Leopard 45 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Robertson & Caine builds substantial boats, and the Leopard 45 shows it: the basic construction, auxiliary systems, and powerplant installations are all top grade, with conventional fiberglass layup and smoothly finished hidden areas. Everything fits together precisely, from molded parts to interior joinery. The hulls are balsa-cored with solid fiberglass at hardware mounting points, and the builder has begun using infusion for smaller parts. Structurally, Alex Simonis replaced fore and aft bridgedeck bulkheads with a latticework of fiberglass and stainless steel, which cleared the way to move the mast aft for a better-balanced sail plan. The hull entry is fine and the hulls flare rapidly above the chine to provide reserve buoyancy, while a slight amidships indentation helps the hulls pass waves at displacement speed; ample bridgedeck clearance and a subtle hull configuration take the bow wave smoothly between the hulls.

Rig and Handling

The rig is modern but not extreme, built around a square-top mainsail that drops easily into a boom bag and a roller-furling genoa that can be sheeted close for windward work, with a gennaker on its own furler and a double-sheeted main completing the sailplan. All control lines except the gennaker furler lead to electric winches at the helm, and the big hard top lets an average person reach the boom over its full length. Underway, the boat scooted along at 6.1 knots closehauled in 10 knots of breeze, and the calculated displacement hull speed is just over 8 knots — a reasonable tradewinds average though it will exceed that in bursts. Docking is simple and predictable, with a turning circle of about one boatlength and the ability to pirouette with engines in opposite directions. The leeward bow has been seen plowing through waves when reaching in moderate conditions, yet Simonis drove it hard off Cape Town with no water on the foredeck, and the hull shape keeps heavier seas clear of the forward deck.

Accommodations

The three-cabin owner layout dedicates the entire starboard hull to a long suite, while the port hull holds two comfortable cabins each with head and shower, plus a tiny forepeak berth favored by children. Charter versions use a four-cabin, four-head arrangement. A large forward cockpit — really a front porch — sits behind a watertight polycarbonate doorway from the saloon and serves as either a private retreat or the best seat underway; a heavy sliding door separates it from the main living space. The galley is forward with a basic chart table to port, the aft cockpit is huge, and the traffic flow throughout is outstanding. Overhead and side windows flood the saloon with light, and the decor is simple and attractive. The helm is a raised starboard platform with a bench for two, and all actual boathandling is done outside, though a remote autopilot allows steering from inside or the forward cockpit.

Known Issues

Reviewers noted a few human-factors shortcomings rather than structural ones. The saloon lacks good grab points, the cushions could be more comfortable, and the seats are proportioned for tall people rather than small women. These are livability notes, not defects in the builder's execution.

Refits and Ownership

Engine access is good and common maintenance points are easy to reach, which simplifies routine ownership. The hard top houses a neat bank of solar panels, tachometers sit on the main dash where the skipper reads them easily, and a simple sturdy dinghy storage and launching system is fitted. Big low transoms ease swimming and going ashore. With 185 gallons of fuel and 206 of water, plus twin 45hp Yanmars, the boat is set up for extended cruising without immediate rework.

The Verdict

The Leopard 45 is a thoughtfully engineered cruising cat that balances charter practicality with owner comfort. Its structural refinement, predictable close-quarters handling, and versatile cockpit architecture make it a standout in the mid-size multihull class, while minor interior ergonomics are the only caveats.

Pros