Rather than adding a "sport" range, which might have seemed antinomic as Lagoon catamarans are so focused on comfort and space, the French group Bénéteau preferred to create a new brand. This has allowed the introduction of a very different stylistic entity and above all one that is more in line with the services aimed at seducing a younger, sportier and trendy clientele with a desire for strong sensations and intense pleasure.
A well thought-out marketing plan
As Lagoon's shares were already optimal on the market of habitable catamarans, it was necessary to go in search of a free segment. And the good news is that there is still some left in the multihull universe, as shown in the marketing charts. More fun and seafaring spirit presided over the development, but without banishing a certain comfort and an image in line with current trends. The sail area/displacement ratio as well as the footprint of the livable part of the gondola have been the subject of a millimetre adjustment.
A Lagoon base revisited
Some structural elements such as the lively works of the floats and the bottom of the gondola come from the Lagoon 50's moulds, but the comparison stops there, as everything else has been reviewed. The sides of the hull are more tapered with more rounded portholes, the roof, shorter, flatter and more fluid, gives pride of place to 360° visibility, the cap is optional, and the rejuvenation of the look is palpable at all levels. Grey gelcoat decorated with drawings on the hulls, contrasting grey and orange hues on the sails, tips, exterior upholstery, designer and folding helm seats, mini bimini on the helm stations repositioned at the rear of the floats. The sporty/fun look, a little more aggressive, is welcome in the catamaran universe.
A boosted rigging
L' Excess 15 Like the other models of the brand, it benefits from an option that adds horsepower to the sail plan. While the basic version sees its sail area increase only slightly compared to the Lagoon 50 (159.5 instead of 158 m²), the "Pulse Line" rig adds 8.5 m² to the mainsail and 10 m² to the gennaker. This is enough to excite former racers or performance enthusiasts, all the more so as the weight estimate has been revised downwards with 1.8 tons less than the Lagoon of the same size.
