t's a sign of the times - the 40 foot sector is starting to see some enthusiastic rein-vestment by the majority of the builders. They are now taking turns at presentingtheir new models. The Leopard 40 was first shown at Miami in February 2015, andwas then presented to European fans at the International Multihull Show at La Grande Motte, France, in April. We made the most of a nice windy day for a testsail off the coast at Nice.

A 40 FOOTER WITH A LONG HISTORY

From 1988 through 1996, the Robertson and Caine yard builtsome pretty big boats (60 to 72’) aimed at offshore racing andfast cruising. They were mostly monohulls, but there werealso a few 40’ catamarans. This core activity was then aban-doned in favor of a complete catamaran range (38’, 42’, 45’ and47’) designed by Simonis-Voogd and built largely for theMoorings charter company. In 2002 the new 40 was designedby Gino Morelli and presented in Europe under the name ofthe Moorings 4000. It remained in production until 2005.Next came the Leopard 38 (up to 2009) and the 39 (up to2014), with the only difference being the design of the bimini.

THE 2015 VERSION OF THE LEOPARD 40

The launch of this new 12 meter catamaran completes theoverhaul of the range, which today covers the 40’, 44’, 48’ and52’ sizes for the sailboats, and the 43PC and 51PC for thepowercats. They are all Simonis-Voogd designs. When wetested the 51PC (Multihulls World no.140), we saw a version

whose interior had been completely restyled, breaking withthe tradition of “classic cherry cabinetry” in which the SouthAfrican yard had become a past master. Today the entire rangehas adopted this new design and at the same time is movingtowards enhancing forward access by opening the front of thesalon.

A LENGTHY INITIAL REFLECTION

The specifications for a 12 meter catamaran in a big productionrun present many challenges. The visitor must be struck by animpression of space, yet the cabins need to exude a sense ofcoziness and intimacy! Moving around on deck (when underway as much as when at anchor) and around the nacelle mustbe fluid and safe, whilst allowing everyone to split their timebetween being in company or taking some quiet time if requi-red. The latest European trend is to explore the options avai-lable using the coachroof, avoiding the famous sliding door(Nautitech, Bali or the TS42), but Leopard has chosen to makean opening forward! But there also needs to be an exterioreating area, the helm station, sail handling console, not for-

I

LEOPARD 40’

A great 12 meter boat for family cruising

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getting access to the water and the option to stow a dinghywhich can be easily used. Finally, the headroom must be gene-rous, as must the passageways in the hulls. Bringing all thesefactors together is a real brain-teaser for the designers, becauseit means fitting all this into hydrodynamic volumes while conser-ving fine hulls, balance and bridgedeck clearance! The Leopard40 is aimed at private owners, but must also satisfy the exac-ting demands of Moorings’ specifications. This implies thatthey must be functional and easy to use, with all the comfortsexpected by the American public (generator, large water andfuel tanks, sizeable fridge and freezer and general reliability tosupport intensive use).

PROFILE, ARCHITECTURE AND BUILD

The 40 picks up on the style code of the new generationLeopards: fine entry bows, vertical topsides with large rectan-gular portlights and a plunging coachroof which softens the ver-tical appearance of the front. An overhang shelters the smallforward cockpit. The overall appearance is fairly chunky, but thesleek sailplan provides good performance on the water. Thehuge volume inside the coachroof is well supported by thehydrodynamic characteristics of the whole platform. The for-ward third of the hulls is fairly stretched, with increasing volumeaft in the semi-circular sections supporting the central roof toblend with the much larger volume of the aft third. The bilgeframe starts just below the mid-height of the bow and runs ele-

gantly aft to finish up at the sugar scoop, close to the waterline.Its role as a stiffener and deflector, adds to the interior volumedue to the effect of the step. The innovative interior layout des-ign means the mast has moved aft (and there is then a supportstrut for this below the coachroof) and there is no longer the for-ward bulkhead. To achieve this, the architects have placed twostrong stainless steel transverse beams in the bottom of thenacelle. These are substantially bolted into the bulkheads. Theeffect of these is to block the composite structure in terms offlexion and torsion and also to take the compression forces ofthe rig. Like all the Leopards, the 40 is built using wet processin poly-vinylester balsa sandwich. Used as the core, specially for-mulated upright balsa wood offers good mechanical and gluingproperties. The vinylester resin increases the watertightnessand helps to prevent hydrolysis: it is used below the waterline

With fine-entry bows and a sleek sailplan, theLeopard 40 performs well out on the water

The forward third of the hull is fairly narrow,increasing as it comes aft to the very load-bearing shape of the aft third, allowing niceperformance under sail.

