New Leopard 45

Leopard 45 awarded Boat of the Year by Cruising World Magazine

CLEARWATER, FL – The Leopard 45 was making big waves in the catamaran industry even before she was formally launched.  But once she made her debut appearance at the United States Sail Boat Show in October, it was evident that she was well worth the wait.

We are pleased to announce that the Leopard 45 has been awarded 2017 Boat of the Year by Cruising World Magazine. This marks the 7th Cruising World Boat of the Year win by Leopard. This year’s award was in the newly created Best Charter Catamaran category proving that South African Builders, Robertson and Caine, have perfected the art of not only creating the perfect private owner’s boat but one that is perfectly suited for the charter industry as well. 

As Cruising World’s Executive Editor Herb McCormick put it, “In some cases, creating a good charter boat also creates a good private owner’s boat. That’s certainly the case with the Leopard 45. With 60 percent of this model’s units destined for the charter business.”

The judging was done by a team of three independent industry experts, who conducted thorough dockside inspections and then carried out sea trials. The Leopard 45 proved to be the leader of the pack in all areas of the judging. What stood out in particular was her performance and innovation. Additionally, the judges were impressed by the amount of space provided by the forward cockpit, which is connected to the saloon through a translucent door. Another area of interest to the judges was the main saloon, which hosts a forward facing galley and dinette. The judges also noted that visibility through the Leopard 45 is excellent.

McCormick finished stating, “With detail after detail executed to an extremely high standard, the Leopard 45 earned the top spot as Best Charter Cat in the BOTY 2017 fleet.”

In addition to private ownership through Leopard Catamarans, the Leopard 45 is also available for ownership through The Sunsail Yacht Ownership Program as the Sunsail 454 (four cabin charter layout). 

For more information on the Leopard 45, contact us today.