Design and Construction
The hull form is honest about what the 570 is: a spacious, seaworthy cruiser rather than a performance machine. Hull entries are blunt and the swim steps astern stretch the waterline length to 52 feet, giving the boat a displacement that hovers above 33,000 pounds at light ship. The hulls are balsa-cored, vacuum-bagged laminates using vinylester resin throughout, with carbon fiber reinforcing high-load and impact areas — a meaningful specification that reflects CNB's heritage building composite Frers-designed yachts well north of 100 feet. Deck gear is backed with epoxy-coated marine plywood rather than bare laminate. Each hull carries a stub keel for directional stability, bringing draft to four feet, seven inches. CNB's molded nonskid is intricate and offers genuinely good footing on the wide side decks. Bridgedeck clearance is high enough that choppy seas do not slap underneath on a 57-foot cat, a meaningful comfort advantage offshore.
The signature visual detail — the cabin top ringed with small vertical windows — is more than aesthetic. Their upright orientation delivers maximum visibility from the main saloon while cutting some of the heat from a midday tropical sun. Under load, however, torsional stresses through that window area are audible and perceptible, a characteristic to note when surveying older hulls.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The 570 is fractionally rigged with an aluminum mast, double swept-back spreaders, and a luff track fitted with rolling slides for the 1,119-square-foot full-batten main. Sail area totals more than 2,000 square feet across the furling genoa, staysail, and main, with an air draft of 80 feet. Lazy jacks are standard and essentially necessary to manage the mainsail.
On the water the boat performs well within the comfort brief. At 50 degrees apparent with 12 knots of wind the boat held 9 knots with a light, balanced helm. The 570 reaches at around 8 knots in 10 knots true wind and easily exceeds 10 knots in a 20-knot breeze. The skipper confirmed pushing more than 20 knots on an Atlantic crossing — a reminder that the blunt bows are no barrier to ocean miles. Tacking requires patience: coming through the wind is slower than on a monohull and works best with a brief backing of the headsail, though the rapid acceleration out of the tack compensates. First reef comes in around 20 knots. The mainsheet traveler sits aft of the cockpit with a 4-to-1 purchase, and a pair of Harken 48.2 ST winches handle the traveler and mainsheet at the cockpit centerline; primary genoa sheets run to Harken 56.2 STs, with an electric winch upgrade popular among owners.
Cockpit and Deck
The 570's most celebrated feature is the seamless transition between cockpit and saloon created by companionway doors that form an inverted L and slide completely clear — a concept pioneered on the Lagoon 57 but refined here into something genuinely special at anchor in the tropics or underway with guests. The cockpit accommodates as many people as you would ever want aboard, with a teak sole, closed-cell foam cushions, a large folding teak table, and seven storage compartments including four large aft lockers.
The dual steering stations are positioned aft and outboard but still protected under the bimini — a sensible compromise between the bulkhead-mounted wheels of some competitors and the fully exposed helm stations at hull ends. Both stations carry sailing instruments and a compass, though engine controls are standard to starboard only and adding the port-side option is worth doing given the 30-foot beam in close quarters. The view from the helm is not without compromise: the cabin top obscures part of the view directly forward, leaving the helmsperson alternating between looking over and through the cabin.
Under power the twin 56-horsepower Yanmar saildrives handle maneuvering with ease, with engines mounted well outboard and minimal underwater drag. Optional powerplants up to 100 horsepower per hull are available. Fuel capacity of 200 gallons translates to a range exceeding 500 miles under power.
Accommodations
The saloon is genuinely exceptional. Placing the galley down in the port hull gangway frees the main saloon entirely — a circular table to port seats six, an L-shaped starboard settee wraps a teak coffee table, and the forward-facing nav station enjoys an unobstructed view ahead and through the cockpit aft. Joinerwork is teak throughout, with a light PVC-foam-backed headliner that keeps the atmosphere airy. Four bridge ports and multiple deck hatches provide ventilation. Noise under power in the saloon measured in the mid-80s decibels at 8 knots and 2,700 rpm — moderate for a catamaran of this size. The galley carries two stainless sinks, a four-burner stove with oven, and a full stand-up refrigerator and freezer.
Lagoon offers four interior configurations. The owner's version dedicates the entire starboard hull to a large cabin with sitting area, desk, multiple hanging lockers, and a private head with shower; the port side splits into two private double cabins each with a head. The charter version delivers five double cabins and five heads. Standard water capacity is 234 gallons across two tanks; a watermaker is effectively required to keep multiple showers running. Bunk storage is in drawers rather than under heavy cushions, a practical improvement over many competitors of the era.
Known Characteristics and Shorthanding
The 570 is not built around a shorthanded crew. Several ergonomic realities demand attention. Mainsheet and genoa-sheet controls are a long reach from the helm, which matters at sea when short-tacking or sheet-trimming while steering alone. Emergency tillers must be set up independently on each hull, requiring one person per station — a practical limitation in an emergency that underscores the value of keeping the twin engines in good working order. Access to the engines is via a locker on the top stern step, which is convenient in settled weather and awkward in a seaway. Deck hatches are numerous and are the primary navigation hazard on the side decks. Stanchion height is modest, limiting the effectiveness of the double lifelines. Buyers considering world cruising with a small family crew should budget for electric winch upgrades and careful offshore watch scheduling.
The Verdict
The Lagoon 570 is what it set out to be: a world-class yacht ready for a world-class cruise. CNB's composite construction is thorough, the cockpit-saloon integration remains one of the best expressions of living space on a production cruising catamaran, and the sailing performance — balanced helm, strong reaching speeds, ocean-capable range — lives up to the brief. Its compromises are honest ones: this is a heavy, high-freeboard cruising platform sized for a crew, not a passage-racer, and its ergonomics ask you to staff it accordingly.
Pros
- Vacuum-infused, carbon-reinforced hulls with CNB composite pedigree
- Seamless cockpit-saloon integration with sliding L-doors
- Strong reaching speeds and balanced helm; ocean-proven hull
- Four flexible interior plans from pure owner to five-cabin charter
- Dual protected helm stations with good situational awareness
- High bridgedeck clearance eliminates slamming in chop
Cons
- Sheet controls are a long reach from both helm positions
- Emergency tillers require two people; engine reliability is a safety backstop
- Cabin top partially obstructs forward view from the helm
- Engine access from the stern step is impractical in bad weather
- Stanchions are short for a boat of this displacement and beam
- Shorthanded offshore operation demands electric winch upgrades




