I am officially smitten by the New Leopard 45!

[Factor]

15 Tonne lightships and draws 1.6 Metres - I am struggling to understand why?

[markpierce]

Constant harping on why one wouldn't choose the OP's boat choice isn't helpful.

[CbroTheDude]

Originally Posted by Factor

15 Tonne lightships and draws 1.6 Metres - I am struggling to understand why?

Lagoon 450, 15T lightship, draws 1.3m. The thin hulls are in cause

[Factor]

Originally Posted by CbroTheDude

Lagoon 450, 15T lightship, draws 1.3m. The thin hulls are in cause

Sorry I do understand the physics I am struggling why anyone would build a boat that was that heavy and drew that much.

[CbroTheDude]

Originally Posted by Factor

Sorry I do understand the physics I am struggling why anyone would build a boat that was that heavy and drew that much.

Sorry, my misunderstanding there. I then have the same interrogation as Leopard don't aim for performance but even their big models have thin hulls and can't accommodate walk around berths

[robert sailor]

Builders are a lot more savoy than the average sailor might think. They have surveyed what new Cat buyers want and then they produce a product that meets that demand. Lagoon are not leaders by accident and they know that interior accommodations are at the top of the priority list and sailing ability is way below that and they have been proven right every time. It's the same with mono hulls.

[yeloya]

Originally Posted by Factor

Sorry I do understand the physics I am struggling why anyone would build a boat that was that heavy and drew that much.

My guess; they planned the boat to be around 11, max 12 tons and dseigned the hulls accordingly for performance, but ended up with 15 tons. Once the moulds are done what can you do ?

I remember when Orana 44 was announced, she was supposed to be 9,8 tons but came up later 10,5 tons. This is acceptable but 30-40 % deviation from the plans is weird..

Yeloya

[Four Coconuts]

Hi Mark,

The OP is considering purchasing- they haven't yet. It's VERY valuable for both manufacturers and potential consumers that these discussions happen when a new product is launched. While some consumer feedback may come through dealers it is filtered several times, reworded and couched. Many potential consumers who have the greatest dissatisfaction a product's design won't even engage the salespeople to provide that feedback for fear of being confrontational. Believe me, TUI is reading this thread and seeking feedback from dealers to see what is said about their new L45. It's basic market research. Without it they would be developing future products in a void, and the resulting product will miss what buyers want, ultimately resulting in a failed product.

[sheldon957]

I will say that the draft was an issue for me, and I was surprised at the huge 11" increase in stated draft from a 2012 Leopard 44 of 4'2".

As we all know, every boat has compromises. What I do like about the forward area most is the DOOR which no one has mentioned in this thread. If I had to access the forward bow area quickly in bad weather, going through the door would be a whole lot less risk for a man overboard scenario. Of course if green water was constant, you would have to go outside.

Additionally, you could make a cover for the area that may help shed the majority of the water.

[bvander]

Am sure there is a pill for that ailment

[Mariano]

Originally Posted by sheldon957

I will say that the draft was an issue for me, and I was surprised at the huge 11" increase in stated draft from a 2012 Leopard 44 of 4'2".

As we all know, every boat has compromises. What I do like about the forward area most is the DOOR which no one has mentioned in this thread. If I had to access the forward bow area quickly in bad weather, going through the door would be a whole lot less risk for a man overboard scenario. Of course if green water was constant, you would have to go outside.

Additionally, you could make a cover for the area that may help shed the majority of the water.

They already dir. It's offered as an optión and somebody posted a Link a couple of post ago.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Mariano

They already dir. It's offered as an optión and somebody posted a Link a couple of post ago.

It would have to be one stout cover to disperse a breaking wave.

[Imprezza72]

That is the first time I've seen that, it does explain the d-rings around the forward area on a 48 I have been looking at. Thanks!

[Mariano]

It's explained there (the pdf file) that it's developed to REDUCE the amount of incoming water, so they recognize the posibiility and the danger involved

[Big Macca]

The fact that R&C felt the need to produce a brochure explaining the forward cockpit concept is indicative of the level of consumer concern they had to address. The brochure says the cockpit will drain in "less than 45 seconds". That's quite a long time when the waves are coming over the bow in 20-second intervals. So perhaps it's not a boat entirely suited to fighting off a lee shore in a sudden storm, but then how many will every have to?