Lagoon 55 Sailboats for Sale

The 55 was conceived from the outset as a serious passage-maker dressed in resort-style amenities. VPLP's hull design prioritizes interior volume and a generous 29-foot beam, and the result is a boat that feels more like a floating apartment than a traditional cruising yacht. The flybridge helm, self-tacking jib, and electric sail-handling systems mean a couple can manage the boat offshore, but the sheer scale of systems — twin engines, multiple refrigeration circuits, air conditioning, watermakers — means that deferred maintenance compounds quickly. Buyers should budget generously for first-year ownership costs regardless of asking condition.

Layouts on the Used Market

Charter four-cabin layouts are the more common configuration encountered on the used market, though the five- and six-cabin versions do appear. The four-cabin arrangement places the owner's en-suite stateroom aft in the starboard hull, occupying roughly two-thirds of that hull, with a guest stateroom forward in the same hull; the port hull carries two guest staterooms, each with en-suite heads. A crew cabin with its own head sits in the port forepeak, a feature that appeals equally to private owners carrying a captain and charter operations managing staff. Galley position — up in the nacelle or down in the saloon — varies by configuration, and buyers with strong preferences should confirm the layout before serious negotiation begins. All versions share the same nacelle arrangement, with an L-shaped galley and a generous U-shaped saloon settee.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Used examples are well-equipped across the board. Air conditioning, a watermaker, autopilot, chartplotter, AIS, and a bimini are commonly fitted on virtually every boat encountered, reflecting both the boat's intended use profile and buyer expectations at this level. An inverter is almost always aboard as well, supporting the boat's electronics and refrigeration load at anchor.

Beyond these near-universal items, a meaningful number of boats carry teak decks on the flybridge, cockpit, and transoms — a popular factory option that adds to the yacht's resort feel but introduces long-term maintenance obligations worth evaluating carefully. Radar, a cockpit shower, and hot water systems are frequently seen. A washing machine, often fitted amidships in the port hull, appears on a good share of used examples and is worth confirming if it is a priority. Dinghy davits are a frequent addition for owners who want a rigid inflatable permanently deployed.

The electric winches handling sail-control lines at the flybridge helm, and a sprit-mounted electric furler for a code zero, are both available as factory options and turn up with some regularity on the used market. Buyers shopping for a boat set up for bluewater sailing should look specifically for the code zero and its furling gear, as well as the self-tacking jib system — both are desirable upgrades that not every hull carries. A bow thruster, while a sensible addition on a boat this size, falls in the category of a less universal owner upgrade.

What to Inspect

Because many Lagoon 55s have lived in commercial charter rotations, the inspection calculus differs from a privately owned boat. Charter hulls accumulate engine hours rapidly, cycle their systems constantly, and absorb the wear of rotating crews who may not handle equipment with an owner's care. Establishing the charter history — or absence of it — is the first task, and surveying accordingly.

The hull construction is polyester with a balsa core, which means moisture intrusion in the core is the primary structural concern. A thorough moisture survey of both hulls and the bridgedeck should be non-negotiable. Pay close attention to areas around through-hulls, chainplates, and any deck hardware that has been added or relocated.

The twin saildrive installations deserve dedicated attention. Saildrives on catamarans are more accessible than on monohulls but are still subject to the standard failure modes: saildrive bellows deterioration and galvanic corrosion at the saildrive leg. Confirm that bellows have been replaced on schedule and that sacrificial anodes are current. Twin Yanmar engines are robust workhorses, but hour meters and service logs should be reviewed carefully — particularly on boats with charter backgrounds.

The flybridge-mounted electric winches and the code zero's electric furler represent electrical system load that should be tested under realistic conditions. The steering felt slightly sluggish on early sea trials and reportedly needed adjustment; while this was attributed to pre-show setup, buyers should verify helm response under both power and sail is positive and that any hydraulic steering system is free of leaks and properly bled.

The sugarscoop transoms and aft platforms see heavy use on a charter boat and should be inspected for delamination, stress cracking around hardware, and wear at hinges or swim-ladder fittings. The forward seating area integrated at foredeck level, a design feature on the 55, is exposed to green water on passage and worth a close look at sealant and hardware condition.

Rigging on a boat introduced in 2021 will generally be young, but charter-use boats may have accumulated more cycles than age suggests. Inspect the mast base, standing rigging terminals, and furling gear. The code zero furling system in particular deserves attention if the boat has sailed offshore passages.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Lagoon 55 is a relatively new model with an active used market concentrated in the Mediterranean — France, Spain, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey are all active markets — and North America, particularly Florida and the Caribbean. Inventory tends to be healthy given the model's strong charter adoption, and buyers are unlikely to face a shortage of options, though competition from other serious buyers can be brisk for well-equipped private-owner examples.

Before you commit, confirm:

• Charter history: number of seasons, operator, and maintenance regime
• Moisture survey of both hulls and bridgedeck (balsa core construction)
• Saildrive bellows condition and replacement history
• Engine hours and full service records for both Yanmar units
• Air conditioning system condition (number of units, recent service)
• Watermaker output and membrane age
• Electric winch and furler function under load
• Teak deck condition if fitted (caulking, fastenings, core beneath)
• Galley configuration (up or down) and cabinet of staterooms confirmed against preference
• Code zero and asymmetric spinnaker inventory if bluewater sailing is planned