Looking for a sailing catamaran that was built for blue water but is easy for single-handed cruising? The 2017 Robertson and Caine Leopard 48 Bare Necessities is ready to sail away, offered by The Moorings brokerage for $489,000. This four-cabin, five-heads charter yacht has been the perfect sailing catamaran for family cruising throughout its service in the Caribbean.

The award-winning Leopard 48 offers blue water performance and comfortable living spaces, making the model a popular choice among the Leopard line of cruising catamarans. The Leopard 48 features a large forward cockpit with direct access from the salon and a stairway to the forward platform. Noteworthy exterior features include a large and open aft cockpit with cockpit table and a raised helm station, providing excellent panoramic visibility and easy maneuverability. The forward cockpit/lounge has become a distinguishing characteristic on the Leopards, and the one on the 48 has been exquisitely rendered.

A substantial sliding door is the entryway from the rear cockpit to the large main saloon; it’s directly adjacent to an aft-facing, L-shaped galley to port. Large windows allow plenty of natural light, especially the forward “picture window” near the door to the forward cockpit, next to which is the nav station/office space. An airy atmosphere permeates the floor plan; nothing feels cramped or close.

To starboard, down four steps, is the large owners suite that runs the length of the hull, with an ample double bed aft, a large central couch, a desk, plenty of lockers, and a massive head with a big shower stall forward. On the port side on our test boat was a pair of double staterooms with their own ensuite heads.

The boat is extremely well laid out for solo operation. All of the twin Yanmar engine controls, Raymarine instruments and sail-handling hardware are close at hand, and the sheets, halyards and reefing lines are intelligently organized thanks to two banks of Spinlock clutches and a pair of Lewmar self-tailing winches. There’s no traveler, but boom control is facilitated by the double-ended mainsheet that’s also ingeniously led to the helm.

Bare Necessities is located in St. Lucia and has not experienced any hurricane activity in her history. This boat has the lighter ash interior, and air conditioning. 

Where is Bare Necessities located? The yacht is currently lying in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.

Take the next step: call Moorings Yacht Brokerage USA, (954) 371-2819, or click the link to request more information on the vessel.

Quick Specifications:

• Length Overall: 48’
• Maximum Beam: 25’
• Max Draft: 4’10”
• Displacement: 37,500 lbs
• Hull Material: Fiberglass
• Sails: Ullman with Antal System
• Engine Make: Yanmar
• Engine Hours: 3500 hrs 
• Fuel Type: Diesel 
• Combined Horsepower: 114 hp
• Fuel Capacity: 92 Gal.
• Fresh Water Capacity: 103 Gal.

The post For Sale: 2017 Leopard 48 appeared first on Cruising World.

The Leopard 45 catamaran made its North American debut in 2016 based on a design brief from the parent company of Sunsail, The Moorings and Leopard Catamarans—a parent company that, as you might imagine, buys a heck of a lot of boats each year. Naval architect Alex Simonis took that design brief and created what Cruising World’s judges called the Best Charter Boat for 2017. It’s a model with great views inside and out, as well as improved performance and easier sail handling compared to previous models, our judges said.

All of which is why, when one of these Leopard 45 catamarans comes up on the market for sale, it’s usually worth a look. This one, a 2019 build that’s listed at an asking price of $469,000 with The Moorings Brokerage, is based in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

“CTAS 664 is looking in great shape,” the sales broker says. “She is just finishing her phaseout and is available for an immediate sale. This 2019  model has updated specs, which benefits a water maker and inverter over earlier models.”

The four-stateroom, five-head catamaran is equipped with a pair of Yanmar 4JH45 engines that each have about 1,400 hours of use.

Helm electronics are by Raymarine, including the depth sounder, plotter and VHF radio. Winches are by Lewmar, air conditioning is by Cruisair, and the watermaker is by Sea Recovery. The steering wheel is by Edson. Another well-known brand name for equipment on this boat is Jabsco, which made the electric toilets.

When Cruising World’s judges got aboard an earlier hull of the Leopard 45, they said it scooted right along in 10 knots of breeze. “We saw 6.1 knots closehauled and 7.7 knots when we bore off to a reach,” they reported.

The helmsman steers from a raised platform to starboard in the cockpit. There’s a bench where a couple can sit comfortably, and a series of blocks and clutches mean all sail control lines are led to a pair of electric winches on the cabin top, just forward of the wheel. Working sails consist of a square-top main and a slightly overlapping genoa. “The Leopard version of the 45 that we sailed also carried a screecher set on a continuous-line furler tacked down on a sprit,” the Cruising World judges added.

What was the original price on the Leopard 45? Back in 2017, the asking price for a ready-to-go charter version of this boat was about $580,000 with options and toys.

Where to learn more: go to www.mooringsbrokerage.com.

The post Now For Sale: Leopard 45 appeared first on Cruising World.

Brokers at The Moorings Yacht Brokerage have listed the 2018 Leopard 40 Prelude for sale. The asking price on the sailing catamaran is $385,000, with the boat currently located in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, in the Caribbean.

Prelude is expected to phase out from The Moorings charter fleet in December, when the boat will “be ready to sail away” in time to enjoy a good part of the remaining winter sailing season, according to the company. Temperatures at that time of year tend to hover around the mid-80s, with December marking the start of the busiest tourist months on St. Lucia. People come from near and far to hike and photograph the towering Pitons, which are a must-see landmark in the Caribbean islands.

Prelude is laid out as a three-stateroom owners’ version of the Leopard 40, with a lighter ash interior and air conditioning to keep the owners and guests cool, even in the heat of the tropics.

The builder of the Leopard brand, Robertson & Caine in South Africa, is well known to sailors around the world. Naval architecture on Prelude is by Simonis and Voogd, working with Robertson & Caine’s design team.

In terms of the layout, Prelude has a forward galley with a forward-facing settee for window views of the surroundings during morning coffee or brunch. Nearby is an access door to the boat’s forward platform.

The salon opens through sliding glass doors to the cockpit aft, allowing for easy communication and traffic flow inside and out. With the doors open, the fresh air flows, helping to create an indoor-outdoor experience.

Power plants aboard Prelude are Yanmar 3YM30 AEs. Electronics are by Raymarine with a Fusion stereo system. The fully battened mainsail, furling genoa and lazy bag are by Ulman, with winches from Lewmar and headsail roller furling by Profurl. The steering wheel is by Edson, with a Delta primary anchor and a Danforth secondary anchor.

Electrical equipment includes a Victron Centaur 40A battery charger, along with a 6 kW Northern Lights generator. In addition, the boat has two 70-watt Sunware solar panels.

Want to try before you buy? A charter from The Moorings base in St. Lucia can include the Martinique Rum Experience, adding factory tours and land excursions to the sailing fun around the islands. St. Lucia is considered an ideal destination for all types of sailors, with straightforward navigation.

Learn more about Prelude: click over to mooringsbrokerage.com

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Anybody and everybody looking at a boat that’s for sale after a life on the charter market has the same question: What kind of shape is it in? 

The answer to that question can depend on a lot of things, including the original build quality, the training and skills of the crew, the type of charter fleet it was in, how often the boat was booked, and what kinds of charter clients spent their vacation time on board. Of course, there’s also the boat’s location, and whether it was kept at a base with a well-trained staff that focused on maintenance.

In the case of the Leopard 43 PC Shorebilly, the answer to all those questions boil down to being part of one of the best-honed charter operations on Earth. The answer also involves the Covid-19 pandemic. This 2019 build—listed for sale at an asking price of $475,000 through The Moorings Yacht Brokerage—is described as being in great shape partly because of the low hours and reduced usage during the slower overall charter periods of the pandemic. 

“Shorebilly is looking in great shape,” according to The Moorings team, which is phasing the boat out of use at its St. Lucia location in the Caribbean. “And a young model.”

The powercat is the three-stateroom owners’ version of the Leopard 43 PC. The stepped hull design reportedly offers 27 percent more interior volume than the preceding model did above the waterline, allowing for roomy guest areas in the hulls without sacrificing on the powercat’s performance.

Up on the flybridge, there’s a navigation station with 360-degree views. On the main deck, the galley is forward with a table and a settee aft, for even more views all around.

Inside the starboard hull, all of the space is dedicated to the owners’ stateroom, which has a sleeping area as well as a private head with a separate shower compartment.

Throughout the powercat, the interior is “light blonde,” adding to the feeling of spaciousness with the natural light. 

