Jeanneau Leader 46: Review

There was a lot of fanfare around this new flagship in the Jeanneau inboard Leader range. Having experienced two different versions of this Leader 46 at the global launch in Cannes, we now believe the excitement is justified.

To find a full-beam aft stateroom with adjoining en suite of these proportions is rare in a sportscruiser of this size, with a modest 12.67m or 41ft 6in hull length. The aft stateroom is impressive in respect of volume and it rivals that found on 50 foot shaft-driven boats.

The master en suite to port has a split head and separate shower with frosted bi-fold doors that come together to create a private ablutions area. With the doors locked back to form separate head and shower cubicles, you create the full-beam effect. You can see right through the bathroom landing, the portlights and beyond from the island queen bed.

This is a big-boat layout pulled off in a relatively small footprint using quite some finesse and nous from the J&J Design house on the hull and Garroni Design for the styling. We reckon this latest Leader has the best space utilisation of any boat in the range.

POWER OPTIONS
- A broad range available from DPS to IPS
At the 2016 Jeanneau Press Conference in Cannes, this was declared the "Year of the Inboard" by the big French yard. That reference underscores the considerable investment Jeanneau has made in the Leader fleet this year. Bucking the trend, the big global boatbuilder is still backing inboard and sterndrive power.

To this end, the new Leader 46 comes with a range of power options. These include Volvo Penta's diesel-only sterndrive Duoprop (DPS) and IPS. You can start with 370hp D6s, have the 400hp D6 variants, or IPS 500s (370hp) and IPS-600s (435hp).

The difference between DPS and IPS can be almost $80k, so there’s a big decision to make as to how to power the Leader 46. Do you rig this boat for the entry-level price-conscious market or for today’s buyers demanding pod drives and more gadgets?

We tested two differed engine pairings in Cannes: the D6-370hp diesels with DPS sterndrives; and the IPS-600s with pod drives. Both boats had joystick-docking devices.

Both boats also had the Sportop, which is a fibreglass hardtop with electric sunroof, but the sterndrive boat had an open-back layout whereas the IPS pod boat had a new safety-glass electric rear window and opening glass door to provide greater weather protection at the helm deck.

PRICING VARIATIONS
- Keen pricing for a high-volume sportscruiser
Local Jeanneau dealer Matt Willett Marine provided us with a base price on the Leader 46 with D6 370hp DPS of $815k including generator and air-con. With the IPS-600s, and the glass doors, the same boat had a base price of $890k.

Realistically, with a spread of electronics and some upgrades, you’re probably looking at $850k to $950k driveaway for the Leader 46. But that’s pretty good value for such a high-volume boat that can party with a dozen and swallow a family of four or two couples for the weekend with the desirable two-cabin/two bathroom layout on test.

FLEXIBLE COCKPIT AND ACCOMMODATION
- Plenty of cockpit and accommodation options
Catering for global markets, Jeanneau has built in plenty of flexibility in its Leader 46. Besides engines, drives and open or glass doors, there is a modular cockpit.

The open back version with DPS sterndrives we tested had a classic central island sunpad atop a tender garage. As such, the cockpit is pretty much ruled by this big aft sunpad of questionable value Down Under.

For the American market, and iy would be ideal here, there is the option of an integrated transom barbecue centre, which is operated while standing on the swim platform. There is also the option of a more practical cockpit arrangement with inbuilt transom lounge and table. Get that.

The glass door version with the IPS had this latter layout, with a cockpit table between fore-and-aft facing seating. With an aftermarket Euro-style rear awning, you could create a shaded outdoor lunch setting. With that inbuilt barbecue, you could cook up top.

Either way, there's not a heap of room in this Leader 46 cockpit. That said, with both the soft back or the glass window and door open, you do get a flowing indoor-/outdoor effect with helm-to-transom seating for 12 on one level.

We think a marriage of the two layouts on test, the open or soft back arrangement with the barbecue and cockpit seating, would work very well. You can just carry your tender on snap davits or on the swim platform between anchorages. Save on the IPS engine combo and you can afford the optional hydraulic extended platform.

Additionally, it should be noted, while galley-down sportscruisers aren’t exactly hot property right now, the Leader 46 has a big amenities centre up top behind the helm seat with available fridge, griddle, sink and plenty of food-prep space. It’s well-suited to preparing today’s seafood-and-salad boating menu or barbecue.

If that's not enough, there is the option for a three-cabin layout, but we don’t believe that will be popular for our market. You lose the lower dinette with this option.

The two-cabin design on test was great. The second cabin and en suite/communal bathroom forward present the perfect private guests’ retreat with scissor berths that form a double bed.

