind the trampoline and the Bimini sunbed extend the lounging space outdoors.
Known Issues
The record shows no structural defects, osmotic repairs, or systemic failures for this model. The single operational caveat worth flagging comes from the helm layout: with only one winch handling every line, the jammer arrays see heavy reliance, and a buyer should understand that line management is concentrated rather than distributed. Tankage is modest, with 106 gallons of fuel and 79 gallons of water as standard, and an optional 53-gallon freshwater capacity brings some flexibility; the light overall tankage is a design characteristic rather than a fault, but it shapes passage planning.
Refits and Ownership
Lagoon backs the 38 with a seven-year structural warranty, a five-year engine warranty covering Yanmar only, and a three-year general warranty with exclusions. Standard UV filtration on tank water makes it potable without aftermarket treatment. The CE approval spans A:8, B:12, C:16, D:20, confirming the design for the stated categories. Optional equipment such as the 1,420 watts of solar power embedded in the rooftop and davits, the Code 0 for light-air versatility, and the square-top main reflect the kind of owner investment that extends the boat's self-sufficiency.
The Verdict
The Lagoon 38 is a thoughtfully modern cruising catamaran that trades raw speed for livability, with a hull form and interior volume aimed squarely at family and charter comfort. Her concentrated helm ergonomics and modest tankage are the only real compromises, and both are predictable consequences of her market positioning rather than oversights.
Pros
- VPLP hull with Le Quément exterior and Nauta interior from a current-generation Lagoon line
- Continuous saloon-to-cockpit living space via sliding and three-panel glass doors
- Owner's-version port hull stateroom with forward berth and aft head and shower
- Strong solar and optional Code 0 support for self-sufficient cruising
- Seven-year structural and five-year Yanmar engine warranties
Cons
- Single winch at helm concentrates all line handling through jammer arrays
- Standard 106-gallon fuel and 79-gallon water tankage is light for extended use
