Jeanneau Leader 40
A superb synthesis of French and Italian design flair, the Leader will lead you to temptation – and you’ll enjoy the experience.
After 60 years of building luxury boats, Jeanneau’s become one of the best-known and most respected brands in the world of fibreglass vessels. And while the name’s synonymous with cruising yachts, the company also has an extensive range of launches.
It was the sporty but spacious Leader 40 we came to experience on a beautiful summer’s day at Auckland’s Orakei Marina. A blend of Italian design and French building prowess, the Leader’s a beautiful piece of engineered art. Despite the heritage they are not afraid to get down and dirty though, and the smaller Leader 36 recently featured on the TV series Fish of the Day with Clarke Gayford.
The Leader 40’s powered by a pair of Volvo D6-370 diesels driving Volvo Duoprop sternlegs. Stepping aboard is simple thanks to the wide teak-covered swim platform, with a couple of steps leading up into the spacious open lounge. Leaders are all about enjoying the sunshine, and with the open aft section of the cabin there’s a continuous flow between the covered interior and the sunny lounge and swim platform.
First impressions often tell you a lot about a boat, and mine was ‘ Wow’! The gleaming gelcoat, offset by smart teak decking and discreet grey panels in the upholstery, create a very sophisticated feel. Darkened windows and a raked cabin roof add to her racy looks, and the workmanship is impeccable. The interior is wide and roomy, a theme that I discovered is carried throughout the boat.
A few different configuration options are on offer – the swim platform, for example, is available in a hydraulic version for launching a tender. This model also featured the larger cockpit lounge option with a gas barbecue built into the transom. Another version has an extendable sun lounger instead. The swim platform is perfect for fishing or diving, with heaps of space and neatly isolating any fishy mess from the interior.
In a boat this size there’s no shortage of space (or storage), and in addition to the seating around the saloon table there is also a generous passenger seat alongside the helm. This has an interesting option with a rear-facing lounger, for those wanting to recline but stay completely out the sun. A small food preparation area is built into the starboard side behind the helm position, tucked neatly away under a cover when not in use.