SAIL’s Review
Boat Review: Leopard 48
It’s good to be a multihull sailor these days. Advances in materials and design have not only revolutionized the market, but it seems the innovations just keep coming. Case in point: the Leopard 48, a boat that employs the latest in catamaran thinking to deliver a platform that is as fun as it is comfortable.
ADAM CORTJUN 7, 2013
It’s good to be a multihull sailor these days. Advances in materials and design have not only revolutionized the market, but it seems the innovations just keep coming. Case in point: the Leopard 48, a boat that employs the latest in catamaran thinking to deliver a platform that is as fun as it is comfortable.
Construction
Designed by Simonis-Voogd and built by the veteran South African yard of Robertson and Caine, the Leopard 48 (also available as the Moorings 4800 for those interested in charter ownership) is one of four well-constructed Leopards (five, if you include Leopard’s powerboat) ranging in length from 39 to 59 feet LOA.
https://www.sailmagazine.com/boats/leopard-48-2
Cruising World’s Review
Leopard 48
With straightforward systems and fine execution, the Leopard 48 has the pedigree to join a distinguished family.
By Herb McCormick August 30, 2013
Solid. When it comes to Leopard cats, that’s the collective judgment of our Boat of the Year panel. Two years ago, they named the Leopard 44 the Import Boat of the Year. And for 2013, they awarded the prize as the year’s Best Full-Size Multihull to South African builder Robertson and Caine’s follow-up effort, the Leopard 48. After my own inspection, I had to agree: In form and function, the 48 is a robust cruiser.
https://www.cruisingworld.com/sailboats/leopard-48-earning-spots
Pacificyachting.com’s Review
Leopard 48
BY SVEN DONALDSON MARCH 31, 2017
South Africa’s preeminent pleasure boat builder—Robertson and Caine—has launched more than 1,000 big catamarans since 1991 and in recent years their pace has quickened. Since 1995, the yard has enjoyed close ties with Tui Marine—the world’s largest charter operator through its Moorings and Sunsail fleets. Many R&C catamarans have been designated as Moorings models (Moorings 39, for example), but the yard also offers virtually identical boats under its own Leopard brand.
So while many Leopards continue to be sold predominantly for charter work, the line has progressively gained favour among private owners. Thanks to electric winches and furling, today’s big cruising cats have emerged as a compelling alternative to trawler-style motor yachts. Aging sailors can still enjoy riding the wind, but aboard an ultra-spacious, stable platform that strongly resists heeling beyond a few degrees. Expansive accommodations, shallow draft and virtually no tendency to roll at anchor are other key virtues that contribute to the runaway popularity of modern cruising catamarans.
Boats.com’s Review
Leopard 48: Two Cockpits Are Better Than One
Lots of outside cockpit space and catamaran sailing performance mark the Leopard 48 as a top pick for recreation or charter.
By Zuzana Prochazka
January 14, 2013
The new Robertson & Caine Leopard 48 is a cruising catamaran that strongly resembles designer Gino Morrelli’s award-winning Leopard 44 (introduced last year), right down to the twin cockpits. It was built to replace the popular 46 for both private ownership as well as for charter use by The Moorings. Created in partnership with naval architect Alex Simonis, this is the first Leopard in many years not drawn by Morrelli—even though you might not guess, by looking.
Though the Leopard 48 has a different designer than the 46 it replaces, both looks and layouts are very similar.
Twin cockpits is a unique concept that grew on me after I experienced it on the sistership. There’s a spacious aft cockpit with a large U-shaped dinette to port and a lounge to starboard. But when swinging on the hook in the tropics, where the trades blow from the east and the sun beats down in the late afternoon from the west, the aft cockpit is not an ideal place to enjoy a cocktail. That’s where the shade of the forward cockpit comes in handy. The 48 has a watertight door that leads from the interior to a smaller cockpit forward, with bench seating and twin drop down tables. It’s a great place to get away from the afternoon sun or the rest of the crowd during the day. The 48 improved on this concept by adding steps up to the forward deck and an overhead hatch in the hardtop that slides back so you can ascend without ducking or banging your head. To reach the bows, you no longer have to go from the interior, through the aft cockpit, up to the deck and around. You can get to the front of the boat in a jiffy.
https://www.boats.com/reviews/leopard-48-two-cockpits-are-better-than-one/
GROUPE BENETEAU
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