Nearly 2,500 watts of solar, a Rainman watermaker and a convertible fourth cabin make this owner-updated catamaran a liveaboard in waiting.
Some walkthroughs sell a floor plan; this one sells a cruising plan. In a brisk tour of S/V Vela, a 2008 Leopard 40, the emphasis lands squarely on the systems that let a couple or family stay out longer — power, water, refrigeration and storage — rather than on cosmetics.
Decks and ground tackle
Boarding from the port side, the tour moves forward across a spacious foredeck with two storage lockers plus the anchor locker. Vela carries the older-style Leopard louvered steps, which make climbing to the coach roof and hardtop straightforward and secure. Ground tackle is serious: 160 feet of 3/8-inch galvanized chain installed in 2026, 50 feet of rode, a 55 lb Rocna, and a freshwater anchor washdown in the locker.
The foredeck lockers are working spaces — the port side holds a 100-gallon freshwater tank, the spinnaker, spare fenders and dock lines; starboard houses a second 50-gallon water tank, a portable generator and miscellaneous gear. Rigging has been kept current: Max Sails installed all-new standing rigging and a new sail bag in 2021, with a professional tune in 2023, and all running rigging was replaced in 2024.
Power and propulsion
Four solar panels are mounted over the stern with two more on deck — 2,480 watts total — feeding an 800 amp hour battery bank managed through a Victron Cerbo GX that also monitors water and fuel. A 3000-watt Victron MultiPlus inverter handles AC loads. Propulsion comes from twin Yanmar 3YM30AE engines on SD25 sail drives, and both diesel tanks were replaced in 2024.
Cockpit and salon
The cockpit offers generous stowage beneath the seating, a full enclosure and a complete set of bug screens for airflow without company. Aft sit a Magma grill and a Highfield CL310 dinghy with a 20 hp Tohatsu. At the helm — Raymarine electronics with a backup Garmin chartplotter — the seat has dual positions, forward or aft, with clear sightlines ahead.
Inside, two refrigerators can run as fridge-fridge or fridge-freezer. The galley pairs a two-burner induction cooktop with an Omni 10-in-1 convection oven/toaster/air fryer, a double-basin sink with drying basin, and a dedicated filtered drinking tap. Two Dometic 16,000 BTU air conditioners live beneath the settee, and top-down bottom-up shades manage light and privacy. The salon table telescopes down to form an extra berth.
Accommodations
Both aft cabins have queen berths, hanging lockers and multiple closets. The starboard forward cabin is also a queen, with the Rainman watermaker control panel behind the door and a deep freezer — AC or DC — in the forepeak. The starboard head has a separate shower and a Raritan Marine Elegance freshwater toilet; both holding tanks were replaced with poly tanks in 2021. The port forward cabin currently serves as a tool and storage room, but a bed can be reinstalled to restore the four-cabin layout. The port head houses a removable washing machine.
Market context
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Leopard 40 sold, last 24 months | 15 |
| Median sold price | $364,500 |
| Median time to sell | ~74 days |
| Active listings now | 6 |
| Asking range (median) | $275,000–$449,000 ($321,500) |
| Median sold (24 mo) | $364,500 | |||
| Lowest asking | $275,000 | |||
| Median asking | $321,500 | |||
| Highest asking | $449,000 |
For details, questions or to arrange a showing, contact Eric.