According to the team at The Moorings, the narrower hulls and reduced wetted surface area below the waterline allow the boat to reach a maximum speed of 23-plus knots. Shorebilly is powered with upgraded Yanmar 8LV320 engines.

What kind of electronics are at the helm of Shorebilly? Multiple products from Raymarine, along with a Fusion stereo system. Where to learn more: click over to www.mooringsbrokerage.com.

The post For Sale: 2019 Leopard 43 PC appeared first on Cruising World.

Mick Jagger was not singing about boat tests and wind speeds when he ­belted out the title lyrics to the classic Rolling Stones tune “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Far too often during many years of conducting sea trials on new boats—when you’re locked into a tight, non negotiable schedule for getting on the water—I’ve shown up just in time for a languid spell of very light air or, even worse, zippo breeze whatsoever. Definitely not what you want.

But there are also those lucky ­afternoons when you get what’s required for a sweet sail. Which pretty much describes the conditions this past spring when I rolled into a marina near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for a test run aboard the new Leopard 42 catamaran, and was greeted by windswept palm trees and a stiff 20- to 25-knot easterly whipping up whitecaps on the deep blue Atlantic.

What’s the line, “When you try sometimes…you get what you need”? Exactly. And in this instance, then some.

Generally speaking, cruising cats are different than their spindly racing siblings: more tankage, more machinery, more furniture, more stuff. Which means they don’t maximize sailing performance in lighter conditions (nor are they ­attempting to…that’s why they’re cruising boats). But give a well-designed, well-built cat with liveaboard ­capabilities some legitimate air ­pressure to play with, and the results can be eye-popping. (Or not, ­frankly. Lots of wind can be too much for some lesser vessels.) Which was most certainly the case with the latest Leopard under sail in the double-­digit gusts. Where she thrived.

Naval architect Alex Simonis—based near the wild, windy waters off Cape Town, South Africa—is the longtime designer of Leopard cats, and a man who relishes drafting solid boats that sail and perform exceedingly well (for proof, have another look at this month’s ­cover shot of a Leopard 42 hauling the mail in the shadow of iconic ­Table Mountain). His willing partners in this crime of nautical passion are the artisans at Robertson & Caine, the boatyard that in 2022 will build approximately 120 to 130 sailing cats ranging in size from 42 to 50 feet. It’s true that the company could probably expand production based on the current and ongoing demand for Leopards, but that would run counter to the builder’s very ethos: Quality is the aim here, not quantity.

As we motored out of the inlets and into the open sea for the trials, I’ll admit that I was so relishing the sail that it never occurred to me to jot down the relevant statistics—speed, high and low RPM, etc.—for the twin 45 hp Yanmar diesels. My bad. Let’s just say we got out there smoothly and quickly.

Leopard was conducting a mini boat show at its docks in Dania Beach that upcoming weekend, so there was an all-star crew of sailmakers and company reps aboard, including Franck Bauguil, an executive at travel conglomerate Travelopia, whose brands include the ­privately owned Leopards, and chartering giants Sunsail and the Moorings, and whose duties include product ­development—a fancy title that actually means he spends a lot of time hanging with Simonis while sailing around and dreaming up cool boats. As we powered into the chop, I mentioned something about a reef, and Bauguil gave me a sidelong look of disappointment, like a resigned parent inspecting a horrible report card. Full hoist it was. As the full-battened, deeply roached, square-topped mainsail was raised, I had a brief thought about singer/songwriter Cat Power, for it was abundantly clear what was powering this darn cat.

It’s interesting to note the difference between the Leopard’s sail plan and, say, the current approach from one of the big French production-cat builders like Lagoon. In recent years, Lagoon, as a brand, has made a conscious decision to slide the entire rig aft, depending more on an ­expansive foretriangle for drive and grunt, and taming the entire arrangement with a self-tacking headsail. With the ­Leopards, including the 42, the rig remains comparably forward, and it’s the mainsail, with a ­relatively longer boom than a Lagoon, that supplies the muscle (we’re talking ­basically a low-aspect main and rig on a ­Leopard versus a high-aspect one on the ­Lagoon), aided and abetted by an overlapping 110 percent headsail that’s tacked like a traditional sailboat. I honestly can’t say if there’s a right or wrong answer here, but it’s fascinating to recognize and compare the differing philosophies.

