COMMON BLUE

Catamaran COMMON BLUE

Common Blue is the cleanest, most well-equipped Lagoon 39 Owners Version on the market. When her owner purchased her in 2021, he did so with the mindset that it would be considerably less expensive to replace virtually every system on the boat than purchasing a new boat, including new Yanmar engines and sail drives. In addition, he desired to liveaboard and work off-grid, using solar exclusively rather than having to rely on a noisy and smelly generator for household power, including air conditioning in the cabins. To accomplish that objective, he had top-of-the-line bifacial LG solar panels installed on a rugged aluminum solar array that attaches to the hard bimini and follows its curve, greatly enhancing the look of the boat and providing complete protection from rain and greatly expanding the livable space. Two rigid 485W bifacial Q-Cell solar panels were also installed on the starboard-side helm bimini, an area that, like the solar array, is virtually shade free. (Shading is the enemy of boaters who desire to live off grid, as many people who installed very expensive solar panels on top of their cabin and hard bimini are now discovering.) These fixed panels alone provide 3,120W of reliable, unshaded power (not including additional wattage from the bottoms of the panels) that charges a top-of-the-line Victron lithium battery bank that stores enough power for three days of liberal power consumption (total 41.3kWh). An additional 1,000W of portable bifacial solar panels and 600W of walk-on solar panels are stored in an easy-to-access locker and can be connected to three solar charging outlets that the owner had installed around the boat. To reduce energy consumption—a critical component of living off grid—the owner had high-efficiency 12V Mabru air conditioning units installed in the cabins (see the O’Kellys YouTube video about the Mabru units they had installed on Clarity and why they had them installed). These units, with installation, cost over $15,000. All of these upgrades have enabled the owner to enjoy comfortable off-grid living for the last four years. 

 In addition to off-grid living, the owner wanted a boat that sailed well and had enough space to host a large group of boat-neighbors. To improve Common Blue’s sailing ability, over 2,000 pounds of unneeded weight was removed from the boat and the old, baggy Incidence sails (which virtually all Lagoons have—a major reason they are generally considered slow) were replaced by North 3Di sails. 3Di sails are not only the fastest (and, by far, most expensive) sails available, they are also the most durable and keep their shape throughout their lengthy lifetime. The owner raced sailboats for decades and brought that knowledge to improving Common Blue’s sailing performance. Easy-to-use furling headsails were added, including a Calvert Code 55 and a North Code 75. For downwind sailing, a North asymmetrical spinnaker in a sock is available. (The owner will provide instruction on the use of these sails, in addition to showing her new owners what they need to know to get the most of the boat and the experience, if they’re interested.). All of these additions and changes enable Common Blue to sail extremely well and, for a boat her size, fast. To enable them to host large-ish neighborhood parties, the owner added a sling seat under the solar array that can accommodate three adults and provides a very comfortable area to sit, especially for people who prefer to recline and put their feet up (i.e., a boat “Lazy Boy”) after a long sail.  To permit remote work (and, of course, Netflix), the owner had Starlink professionally installed on the aft port corner of the solar array to permit unobstructed communication with the satellites and avoid solar panel shading.  The starboard forward cabin was converted to a work room and pantry, with a 95L Dometic 12V freezer stored in a custom locker. The boat comes with a full set of portable Milwaukee tools and 18V battery chargers, along with a full set of spare parts for the engine and solar system. Shelving was added to accommodate storage of several months worth of dry goods.  The owner’s cabin has a king size bed, something very few boats have. The head and shower area is large and very well laid out. The guest cabin has a queen size bed and a head with a separate enclosed shower.  Because virtually every system was replaced with new starting in 2021, with most work completed in 2022 and 2023, Common Blue is essentially a near-new, fully appointed boat at a fraction the cost. Over $200,000 was spent on replacements and upgrades to make her this way. (With inflation, it would cost considerably more to get a boat to the level of off-grid functioning and sailing/entertaining ability as Common Blue.)  The owner’s business has grown to the point that remote work is no longer an option, thus the need to put Common Blue on the market. He hopes that her new owners will take him up on his offer to personally familiarize them with the boat and all of its systems, including on-water instruction on the proper use of the sail inventory. He is a former USCG-licensed captain who also taught sailing for many years in Maine. This a boat you can literally get on today and sail away. If your dream includes off-grid living and having fun on a budget, there isn’t a better boat on the market to make that happen.