Leopard windows...

[scarlet]

Prior to the boat show">Miami Boat show.. Scott and I had completely eliminated the leopard brand of catamarans from our "potential boat" list.. Then we saw the Leopard's at MBS, and we LOVED them. I couldn't remember why I had eliminated them...

Well.. I remember now.. those "louvered windows"! I hate them! not only do they have to obstruct your view out.. and they make the boat look sort of institutional.. or industrial... I've been looking again the last couple of days.. and boy... there are a couple older used Leopards out there RIGHT in our price range.. have the features we want.. and look like they are in good shape.. but I just can't get past those stupid windows. While we aren't ready to buy right now... these boats could potentially be a good fit for us... except for the windows..

So... my question is.. has anyone bought a leopard, and removed the louvers? how easy is it to do? and will it hurt the structure in anyway?

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by scarlet

Prior to the Miami Boat show.. Scott and I had completely eliminated the leopard brand of catamarans from our "potential boat" list.. Then we saw the Leopard's at MBS, and we LOVED them. I couldn't remember why I had eliminated them...

Well.. I remember now.. those "louvered windows"! I hate them! not only do they have to obstruct your view out.. and they make the boat look sort of institutional.. or industrial... I've been looking again the last couple of days.. and boy... there are a couple older used Leopards out there RIGHT in our price range.. have the features we want.. and look like they are in good shape.. but I just can't get past those stupid windows. While we aren't ready to buy right now... these boats could potentially be a good fit for us... except for the windows..

So... my question is.. has anyone bought a leopard, and removed the louvers? how easy is it to do? and will it hurt the structure in anyway?

Where are you planning to use the boat?
Those louvers have a very important function, which is to stop the sun from hitting the windows and heating the inside of the boat.
If you do not like louvers and will use the boat in the tropics I suggest you look at boats with vertical saloon windows such as Lagoons..

C

[jostalli]

They also serve as "steps" but to answer your question yes, they are removable. I agree they are ugly. Take them off and either tint the inside of the windows or have exterior window covers made like the ones commonly seen on the side windows.

[scarlet]

We are definitely planning on going mainly to the carribean.. so, I understand about keeping the salon cool... (trust me.. I want to keep things cool, too!) I wonder if it keeps things cooler than some of the other methods, such as the vertical windows on the lagoon (that "C" suggested). or some of the window treatments that allow you to look out, but keeps the sun out...

I really like the configuration on the new Leopards.. but, I am NOT willing to pay what they are priced at... it's ridiculous, really!

I'm glad to know they can be removed, though..

[Privleoplag]

must be looking at older leopards...

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by Privleoplag

must be looking at older leopards...

Yes! I haven't really seen one of the newer leopards on the used market yet...

[Privleoplag]

used 44
2013 Leopard 44 Catamaran Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

used 39
Robertson And Caine Leopard 39 boats for sale - www.yachtworld.com

used 48
2013 Robertson and Caine Leopard 48 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Privleoplag]

of course I'm biased towards the leopards.. we've sailed the louvered windowed leopards before and I don't think the louvers were that much of an issue.. you just aren't looking out the forward windows all that much. I think they may have bothered a bit, but really, nothing at all.

If you can get by the louvers.. leopards do have some nice boats in the previous versions.. I really like the 43. And really, if you can find them, any of the owners versions are pretty sweet!

[RRMontgo]

Full disclosure, we own a Leopard 46. I actually like the window louvres. Yes, they can be removed and we've done this before to re-bed the tinted glass windows. The louvres keep sun off the windows and are not a problem for seeing out. The best thing about them is they make access to the salon roof easy, just a few short steps up, which is also important for getting to the mainsail stackpack. Have you been on other catamarans where you have to take a huge step up from the foredeck to get to the mainsail because the vertical windows (lagoon and now FP too) cause the salon roof to be a lot higher than the foredeck? I also consider it a safety issue. On those boats with the huge step up, it's also a huge space to fall. Not so with louvres. They also make nice seating platforms when enjoying your evening libation or when sailing.

