Design and Construction
Robertson and Caine built the Leopard 42 around a foam-cored, vacuum-infused hull and a one-piece cabinhouse rather than the three-section tops used on its predecessors. A stainless-steel “H” frame forms the structural core of the boat and allows the builder to minimize bulkhead intrusion. Where bulkheads are required, they’re molded fiberglass rather than GRP-covered plywood.
Ahead of the sleeping cabins, the bows contain crashboxes with watertight bulkheads—a sensible safety measure for a voyaging multihull. The deck and hull are carbon-reinforced fiberglass, while deliberately blunt transoms make boarding from the dock easier.
The Leopard 42 has a beam of 23 feet 1 inch and displaces 27,485 pounds. Its D/L ratio is 179, and its SA/D is around 21 to 22. Those figures place it firmly in the cruising-cat middle ground rather than among ultralight racers.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The Leopard 42 carries a fractional sloop rig on an aluminum mast. Its full-battened Ullman mainsail is deeply roached and square-topped, with an area of 1,256 square feet including the square-top. Instead of a self-tacking jib track, Leopard uses a powerful, traditionally tacked, overlapping 110-percent headsail of 501 square feet.
German bridle-style sheeting controls the main. A vang keeps the boom off the cabintop when the sail is dropped without a tensioned topping lift. Because the boom remains at a normal height, the boat avoids the tiered “wedding cake” profile seen on some rivals.
In sea trials near Fort Lauderdale, with 20- to 25-knot easterly winds and chop, the Leopard 42 made 8.5 knots closehauled and flirted with 10 knots on a screaming reach. A separate test recorded 9 knots in a 25-knot gust at 60 degrees apparent. On flat water in blustery conditions, testers still managed 6 to 8 knots on varied points of sail.
A performance package with upgraded rigging and folding props is said to add 1 to 3 knots of sailing speed compared with the standard rig and fixed props fitted to hull #1.
Cockpit, Saloon, and Helm
The flush-level cockpit leads directly into the saloon. Inside, the layout retains Leopard’s usual back-to-back settees, with the galley forward to starboard. A navigation desk sits beside the glass door to port, which also provides forward access from the saloon. Saloon headroom is 6 feet 7 inches, and the “Driftwood” finish borrowed from the Leopard 53 powercat gives the interior a lighter, contemporary tone.
Twin Vitrifrigo drawers sit beside the aft sliding door. In the galley, the sink tap purifies water rather than merely filtering it.
To port, a staircase with floating steps leads to an L-shaped lounge above the cabinhouse while preserving sightlines from the cockpit. The helm is integrated into the starboard side of the cabinhouse and sheltered by a hardtop with a skylight.
Cabins and Layouts
In the three-cabin owner’s version, the master suite occupies the entire starboard hull. It’s notably free of obscuring structures, giving the berth a clear sightline to the shower. Two additional staterooms occupy the port hull.
An alternative four-cabin, four-head layout is intended for charter fleets.
Propulsion, Tankage, and Equipment
Standard propulsion comes from twin 45 hp Yanmar diesels with saildrives. In calm seas, they provide a cruising speed of 8 to 9 knots. The engine hatches open inboard for safer access.
Tankage comprises 158 gallons of diesel and 174 gallons of water. A 6 kW genset can be installed in the cavernous forward stowage beneath the giant sunbed. A genset is available, but it isn’t necessary for most house loads if the air conditioning remains off. Lithium batteries are optional, while charter versions come with watermakers as standard.
Raymarine digital switching reduces panel clutter.
The Verdict
The Leopard 42 is a versatile family-cruising cat that brings the brand’s recent lessons together in a coherent, well-structured package. Its one-piece cabinhouse, central H-frame, and watertight bow crashboxes point to thoughtful construction. The owner’s-layout master hull and uninterrupted flow between cockpit and saloon also make life aboard genuinely pleasant.
For a cruiser of its displacement, the Leopard 42 sails with real verve. The boat rewards buyers who specify the performance package.
Pros
- Foam-cored, vacuum-infused hull with a one-piece cabinhouse and central stainless-steel H-frame
- Watertight bow crashboxes ahead of the sleeping cabins
- Strong trial performance: 8.5 knots closehauled and nearly 10 knots reaching
- Flush cockpit-to-saloon flow, 6 feet 7 inches of saloon headroom, and the lighter Driftwood interior
- Owner’s-version master hull free of obscuring structures
Cons
- The overlapping headsail is less convenient for short-handed sailing than a self-tacking jib
- A genset is advisable if air conditioning is specified, adding weight and cost
