Lagoon Catamarans has introduced what it says it the first-ever production catamaran furling boom system, redefining the sailing cat experience.

“The project started 12 years ago. We did the first set of prototypes which failed. So, we restarted five and a half years ago with fresh ideas and we started building efficient prototypes three years ago that we’ve been field testing ourselves and with owners since,” says Lagoon desiner Bruno Belmont, the visionary behind the project.

However, it wasn’t a solo endeavour. “We were not alone, we had a big team. Sparcraft was one of the main helpers, and Incidence Sails was also in the team, as well as Facnor,” Belmont says.

What sets Lagoon’s furling boom system apart, he says, is its unique approach. “The furling system could not be a copy of a monohull system because of the horizontal compression of the battens,” Belmont explains.

The catamaran-specific challenge required innovative thinking. A catamaran rig is raked aft due to the design of the sail plan, so the sail cannot run up a standard sail track given the precise angles required relative to the boom when hoisting and lowering.

A catamaran mainsail is also fully battened with a high roach aspect to provide good power to propel the vessel. The engineering in this system has been carefully designed and tested to take all of these factors into account for a smooth and controlled furling operation.

“We wanted the sailor to look at what they’re doing and be capable of reacting in case something went wrong,” Belmont adds.

Joe Fox, TMG Yachts sales manager, was amongst the first to test the first fully equipped vessel in France. “It is evident that this is a really clever setup. It’s simple, easy to use and looks great. This is a real winner and a real game changer. It’s going to be very exciting to deliver these for our Australian clients on the Lagoon 46 and the Lagoon 51,” he says. 

Lagoon Catamarans has the exclusive rights to the new furling boom system, with the factory option available on both the Lagoon 51 and the Lagoon 46 from January 2024.