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by Privleoplag

used 44
2013 Leopard 44 Catamaran Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

used 39
Robertson And Caine Leopard 39 boats for sale - www.yachtworld.com

used 48
2013 Robertson and Caine Leopard 48 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

The 48 is sure a beauty!! I half wonder if that is the exact one they showed at Miami... unfortunately, it is WAY outside our price range...

The other 2 are really priced nicely... I can't believe I missed those... thanks for the head's up!

[Wannabe-007]

Have you sailed a Leopard?

I agree that those windows are aesthetically inferior to the sexy lines of an FP... Personally, I think it still looks nicer the lagoon.
Strokes & Folks.

I have sailed a few Leopards, and I can't honestly ever remember noticing the louvered windows under way. They are well placed and whilst they must have caused some kind of obstruction, I don't ever recall being even mildly inconvenienced by it.


They are also incredibly useful. Its actually a really nice place to sit and have a rum.
As already stated, they also make ascension a simple and safe task. On many cats, getting up to the cabin top can be a slippery and dangerous affair, not to mention impossible to climb up with a rum in each hand!

If you do go any further with whipping those bad boys off, let us know how you get on! Id be interested...


Leopard started doing something a bit tricky & smart with the Leopard 39... they created vertical windows, but creates something of an optical illusion, and the lines still look nice at most angles.

Im sure there used to be Leopard 39's around well under $300k.

[ShaktisBoy]

Scarlet the louvers / steps / seats are one of the best features. I cant tell you how much I hate trying to hop up on a salon roof to get to a sail bag or boom. imagine
needing to get up there in a hury in a rough seaway. Some boats you have to jump others have silly little step ladders to negotiate while the boat is bucking like a bronco, the louvers are the way to go imho.

[scarlet]

Wanna-be... is that really what it looks like from the inside?! that's not bad at all!! And you are right.. I've never been on one of the older ones.. just the new ones.. That is actually really nice! And it doesn't affect the view out at all! I thought it would be mostly obstructed.. But that is really nice!!! who would have thunk it?

From looking at the photos.. I'm still not sure how someone would climb up those.. but I'll just believe you on that one.. I'm going to have to take a second look. there are a lot of those out there well in our price range.. so that is a viable option, now that you have blown my assumptions out of the water.. literally!!

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by ShaktisBoy

Scarlet the louvers / steps / seats are one of the best features. I cant tell you how much I hate trying to hop up on a salon roof to get to a sail bag or boom. imagine
needing to get up there in a hury in a rough seaway. Some boats you have to jump others have silly little step ladders to negotiate while the boat is bucking like a bronco, the louvers are the way to go imho.

Not a problem on my boat!

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by scarlet

) I wonder if it keeps things cooler than some of the other methods, such as the vertical windows on the lagoon (that "C" suggested). or some of the window treatments that allow you to look out, but keeps the sun out.....

If we apply the same solar arquitecture principles taught in engineering school then the ranking (less to more heat coming through windows) would be:

1) Leopard louvers ( vertical or sloping sun is bounced back by louvers and any heating of the louver is cooled down by outside air circulating between louver and window)

2) Lagoon vertical windows (50% of the time the sun hits the glass and UV rays turn into IR rays that heat the inside like a greenhouse)

3) Sloping windows without louvers (more than 50% of the time sun hits the glass, etc).

By the way, those window treatments applied on the inside are very good to keep visible light from going in, but they do not help in keeping the heat out. You can put a canvas or textilene cover on the outside but then you lose light and the insulation is not as good as with the louvers because there is no ventilation between the cover and the windosws.

This is not just theory. I have learned all this the hard way; I own a Beneteau with a big HORIZONTAL window that makes the boat very hot in the tropics and I have sailed many thousands of tropical miles in cats with sloping windows and no louvers....

Cheers

C