Back in the real world, I’d ­ascended the four steps to the starboard helm station, which is where you’ll find the wheel on every Leopard; in such matters, these guys are unabashed creatures of habit. The surrounding view was expansive but, more pertinently, within arm’s length I had everything—and I mean everything—required to sail and command the boat: a trio of electric winches (two of which are standard), mainsheet and jib sheets and rope clutches, a nifty traveler setup, dual engine controls, chart plotter and related sailing instruments, and so on. For the most part, across the board, catamaran designers these days lay out decks with the notion and objective that it takes only one sharp sailor to run the whole bloody show, and the Leopard 42 certainly perfects that concept.

After motoring off the coast for sea room, we hardened up to a close reach, and matters became extremely ­interesting, not to mention noisy and blowy. Which was great. The cat trucked along at a ­solid 8.5 knots, but what struck me the most was how solid and steadfast she felt as she cleaved through the chop; the sensation of the twin hulls of a fine cat in exquisite balance really does feel like a freight train on its rails.

But the real fun happens when you crack off and free up the wind angle, and the Leopard leaped at the course change and eased sheets, flirting with 10 knots on a screaming reach. We did have a bit of a fire drill when a blast of wind caught the corner of the furled code zero—which then, of course, started to ­totally ­unfurl—and I got my day’s ­cardio helping drop and corral the beast on the trampolines. ­Extremely good times.

Back at the dock, all ­systems once again calm and ­shipshape, I had a chance to wander the decks and ­interior. The look and feel of the features and ­accoutrements are ­totally ­modern, as in ultra-­contemporary (more than once in my notebook the word “angular” appears). The profile is enhanced by tinted, continuous side windows in the hull, and the coach roof segues into the hard Bimini that’s carried aft and canopies the cockpit. Up top—on the penthouse, so to speak—there’s an inviting lounge space. There’s a marvelous afterdeck and swim ­platform, features for which I have an extremely soft spot. The cockpit has a fine-dining area to port, opposite the helm.

The galley is forward in the roomy central cabin, with the dining table aft to port. The 42 doesn’t have the forward cockpit employed on ­larger models, but there is a watertight front doovate owner’s cabin to starboard (with desk, ­vanity, flat-screen TV, huge head, etc.) and a pair of staterooms to port, but you can spec out the interior in multiple ways: tr that leads to a pair of sun lounges, the tramps, and an optional fixed bowsprit if you’re going with the performance package that includes the code zero. Our test boat had the pretty awesome private owner’s cabin to starboard (with desk, ­vanity, flat-screen TV, huge head, etc.) and a pair of staterooms to port, but you can spec out the interior in multiple ways: three or four cabins, three or four heads, six or eight berths, three or four showers. The four-cabin, four-head configuration is likely what you’ll find if you charter one; about half the production run is bound for the bareboat fleets.

The Leopard 42 replaces the Leopard 40 in the brand’s ­quiver, and is certainly a more substantial ride in every ­notable way. The only problem, really, is that as the world emerges from these pandemic times, they’re going fast. The 42 might be quick, but if you want one, you need to be even quicker.

Specifications Leopard 42

Sea Trial

Herb McCormick is CW’s ­executive editor.

The post Leopard 42 Boat Review appeared first on Cruising World.

Mark Pillsbury, Editor in Chief of Cruising World, recently sat down for a virtual Q&A with Franck Bauguil, VP of Sales & Product Development for Travelopia Holdings Limited, Alex Simonis, Naval Architect for Simonis-Voogd Yacht Design, and Michael Robertson, Chief Designer for Robertson and Caine, in order to discuss the much-anticipated Leopard 42. This new catamaran is the perfect combination of performance, comfort and styling and will be added to the charter fleet for The Moorings and Sunsail in the coming seasons.

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So, you want to get a catamaran, sail off into the sunset, and capture some magic with your lover or family for a few years. You have no ambition to sail around the world or to live aboard forever, but think a one- or two-year sabbatical might be life-changing. You’d like to sail the US East Coast, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, perhaps the Med—or up and down the West Coast and on to Mexico and Central America. You have $300,000 or less to spend and want a catamaran you can sell at the end of the journey without consuming a bottle of Tylenol to blunt the pain. 

The good news is that this is quite achievable. The bad news is that there is a vast wave of baby boomers who are all looking for the same thing—and for right around the same price. This makes finding a good deal on a great used catamaran a lot of work, even working with a broker. But, it’s possible. You just need to keep an open mind.

