Lagoon 51 Review for Caribbean Charter: Layout, Performance & Costs

Lagoon 51 Review for Caribbean Charter: Layout, Performance & Costs

Updated May 2026.

The Lagoon 51 launched in 2024 and within two seasons has become the dominant 50-foot charter cat in the Caribbean fleet. It replaces the long-running Lagoon 50, with a meaningful jump in interior volume, sail wardrobe, and helm ergonomics. This review is the practical version for charterers — what the boat actually does well in trade-wind conditions, where it falls short, what the layouts look like, and the realistic 2026 weekly charter price in the BVI, St Martin, and the Bahamas.

The boat at a glance

Length overall is roughly 51 feet (15.5 m), beam about 27.5 feet (8.4 m), draft 1.5 m. Displacement around 21 tonnes light, closer to 26 fully loaded for charter. The sail wardrobe ships with mainsail and self-tacking jib as standard; charter boats typically add a Code 0 for downwind running. Twin Yanmar 80 hp diesels with sail-drives. Fuel capacity 2 × 530 litres. Water capacity 760 litres standard, with optional water-maker on most charter spec boats. Bridgedeck clearance is generous — the slamming that affected earlier Lagoon hulls in following seas is materially reduced.

Layouts: 4-cabin owner vs 6-cabin charter

Two Lagoon 51 layouts dominate the charter market. The owner-version 4-cabin has the entire port hull as a master cabin — wider double bed, large hanging-locker storage, separate ensuite head and shower. Three guest cabins in the starboard hull plus the saloon area. Sleeps 6-8 in comfort. This is the layout most repeat charterers ask for.

The charter-version 5 or 6-cabin splits the port hull into 2 doubles plus 1-2 small forward “cabins” (often pilot-berth crew cabins on the 6-cabin). Sleeps 10-12. Common on bareboat fleet boats where maximum berth count matters. Family groups of 8-10 typically prefer this layout; groups of 4-6 prefer the owner version for the space.

The flybridge layout sits the helm well above the saloon roof — 360-degree visibility, separate helm seat and lounge area, easy comms with the cockpit. Charter skippers consistently rate the Lagoon 51 helm position as one of the best in the Caribbean fleet.

Performance: how it sails in Caribbean trade winds

Caribbean charter sailing is dominated by 15-22 knot trade winds from the east-northeast. The Lagoon 51 is at home in this band — comfortably 7-9 knots beam-reaching, 8-10 knots downwind under a Code 0, 6-8 knots upwind in 18 knots true. Tack angle is roughly 90 degrees true wind, which is wider than a comparable performance cat (Outremer, HH) but still adequate for the typical Caribbean route — the BVI windward-island chain and the Bahamas Exuma chain are mostly downwind or beam-reach legs.

In squall conditions (frequent in November-December and again in April-May), the Lagoon 51 reefs early — most charter operators recommend the first reef at 22 knots, second at 28. The boat handles 25-30 knot squalls cleanly with second reef and partially-furled jib. Above 30 knots sustained the cat starts to feel busy at the helm; the recommendation is to anchor and wait.

Twin engines give excellent close-quarter handling. The 80 hp Yanmars are oversized for the displacement — the Lagoon 51 backs into a tight stern-to mooring at most Caribbean harbours (Marigot Bay, Soper’s Hole, Cane Garden Bay) with confidence even in a 15-knot crosswind. Bareboat vs crewed Caribbean charter covers when to hire a skipper for first-timers.

Caribbean-specific operational notes

Draft and shallow Caribbean anchorages: at 1.5 m draft, the Lagoon 51 handles the BVI’s shallower north-shore anchorages and the Bahamas’ Exuma cays without issues. Anegada’s notorious reef approach into Setting Point is comfortable on the Lagoon 51 — the marked channel has 2.5-3 m of water at low spring tides. The Bahamas’ Compass Cay area, the Exuma sand flats, and the south-coast Bahamian anchorages all work for the boat.

Fuel range: with 1,060 litres of diesel and the 80 hp twins burning roughly 4-5 l/h each at 6 knots cruising under power, the Lagoon 51 has a theoretical motoring range of around 700 NM. In practice, charter weeks rarely use more than 30-40% of that — most legs are sailed and engines run only for charging and harbour entry. The BVI to St Martin crossing (~95 NM) is comfortably within fuel range with a 50% reserve.

Air-con and battery: the standard Lagoon 51 ships with 4 × 200 Ah lithium house batteries (800 Ah total) plus 800-1,200 W of solar. Most charter boats add a small generator for prolonged air-con run at anchor. In peak Caribbean summer (June-October, off-charter for most cats), AC is essential; in the December-April charter season, opening hatches is usually enough.

