Design and Construction
The resin-infused shell is solid fiberglass below the waterline. Above it, the 560 uses a balsa core with multidirectional roving to maintain strength while limiting weight; balsa is used only in the topsides and deck to save weight. In short, below the waterline, the rule is solid glass. Isophthalic/NPG gelcoat and vinylester resin help resist blister formation.
Longitudinal chines run along the hulls, while Lagoon’s gull-wing bridgedeck shape is intended to mitigate slamming—a problem all catamarans face to some extent. Vertical saloon windows give the 560 its distinctive appearance and provide 360-degree visibility from inside.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The 560 carries a three-headstay rig and a Park Avenue carbon boom. The optional square-top mainsail measures 1,356 square feet, while the furling genoa covers 871 square feet. An optional Code 0 adds 1,506 square feet.
All lines lead to Harken electric winches on either side of the flybridge, close to a large Carbonautica carbon-fiber wheel, making sail handling easy. Despite displacing close to 70,000 pounds, the boat remains very maneuverable.
During a test on Biscayne Bay, sailors hoisted the huge square-top main and unfurled the genoa. The 560 accelerated to 4.2 knots in 6.5 knots of true wind. With a giant gennaker set at a true wind angle of 75 degrees, the twin hulls sliced cleanly through slight chop while moving almost as fast as the wind.
Accommodations
The three-level interior comes in voluminous four- or five-cabin layouts, with as many as five entirely private cabins. Lagoon offered either a lateral or central galley. In the lateral arrangement, the L-shaped galley to starboard has a four-burner propane stovetop above a large separate oven, plus a double sink and dishwasher aft. An island counter contains a small refrigerator and a flat-screen television.
To port, a dinette seats eight around a table that folds down to coffee-table height. A wide centerline sliding door opens the saloon to the cockpit, while a small forward navigation station provides all-around visibility.
In the starboard hull, a sole-to-ceiling wine rack stands beside a full-size refrigerator/freezer. Farther along is the master cabin, with an athwartships queen berth and inboard hanging lockers; its head is forward and outboard.
The aft VIP cabin in the port hull is accessible only from the cockpit and has a fore-and-aft queen berth. The port forward cabin is larger still and closes off with a sliding pocket door. In the five-cabin version, upper and lower single berths and another head occupy the space between the two port cabins.
Outside, the 560 provides three separate social areas: the cockpit, the aft sundeck, and the flybridge. On the flybridge, the skipper’s area is forward and a sunbathing pad is aft.
Power and Systems
The builder lists twin 110-horsepower engines. Period reviews, meanwhile, describe standard 75-horsepower Yanmar saildrives and optional 110-horsepower Yanmars with conventional shafts and three-blade Flexofold propellers.
Owners report roughly 6.5 to 7 knots at 2,000 rpm on one engine, burning about 1.3 gallons per hour and giving a range under power of more than 1,700 miles. With both engines running at 2,200 rpm, the boat delivered nearly 8 knots.
The 560 can also be operated from inside using joystick steering, autopilot, and throttles. LED fixtures throughout the boat place relatively little demand on the 420 amp-hour house bank.
The Verdict
The Lagoon 560 is a thoroughly modern cruising catamaran that exchanges the spartan ethos of earlier generations for residential comfort and easy handling. VPLP’s hull and rig, paired with Nauta’s interior architecture, produce a boat that feels larger than its length and handles with surprising nimbleness for a displacement close to 70,000 pounds.
Pros
- Three-level layout with as many as five genuinely private cabins and a megayacht feel
- Gull-wing bridgedeck to mitigate slamming, plus a solid-glass lower hull and materials selected for blister resistance
- Easy sail handling through flybridge electric winches, with full control also available inside
- Strong light-air performance under gennaker and long single-engine range under power
Cons
- Flybridge helm is somewhat exposed in heavy weather
- Displacement close to 70,000 pounds limits spontaneity in light wind without engine assistance
- Aft VIP cabin is accessible only from the cockpit, reducing privacy from the main companionway
