Lagoon Catamarans is a drastic departure from their humble beginnings in 1984. Now owned by Groupe Beneteau, Lagoon Catamarans came to life out of the world renowned Jeanneau Techniques Avancées (JTA) division of Jeanneau Sailboats.
The JTA Program was launched in 1980, and for almost a decade dominated every form of offshore racing, including the multihull space. It was JTA’s technical knowhow, the latest composite technologies, and experience in offshore racing that led Jeanneau to launch their first Lagoon catamaran in 1984, the Lagoon 55.
The Lagoon 55 was a radical change from the all-out performance Outremer and the cruising-centric catamarans being built by Prout. The Lagoon 55 was both comfortable and fast, a combination not found in sailing catamarans during this era. She was an instant success and helped Lagoon make their mark on the multihull space.
The early 1990’s were hard on the Jeanneau brand, and ultimately all of Jeanneau’s assets were acquired by Groupe Beneteau in 1996. This move saw some of Lagoon’s most iconic models built by the world-renowned Construction Navale Bordeaux (CNB) on the Garrone River.
The 2000’s ushered in a new era for Lagoon catamarans. In 2000 they launched the Lagoon 380, which had more units launched than any other bluewater-capable catamaran in the world. The other big breakthrough design came in the form of the Lagoon 440 in 2004.
Prior to the Lagoon 440 the idea of a flybridge on a catamaran was believed to only be possible on multihulls in the 60ft + range; incorporating a flybridge in the design turned the catamaran world upside down.
Lagoon Catamarans, from their very start as part of the Jeanneau Techniques Avancées to their current stewardship under the Groupe Beneteau banner, has always led the way in multihull design. Today Lagoon is the largest builder of multihulls in the world.