The other good news, which might seem surprising, is that an older catamaran, besides being more affordable, might sail just as well—or even better—than the same-size new cat that will cost considerably more. Yes, the older model might have less room inside and lack the latest condo-on-the-water styling, but it was designed and built before the current trend to supersize the newer generations of multihulls at the expense of sailing performance.

Here’s my advice to the cat hunter on a budget: Don’t get too hung up on the length of the boat. Instead, focus on the spatial and payload requirements you seek and which can be achieved within your budget. And best not get too focused on must-have features—what I jokingly call “surround-sound beds.” Catamaran designs and interiors have gone through massive changes in the past 10 to 20 years, and most older designs simply cannot compete with the new ones in terms of space and high-end amenities.

None of the cool cats I have in mind are over 47 feet. This is not because there aren’t bargain boats out there that are 47 feet and longer, but because any larger multihull that you can buy for $300,000 or less will most assuredly need a significant refit or is either very old or very odd. Buying a fixer-upper is, to my mind, the most dangerous thing a budget-minded consumer can do. It’s just too easy to underestimate the cost of yacht refits and repairs due to the extremely high prices charged in most boatyards. 

RELATED: 20 Best Cruising and Sailing Destinations

Nearly any cat you buy over 10 years old is fully depreciated. What we were selling a Lagoon 440 for eight or 10 years ago is nearly the same as what they sell for today. The difference between a good deal and a bad deal is tied solely to a yacht’s condition and refit history. As they joke in private-equity circles, “Any idiot can buy; you deserve congratulations only when you sell.”   

So, when your search gets underway, focus on ­condition—it is far more important than the year, brand or features you might crave. And when you find the cat of your dreams, the best way to remove financial-downside risk is to get a great survey and to choose the newest, smallest cat that will work for your agenda, not the oldest and biggest.

And a word of caution: Your problem will be knowing a good deal from a bad one after the survey is over if you are not well-schooled in pricing. Besides steering you toward potential boats to consider, this is where a broker, working on your behalf, can provide knowledgeable advice. It’s been my experience that this is the point when so many yacht sales come apart: a dispute over the value of a given yacht when the survey results come in. All too commonly we see buyers reject yachts they should have accepted and purchase cats they should have rejected. Remember, a used yacht is a used yacht—not a perfect yacht. A catamaran need not be perfect to remain a perfectly good deal. Here, then, are 10 cool cats to ­consider in the ­$300,000-or-less range:

1. Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 (above)

Fountaine Pajot had the misfortune of tooling up this boat just before the global financial crisis, so not that many of them were built between 2007 and 2012. But these were the first of the larger-space charter cats in this size, but not yet so porky that they still could not sail decently. In the three-­cabin owner’s version, they designed the living space very nicely; even in the four-cabin version, the aft starboard bed was very well-done. 

During this period, Fountaine Pajot had problems with the resin it was using, which led to blistering on the hulls and undersides. Affected models therefore had new bottoms done at approved shipyards throughout the world. Make sure the one you are considering had this done or that it doesn’t show evidence of significant blistering. Honestly it is only cosmetic, but it will impact resale if not repaired. Many consumers think blisters are the end of the world; frankly, they are not.

2. Catana 431

Built in France by a long-­standing yard, the Catana 431 was always a very viable vessel because it is big enough to go anywhere, but not too large for a competent owner to handle. And because the 431 has good underwing clearance and daggerboards, it sails smartly to windward. 

That said, there are a few things to watch for. The primary bulkheads on many of these boats were not tabbed on the outer ends, and over time tended to distort. Often this led, or will lead, to a costly replacement of some bulkheads. So be careful to survey these areas properly. 

The 431′s furniture is all foam-cored and handmade, but the banding on the outer edges in some cases slowly starts to peel, which allows moisture to infect the wood veneer. This can create a somewhat unsightly appearance in the cabinets and drawers. It is only a cosmetic issue, but it can make the interior feel a bit worn out. 

During the period when the 431 was being built, Catana used a distributive electrical card system, and the boats had several modules, each a zone, to which electricity was run. If one thing in a zone stops working, the only solution is to jury-rig a wire from that nonworking item back to the main breaker panel. Replacing the modules or getting them repaired can be done, but it is getting harder by the year. For this reason, the best 431 is a boat that someone else had rewired at some point along the way.

