Leopard launches new 43, 46 and 52 catamarans in major range overhaul

Leopard did more than freshen a single model line. It rolled out three sailing cats at once, putting the new Leopard 43, Leopard 46 and Leopard 52 on display at Sanctuary Cove and making the move feel like a full range reset rather than a cosmetic tweak.

That matters because the boats are not random overlaps. The Leopard 43 steps in as the evolution of the Leopard 42, aimed at couples and smaller families who still want a blue-water cat but in a more manageable package. Leopard says it brings panoramic visibility, enhanced performance and modern indoor-outdoor living, while industry chatter around the launch points to a new hull shape that adds volume forward and opens up the interior concept.

The Leopard 46 sits in the middle and carries the weight of continuity. It replaces the Leopard 45, which Leopard calls its most popular catamaran ever built, and it keeps the brand’s familiar formula of forward cockpit, generous aft cockpit and a bright open saloon. The big new wrinkle is an optional hybrid electric propulsion system, built around a power management box, electric propulsion pod, high-voltage lithium-ion battery, solar array and range-extending generator. Leopard says the system can draw power from solar, sailing regeneration, shore power and the generator, which is the sort of package that will appeal to owners who want quieter anchorages and less generator time without giving up proper passagemaking ability.

The Leopard 52 is the anchor point of the new trio. It replaces the 50 and is pitched as the most versatile cruising catamaran in its class, built for blue-water passagemaking and long-term liveaboard comfort. Leopard has loaded it up with flexibility too, including three-cabin liveaboard layouts with a utility room, 4- and 5-cabin family versions, a 6-cabin charter setup and an optional crew cabin in the forepeak. That kind of spread tells you exactly who Leopard is chasing: owners who want one platform to cover serious cruising, long stays aboard and charter economics.

The timing sharpens the message. Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show ran from 21 to 24 May on the Gold Coast in Queensland, and the event was set to draw more than 300 exhibitors and more than 800 vessels. For buyers in Australia and New Zealand, it was the first chance to see the new Leopard sailing range together on the dock, with the refreshed Leopard 53 Powercat alongside it as a reminder that Leopard is pushing hard on both sailing and power.

The common thread across the range is easy to spot. Leopard is leaning into space, usability and owner versatility, but without walking away from the practical blue-water identity that made the brand. The company says the range has been shaped by more than 40 years of customer feedback with Robertson and Caine, and this launch shows exactly where that experience has taken it: bigger, more flexible, more comfortable cats that still know how to go to sea.