In our Powercat A-Z series, we pick some of the biggest and best powercat producers in the world. Today we look at Leopard
When South African yard, Robertson and Caine, moved into the world of powercats, it went exactly the right way about it. Its fleet of Leopard sailing cats had already scooped all kinds of international awards but it still chose to design its new power-driven cats from the ground up and its level of success has been stellar.
In 2020, its Powercat 53 won the Multihull of the Year award. It followed that up two years later with a smaller 46ft version, which also took the top gong at the Best of Boats Awards.
When its smallest powercat completed the hat-trick with the European Powerboat of the Year award in 2024, it was a very clear endorsement for the Leopard way of doing things. Designed, built and tested off the coast of Cape Town, each Leopard delivers comfortable bluewater cruising coupled with easy single-handed helming and outstanding fuel efficiency.
The brand is also well known for tough construction and spacious flybridges, as well as for a range of equipment and layout options so you can tailor each model to your needs.
The Leopard range
Designed by Simonis & Voogd and built by Robertson and Caine, a celebrated South African shipyard specialising in oceangoing multihulls, Leopard’s three powercat models put reliability, comfort and seakeeping at the heart of the experience.
At the entry point, the beamy new 40 PC leverages its class-leading volume to provide three cabins, masses of storage, an extraordinarily large flybridge and a seamless single-level main deck with interior helm.
The mid-range 46 PC brings extra space, pace and range, courtesy of a 24ft beam, engine options from 250 to 370hp and 1,800L of fuel as standard. As a highly customisable bluewater cruising cat, it also brings the option of a fourth ensuite cabin, or a three-cabin layout with crew quarters, both of which look ideal for charter.
And at the top of the fleet, the fourth-generation 53 PC has been intelligently updated for greater speed, comfort and luxury, with a vast saloon space and efficient, cruise-friendly performance way out of proportion to its scale.
Despite its modest length and wide beam, the Leopard 40 is a really capable sea boat
Our pick
With a beam of 21ft 8in (more than 54% of the overall length), the new Leopard 40 PC offers more space and volume than any other 40ft powercat out there. It also uses 50% less fuel than an equivalent monohull and that’s in spite of the fact that it delivers such an extraordinary range of daytime socialising spaces.
Ahead of a beamy, well-sheltered aft cockpit, the saloon provides a large L-shaped port galley and a brilliantly sociable helm, with a big port lounge, great views and easy access to the foredeck sun loungers through the forward saloon door. You also get a massive flybridge with a large C-shaped dinette, a generous wet bar and an open aft deck ideal for freestanding furniture.
Sleeping space is strong too. While the port hull conceals a pair of ensuite doubles, the owner’s cabin adopts a lovely open-plan layout with a bathroom, central dressing area and plenty of light thanks to big hull windows. In short, if you want big outdoor space, comfortable cabins and excellent composure, this is a first-class solution.
See our complete A-Z guide to Powercats
