Ready to Cruise: How we outfitted our Leopard 50

posted in: Uncategorized | 45

Half the fun

When the boat arrived in April, we were chomping at the bit to start the outfitting. We had attended all the boat shows and studied gear and manufacturers for everything you possibly could over a 2-year period – while still using our 48 as a test platform for what we would keep or do different.  We are spreadsheet people and it looked like we were writing a business plan to compete with Amazon! Now it was time to get stuff installed and follow the progress. Our offices are about 45 minutes from where the boat was being fitted (without traffic) so that was okay for a few weeks – until we had to start visiting it twice a day! And for months…

Production Boats

There really is no such thing with cats. Even a big builder like Leopard only builds about 180 per year and only about 30 of the big cats. That is semi-custom since each one is specified differently. They come out as one of a kind and the outfitting is no exception. Our 50 was only the second one Just Catamarans had seen, so a lot of what we installed was a “first” and there was a lot of meetings and discussions and changes as we went along. Lennie is a custom home builder, and she would rather build a million-dollar house for a perfectionist than build a boat. However, now that we had done this a few times we were an educated customer and it made it easier to understand the complexities and meet our expectations.

No it isn’t

Okay I lied. Cruising it was much more than half the fun. Although we enjoyed the outfitting process, as I write this, we are returning from a 10-day 350-mile cruise in the Bahamas. It was a two-year dream come true. The boat performed flawlessly, and all our systems performed as we had hoped – from sailing, to cooking, to exploring and just living and working aboard this cat. Everything checked all the boxes, and we could not be more pleased with Leopard, Just Catamarans, our own decisions and hundreds of hours of work. Outfitting was fun but nothing like the last 10 days.

Please enjoy this bonus episode to our show and look out for the next episode where we hit the blue water and white beaches of the Bahamas to put her through the paces.

45 Responses

  1. DAVID BAYSTER

    Congrats to you both on the new cat. I know it will be amazing. Would love to see you guys spread sheet for your after market options. Maybe you don’t want to share pricing but would love to see options added. Enjoy Dave and Linda Bayster Scottsdale, AZ. Still enjoying your YouTube.

    • happytogether

      Hi Dave, Thanks and nice to hear from you! We will send it out right away! Randy

    • Erik

      Love to follow your journey!

      Would you mind sharing your outfitting spreadsheet?

      Thanks
      Erik

  2. Ron kennedy

    Great set up “hope there are not too many bugs to iron out” safe sailing.

    • happytogether

      HI Ron, The first 10 days was a success! Very small items!!! Thanks for watching
      Randy

  3. Bob & Gail Redenz

    Congratulations on the new Cat !! This video is fantastic. We certainly learned a lot and will continue to follow your journeys and look forward to future videos.
    Bob & Gail Redenz

    • happytogether

      Hi Bob and Gail, so glad you enjoyed the video!!! Thanks for watching! Randy

  4. Glen

    I love the technical side of sailing and fitting out is definitely a part of that BUT, that first sail, even more than the first time you see her in the water waiting for you, that first moment when you leave the dock heading for blue water in your dream boat,, that, is a lifetime experience that very few people get to savor. You both deserve every moment of pleasure your new dream is going to give you.
    Stay safe, keep having fun and —- be happy together.

    • happytogether

      Hi Glen, WE AGREE, we just returned from that first trip pointing the bows east and it was fantastic!! Thanks for your comment! Randy

  5. Floyd Bright

    I just went back and watched your first two vlogs. What a difference! Your improvement is remarkable. Congrats on your learning curve. Now if you could get the closed captioning down it would be perfect (for me and other hearing challenged people). I truly appreciate your narrative for everything you do: repairs, maintenance, rigging, systems, etc. Thank you for your excellent videos.

    • happytogether

      Hi Floyd, Thanks so much! Yes my early videos are actually entertaining for me to watch now hahahaha, I always turn on subtitles but because of the music sometimes on some videos they won’t work, On the outfitting video we did not have any copyrighted music so that should have worked. I will check the settings again now. Try it tomorrow. Thanks Randy

  6. Manson Boze

    Nice job Randy. Hope you and Lennie doing great!
    Best,
    Manson

    • happytogether

      Hi Manson! Thanks so much and yes all is well!!! Randy

  7. Kim Luke

    Congratulations on your new Cat. You guys are amazing!!! Looking forward to more videos. Regarding your upgrades, would it be possible to forward your list please? I especially loved the safety and electrical features!!!

