We’ve gotten a lot of questions about our boat, so we thought we’d share some of the details for anyone who may be interested.
The Name “Apricus”
a.pri.cus / a’pri:.kus
Adjective [from Latin aprica -um, apricior -or -us, apricissimus -a -um]. Definitions: basking in the sun, sunny, having lots of sunshine, warmed by the sun; sunny places; delightful.
We love all of those things! Here’s a picture of the boat:
About Robertson & Caine / Leopard Catamarans
Leopard Catamarans are built in Cape Town, South Africa, and have been around since 1991. The 50-foot model has been in production since 2018 and replaced the company’s 48-foot model.
Our Boat—A 50P Model
We bought ours from Randy and Lennie Smith, her first owners. Randy and Lennie are as picky about their boats as we are, so we are grateful about how well she has been maintained!
Apricus is a 50P (Performance) model, one of only four of its kind ever made. (Apparently, Robertson & Caine discontinued the 50P, in lieu of the 50L, because maintaining two molds caused supply chain issues and required a huge amount of factory space.)
The most noticeable difference is that she does not have a coachroof lounge. We actually like this, for two reasons: first, the boom is lower and more accessible (getting into the sail bag is no problem), and second, we’ve heard from some owners who have an upper lounge that the cushions quickly degrade due to their constant abuse by the sun. Randy and Lennie liked it because of the lighter weight (better performance).
There are workarounds (some 50L owners have lowered the boom, and you can, of course, reupholster the cushions), but an upper lounge wasn’t a big selling point to us in the first place. We don’t miss it, since we have the amazing forward cockpit, so the simplicity of the 50P model works great for us.
We have the three-cabin version with a utility room. Roy LOVES all the tool and spare part storage. I prefer this configuration, too, because it means we get to have a washer and a separate dryer. What a treat!
Modifications and Upgrades
Randy and Lennie made a great video about how they outfitted the boat, which we found helpful.
Virtual Tour
Leopard Catamarans has photos and a Virtual Tour on their website, in case you’re interested.
Our boat has a few differences:
- Light wood interior
- Again, being a Performance model, ours doesn’t have a lounge on the coach roof
- The pictures show a built-in dishwasher, but ours has a countertop version
- Side-by-side refrigerator in the galley
- Ice maker on the end of the galley peninsula
- Two additional dresser drawers in the owner’s cabin instead of a vanity
- No shower door in the owner’s cabin head (not needed in our opinion)
- A davits system for launching the tender, not a platform
- 80 hp turbo diesel engines
She is a perfect boat for us!