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The coachroof offers excellent volume, and it is well supported by theoverall platform, whose hydrodynamic qualities are really on the ball.g

The Leopard 40 shows an overall balance which, thanks to thefineness of the hulls and good bridgedeck clearance (78cm),allows it to remain comfortable and perform well in a choppysea, even upwind.

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as well as for the keels and the rudder blades. The sandwichsection comes down below the waterline and joins the monoli-thic base (25cm wide) of the hull assembly.

A RENEWED INTERIOR DESIGN: A STEP FORWARD!

Franck Bauguil, the Vice-President of boat sales division of the TuiGroup (Leopard Catamarans, Moorings, Sunsail, etc.) has beenin contact with Leopard users for many years from his office inClearwater, Florida. He analyses responses from charterers andowners, so is in the best position to translate people’s expe-riences into evolution of the products. He has been heavilyinvolved in producing the specifications for the L40. Not contentwith just contributing to the forward access, Franck, in conjunc-tion with Alex Simonis and Maarten Voogd as well as theRobertson & Caine design team, wanted to bring back a feeling

of space to the interior dining area which had been moved aft inconjunction with the exterior dining space. The seating in a bigL-shape around a large table occupies the left hand side of thedeck salon, opposite an angle unit which houses the electricpanel and the large-capacity refrigerator drawers, which are pro-ven to be super-efficient. The technical cabinet, protected by aplexi-glass door, is comprehensive, clear, easy to understandand uses quality components. A great achievement which Ifound really easy to use. The table is adjustable in height andcan seat 6 to 8 people, but also transforms into a lounger fornight watches when under way. Nice touch! The L-shaped gal-ley extends forward, and has a good view. With Corian work-tops, a well-suited gas hob, and built-in oven low down, thecook’s job is quite safe in a choppy sea. There are plenty of dra-wers (including a special one for large utensils) and stowage, butI have the same doubts as I did on the 51PC concerning thedurability of the hinges. Where they have succeeded however,are the hand rails, the table leg and the polished stainless fiddleson the shelves, which are solid and look good. The chart tablehas been reduced to a desk, and this is good, because it avoidsbeing taken over by electronics. Useful little corner shelves withfiddles are fitted for stowing all the gadgets that the modernseafaring geek cannot manage without. In the owner’s version,the port hull is isolated from the rest of the boat by an effectivesliding door (but there is no system for holding it open). The floorarea is impressive (20% more than on the 39, for a paltry 7 %increase in weight, according to the builders). The bunks arevery comfortable, but the frame supports for the plywoodpanels are not sufficient. The profusion of stowage areas willappeal to crewmembers on board for long periods.

The L40 gives a feeling of space to the salon. We really like theheight-adjustable table, and particularly the galley which is nowforward, offering a spectacular view over the anchorage...

g A successful layout in the nacelle. The practical L-shaped galley, veryeffective fridges, a functional and understandable electric panel and alarge dining area to seat 6 to 8 people round a table which transformsinto a bunk when under way. The new style of light oak is a clean breakwith the cherry cabinetry of the previous generation

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The depth of field of aconcept which opens forward

and removes the bulkhead aft g

The helm station is good, and the amount of kit here doesn’t impinge onsail handling, thanks to the assistance of the electric winch. Taking in areef (with the continuous reefing lines) is easy, as is furling the genoa.Visibility is good, and the feel of the helm is direct thanks to the mecha-nical linkages.

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GREAT ACCESS TO TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT

Bringing together all the water intakesand all the seacock outlets (in composite- neat!) and some of the filters aroundthe keel sumps as well as identifyingwith thermo-engraved markings, showshow seriously the yard takes the ease ofunderstanding the systems. The samegoes for the water system located in alocker close to the galley, which alsohouses the extinguisher. The effortwhich has been made to make the ves-sel easy to understand and to charter, isbacked up by an illustrated color usermanual, available in both paper and digi-tal formats.

