New Leopard 42 to feature upper lounge

alt="New Leopard 42 to feature upper lounge"/>

The Leopard 42 will have sea trials in South Africa before heading to the US for its debut

Currently under construction in South Africa, the first Leopard 42 is scheduled to have test sails in Cape Town in November before the model’s world premiere at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2021.

Succeeding the 40 as the brand’s entry-level sailing cat, the new model’s key features include the open hardtop lounge introduced on the Leopard 50 and added as an option on the 45 this year.

The Leopard 42 has a hardtop lounge accessed from the port side deck

Designed by Simonis Voogd and built by Robertson and Caine, the 42 is far more spacious than the 40, with a sharper exterior, larger cabins with more natural light, plus the additional social area on top.

A rare feature on a sub-45ft sailing cat, the upper lounge is accessed from the port side deck and offers another 50sqft of outdoor area with an upholstered L-shaped sofa and backrest, and fixed GRP table.

Robertson and Caine’s Michael Robertson, the Leopard 42’s chief designer, said: “For a catamaran of this size, the goal was to introduce a lounge that not only fit into the design but without adding too much weight.

The aft cockpit can sit up to eight people

“By integrating the geometry of the lounge into the GRP hardtop, we were able to achieve a lightweight area that added less weight to the boat than one average-sized crew member.”

The exterior continues the styling seen on the Leopard 50, which features continuous hull side windows, a continuous hardtop and contrasting coachroof accents, and the look was further sharpened by featuring a completely horizonal chine and a plumb bow.

The interior design adopts styling developed for the Leopard 53 PC, introduced this year

The 42 also features stepped hulls and a powerful rig with overlapping genoa for strong performance in all wind conditions.

The 41ft 7in cat has a 23ft beam and is designed for single-handed sailing from Leopard’s traditional raised starboard helm station, which offers good visibility over the bow and stern, and direct access to the side deck, cockpit and upper lounge, keeping the skipper connected with guests. The cockpit can sit up to eight people, while the foredeck has a double and a single sunpad.

The saloon can feature an adjustable high-low table for dining or coffee

The interior design adopts styling developed for the 53 PC, which premiered earlier this year, and new features in the saloon include a skylight and a window in the aft starboard corner by the helm. To port, the L-shaped corner sofa and dining table face forward to the foredeck door and C-shaped galley to starboard.

Accommodation options include three or four cabins, each with an ensuite bathroom including separate shower. All beds face forward or aft and are wider than on the Leopard 40, while floor space has increased 35 per cent in the guest cabins and 30 per cent in the optional owner’s cabin in the starboard hull. The total size of the hull windows has doubled.

The optional owner’s cabin is in the starboard hull

The base price for a three-cabin Leopard 42 with standard equipment is US$459,000. Like all Leopards, including the 43 and 53 Powercats, the 42 is also available for charter or purchase through an ownership programme with The Moorings, as the Moorings 4200.