Jeanneau just launched its all-new Leader 12.5, a 40-foot, two-cabin, multi-purpose boat that the company says is designed for family fun, simplicity and efficiency. With three 300-hp Yamaha outboards and a deep-V hull designed by Michael Peters, the Leader 12.5 tops out at 50 mph and cruises in the 35-mph range.
The company’s flagship, the Leader 12.5 is built with social spaces all around, inside and out, with lots of flexible seating and sleeping space. You can climb aboard via an entry door on the starboard side. Push a button and the port bulwark in the cockpit folds out to provide more space. The aft seatback in the cockpit folds back to form a sun pad, while an L-shaped settee to starboard, with a table on two stainless steel pedestals, provides more flexible space. A SureShade awning, controlled by a remote, is optional.
An “entertainment island” is at the back of the helm seating. It has a galley with room for outdoor food prep with a countertop, an electric grill, two sinks, a fridge, and storage space. The raised helm station features three high-back chairs, a centerline wheel, a standard Joystick HelmMaster, a bow thruster, and room for two 16-inch Garmin chartplotters.
A walkway on the port side leads to the foredeck with three chaise lounges facing forward and additional bench seating in the bow. An optional table and filler cushion convert this area to a large sun pad.
Below, there’s a fully equipped galley with a ceramic cooktop, fridge, optional microwave, and storage space. U-shaped seating in the forward salon converts to a king-sized bed. The owner’s cabin is amidships with a filler cushion to create another king-sized bed. The enclosed head has a shower.
With his design studio in Sarasota, Florida, Peters is known for creating slippery hulls. The new Leader 12.5 has a 21-degree deadrise at the transom, while there’s a sharp entry forward, two lifting strakes, and a spray-reducing chine that extends the length of the hull to provide predictable boat-handling.
The Leader 12.5 has an air draft of just 10’ 4”, which makes it attractive for sliding under the bridges in Florida or the Great Loop.
Specs.: LOA: 40’3”; Beam: 11’9”; Draft: 2’8”; Disp.: 15,704 lbs.; Fuel: 304 gals.; Water: 53 gals.; Power: 3×300-hp Yamaha outboards. Read more:
