The Exclusive Caribbean Condo

2004 Lagoon Power 43 — $299,995

When you picture the ultimate Caribbean lifestyle, you imagine waking up in a massive, air-conditioned master bedroom, walking out to a shaded aft deck, and having your morning coffee while anchored in three feet of crystal-clear turquoise water.

But traditional monohull yachts cannot anchor in three feet of water. Their deep, heavy keels force them to stay far offshore, completely missing the magic of the secluded sandbars and private coves.

If you want the living space of a luxury apartment combined with the shallow-water access of a flats boat, you need to look at the early pioneers of the Power Catamaran revolution. And very few boats offer more square footage per foot of length than the Lagoon Power 43.

Built in France, Lagoon designed this boat from the inside out. They completely ignored sleek, aerodynamic sportfish lines and instead built a massive, floating luxury condo on top of two highly efficient catamaran hulls. Because the weight is distributed so widely, it draws under four feet of water, giving you exclusive access to the most pristine anchorages in paradise.

A modern, brand-new 45-foot power cat will easily set you back over $1,200,000.

But sitting right now in North Carolina is this beautifully maintained 2004 Lagoon Power 43. It is listed for an incredible $299,995.

Before you wire the cash and start packing your bags for the islands, you need to understand the reality of maintaining 20-year-old Volvo Penta diesels. If you buy an older power cat without having a mechanic verify the cooling systems, your Caribbean dream could turn into an incredibly expensive nightmare.