The hulls have nearly plumb stems, reverse transoms with swimming platforms, dual internally mounted spade-type rudders controlled by a wheel and twin fixed fin keels.
Although Lagoon veered to more comfort over performance in this generation, the 400 is still a competent sailor in a breeze, but she's no lightweight and struggles in lighter airs (under 10 knots) unless you have the bowsprit to fly the larger sails (gennaker, code 0 for example).
The small jib is a cinch to handle, and with the roll-up screecher, one gains a simple and minimal sail plan that's very easy to power up or down.
That said, 75 inches of freeboard to the deck plus a high superstructure and low-aspect keels mean this is a boat that shouldn't be pinched up; it performs best when sailed fully powered and backed off a few degrees from a closehauled heading.
"[12] In a review for Cruising Sea, Daniella Wender wrote, "it's not much of a vacation if the boat is too cramped or passengers are falling over each other, but at the same time, the 400 invites social activity and conversation, almost creating the illusion that the entire vessel is a floating family rec room.