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.
