A heavily upgraded catamaran with lithium power, solar, and a watermaker — ready to slip the dock and keep going.
Some cruising catamarans are built for weekends, and some are built to disappear over the horizon. S/V Hope, a 2017 Lagoon 450 F Owner’s Version currently lying in St. Thomas, is clearly the latter. Walked through by Captain Will Miller of The Multihull Company, this boat has been reworked with the kind of systems upgrades that matter once you leave the marina behind.
A Flybridge Platform, Ready to Sail
At just under 46 feet with a 25-foot beam, the Lagoon 450 remains one of the most successful cruising cats ever built, and the F model’s elevated flybridge is its signature feature. On Hope, a custom hardtop and full enclosure protect the helm, while all-electric Harken winches, upgraded running rigging, and a full B&G electronics suite make short-handed sailing genuinely realistic.
The sail plan is where this boat differentiates itself from a stock 450. A fully battened square-top mainsail adds area and efficiency, the furling genoa handles day-to-day work, and a code zero and screecher wait for lighter air — a proper wardrobe for keeping way on in a wide range of conditions.
Energy Independence, Not Just Upgrades
The electrical system is the headline story. A 1,500 Ah lithium bank is fed by more than 3,400 watts of solar, managed through a 5,000W Victron Quattro inverter and modern charging architecture. A 13.5 kW Cummins generator is aboard when needed, but the point of this build is that it rarely is. Add a Rainman watermaker producing 40 gallons per hour and the practical range of the boat expands considerably.
Propulsion is handled by twin 57 hp Yanmar diesels with SD60 sail drives and Flexofold folding props, showing just under 1,900 hours.
Living Aboard
Inside, the salon is bright and open, with panoramic windows and newly updated dove-beige upholstery. The galley is set up for real cooking underway — three-burner Eno stove and oven, microwave, additional refrigeration, and the usual small appliances. The aft cockpit carries teak underfoot, shaded dining, an ice maker, extra refrigeration, and a grill, all flowing directly from the salon.
As an Owner’s Version, an entire hull is dedicated to the master suite with private head and generous storage. Two guest cabins with their own heads occupy the other hull, and independent air-conditioning units keep every space comfortable.
Navigation, Ground Tackle, and Safety
The nav suite includes dual B&G Zeus 3 chartplotters, radar, AIS, autopilot, and satellite weather. Ground tackle is serious: a 78-pound Rocna anchor, electric windlass, and helm-controlled chain counter. Safety gear includes a Viking life raft, EPIRB, and full emergency kit. A Highfield aluminum RIB with a 25 hp outboard handles shore duty.
Where She Sits in the Market
Hope has had just two private owners and is presented as world-cruise ready. For context, the Lagoon 450 remains an active segment on the brokerage market:
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Solds, last 24 months | 40 |
| Median sold price | $430,000 |
| Median days to sell | ~180 |
| Active listings | 18 |
| Asking range | $249,000–$585,000 |
| Median asking | $460,000 |