Lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice. Or does it? Lagoon certainly hopes it will. They’ve been trying to replicate the success of their Lagoon 380 for 25 years and in the new Lagoon 38, they may have found the magic formula.
A VPLP design, the Lagoon 38 is the second model in the French builder’s new generation, following the Lagoon 43 that launched just last year. The new design conjures up generously proportioned living spaces in modest specifications. She follows her big sister’s layout both on deck and inside, and it seems every inch has been leveraged and pressed into service.
The complete departure from previous design efforts makes the Lagoon 38 look and live like a 42-footer. First, there are plenty of plush relaxation spaces. A cushioned mini-lounge was added to the foredeck behind the trampoline, which is asymmetrical, bifurcated by the composite longeron that runs the anchor chain from the crossbeam back to the windlass. Another sunbed was added to the Bimini so guests can keep the skipper company and yet another is at deck level on the port side of the cockpit.
A three-panel glass door separates the cockpit from the salon and tucks up ahead of and below the helm. When open, it joins the two living spaces in an impressive and dramatic manner. The continuity and flow from inside out is this model’s best feature, adding a feeling of vastness that’s not expected in 38 feet. The cockpit dinette to port is completed by a movable bench that can face in or out for on-the-spot layout changes. A wide fixed transom seat is just ahead of the davits and a bench seat is to starboard. That last one makes a perfect place from where to watch the kids playing in the water.
The bulkhead helm is on starboard and has enough room for a driver and a line handler to work simultaneously. Most of the controls are led here and with only one winch for all the lines, the jammer arrays will be put to the test. A 12-inch Raymarine HybridTouch display, an instrument pod, and the autopilot are front and center, and an optimistic sheet bag is inboard at knee level, but it’s too small to handle all the spaghetti when sailing. The main sheet on the Bimini is double-ended so there’s no traveler, which may not be missed by casual cruisers.
A two-rung ladder leads from the helm up to the Bimini, but without good handholds nearby it’s not easy to use especially with the boat moving. Four solar panels are embedded into the rooftop, and when combined with the three larger panels on the davits, there are 1,420 watts of optional power to top up batteries.
Handholds along the coachroof are adequate although two more could be added forward. The swim platforms are wide and protrude aft of the hull sides, so stepping on and off from a side dock is easy, especially with help from the solid outboard handrail. It seems exterior designer Patrick Le Quement resorted to sorcery when creating such appealing and practical styling.
Salon seating runs along the port side and out to the cockpit while the galley arrangement spreads mostly across the forward bulkhead beneath the front windows. That’s a change from traditional corner dinettes and aft galleys. In this arrangement, the Lagoon 38 copies her big sister but the results are an even better use of space here. A three-burner Eno propane stove and oven as well as floor-to-ceiling refrigeration is on starboard. The openness of the interior achieved by this layout really adds to the overall livability for both charter and private cruising applications. And just when it couldn’t get better, Lagoon added UV filtration as a standard feature on all their designs so tank water is potable and plastic bottles don’t need to find their way aboard.
The Lagoon 38 is offered with three or four cabins and two heads. In the owner’s version, the stateroom takes over the entire port hull with the bed forward and a colossal head and shower aft. This switch first appeared on the Lagoon 43 with the goal of moving the sleeping quarters away from noisy engines as well as loud dock traffic in a marina. It’s a tradeoff because in this layout, owners may hear the chain shuffling along the bottom as the boat shifts position in an anchorage.
To starboard are two double cabins with a shared head and a shower stall, and this one-head configuration is a more civilized approach than trying to fit in two tiny wet heads. About half of the Lagoon 38s will go into charter with four cabins and two heads. A charter skipper wishing not to be overwhelmed by a large vessel, will find this boat’s size manageable and still able to deliver an excellent vacation platform for up to eight guests.
I sailed the Lagoon 38 on a gusty Chesapeake Bay day with 16-18 knots of true wind that had us slipping along at 7.2 knots on a beam reach. Pointing up to 50 degrees apparent wind angle, we dropped to 6.5 knots sailing with the square-top main and a self-tacking jib, which is pretty good for a multihull. We didn’t reef and frankly, at just 237 square feet, the jib reefs are more of a suggestion than a necessity. The sail area is 836 square feet so a Code 0 is an absolute must for versatility and performance. Unfortunately, we didn’t have one on the sea trial.
Visibility from the helm is good in all directions including to the aft port corner, and line handling is simple and intuitive. She does hobby horse some but with a tall rig and short waterline, that’s to be expected. Tacks are quick and the helm is light.
Twin 29-hp Yanmar diesels with Saildrives are standard and the only choice of propulsion. They deliver six knots at cruising speed. Tankage overall is a bit light with 106 gallons of fuel and only 79 gallons of water so a water maker would be a good addition for extended cruising.
The Lagoon 380 sold over 1,000 hulls and had a devoted following for decades. Nothing has come close to her appeal in the compact multihull cruiser space since, but this may be the turning point. The base price of the Lagoon 38 is $628,500 but with taxes, delivery, commissioning and extras, that number will climb and bump up against the price of the Lagoon 43. Will buyers step up to the larger model or will the compact Lagoon 38 hold their interest? Only time will tell but so far, the baby of the family has demonstrated all the ways that a small boat can be big, so her future seems bright indeed.
This article was originally published in the March 2026 issue.
