Brand: Leopard

We interview new Leopard 47 owners Brioni and Iain about their catamaran search and why they chose the Leopard 47. They share their finding from 2 years of online research as well as their time living aboard so far. We talk about performance issues, layout considerations, and design flaws. Follow and support Brioni and Iain in their travels! https://youtube.com/redseas Facebook/Instagram/Twitter: @realredseas www.red-seas.com www.patreon.com/redseas If you enjoy this review of the Leopard 47, please comment and let us know. We love to get feedback from others thinking of purchasing a Leopard 47 or current owners. Key Takeaways for the Leopard 47 Many to choose from as it was a popular charter model in the early 2000’s. Usually quite a few to look at in the Caribbean. Affordable for its size compared to other newer catamarans over 40 feet in length. Better performing also than some of the newer more comfort focused […]

Kevin owns a 2007 Leopard 43 named S/V Tusitala which he purchased through the for sale by owner listings on www.CatamaranSite.com. He talks to us about the Leopard 43 and also more general topics about sailing with five kids, why the ocean is like a desert, and his thoughts on how to prepare for a world cruise. You can follow him on his YouTube channel or website or blog all under the handle “Seven on the Sea.” Thank you so much to him for participating in our series of interviews with catamaran owners. Executive Summary Sailing with his wife and five kids ages 6 to 18 on a Leopard 43 Sailing out of San Diego and preparing to head offshore Tusitala is the nickname of author Robert Louis Stevenson and means “teller of tales.” Chose Leopard 43 because of space and affordability. He considered monohulls but accommodations were smaller and […]

The Leopard 42 emerged in 2001 to replace the Leopard 45. Designed by Alex Simonis, the L42 extended the lines of the Leopard 38 and offered a 3-cabin, 3-head model and a 4-cabin, 4-head model. Approximately 50 Leopard 42s were made before being replaced by the Leopard 43 in 2004. Despite its heritage of award-winning catamarans, the Leopard 42 won no awards. However, the L42 is still highly sought-after by cruisers worldwide. Let’s look at why. Features Since Leopard announced their next iteration of the Leopard 42 in July 2020, we’ll talk first about the original model and then provide a few words on the updated version. Spacious Living Spaces. Like its predecessors, the Leopard 42 offers spacious accommodations disproportionate to their size. The cockpit on the L42 is quite large, accommodating more than 17 people on one lucky cruiser’s birthday off the Magnetic Islands, Australia. Skeg-Hung Rudders. These are […]

Leopard began their sailing catamaran line-up with a cruise-worthy 45-foot catamaran. When the charter industry took notice, they requested smaller sailing cats for their fleets, so Leopard provided the 38-foot model, as well as a 42-foot model. In 2004, Leopard partnered with designers Morelli & Melvin for their Leopard 40 model. Between 2004 and 2009, Leopard produced 136 Leopard 40s before replacing it with the Leopard 39. Then, in 2014, Leopard engaged with Simonis Voogd Design to launch a newer Leopard 40 model that is still in production today with over 210 vessels produced. The Leopard family is known for award-winning designs, and the Leopard 40 is no exception, having earned the following awards: Cruising World’s “Best Overall Import Boat in USA 2005” Cruising World’s “Best Multihull 40 Feet and Under” 2005 Sail Magazine´s “Best Boats 2005” The Leopard 40 was also honored for innovative achievements by the National Marine […]

Leopard didn’t start small, but rather, began their sailing catamaran line-up with a 45-foot catamaran in 1997 before moving to the Leopard 38 in 1998. All total, they built 124 Leopard 38s. The Leopard 38 (also branded as the Sunsail 384), was designed by Morrelli & Melvin, who have designed some of the fastest multihulls to glide across an ocean. No stranger to design awards, M&M’s Leopard 38 designs won the Cruising World 2010 Boat of the Year in two categories:  Best Multihull Cruiser of the Year, and  Best Import Boat of the Year That same year, they won SAIL Magazine’s 2010 Best Boat” in the Cruising Multihull Category. So, what features make these vessels so desirable? Let’s check it out. Features Though designed by individuals with a fetish for performance, the Leopard 38 falls closer to the comfort side of the spectrum. However, she will sail better than some of her […]

Leopard began their sailing catamaran line-up with a respectable 45-foot catamaran in 1997. Then, seeing a ripe opportunity in the charter industry, they next moved to the Leopard 38 in 1998. In 2010, Leopard announced the 39 model and proceeded to build 126 hulls of that size through 2015. Crafted from the same hull molds as the Leopard 38, the Leopard 39’s main upgrades include the full hardtop over the cockpit and a raised helm station, also covered with a hardtop. It’s little wonder that the Leopard 39 won the ‘Sail Best Boats 2010’ Cruising Multihull award. Robertson and Caine’s contribution to the catamaran market cannot be understated. In early 2012, Leopard launched their 1,000th Leopard Catamaran and to date, have launched over 1800 catamarans. Features Designed by Morelli & Melvin to replace the Leopard 38, the Leopard 39 is widely used by world cruisers as well as the Sunsail […]

History / Background South African boat builders Robertson and Caine have built over 2,000 catamarans over the last three decades. The Leopard 44 results from another successful collaboration with American catamaran designers Morrelli & Melvin. The goal was a solid, affordable mid-sized catamaran capable of blue water sailing and good for the charter market. Multiple awards and the boat’s enduring popularity show how well they hit the target. The Leopard 44 starts with a hull construction of vacuum-bagged balsa cored e-glass with vinylester resin. This makes for a light, strong and blister resistant foundation to bond the fiberglass liner. The interior layout is open, to make a galley and living area combination which keeps the cooks in the mix with everyone. The common area living plan feels open, and social and light, like a casual dining roomand open kitchen plan in a house. They built two versions of the boat—a […]

Clients often debate about which of the production catamaran brands to purchase. Is there a significant difference between a Fountain-Pajot, Lagoon, and Leopard? After an 11 day delivery of a Leopard 46 from Fort Lauderdale to Cartagena, Colombia and a delivery of a Lagoon 440 in March from Fort Lauderdale to Annapolis, in many respects the Leopard out classed the Lagoon including performance, durability, and comfort. My colleague and super star sailor Kevin Bray lauded the Leopard throughout the delivery. “After working on this boat for 3 months and now sailing her, I can honestly say I like this Leopard 46 design, and there are not a lot of boats that I can say that about,” shared Kevin. In a few areas, I give the edge to Lagoon. Read on to see which.