THE NEW CONTEMPORARY STYLE

First seen in 2014 on the 51PC, thewhite oak effect gives a clean appea-rance, and is easier to look after than var-nished cherry. The headlinings are cle-verly secured by clips, and the quality ofthe natural and electric light (LED spotsand strip lights) is excellent. The adjust-ment tolerances of the floorboards couldbe reduced.

ENGINE COMPARTMENTS

I liked the set-up for the filters (water anddiesel) and the coolant tank, on a lami-nated panel, as opposed to just beingscrewed into the composite as is sooften the case. Access around themotors is ok for the smaller mechanic:the Yanmars are fitted facing aft, with thesaildrive legs at the front, whichincreases the distance of the turbulencefrom the rudders. The cables from thehelm are good, and the (removable)machine-welded arms link the rudderposts to the 5 meter long cross-bar,whose flexing is taken care of by spa-cers made of Ertalon. However, a central

roller might help to reduce fric-tion. The fixings and seals of thecover panels need to be impro-ved.

ON DECK

The ergonomics of the relaxa-tion areas have been carefully designed:the boat/sea interface aft transforms thegeometry of the cockpit by giving clearaccess to the large aft platform, which iscompletely open to the anchorage whenthe dinghy is in the water. The widesugar scoops permit easy access fromthe dinghy to the boat. The little forwardarea accessed by the door from thesalon could be transformed into a sunba-thing area with the addition of a smallimprovised mattress. This area is enclo-sed by big lockers which house the freshwater tanks (fairly well forward!), and theanchoring system is well designed.There is also space for the optional gene-rator.

A LIVELY WINDY TEST

The Baie des Anges, off Nice, France, isknown among racing sailors for its lightairs. However, each time we come to tryout a Leopard, we are met with moreserious conditions. For the seatrial ofour 40, it was blowing 20 to 35 knotsWNW. While alongside the dock we hadgot the gennaker ready. This was quicklystowed in the forward cockpit (not

Desk and XXL bathroom on board the Leopard 40

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The port owner’s cabin would make youquestion whether this catamaran really isonly 40 feet long

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Model: New 40 Nautitech 40’ Lagoon 400 S2

S2 Builder: Fountaine Pajot Bavaria Lagoon

Designer: O. Racoupeau M. Lombard VPLPUpwind sail area 95 m2 91 m2 80 m2Weight 8.9 t 7.8 t 10.3 tPrice in € ex-tax: N/A 315 000 259 000

T H E C O M P E T I T I O N

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Naval architects: Alexander Simonis/Maarten VoogdBuilder: Robertson & Caine (South Africa)Length: 11.99 mWaterline length: 11.62 mBeam: 6.72 mDraft: 1.17 mWeight: 9340 kgBridgedeck clearance: 0.78 mAir draft: 19.45 mMainsail area: 56.4 m2Genoa: 39.5 m2Gennaker: 94 m2Motors: Yanmar 2x29 hp Transmission: saildrive forward of the motorPropellers: three-blade fixedWater: 780 lFuel: 360 lHolding tank: 110 lPrice: €275,000 ex-taxMain options in € ex-tax:Bruntons folding propellers: 3,452Blackout blinds salon: 2,917Electronics pack including autopilot: 10,357Electric pack (shower power / interior sockets): 4,643Charger: 1,0604 x 70W solar panels: 5,595Spectra 63 l/h watermaker: 17,560Bowsprit and gennaker: 5,357Transport (USA or Europe)+ delivery: 53,757Price of the boat we tested (owner’s version): €401,917 ex-tax

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◆ The large sliding door is not very high◆ The bed bases need reinforcing◆ The cupboard hinges are a bit lightweight◆ The forward opening hatches in the salon are awkward to manipulate◆ The aft lifelines are too low

