Leopard 45

The Leopard 45 is a cruising catamaran built by Robertson and Caine at their yard near Cape Town, South Africa. Unveiled at the 2016 Annapolis Boat Show, it entered production in 2017 as the successor to the Leopard 44. Naval architects Simonis Voogd Design collaborated with Robertson and Caine's in-house team to create a boat with plumb bows for a longer waterline, hard chines low on the hull to deflect spray, and wide squared-off transom steps for easy boarding from dock or dinghy. The model earned both Cruising World and SAIL Best Boat of the Year honors for 2017.

The Leopard 45 is offered in a three-cabin owner's version, where the entire starboard hull becomes a private suite, and a four-cabin charter configuration with four heads. Berth count ranges from six to eleven depending on layout. Asking price at launch was approximately $555,000 to $580,000.

Robertson and Caine builds the Leopard 45 with balsa-cored hulls and decks, switching to solid fiberglass anywhere hardware is through-bolted. Conventional hand-laid fiberglass construction is used throughout, and even areas hidden from view are finished cleanly; molded components and interior joinery meet with consistent precision. Traditional solid bulkheads were replaced with a lattice of fiberglass and stainless steel members, preserving structural integrity while opening up sightlines through the boat.

The deck-stepped aluminum mast carries a square-top mainsail on a modern fractional sloop rig. Engine access and mechanical systems are arranged for easy inspection and servicing — an important consideration for owners who plan to maintain their boats in remote anchorages. Twin 45 hp Yanmar diesels provide propulsion, and the boat carries 700 liters of fuel and 780 liters of fresh water.

The sail plan pairs a large full-roach square-top mainsail with a slightly overlapping genoa, together totalling roughly 1,328 square feet. The mast is positioned aft of conventional placement to produce a more balanced helm and reduce weather helm on a reach. A screecher on a continuous-line furler rounds out the downwind inventory. During sea trials in ten knots of breeze the Leopard 45 recorded 6.1 knots closehauled and 7.7 knots on a reach, consistent with what owners expect from a well-loaded cruising platform.

Under power the boat cruises comfortably at 7.3 knots at 2,400 rpm and can pirouette in approximately one boat length by running the diesels in opposing directions. Electric winches at the helm station and well-routed line management mean the boat can be handled by a couple on passages or maneuvered in a marina without drama.

Below decks the Leopard 45 centers on a bright, open saloon with 6 ft 7 in (2 m) of headroom. A wall of clear polycarbonate at the forward end of the saloon and large windows in the hull sides flood the interior with light and extend sightlines out to the water. A galley sits forward of the saloon, and the aft cockpit is spacious enough for a crowd. A forward deck lounge area connects the cockpit to the foredeck through the saloon, giving the boat a resort-like flow.

In the private-owner layout the entire starboard hull is devoted to a master suite with its own head and shower. The port hull holds two guest cabins, each with its own head, plus a forepeak berth. The charter layout splits both hulls into equal double cabins with dedicated heads, accommodating up to eleven berths across four cabins. Saloon headroom, through-hull windows, and opening hatches make the interior feel considerably larger than the overall length might suggest.