TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands New Leopard 52

A video just dropped on YT for those interested. Looks pretty nice, not a major departure looks wise thankfully.

Looks nice but I cant get past how all these boats have that big "wind brake" so you can get to the bow..surely it has effect sailing close wind terribly.I've wondered, if you have to have that, why not make it so it folds down when sailing.I cant imagine being in a big sea in open ocean with it like that...a few big waves over the bow and you could be in big trouble..

Agreed Mal. At least this one doesn't have the helm right up on the flybridge (my personal pet hate) but it is definitely more suited to trundling around the BVI than crossing oceans.

Everyone stated the forward cockpit would be a disaster at sea when leopard introduced it. In reality there have need zero issues. It drains almost instantaneously if you manage to stuff the bow. The drains are huge. My wife’s one request in the new boat was an interior walk through to the bow with a forward cockpit.Really limits your choices.

The front windows are 12mm perspex specifically designed to conform to ISO 12216 and there is not one report of a failure of the front window from wave impact in the thousands of catamarans Leopard has built with this feature.

The front cockpit is designed to drain in 45 seconds, exceeding ISO 12216 and ABYC standards.

I wouldn't call these the ultimate blue water boats, but they are probably more capable than the putz at the helm about 99% of the time.

Looks nice - but then what new big boat doesn't? I thought it was interesting that they went back to the tripod main sheets from the traveler. Was on a 50 this summer that had the traveler explode - and let me tell you that when you have the boom swinging a foot or so above your head you get a whole new appreciation of why they call it a boom!

They announce a price yet? I really enjoyed the 50s I have crewed on, but not sure I think the increase in cost is worth what you gain from my Lagoon 42! ymmv

Keep Smiling!!!

I didn't notice the german mainsheet arrangement... definitely preferable in my view. I remember wondering why the 50 didn't have it when I took one out.

The earlier Leopards had travelers. The 4800 was the first boat I remember with the twin sheet arrangement. I thought I was going to hate it but grew to actually really like it. The 5000 replaced the 4800 and went back to a traveler. The problem with a traveler is they get abused badly in charter. People accidentally jibe or simply don’t know how to Jibe and break them. The new 4600 went back to twin sheets. I think it is a smart move.

Right, our L40 had a double mainsheet so I was surprised the later introduced L50 didn't.

Especially with the sky lounge, the double mainsheet seems so much safer. Quieter at anchor too.