Design and Construction
Robertson & Caine builds the Leopard 46 as a fiberglass catamaran with solid hulls and deck, iron ballast, and twin keels with spade rudders. The stepped hulls are paired with a powerful rig and overlapping genoa to deliver what the builder describes as superior handling across wind conditions anchor. The helm was raised a few inches above the cockpit for better forward visibility, and the boat carries NMMA and CE certification as a matter of record. Leopard sells the 46 to private owners and into charter fleets with The Moorings and Sunsail, with the first 50 units reportedly slated 70 percent to charter as fleets refresh.
Rig and Handling
The sail plan centers on an upgraded aramid-fiber laminated square-top main from Ullman Sails, with the mast extended three feet over the predecessor for improved performance and a total air draft of 75 feet 2 inches. Upwind sail area with the genoa measures 1,512 square feet, and a code zero can be added for downwind work. Test sailors found the 46 slipping along steadily at 6 to 6.5 knots at 60 degrees apparent in one trial, and logging consistent low-7-knot speeds on a beam reach in 14 knots of true wind anchor. Two electric winches are standard, with a third available, making large sail loads a push-button affair.
Propulsion and the Hybrid Option
Beyond the standard twin 45- or 57-horsepower Yanmar diesels, the 46 offers a hybrid-electric drive developed with La Rochelle-based Alternatives Energies. The system uses two 25-kilowatt electric pods, a 24-kilowatt range-extending generator, and two separate 27-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate battery banks for redundancy. A 400-volt DC controller called OneBox manages 1,600 watts of glass solar on the bimini, hydrogeneration from the 18-inch props, shore power, and the generator; the builder claims the generator auto-starts at 40 percent state of charge. Under batteries alone testers made 7.4 knots, and with the genset engaged reached 9.1 knots at full throttle, while a full charge yields up to four hours at 6 knots electric-only anchor. The fixed propellers needed for regen induce at least 1 knot of drag under sail, a trade against the folding props possible with pure diesel twins.
Accommodations
The 46 is offered with a three-cabin arrangement plus a utility space, a four-stateroom version, or five double berths, all with ensuite heads. The owner's cabin sits aft in the starboard hull with private entry steps, while the port-forward hull can hold a utility room for gear, office, or workshop use; five staterooms are achieved by truncating the master and adding an over-under bunk cabin amidships. Leopard eliminated the old bow-skipper cabins. Socially, a four-panel glass door tucks into the starboard casing below the helm to merge cockpit and salon, a long port settee flows into the space, and a chaise longue faces the dinette. The forward galley keeps the marque's view over the foredeck, a signature front door opens to a roomy forward cockpit, and a port-side forward-facing nav station has a wide seat.
Known Issues
The only drawback in the reviewed material is the hybrid regen system's requirement for fixed propellers, which the sail test quantified as at least 1 knot of sailing drag anchor.
The Verdict
The Leopard 46 reads as a thoughtful evolution of a proven charter-bred catamaran, trading the bow cabins of old for a flexible three-to-five-stateroom interior and a genuinely protected single-handed helm. The hybrid drive is a serious, redundant installation rather than a token option, though the fixed-prop drag is a real cost for the sailing purist.
Pros
- Stepped hulls and taller rig deliver strong light- to mid-air performance under sail
- Hybrid system with separate battery banks and multiple charge sources for quiet, long-range cruising
- Flexible three-to-five-cabin layouts with full ensuites and a useful utility room
- Protected helm and standard electric winches ease short-handed offshore work
Cons
- Hybrid regen fixed propellers cost at least 1 knot of speed under sail
