Like the other powercats of the brand, the 40 PC was designed from the start as a motor boat, i.e. its hulls are specific and the weight distribution corresponds to that of a motor boat. In addition, with a displacement of nearly 14 tons, the Leopard 40 PC necessarily requires some power.
In the standard version, it is therefore equipped with 2 x 250 HP Yanmar, a power that can be increased to 2 x 320 or 2 x 370 HP. Hull number 1, the one we tested, was equipped with the most generous mechanics, namely 2 x 370 HP. This power may seem a bit modest for a 40-footer, especially considering the 40-footer opens with 2,500 HP, only a few meters away from our boat - and yes, in Miami, it's a power explosion on almost every pontoon! But thanks to the magic of the multihull design, the 40 PC has a really good hull efficiency and therefore does not need to carry so much power.
Convincing performance and reasonable fuel consumption
As a proof, the powercat planes in only 8.3 seconds and reaches a cruising speed of about 18 knots (21 mph) and she is even able to reach a top speed of almost 23 knots (26,5 mph), a more than correct speed. These are quite satisfactory results, especially since with such speed, you can already go pretty far. At this cruising speed, the consumption is established at 90 liters/hour (23,77 gal/h). Since the catamaran has a 1,400-liter gas tank, this allows a range of nearly 280 miles. If we want to play the distance card, at 8 knots (9 mph), the 40 PC can cover nearly 600 miles, which is quite correct.
Apart from the performance aspect, the Leopard 40 PC evolves above all in great comfort. Smooth in waves, stable and well balanced, she is easy to control. Once in the marina, the optional bow thrusters make maneuvering much easier, even for a helmsman who is not an expert. In short, this power catamaran is really easy to handle.