3. Lagoon 470

If you need a larger escape pod, the Lagoon 470 is one of our favorites. This model of older Lagoons was built at CNB’s yard in Bordeaux, France, and the build quality was high. The 470 was the first design to have the more-vertical windows that are a Lagoon signature, and ample saloon headroom. The 470s are also old enough that the hulls were not so supersize that it compromised sailing performance. They have decent underwing clearance, so they are not persistent pounders to windward. Many were built with a galley-down layout, some in galley-up style. You will always pay more for an owner version of this or any model. 

The big thing you have to concern yourself with on Lagoons of this vintage is that the hulls and decks are made with a balsa core, so it is not uncommon to find moisture problems, especially around deck fittings or hatches. This can sometimes require rebedding or recoring areas, and this sort of repair, in North America, can be a costly undertaking. Make sure you get good moisture-meter readings near all deck fittings and, of course, on the hulls. Hulls, however, tend less often to have moisture issues because there are few fittings through which water can enter the core. Were that to happen below the waterline, it is a real mess that must be repaired immediately and properly.

4. Privilège 435

Back when the Privilège 435 was built, Privilège catamarans were constructed by Alliaura Marine in France, and they were truly the Mercedes of the multihull world at that time. While not a performance cat by any means, the 435 was a super-solid yacht, built with great care and the finest components. The 435 is large enough to go anywhere but small enough to handle easily. 

The largest negative of this model—and many cats of this vintage—is that the saloon windows slope dramatically, so the interior gets very hot unless the windows are covered most of the time. When they legalize growing pot on catamarans, here’s the perfect greenhouse for it! Seriously, if you should buy a used 435, you really have to get strong sunblocking external UV covers, as well as interior blinds or shades to inhibit heat buildup. 

Some of the 435s were laid out with the galley down in one hull, and these days most people want a galley-up arrangement, where cooking and food preparation are done in the saloon. A three-cabin galley-up owner version will be far more sought after and cost more than a four-cabin galley-down version. 

5. Leopard 46

This was the first of the Morrelli & Melvin collaborations with South African builder Robertson and Caine and the charter companies owned at the time by TUI Marine to create a catamaran that could be sold both into charter under the Moorings brand and also privately as a Leopard, so effort was made to design a boat with good sailing performance. Gino Morrelli did a good job creating a lot of underwing clearance, the 46 has a powerful rig, and yet its interior still offers spacious sleeping areas and nice flow from the cockpit to the saloon. These can be bought as ex-Moorings charter boats for less than $300,000 but are more costly in the sought-after Leopard owner version.

Because these are balsa-­cored boats, you must inspect deck fittings carefully for moisture incursion. Some of the earlier ones also experienced structural problems on the aft bulkhead and over-door-frame areas between saloon and cockpit. Also, during this period, the windows in the main saloon had a tendency to leak and, when they did, required rebedding or replacement. This was a costly job, so check this out carefully during survey.

6. St. Francis 44/Knysna 440

If you wish to spend under $250,000, the older Saint Francis 44 and Knysna 440 are worth a look.

Back in 1990, Duncan Lethbridge started St. Francis Catamarans in South Africa with the St. Francis 43. The boat was meant to be a fast, strong bluewater voyager—and it was. The 43 was made with foam core, keeping the structure light, and it was very strongly built, with a powerful rig. The 43 loved to sail. And so too did the St. Francis 44, an updated version of the original. 

The boat did have a couple of negatives, however, the first being its sloped windows that built up interior heat. And the boat wasn’t a great fit for tall people, having less than 6-foot-2-inch headroom in the hulls. Also, the engines were installed amidships, which made the boat noisy inside under power. It also made the amidships areas of the hulls too narrow to have centrally located heads and showers, which in turn meant the only layout available was a four-­cabin, four-head design. In the forward cabins, the heads and showers had to be far forward; in the aft cabins, the heads and showers were located far aft.

St. Francis sold the tooling for the 44 to Knysna Yachts in 2004, and Knysna raised the headroom in the saloon and moved the engines aft to each stern. The hulls remained fundamentally the same, but the design was improved nicely. 

The largest negative of both the Saint Francis 44 and the Knysna 440 is that they have very low underwing clearance. Things can get pretty noisy when pushing against ­washing-machine seas. 

