The Leopard 40 was Cruising World’s Boat of the Year. CW Judges stated they found the best blend of purpose, quality and character,”The Leopard 40 is bigger and sails better than her predecessor, lighter by 4,000 pounds and saildrives keep the boat quiet.” They saw one of this model’s most remarkable feature as, "The Sail Handling Center by the helm, should become an industry standard. By bringing the sail controls all to one spot, you optimize handling the boat in rough conditions or when sailing shorthanded." Ergonomics, engine access, placement of hand-holds, interior layout all contributed to winning the award.
Designers Gino Morrelli and Pete Melvin are the famed architects of high performance cats such as the world record holder, “Play Station.” Esprit De Mer’s design combines an open- plan layout and spacious interior volume, resulting in exceptional sailing and comfort.
Her advanced performance features are what make this model irresistible. Imagine tacking effortlessly with just the main in light-air, cruising at 7.5kts in 12kt apparent wind, or pointing within 40 degrees of windward on a fully loaded cruising catamaran.
