Design and Construction
CNB Marine built the 470 in Bordeaux using vacuum bagging and resin-infusion molding with vinylester resin, a high-end practice for the era that Cruising World credited as central to laminate quality anchor. The deck edge is left uncored, and the hull-to-deck overlap is bonded with Sikaflex and mechanically secured with stainless-steel compression rivets, a robust joint detail. The deckhouse carries a vertical leading edge combined with 14 windows that the designers used to improve visibility and reduce the greenhouse effect; the builder stated that extra reinforcement sits in the vertical members between each window and that the glazing is held by a high-tech adhesive sealant. The hull itself is rated for intentional and unintentional beaching, and CNB built the boat to ISO standards for Category A certification.
Rig and Handling
The 470 carries a no-nonsense double-headsail fractional sloop rig under a mast that stands 69 feet above the water. The working sail plan measures 1,292 square feet including the genoa, with an 807-square-foot mainsail that a medium crew can reef and handle without drama. A traveler runs across nearly the full beam, and the single helm is set to port, a location Cruising World found worked well. Small keels supply the lateral plane that lessened leeway and sharpened pointing, though without deep daggerboards she does not climb to weather like board-equipped cats. Twin naturally aspirated Yanmars with saildrives are standard at 40 horsepower and will push her to hull speed in calm conditions; 56-horsepower Yanmars were offered as an option to bridge the gap.
Accommodations
The charter layout is a four-bedroom, four-bath arrangement with a roomy bridgedeck saloon: a spacious galley to port and an elliptical starboard settee around a table that seats eight. Two personal-use layouts were offered, one galley-down and one galley-up similar to the charter version. Every layout includes a forward-facing chart table with space for electronics and chart stowage, and an efficient davit arrangement astern handles a decent-sized RIB. Tankage totals 158 gallons of water, 126 gallons of fuel, and a 15-gallon holding tank that Cruising World noted meets only the letter of the law.
Known Issues
The period review does not document structural defects, but the builder’s own comments point to where survey attention belongs: the window surrounds rely on adhesive sealant and added reinforcement rather than structural framing, so any failure of that sealant is the weak point of an otherwise robust deckhouse. Saildrive installations on the twin Yanmars are another area where seal integrity matters, given the through-hull nature of the legs.
Refits and Ownership
The sailed review boat carried a Profurl headsail-furling system, a Lofrans 1,500-watt anchor windlass, an extensive Raymarine electronics package with radar and GPS, and an 11.5-kilowatt Onan generator with a Mastervolt inverter backing refrigeration. Those systems describe the energy and ground-tackle stage a well-equipped 470 presents, and they set the baseline for what later owners may have upgraded or renewed.
The Verdict
The Lagoon 470 is a considered second-generation cruiser that trades daggerboard weatherliness for a forgiving, light-displacement platform with a serious builder’s laminate discipline. Its deckhouse visibility and port helm are genuine usability wins, and the layout range covers charter and private use without compromising the forward chart table. The window sealing and saildrive maintenance are the recurring ownership watch-items.
Pros
- Infusion-built vinylester laminate with riveted hull/deck joint and uncored deck edge
- Beam-wide traveler and manageable 807-square-foot mainsail
- Four-cabin charter or two private layouts with forward-facing nav station
- Category A certification and beaching-capable hull
Cons
- No deep daggerboards; limited upwind climb compared with board cats
- Window sealant and saildrive seals are latent failure points
- 15-gallon holding tank meets only minimum compliance
