From the initial design phase until the splash of the first hull, all hands involved in the creation of the Leopard 50 had a genuine passion for the product, and it shows. By maximizing the onboard area, she was designed as the perfect catamaran for guest entertaining and long-range cruising.
Maintaining the stunning open-plan layout with 360-degree views from the saloon while creating a strong and stiff yacht that was not unnecessarily heavy required advanced engineering solutions. The Leopard 50 makes use of carbon-infused ring frames in the most critical areas to achieve this. This type of construction was pioneered on larger all-carbon racing catamarans and successfully applied to the Leopard 50 to offer an ideal mix of comfort, space and performance.
From the Leopard 50 to the Leopard 52
The Leopard 50 established a strong foundation for Leopard’s larger sailing catamarans, combining expansive living spaces, bluewater capability and an innovative flybridge lounge with the brand’s signature focus on indoor-outdoor living.
Its successor, the Leopard 52, builds on that foundation for a new generation of cruising. The Leopard 52 takes many of the qualities owners valued in the Leopard 50 — generous social spaces, comfortable private accommodations and practical features for extended time aboard — and advances them through a more modern design, increased space and the latest evolution of Leopard’s sailing performance and onboard living.
Together, the Leopard 50 and Leopard 52 represent two generations of Leopard’s approach to large cruising catamarans. While the Leopard 50 is no longer in production, it remains an appealing option on the pre-owned market through Leopard Brokerage, while the Leopard 52 carries its legacy forward as the current evolution of Leopard’s larger sailing catamaran range.
Think Style. Think Function.
Whether cruising the Caribbean or crossing the Pacific Ocean, the Leopard 50 was created with a wide variety of sailors in mind.
Make it your own. With the creation of the Leopard 50, Leopard found a balance between a production yacht that could be built safely and efficiently and one that gave owners opportunities to customize the yacht to their needs during production and through aftermarket additions.
Owners have made their Leopard 50s distinctly their own, adding everything from wine coolers and customized shelving to extended helm seating and other features that suit their cruising lifestyles.
The heart and soul of every Leopard Catamaran are the spaces where you can enjoy the company of friends and family. For liveaboards, those same generous spaces also provide each crew member with a personal place to escape.
Starting with the flybridge lounge on deck, with seating for up to 10, work your way down the floating staircase to the aft cockpit, which provides the perfect place to enjoy dinner with the whole family. Continue forward through the saloon and galley, then step through Leopard’s signature forward access door and into the forward cockpit to clink glasses and enjoy a sundowner. And don’t forget the trampoline, a classic feature of the sailing catamaran experience.
In the starboard hull, separate staircase access to both the owner’s suite and VIP cabin provides comfort and privacy for owners and guests. In the port hull, layouts were offered with two cabins and en-suite heads or, in place of a fourth cabin, a utility room providing laundry facilities, workspace, additional storage and more.
Swim Platform or Davits?
To load your dinghy onto a swim platform or stick with a davit system? That is the question. On the Leopard 50, owners had the option to choose which setup better suited their cruising plans.
The swim platform provides easy loading and unloading in addition to creating a convenient place to sit close to the water. Some bluewater sailors, however, prefer the simplicity of a traditional davit system. Offering both configurations allowed owners to select the setup that best matched the way they intended to use their yacht.
Protection, Rain or Shine
The Leopard 50 is equipped with a hardtop over the helm with the ability to completely enclose the helm station. While an open upper helm can be appealing, protection from the elements becomes especially important for owners spending extended periods aboard.
Weather can turn quickly, and prolonged sun exposure can make an unprotected helm uncomfortable. The Leopard 50’s hardtop provides valuable protection, while the available helm enclosure adds another level of comfort for longer passages and changing conditions.
An Award-Winning Design
The Leopard 50 earned international recognition following its launch. Cruising World honored the Leopard 50 in its prestigious Boat of the Year awards, continuing Leopard’s history of award-winning sailing catamarans. The Leopard 50 was also named the 2019 Best Multihull Sailing Yacht at the Christofle Yacht Style Awards during the Thailand Yacht Show.
These accolades reflected what owners found aboard: a thoughtful combination of cruising capability, innovative use of space and comfortable onboard living.
A Few Things to Note About Speed and Range
Curious about the yacht’s speed and ability? In testing with 16 knots of wind and pointing at 50 degrees, the Leopard 50 cruised at approximately 7 knots. At 90 degrees or 120 degrees with the genoa, speeds reached approximately 8.5 knots.
Under power, the Leopard 50 can reach a maximum speed of approximately 11 knots. Cruising at a more modest 6.5 knots, fuel consumption averages approximately 1.1 gallons per hour, with an estimated maximum motoring range of approximately 1,110 nautical miles.
Finding a Pre-Owned Leopard 50
While the Leopard 50 is no longer in production, its combination of space, performance and versatile living areas continues to make it an attractive option on the pre-owned market. For sailors who appreciate the design of the Leopard 50, Leopard Brokerage offers the opportunity to explore previously owned Leopard catamarans currently available around the world.
Buying through Leopard Brokerage also gives prospective owners access to a team that knows these yachts, their layouts and their history. Whether you’re specifically searching for a Leopard 50 or comparing several generations of Leopard sailing catamarans, the pre-owned market can be an excellent way to find the Leopard that fits your cruising plans.
