You've spent years searching for the perfect boat. You have carefully chosen all of the factory options you would like to include on your boat. The time has finally come for you to take out the checkbook and put down your deposit on the boat of your dreams. A question that all first time buyers are likely wondering is, what now?
Hopefully you have chosen your yacht according to a timeline that you have created and you have made your purchase according to that timeline. For example, you have chosen a boat that will be ex-factory in June 2018 so that you can join the ARC rally in January of 2019. That gives your boat time for delivery, it gives you time to add any additional upgrades and it gives you time to become acquainted with your yacht before you take her across oceans.
How long does it take to build a boat?
One thing you may be wondering is how long will it take for your yacht to be built. We are often asked about the length of time for boat building and production. Depending on the size of your yacht purchased it can take anywhere from about 90 days to approximately six months. The Leopard 40 will take 90 days, give or take. The larger the yacht goes up in size the longer it will take to build. So naturally our flagship, the Leopard 58, will take the longest at roughly six months from the time of initial molding.
Depending on the model you would like to purchase, it can take between nine months and 24 months from the day you order until delivery of your boat. We have Leopard 40's available in spring of 2019, as well as Leopard 43 PCs and Leopard 51 PCs available for fall of 2018. If it is a Leopard 45 you seek, our next available model is fall of 2019. For a Leopard 50 or a Leopard 58 you may need to patience until early 2020. You would be surprised how quickly that time can go by, especially if you are preparing for a live aboard lifestyle.
How long does the delivery take?
When your boat makes it onto the freighter, it will depend on where your freighter is heading to know approximately how long until your boat arrives in South Florida. If it is coming from Cape Town by way of Tortola, BVI it will take a little less than three weeks. From the BVI your boat will be delivered by a delivery crew to Dania Beach, FL. This will usually take five to seven days. There is also the possibility that your boat will be brought from Cape Town to Dania Beach by freighter and this will take around three weeks. The method of freighter delivery depends on production schedules and the final destination of each yacht on the freighter. Therefore, I cannot promise that your yacht will be on a freighter to Florida or to the Caribbean at the time of contract signing.
How much does the freighter delivery cost?
The cost of freighter delivery is not included in the purchase price of your boat and the price depends on the size of the yacht. Typically it can be anywhere between $33,000 and $42,000. You can, of course, opt to do the handover of your yacht in Cape Town, South Africa, in which case you would not have any freighter delivery fee.
What happens when my boat arrives?
Once your boat has arrived in Dania Beach, Florida we will have a team of Commissioning Agents carefully inspect all elements of your new yacht. We do this in order to find anything that might have escaped the attention of quality control in South Africa. It is important for us to know that everything is in good working order prior to handover. Your new boat will be in pristine condition and fully detailed at time of handover with all required United States Coat Guard equipment installed.
When can I have my boat?
The day will finally come for your maiden voyage. On the day of handover, once your boat has been commissioned and detailed, you will go out on a sea trial with a professional captain who will work with you to ensure the yacht is in perfect working order. You will set the sails and put the engines to use. And if the South Florida weather treats you right, perhaps you may enjoy your first of many lunches from the comfort of your forward cockpit.
Your purchase process does not end after your contract has been signed. The time between a signed contract and the delivery of your boat is full of exciting moments, but it is also full of a lot of questions. I will stay with you until the very end to answer those questions and provide you with updates. I am here to make this time as seamless as possible.
If you have any further questions regarding the purchase of a Leopard Catamaran, please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.
