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ABOVE The starboard owner’s double berth is comfortable and pleasant to be in. Lots of wood.
Lots of cupboards; RIGHT The luxurious starboard owner’s bathroom. There’s a large bow
storage locker behind the hanging towel.
56 July 2009
new boat: Leopard 40
The Leopard 40
shows off easy
boat speed in
just eight knots
of wind.
The twin 29hp Yanmar saildrives saloon forward windows. They provide cordage in no fewer than six separate
pushed us along at 7.1 knots. This excellent shade inside the saloon and sections, freeing it from the common
was at 2200rpm, the long established make stepping up to the cabin-top problem of a single failure causing the
cruising optimum on this boat for those almost a stroll — certainly very friendly whole tramp to let go.
necessary periods under power. Pushed for aging baby-boomers like me. There’s A Quick Hector horizontal anchor
to the 3200rpm limit, the Leopard 40 enough space round them to shed solid winch (model HC1012D) of adequate
made 8.8 knots. Expect not much less water rapidly so no concern from that pulling capacity comes standard. It
with the standard 21hp motors in good aspect. The bows are good looking allows freefall anchoring via a sheet
conditions. But I would be opting for the from all aspects and of average height, winch handle, features a warping drum
29hp donks, secure in the knowledge that happily avoiding the trend toward high for seamanship, and handheld control.
the boat would, in adverse or emergency bows (with increased side-windage and The anchor comes home through a hole
situations, still make adequate headway leeway) among some current European similar to that seen on many high-
into the dreaded combination of heavy cats. I would have liked a safety rail/ speed powerboats. This effectively
head seas, current and strong winds. wire across the bow, but this is an easy restricts your choice of anchor to those
item to retro-fit. without roll-bars. I would like to see the
On deck The trampoline is large — good for underdeck moulding altered such that
Striking, and making the marque safety — reducing bridgedeck weight, any type of anchor could be housed —
immediately identifiable, are the three windage and, to coin a term, waterage. similar to the set-up found on larger
steps-cum-sunvisors right across the It is extra-well secured with doubled-up Fountaine-Pajot cats. The Leopard 40
July 2009 57
new boat: Leopard 40
58 July 2009
new boat: Leopard 40
when access is by either transom. The As on most boats without windvane for food and utensils. A combined front-
solid glass davits on the test boat looked steering, the daily power draw is opening, twin-door 110L fridge 110L
great and safely supported a quite largely from a combination of autopilot, freezer is port side below the nav station
large RIB dinghy well clear of any wave refrigeration and lighting. With four — a good compromise in this sized cat.
action. The dinghy had a cover to shed owner-fitted 80-watt flexible solar panels You can pass things straight from fridge
solid water, but it wasn’t needed in two and Eclectic wind generator, the owners to galley bench or the saloon or back
ocean crossings, once again testimony found running one engine for two deck tables quite easily.
to the design’s seaworthiness. And hours a day at 2200rpm kept the three This was the three-cabin owner’s
should things go wrong, the liferaft 210ah AGM house batteries adequately version. Owners live in the starboard
stowage is under the after section of the charged. The standard house bank is two hull, where they enjoy a large aft cabin,
back-deck bench seat, where you would 190ah lead acid but in my view the option dressing area, small study and large
be able to deploy it in relative comfort to AGM and three in number is highly (forward) bathroom. It is possible
and protection. Lifejackets are in there desirable for a cruising boat. through clever design to close off the
too. And the standard emergency tiller Above the nav station in the saloon whole starboard hull from the saloon
is readily available should it ever be is the main switchboard. And hidden for privacy. Forward of the bathroom,
needed. Not yet for the test boat. down in the starboard hull (behind accessed via the shower, is a large
an easy-to-remove panel) I found a storage locker for light items (don’t want
Electrical neat fuse and distribution panel. My heavy weights too far forward) with
I was impressed with the standard wish there would be for greater use of sealed collision compartment below.
lighting — a combination of halogen circuit-breakers rather than fuses. The port hull features a bathroom
downlights and LED navigation and and two double berth cabins, with
footlighting. Better still to report, the Below decks the possibility of a person crawling
Leopard 40 joins the small but growing Cherrywood panelling abounds. over the forward twin berth to access
number of production boats fitted with Interiors are a big selling point and a single berth right forward (sealed
a multi-stage regulator for efficient this boat doesn’t disappoint. The galley collision compartment below). Heads in
engine charging. In this case the well is “up” in cat parlance and appeared both bathrooms were electric flushing
proven Xantrex, which can cope easily safe, functional and good looking. Twin in the test boat, feeding to a 54L (27
with regulating the output from both sinks. A natty rubbish bin with top flushes) stainless tank in each. The
80-amp engine alternators. access from the galley and side access holding tanks are gravity-draining
The optional electro-mechanical from the saloon for bin liner change. at sea or deck-pump-out in harbour.
Raytheon 6002 pilot hadn’t missed a beat Microwave and two-burner Force 10 They are a bit small for extended stays
in 10,000 miles. It was used continuously. gas range/oven. Heaps of storage space in no-discharge waters and would be
July 2009 59
new boat: Leopard 40
Roger Priest
Roger sails weekends in his Hartley 38, goes to sea LEFT Standard headsail
regularly with the Navy Reserve in Torres Strait, does curves 40°-135°,
maritime asset management as his current job, and optimal around 70°-90°.
has had many years in the past as both a civilian and Gennaker cuts in at 80°
naval hydrographic surveyor. and greater.
60 July 2009