  8. Michael D

    ConGrats!!! All of your hard work is really appreciated. Thanks for the great vids. I too would would welcome the list of your upgrades. Thanks

    • happytogether

      Hi Michael, Thanks so much! I am sending the list now. Randy

  9. Capt David Avayou

    Hi Randy, I’m really impressed with some of the changes you made to your Leopard 50. Sandy and I have met you on a couple occasions. Once at the Annapolis boat show and again on Nanny Cay. We purchased our Leopard 50 through The Moorings, having lost our 44 in IRMA. I especially like what you did with the navigation station also the conversion to lithium’s. I noticed in the video that it looks like you could have room for 6 house batteries. Was that ever a consideration? We are considering leaving the moorings fleet next year, returning to Florida and refitting with many of your suggestions. Could you send me your list of changes. Thanks again for sharing your sailing experiences via YouTube. We love your videos and feel as though we know you personally. Keep them coming.

  10. happytogether

    Hi David! Thanks so much for your comment. I sent you an email with the info. Randy

  11. Roy

    May I please get a copy of your spreadsheet of options? I too, am looking into a Leopard. Thanks.

  12. J. Bibb

    Hey guys, would you be willing to share a basic layout of what you did in the forward cabin to make your work room? We are considering doing the same thing to our Bali 4.1 and are looking for ideas.

    • happytogether

      Hi J, We actually didnt do the layout. It was a standard option from Leopard and I think its available to see on their website. Its awesome and you can see it in our outfitting video. We have a Watermaker in there along with a clothes dryer and TONS of storage space. I lived without this on our 48 and the difference in livability is amazing. Not kidding. SO nice to have everything in one place and nothing under bench seats etc. Randy

  13. Klaus

    Fantastic video Randy! One of the best videos I’ve seen with so much relevant inside information! It’s always frustrating to see how much you have to do to your newly bought premier boat though :-(. Can you please share your list with me as well.
    Enjoy your dream…

  14. Rob

    Love your informative and well edited videos, especially how much technical detail you go into.

    I’ve just ordered a Lagoon 50 with a Swiss made solar bimini and would love to replicate your electrical system. Could you send me the parts list and perhaps a schema of the install?

    This is all fascinating stuff, bring on the renewable future 🙂

  15. Bruse

    Hi Randy. Hope you and your wife are still cruising and that you are both healthy and Covid free.
    I have been looking at your videos for some time (very inspiring) and are now in the process of ordering a new 50-footer.
    In that regard it would be awesome to get the spreadsheet for your aftermarket installations.
    I also wonder about your considerations for why some of the aftermarket installations were not done in the Cape Town but in the US. It seems to me that some of the installations are provided directly from Leopard. Is it a price issue?
    All the best
    Bruse

    • happytogether

      Hi Bruse! Thanks I will send you an email. Randy

  16. Mark Atkinson

    Hi, hope you’re both doing well. I’ve been living your videos for a while and just discovered this site! Wonderful! Would it be possible to get a copy.of your spreadsheet that you used for outfitting your boat? I’m doing something similar soon and would love to compare with what I’m planning and maybe get some good ideas. Happy sailing for the future!

    • happytogether

      Hi mark, yes thanks and I will send! Randy

  17. Phil Driscoll

    Hi … I am a little late to start following your adventures but I truly enjoy the technical and adventure episodes. I am considering the new ’45 and would love a copy of your outfitting spreadsheet

  18. Neil Wilson

    Hi Randy & Lennie, can you please forward your spreadsheet as we are specking out a Leopard 50. Also, now that you really broken in the boat do you wish you had either more solar or lithium batteries? We’re hoping you’ll make some videos but that has got to be a labor of love given the time it takes. We hope to meet you some day! Neil & Stacey.

    • happytogether

      Hi Neil sorry for the delay. did you get it?

  19. Andre

    Hello Happy together!

    Greetings from the Netherlands. Like your channel!

    Can I have a copy of your spreadsheet? We are looking for a 45 or 50 and I’m also a excel addict 😉
    Always good to check the business plans

    • happytogether

      Hi Andre, I just sent it from Lennies email address. Thanks for your note and let me know if you have any questions!

  20. Eric

    Hi Randy & Lennie,

    We’ve just decided on a Leopard 50 and found your channel cause of it. Enjoy the videos & really like the way you outfitted it, would it be possible to get a copy of your sheet with what you did?

    • happytogether

      HI And thanks! yes sending email now.