In between, in the traditional lower saloon area, is a galley module to starboard with white stone benchtops, and a dinette and lounges opposite that also front a wet bar and TV in entertainment cabinet.

The walnut joinery and contrasting white finishes is apartment-like and contemporary, in keeping with the style of the Leader range. Large hull windows and opening ports are also part of the lineage.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
- J&J Design with simple systems
We toured both engine rooms via the portside cockpit hatch. To be honest, there’s nothing ground breaking down here and the engineering is to high-production values.

These were early boats and perhaps some of the wiring looms could be neater. One reporter noted exposed screw threads. There are certainly a lot of self-tapers in the construction of these high-production interiors. But importantly you could easil get around the engines in these boats.

With 900lt of fuel and 400lt of water, the Leader 46 is best viewed as a high-volume weekender with loads of indoor boating space for your buck.

ON THE WATER
- Runs flat but doesn’t bang
The hull is from J&J Design and we tested the IPS version in some pretty snotty conditions on the Med’. Thankfully, the hull doesn’t bang and with the IPS set-up with autotrim it ran pretty flat and therefore maximised its 41ft 6in hull length (the 46 model designation refers to LOA).

The IPS version runs freer and higher which is good for its efficiency but it's not quite so sporty driven around the bends.

Whether you go for DPS sterndrive or IPS, the stated factory figures give a similar range. Jeanneau is conservative and does its calculations leaving 20 per cent of fuel in reserve.

With the 370hp DPS, you get a safe range of 150-160nm anywhere from 15-28 knots. With the 435hp IPS-600s, you get 126-157nm at 15-28 knots. Optimum cruise was 23 knots cruise for 103lt/hr with sterndrives versus 25.4 knots for 120lt/hr with IPS-600s.

Acceleration is nice and smooth and brisk, while the hull holds plane happily down to 11-12 knots. In the driving rain, there was a leak under the moulded hardtop and a wiper went on holiday, but these were early boats rushed down the line for our viewing, we were told.

The difference in top speed was 31 knots with sterndrives versus 34-35 knots with IPS. On test, I saw 32 knots with the sterndrives and 34 knots with the IPS, the later in rough conditions. To achieve these performance figures, we had pretty light ships and both boats haven’t huge fuel or water capacities to keep them efficient.

Providing you are a stickler for maintenance and use your boat often, we’d go for the sportier 370hp sterndrives with the soft back, cockpit seating, transom barbecue centre, and save the premium demanded for the IPS for our optional hydraulic swim platform. Melbourne boaters might prefer the glass-back version for greater weather protection, but the cold wind will still whistle in under the read door.

VERDICT
- Value for money in a big-hearted sportscruiser
While the IPS is a more refined experience, there is a place for the affordable DPS sterndrive power. Price point sells and Jeanneau will undercut the competition with this high-volume 46, with a 40ft 6in hull.

The new flagship Leader 46 would make a very nice big-city cruiser and weekender, especially for those new to luxury boating who can’t justify paying the big tickets and extra hundreds of thousands of dollars for other luxury badges.

I will add that in the 30-35 knot test conditions on the final day, this boat was remarkably smooth riding into a headsea, making it a good fit for port hopping, running up to Pittwater, tackling Lake Macquarie in a blow, and big bays like Port Phillip or the SA Gulfs.

In the rough weather, 15-16 knots was comfortable punching it back to the marina in Cannes, where a lunch spread was waiting including duck breast, foie gras, pickled fish with fennel, charcuterie, apple flans and wine.

By golly, we should have grabbed the tablecloth at both ends and taken it with us. We could have ducked into the lee of Saint Marguerite Island and its monastery just offshore and dived in.

This is how this boat would work best, with a lunch spread, a bunch of friends, and a swim afterwards. Then ditch the merrymakers and escape to sleep overnight in peace.

LIKES
>> Full-beam aft stateroom with en suite
>> High volume interior and helm deck
>> Very good performance despite hull volume hull
>> Value for money and interior space for your buck
>> Big brand and local dealer backing

Specifications: Leader 46
Priced From: $815k with D6 370 and Sportop with soft back; $890k with IPS-600s and Sportop glass doors, including generator and air-con on each.
LOA 14.30m
Beam 4.10m
Displacement 10,600kg hull only
Fuel 900lt
Water 400lt
Sleeping 4 + 1 (6 in the three-cabin version)
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D6-370 DPS and 2 x Volvo Penta IPS-600
Performance: WOT 3600rpm for 30.6 knots (DPS) and 34-35 knots (IPS)
More on all the Jeanneau boats including this Leader 46 from Matt Willett Marine.