Ventilation, storage and large portlights for a good exteriorview. The aft cabins are comfortable and the headlinings cle-

verly secured with clips, making them removable

Cleverly designed bathrooms: well-equipped and with modernfunctional faucets

something it was designed for, butvery useful all the same!) because abig spring Mistral was blowing 45knots offshore, and we already had20 knots by 9.30 in the morning.With full main and the genoa unfur-led, the Leopard boldly set off, sho-wing a lively pace. First impressionswere good, the helm was light andthe cable steering linkage allowingfor a good feel from the rudders. Theboat is well-balanced, and doesn’tshy away from pointing upwind. Weweren’t trying to push it to the mini-mum angle we could in this chop,but we reached a good compromise,close-hauled at 7.5 to 8 knots at 55-60° off the wind. For the next hourand a half, the NW wind continued tobuild, kicking up the sea. The 40accelerated well in the troughs, androde over the waves with agility. Themovement was lively, of course, butthe manoeuvres were dampenedand the slamming wasn’t tooserious: inside the boat, life couldcontinue as normal. The forward cur-ved face of the nacelle took the occa-sional wave, but it wasn’t brutal. Thefineness of the bows, the bridgedeckclearance and the cat’s overallbalance allowed it to perform well inthese testing conditions, upwind in abig sea. We quit putting reefs in justbefore the arrival of some big gustsof over 30 knots, following ourcourse on the same heading undergenoa alone. We started with fullmain (there are two tackles and thesheets come back to the helm usingthe German sheet system), and thetail is led to the electric winchwithout any particular difficulty.However, this should be done care-fully, paying particular attention to thefinal sheeting-in. The 40 set off at alively pace, so it was now time toreduce the headsail. The lead for thefurler is at the perfect angle for thesail-handling winch: ease the sheetout by hand, take in the desired num-ber of rolls, sheet in again, and that’sit. The Mistral was getting everstronger, and becoming a bit toofamiliar with 35 knots: the two

maneuvers were effected just intime, as is necessary during boattests, where we tend to push theboats a little bit harder than wouldthe careful sailor who had alreadyanticipated the conditions. Even dri-ven hard, the 40 showed great lateralstability, never losing grip. YouTacking in a choppy sea is possible,with the speed and the anti-leewaydesign allowing the boat to pivotquickly, getting you through thewind. Downwind, the boat maintai-ned a good speed (9-12 knots), andthe feel at the helm was fine in theseconditions, with good directional abi-lity. The halyards gave a little (theclutches are large), so perhapsDyneema might be better for themainsail and the jib. This sessionshowed the dynamic qualities of theboat, its consistency and ease ofuse. Toward the end of the after-noon, we made the most of a calmspell to get the gennaker up, andhere the Leopard really proved itselfwith a nice relaxing run at 12 knots in18 knots of wind (as measured onmy Garmin Quatix watch). Not badfor a 12 meter cruising boat!

CONCLUSION

The Leopard 40 is lively and easy touse, well canvassed, yet tolerant in achop, with a good measure of safety.We found qualities which have evol-ved from the 39, with the increasedinterior volume. Our test boat washull number two, so almost a proto-type, and it was therefore not surpri-sing to note a few imperfections inthe finish, which will be ironed outwhen in full production. This is awell-built boat and will please theuser. The 2 x 29 hp motors are suffi-cient, but need to be hooked up tomodern, folding propellers, whichwasn’t the case on our test boat,with its fixed blade props.

Maintenance access is ok for someone not too big. Note the filters and coolant reservoir mounted on a laminate panel rather

than being screwed into the composite

Easily understood plumbing, with fresh water pressure pumps grouped together in a galley locker.I liked the thermo-engraved labeling

◆ Behavior on the water and technical clarity◆ Surface area of the interior layout◆ Very effective refrigerator drawers◆ Courtesy light in the companionways and red night-light at the helm

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Forward access via thenacelle will be welcomed bycrews. The benefits of this

setup will be appreciatedmost often when coastal

cruising or at anchor.

All the sail-handling functions,hoisting, sheeting and lowe-ring, are grouped together ona console at the helm station,which is served by twowinches, one of which is electric. An essential.

The strong point of the 2015 version of the 40 is its interior volume and inno-vative layout. There is a large dining area and the galley is forward.

The slightly overlapping genoa isin exactly the right place on the40. The sheeting angle cannot

be adjusted from the cockpit.

The frame isattached to the

bow at half-height, and the

hulls passthrough the

chop with ease.

Two purchases forthe sheet run backto the cockpit,replace the track and mainsheet car.

As well as its role as stiffenerand deflector, the bilge step

optimizes interior space

Neat idea: the steps to the coachroof and also thesafety handle opposite

Large lockers with surprising volume for housing the optional generator,

the windlass, the anchor well and thefresh water tanks (700 liters! The

watermaker would make a smartchoice). A mattress would transform

them into a sunbathing area.

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