Lagoon, the specialist catamaran builder now number 1 in the world (after stealing the spot from Fountaine Pajot), introduced the fashion for helm stations on the fly. It was with the launch of the Lagoon 440 model that this layout was introduced.
The main advantage is that all manoeuvring (and ropes) are deported to the deckhouse, freeing up the "pleasure" area in the cockpit below. What's more, the helmsman's position "on the roof" gives him an unobstructed view of his bows and the sail plan. What a pleasure? Except for the windage, which becomes very important, and also for the sail plan, which has to climb up into the sky to avoid hitting the crew's heads.
When this model was launched in 2004 (the 2 photos above were taken during the first trials), competitors had no shortage of arguments against this helm position.
It's amusing to note today, some 10 years later, that shipyards like Fountaine Pajot are coming to this position of high bar, admittedly on their big Ipanema 58 and Victoria 67 models.
Ironically, Lagoon is now lowering its helm station in a version called SportTop.
This means that the next Lagoon 450 and Lagoon 52 will benefit from a choice - the previous version with the flybridge helm station remains in the âeuros catalog - of a helm station located just behind the deckhouse and accessible from the cockpit.
To justify these changes, Lagoon explains commercially that these Sportop versions are intended for smaller crews, who need quick access to the helm station. It's also worth noting that in this version, the shipyard advertises "a lowered rig for greater stability with the same sail area." Exactly the criticism levelled at them by the competition at the time...
And since only fools change their minds, let's take a positive note of this design evolution at the Lagoon shipyard, which provides an intelligent solution with a sense of seafaring that, for once, doesn't just listen to commercial sirens.
