Hull Design and Construction
Lagoon's construction approach for the Sixty 5 follows the formula established across the nine-model range: balsa-cored laminate in both hull and deck, with polyester and vinylester incorporated into the layup. The hulls themselves received meaningful refinement during development — the aft third of the hulls, rudders, and keels were reworked, and the draft was deepened by roughly 40 centimeters compared to the power model on which the sailing version is based. The result is a displacement hull of just over 39 metric tons that spans a 10-meter beam, giving the boat a planted, stable character at rest and underway. Teak decks are a classy touch not usually encountered on a catamaran at this size, adding to the yacht's superyacht-adjacent feel rather than the production-boat pragmatism common lower in the range.
Flybridge and Deck Layout
The defining feature of the Sixty 5 is the flybridge, and it is worth dwelling on what distinguishes this one from the category in general. Twin helms with comfy, upholstered bench seating, engine controls, and chart plotters flank a quartet of Harken winches, all sheltered beneath a solid overhead Bimini. Sail trim is managed via a continuous-line traveler also led to those winches, so virtually all sail handling can be executed without leaving the elevated station. A topside galley with a fridge, sink, ice maker, and Kenyon grill — with enough seating to run a waterborne cafe — makes the flybridge a self-contained social hub. Below it, a secondary indoor helm station in the saloon, controlled by the B&G autopilot, means that course adjustments rarely require a trip aloft at all. At sea level, a cool forward cockpit for lounging contrasts with an aft cockpit built around seating and dining, while the integrated bowsprit enables a triple-headsail arrangement for easily shifting gears across a wide wind range.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Sixty 5's rig is imposing: a full-batten mainsail of 168 square meters pairs with a 102-square-meter genoa on a roller furler, with an optional 150-square-meter code zero for light air. That upwind sail area of 272 square meters is carried on a hull that demands a thoughtful approach to sail handling, but the flybridge layout centralizes that workload effectively. During a test sail in light conditions, a solid 5 knots under the code zero in just 7 knots of wind demonstrated the hull's efficiency. Test boats have been upgraded to twin 195 hp diesels coupled with Flexofold props, improving motoring efficiency and reversing performance. Lagoon's naval architects also worked the underbody carefully: the deeper keel geometry relative to the power model improves upwind authority without compromising the cat's ability to enter shallow anchorages.
Accommodations and Interior
Nauta Design holds the interior brief, and the execution reflects that pedigree. Buyers can configure the Sixty 5 with four, five, or six staterooms, and the galley can be positioned either up in the saloon or down in the hull, depending on owner preference and crew arrangements. The woodwork and upholstery run through elegant, refined finishes in Alpi wood across multiple style options, and the owner's staterooms, in particular, are sumptuous. Water tank capacity of 1,000 liters and fuel capacity of 1,300 liters underpin extended passages, and a pair of gensets — one addressing house loads, a second dedicated to individual air-conditioning units scattered throughout — ensures self-sufficiency in anchorages where shore power is unavailable. Berth capacity runs from 8 to 16 persons depending on configuration, and nearly all owners employ a hired captain and chef and mate, who have their own dedicated quarters aboard.
Ownership Model and Management
All Sixty 5s built have gone to private owners rather than charter companies — a distinction that shapes the boat's specification and condition profile significantly. However, many owners offset expenses by offering their boats with full crews for a portion of the year, a business model borrowed from the superyacht world. This arrangement places the Sixty 5 in an interesting middle ground: privately specified and finished, but operated with the regularity and professional maintenance that short charter stints demand. The CE approval rating covers 14 persons in offshore Category A conditions, which reflects both the boat's structural integrity and the expectation that she will be sailed by competent, professional crews.
The Verdict
The Lagoon Sixty 5 is a genuinely impressive piece of naval architecture that delivers on an ambitious brief: a large cruising catamaran with the comfort and finish of a luxury yacht, capable of extended bluewater passages under professional management. The flybridge concept, which took time to grow on even experienced sailors before revealing its brilliance, is the boat's masterstroke — once you've sailed from that elevated station with 360-degree ocean views, the trade-offs in aesthetics cease to matter. The construction is conventional rather than exotic, and the accommodations reflect Nauta Design at its most polished. The Sixty 5 is not a boat for the solo coastal cruiser; it is a platform designed around professional crew and extended voyaging at the highest level of comfort.
Pros
- Flybridge with centralized sail and engine controls, shelter, and full topside galley
- Flexible 4-6 stateroom configurations with owner-specified galley placement
- Triple-headsail capability via integrated bowsprit
- Teak decks and Nauta Design interiors uncommon in the catamaran segment at this scale
- Large fuel and water tankage for extended offshore passages
- Dedicated crew quarters support professional management
Cons
- Scale demands professional crew; not practical as a couple's boat
- Conventional balsa-cored polyester construction rather than premium composites
- All sail handling centralized aloft on the flybridge — significant climb from deck level in rough conditions
- Light-air test results, while impressive, reflect an undemanding sailing program; heavy-air behavior at 39 tons displacement remains less documented in available sources
