Sailing performance of older Leopard 38

[happyoldgrandpa]

I am possibly interested in buying an older Leopard 38 (the ones build around 2000-2003). However, two friends who sail cats have told me that the older Leopard 38s motors well due to the large diesel engines but they don't sail well. Whenever someone tells me that a boat doesn't sail well, I always wonder whether it is the boat or the captain that doesn't sail well. Can any owners of older Leopard 38s provide any information on sailing performance? I know this depends on how heavily it is loaded and I would want to install a diesel generator, an air conditioner, solar pannels, and possibly a wind generator. What can I expect? In a 10 kt wind on a beam reach, will I be moving along at 4kt? 5kt? 6kt? Would I be able to sail at 50 degrees off the true wind? How fast? Any help greatly appreciated.

[tamicatana]

My experience chartering a Leopard 45, probably same vintage

The sails' newness and cut will make a fair bit of difference as to pointing ability, but I didn't get the impression that the L45 did too well to weather. If you want a weather multihull you'll have to get a daggerboarded boat, though.

Heavy boat, built like a brick house. I thought the Fontaine-Pajot cats that I'd been on performed better. We saw some 6-8s in about 10kt or so, reaching. All my not-impressiveness said, we were towing a dink as the boat had no davits, and I think that may have had a very negative effect on her performance.

The thing I liked the least about the Leopard was the fact that nothing was on one level. Step up to the deck, up and down along the deck, up and down in the hulls (midship tanks), up to the berths, my knees were killing me.

I do have a friend with an L38, and I honestly like that boat much better than the 45. edit: boat is, I believe, newer than your interest