Realistic 2026 weekly charter price in the Caribbean

For a Lagoon 51 in mid-March 2026 (peak Caribbean season):

— Bareboat from Tortola, BVI: $19,000-26,000 boat per week.
— Crewed (skipper + chef) from St Martin: $32,000-42,000 boat + 30% APA.
— Bareboat from Marsh Harbour, Bahamas: $18,000-24,000 boat.
— Bareboat from Le Marin, Martinique: $17,500-23,500 boat (slightly cheaper than BVI/St Martin).

The Lagoon 51’s 2026 peak-week rates run 15-25% above the older Lagoon 50 it replaced, reflecting the newer-build premium. Shoulder weeks (December early-month, April late-month) discount 15-25%. Late-season (May-June) discounts of 30-40% on remaining inventory. The full Caribbean cost picture is in Caribbean catamaran charter cost breakdown.

Where the Lagoon 51 falls short

Three honest weaknesses, worth knowing before you book:

Pointing performance: at 90-degree tack angles, the Lagoon 51 isn’t a windward boat. For the upwind BVI return from Anegada to Tortola in 20-knot trade winds, expect 3-4 hours under engine plus partial sail. Crews who care about sailing-first performance should consider the Lagoon Sixty 5, a Bali 5.4, or a performance brand (Outremer 52, HH50).

Bridgedeck slap: while improved over the Lagoon 50, the Lagoon 51 still slaps in following seas above 6-foot wave heights. In typical Caribbean trade-wind conditions (4-foot seas), it’s fine; in winter low-pressure-front days (8-10 foot Atlantic swell entering the BVI from the east), the slap is noticeable.

Galley layout: the U-shape galley is in the starboard hull on the standard layout — walked-through rather than open. Fine for 4-6 person crews; tight for 8-10 person family charters where multiple cooks are working at once. The owner-version layout has a marginally better galley footprint.

Should you book the Lagoon 51?

The verdict, by crew profile:

Family of 6-8 with kids: yes. The owner-version layout is exceptional for families. The trade-wind performance is comfortable, the swim platforms are huge, the bridgedeck slap is a non-issue at typical Caribbean wave heights.

Group of 8-10 friends: yes, in the 5/6-cabin layout. Per-person cost on a fully-crewed charter ($32,000 ÷ 8-10 = $3,200-4,000 per person plus APA) is competitive against any equivalent Caribbean cat.

Couple or 4-person sailing crew: probably no. The boat is over-sized for two; the per-foot charter rate is steep for a couple-only week. Consider a 42-46 foot cat instead.

Performance-sailing-focused crew: no. The Lagoon 51 is a charter platform, not a performance boat. If sailing-first matters, look at the Catana 53 or HH 50.

Booking the Lagoon 51 in 2026

Lagoon 51 inventory at Caribbean charter operators is limited (under 50 boats fleet-wide as of 2026). Peak weeks for owner-version layouts book by October 2025 for the following March; charter-version layouts book through January. Last-minute availability exists but choice narrows. The best time to charter a catamaran in the Caribbean guide covers booking-window timing.

Routes that work well on the Lagoon 51: the standard BVI loop (see 7-day BVI catamaran itinerary), the BVI-to-St Martin crossing, the Bahamas Abacos circuit (see Catamaran charter Bahamas guide), and the Grenada-to-Grenadines route from Le Marin or St George’s (Grenada itinerary).

Frequently asked questions

Is the Lagoon 51 better than the Lagoon 50 it replaced?

Materially yes — the 51 has more interior volume (about 8% larger living space), a better helm position (raised flybridge with separate seat and lounge), updated electronics, and improved bridgedeck clearance. The 50 remains a solid charter cat at lower rates; the 51 is the clear preference for new builds.

How does the Lagoon 51 compare with the Bali 5.4 for Caribbean charter?

The Bali 5.4 has a more open saloon-cockpit interface (the famous Bali “open cabin”), slightly better aft galley layout, and similar sailing performance. The Lagoon 51 has more deck-space and a better flybridge helm. Both work for family or group charters; the choice is preference-driven.

Can the Lagoon 51 handle the Anegada reef approach?

Yes, comfortably. At 1.5 m draft, the Setting Point channel has 1+ m of water under the keel at low spring tide. Standard charter operator Anegada-clearance instructions apply.

Is the Lagoon 51 suitable for first-time bareboat skippers?

Marginally. The boat handles cleanly under twin engines and the helm is well-positioned, but 51 feet of catamaran is a lot of boat to manage in a 15-knot crosswind for a first-time bareboat skipper. Consider a 45-foot cat for a first Caribbean bareboat charter, or hire a skipper for the Lagoon 51 first week.

What’s the per-person cost on a fully-crewed Lagoon 51 in March 2026?

Roughly $3,500-5,000 per person for an 8-person crewed charter (boat + APA + tip), depending on Caribbean origin and exact week. The Caribbean is more expensive than the Mediterranean for crewed charters at this size; the trade-wind sailing experience and the marquee anchorages justify the premium for many charterers.