But you cannot have it all and still pay less than $250,000 in a midsize cat; compromises must be made. And these boats do sail quite smartly compared with many in their size range.

7. Lagoon 440

This was the most popular catamaran ever made, and it started the catamaran flybridge craze, which helped to convert many powerboaters to sailors. 

What I like about the 440 is that it is an infinitely better sailer than some of its peers, and has decent underwing clearance, vertical windows, and nice cabins for sleeping and living. While the aft cockpit is rather small, the saloon is quite large.

Flybridges are a bit of a love-hate thing. There is no question that in a cat of this size, the windward performance suffers a bit due to the boom positioned so high off the water. When piloting, the skipper is separated from those on the bridgedeck. Part of the reason flybridges are so popular in charter is that most of the parties take place up there while sailing and at anchor. In private ownership, however, it is seldom that everyone is hanging out on the flybridge during a long passage. 

As always with Lagoons, these are balsa-cored boats, so a careful survey is in order. Pay attention also to bulkhead ­tabbing to make sure they have not separated from the hulls.

Because so many of the 440s were built to go into charter, there are a lot of four-cabin, four-head models for resale. These will sell for considerably less on the ­brokerage market than a ­coveted three-cabin, ­private-owner model.

8. Leopard 40

When you get into the 40-foot size range, a four-cabin layout can become pretty cramped and claustrophobic below, but the three-cabin owner version of the Leopard 40 is a very nice pocket cruiser. A Morrelli & Melvin design, the 40 has good underwing clearance and nicely shaped hulls. Not a large cat, per se, and less-suited for significant distance sailing than others because its payload is limited, the 40 is still well-suited for a couple and a child or two for near-coastal and ­island-hopping action.

9. Manta 42

If you are searching for a cat in the $200,000 range, the Manta 42s were well-built in Florida, and their electrical systems were very well-done compared with many other multihulls of that era. While many of the features on the boat are quite dated, these Mantas sail very well, and easily, and have been popular with coastal cruisers for two decades. 

The largest negative of the Mantas is that people taller than 6 feet will find the saloon headroom right on the edge, and the berths are not especially large. Also, forward visibility from the saloon windows is not particularly panoramic, so the interiors are a bit darker inside than current-­generation catamarans.

10. Lagoon 410

The Lagoon 410 was quite a popular cat in its prime, and for good reason. It offers lots of visibility thanks to its vertical windows, good headroom for a cat of its size, nice berths, and a workable, though smallish, galley-up design. The 410 has decent underwing clearance, can sail nicely over the waves, and its singlehanded operation is super easy. In the three-cabin owner’s configuration, it’s just a very cool little cat.

As always, a balsa-core boat must be surveyed carefully, especially on deck, for moisture incursion near fittings and hatches. It can be costly to repair rotted core and to rebed deck fittings. But find a dry one, and it should definitely be counted as a contender for a buyer with a limited budget. 

Phil Berman is the president of the Multihull Company and the founder of Balance Catamarans. He has managed the sale of more than 900 catamarans.

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Following the success of the Lounge version of the award-winning Leopard 50, Leopard Catamarans is excited to introduce the Leopard 45 now with a flybridge lounge. The Leopard 45 includes a lounge area with L-shaped settee with backrest & cushions, a sunbed mattress, table, and triple beverage holder. Designed for a modern, blue water lifestyle, the Leopard 45 features a raised helm station covered by a hardtop Bimini, with direct access from the cockpit and side deck. All sailing lines lead to easily accessible winches, the primary winches being electric, and operated by footswitches.

Access to the flybridge is provided by floating stairs leading up from the aft cockpit, without disrupting the helm station. The helm station remains well protected and integrated into the cockpit and the rest of the boat. True to the Leopard pedigree, the Leopard 45 emphasizes functional open spaces and ease of handling while building on design features that have become standard on the modern cruising catamarans. From your chosen layout to the interior and exterior colors, you can customize your Leopard 45.

With naval architecture by Simonis & Voogd Yacht Design, and with exterior and interior design by the world-class design team at Robertson and Caine, the Leopard 45 Sailing Catamaran builds on the best features of the current Leopard range.

For more information please visit www.leopardcatamarans.com.

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Learn more about Leopard Catamaran at leopardcatamarans.com.

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