Three design studios shaped this generation: VPLP on naval architecture, Patrick le Quément on exterior styling, and Nauta Design on interiors. Le Quément, better known for his tenure at Renault, brought an automotive sensibility to the topsides — taut lines, sculpted bows, and a pronounced lower chine that maximizes interior volume while reducing wetted surface. The result is a boat that draws attention dockside not because it looks unusual for a catamaran, but because it looks unusually resolved.
Hull Form and Performance Ratios
The 55 measures 54.33 feet on deck with a beam of 29.53 feet and draws only 5.09 feet with twin keels, making shallow anchorages accessible that a comparably sized monohull could not touch. Construction is polyester with a balsa core hull, a well-proven combination for production cruising catamarans that balances stiffness and weight. At 61,068 pounds displacement, the boat is substantial — a displacement-to-length ratio of 175 places it squarely in the light range, and its sail area-to-displacement ratio of 20.19 sits just above the threshold into what is considered relatively high performance, meaning it will move in conditions where heavier cats wallow.
The KSP of 0.65 suggests a cat likely to sail at around 6.5 knots in 10 knots of wind, which aligns with what reviewers observed on the water. In a light-air trial on the Catalan coast with the Code 0 deployed, speeds ranged between 5.5 and 6.5 knots on the beam, and the works crew claimed 8 to 9 knot averages during their European tour. Under power at a cruising rpm of 2,000, GPS readings showed approximately 9 knots, which is respectable for a 27-tonne vessel.
Rig, Sail Plan, and Deck Layout
The fractional sloop rig carries 1,948 square feet of reported sail area with the mast stepped aft in keeping with current trends. Standard power comes from a pair of 80 hp Yanmar 4JH80 diesel saildrives, with the optional upgrade to Nanni 115 hp units. The self-tacking jib has its sheet led to a track on the coachroof just ahead of the mast, keeping the foredeck clear and reducing the crew needed for tacks to essentially zero.
Electric winches handle most of the work aloft. At the flybridge helm, three electric winches manage all sail-control lines except the traveler, which uses its own electric continuous-line system. A bowsprit with an electric furler is fitted for the Code Zero. The rig is genuinely one-person-operable: the mainsail can be hoisted and the self-tacking genoa unfurled by a single crewmember.
One practical note from the Yachting World trial: without the optional second access to the flybridge on the starboard side deck, it is a long way from the helm to the foredeck to set the Code 0. The rigid bimini option also means the boom sits considerably higher, which complicates some maneuvers. These are configuration-dependent limitations rather than fundamental flaws, but worth considering when specifying the boat.
Outdoor Living and Cockpit Arrangement
Lagoon's central design thesis on the 55 is the elimination of barriers between indoor and outdoor space, and nowhere is this more apparent than the aft end of the boat. The mainsheet track has moved to the bimini, freeing the aft beam entirely and converting the cockpit into what reviewers described as a genuine terrace on the sea. The sugarscoop transoms extend beyond the topsides for easier boarding, and when the swim platform is raised it becomes a balcony over the water.
The cockpit below the flybridge holds two tables to starboard that unfold to seat a crowd, plus multiple cushioned lounges facing aft. Forward, a U-shaped seating area on the coachroof is connected to the saloon through an opening center window, so refreshments can be passed out without anyone leaving their seat. The forward cockpit itself has been redesigned — no longer recessed into the foredeck but flush with the trampoline at the same level, which makes the forward deck feel continuous and livable rather than segmented.
Accommodations and Interior
Nauta Design's brief was clearly to produce joinery and atmosphere reminiscent of the Lagoon Sixty 5 and Seventy 7 — a deliberate step up in finish quality that positions this boat at the top of the builder's classic range. Headroom measures 6.89 feet throughout, and natural light reaches deep into the hulls through an abundance of ports and hatches. One reviewer's instinct was simply to write down "elegant" in his notes.
The 55 is offered in four-, five-, and six-stateroom configurations, with galley-up and galley-down options. In the four-cabin version, the owner's stateroom aft in the starboard hull occupies two-thirds of the hull length and includes an en suite; three guest cabins each have their own heads. A crew cabin with its own head and shower can be fitted in the forepeak. All guest berths can be laid athwartships given the hull volume, which is a meaningful comfort advantage over fore-and-aft arrangements on narrower cats. In maximum specification, the 55 can berth 16 people. The L-shaped galley in the saloon is extended by a bar unit, and stowage runs from floor hatches to bookshelves.
Water tankage is 254 gallons and fuel 291 gallons, reasonable for extended passages without reprovisioning.
Known Handling Notes
Steering feel was one area that drew mild criticism. During the Miami sea trial, the helm felt sluggish both under power and under sail, though the reviewer attributed this to the boat having just arrived and likely needing adjustment rather than a design deficiency. The displacement inherent in such volume means the 55 doesn't lend itself to pleasure at the helm in the pure performance sense — this is not a boat that rewards aggressive helming, but rather one designed to be sailed steadily and comfortably over long passages. In light air without the headsail area of the Code Zero, 33 tonnes takes real wind to get moving.
The Verdict
The Lagoon 55 is the definitive expression of what the modern cruising catamaran has become: a seagoing residence with a rig attached, rather than a performance machine that happens to have cabins. Its systems, volumes, and design intent make it entirely appropriate for private owners who keep a professional crew, but it is also well-laid-out for shorthanded sailing by a capable owner-skipper. The electric sail handling, self-tacking jib, and logical traffic flow mean a couple can manage the boat in most conditions without drama. The finish quality from Nauta, the outdoor living logic, and the range of layout options make it adaptable to charter, liveaboard, or long-passage private use. That it is a direct successor to the model that launched the brand in 1987 and already exceeded its predecessor's total production before its official launch says something about how well Lagoon read the market when they designed it.
Pros
- Genuinely shorthanded-capable with electric winches and self-tacking jib
- Outstanding interior volume and finish for the size class
- Multiple cabin configurations accommodate charter, liveaboard, and private use
- Shallow 5-foot draft opens anchorages unavailable to monohulls
- Forward and aft outdoor spaces are genuinely integrated, not afterthoughts
- SA/D above 20 puts it in the relatively high-performance bracket for the displacement class
Cons
- Helm feel reported as sluggish; not a boat that rewards aggressive sailing
- Rigid bimini option raises the boom significantly and complicates some maneuvers
- Without the optional starboard side-deck flybridge access, reaching the foredeck from the helm requires a long detour
- Heavy displacement demands the Code Zero or spinnaker in light air to maintain respectable speeds
- Scale of systems and maintenance load will challenge owners without professional crew
