‘The ideal, perfect, two-up cruising vessel’
Meet Penelope Rose
John Buist bought his first Lagoon in 2008 and along with his loving wife Jill he set off around the world. So in love with the adventures they had enjoyed, they decided to buy a new Lagoon 450F from TMG Yachts and do it all again!
TMG Yachts Managing Director, John Cowpe, recently caught up with sea loving legend John Buist to hear about some of his adventures at sea and to find out why he fell in love with Penelope Rose, the Lagoon 450 flybridge.

We bought our first Lagoon in 2008
“I’ve always loved being on the water. I started out with homemade canoes at the age of five, through to working as a professional fisherman for 30 years and then seven years in the Royal Australian Navy … I don’t know when I haven’t been to sea!
In 2008 we bought our first Lagoon; it was a Lagoon 420 electric. We launched the boat in Les Sables d’Olonne in France and then we sailed around the Med, visiting Spain, Italy, Algeria, Malta, etc.
We then headed back out through the hole to the Canaries and headed for the Caribbean and into the heart of Venezuela, before we set off on the Pacific crossing.”
Why did you choose the 450F?
“It was when we hit a bad storm off New Zealand that I asked Jill if she wanted to landlub and I’d build her a house.
She said, ‘Why don’t you buy us a better boat instead? If you buy a decent boat, I’ll come with you.’ And boy was I relieved … I really thought she was going to want to live on land!
We didn’t originally choose the 450F – we were thinking about buying a new 420 because it was quicker than our old 420 – but we ended up with the 450F because we realised the 450 is actually the ideal boat for us.
The Lagoon 450F is what I would call ‘the perfect, two-up cruising vessel’.
It’s not too big to handle, it’s comfortable for two people, there’s plenty of room and it’s a good sea vessel … it’s very seaworthy.”


What’s the difference between your last Lagoon without the flybridge and this Lagoon with the flybridge?
“It’s all about space and comfort. It’s just so much more comfortable with the flybridge. Give me the flybridge any day!
The flybridge gives a new dimension, it gives you more space and you can actually get away from each other. You’re not in each other’s face.
It’s not just a little seat up here … it’s a nice big bench seat; I’ve even slept up here!”
What have been some of the highlights on board Penelope Rose?
“There have just been so many highlights of our time on board Penelope Rose, it’s hard to pick one.
It’s really a combination of two things: the people we’ve met and the place we’ve visited, but it’s mainly the people. In places such as the South Pacific you have the combination of the beauty of the islands and the beauty of the people.
Everywhere you go you make such a big family. What you don’t know, someone else does. Every marina you go into, everybody wants to have a talk. You’ve got the one thing in common, you’re all sailors.
It doesn’t matter where people originally come from, they’re all good because they’re all sailors.”

REST IN PEACE JOHN
LATEST LAGOON CATAMARAN TESTIMONIALS
Lagoon Catamaran Charter Boat Investment Journey – Mike
Six years after purchasing a Lagoon 40 for charter in the Whitsundays, Mike reflects on the decision that exceeded expectations.
“We approached the charter boat investment with a business mindset. We modelled everything conservatively, and honestly, it’s performed better than expected. Even through COVID, we averaged around 165 charter nights a year, and the boat held its value far better than we’d anticipated.
The Lagoon 40 hit the sweet spot, it’s the perfect size for the Whitsundays market. Less intimidating for first-timers, and a strong performer in bookings.
The boat was delivered basically ready to charter.
After six years, I’d absolutely do it all again. It’s been a positive experience from start to finish, and if we go again I’d be looking at the Lagoon 43.”
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Lagoon 46 Favourite Features Real Owner Testimonial – Mike and Linda
After 2 seasons of sailing the Med on their Lagoon 46 Mike and Linda shared what they love most, “The Lagoon 46 has given us a whole new level of freedom and comfort. I love the Code Zero sail for light wind performance, and Linda’s favourite spot is the flybridge, it’s where everyone gathers when we’re sailing. With a watermaker and generator on board, we’ve been able to explore more remote places and stay cool during the heatwaves in Greece. It’s made the whole experience effortless and enjoyable.”
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Customisations and working with Lagoon – SEVENTY 7 Premium Offering Review – Luke
Luke the skipper of TMG Yachts latest Lagoon SEVENTY 7 handover said, “We were looking for a boat that enables us to do long-range cruising in comfort in luxury but also still being run by a small crew. The owner came from a sailing background and was really keen to get back to it, so it kind of met all our requirements. The team running the SEVENTY 7 line do a fantastic job adding all the customizations, they were super helpful and always answer your phone call, the support’s been fantastic.”
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