Within the world of modern cruising catamarans, few names command as much respect as Leopard Catamarans. Known for their balance of innovation, reliability, and blue-water performance, the brand has become synonymous with adventure, quality, and enduring design. Behind this success story stands a quiet but influential force, Franck Bauguil, Senior Vice President of Yacht Ownership & Product Development at Travelopia, parent company to Leopard Catamarans, The Moorings, and Sunsail.
Bauguil’s journey to the top of the global yachting industry began far from the ocean. A trained economist with an MBA in International Finance, his early career as a currency trading analyst in Philadelphia could hardly have predicted his future as one of the most respected figures in multihull yacht design and ownership programs.
Yet, a fateful visit to the Annapolis Boat Show in 1992 changed everything. It was there that Bauguil entered the marine world through the introduction and sales of Fountaine-Pajot catamarans in the Americas, a move that sparked both a lifelong passion and an illustrious career.
By the late 1990s, his path led him to The Moorings in Paris, and soon after to Florida, where he became instrumental in developing a product line that would redefine modern cruising. Recognising a growing demand among private buyers for vessels that offered the same reliability and comfort as those in charter fleets, Bauguil helped spearhead the creation of the Leopard Catamarans brand in 2000. The concept was simple but revolutionary, combining the strength and practicality demanded by charter operations with the luxury, innovation, and refinement sought by private owners.
Today, under his leadership, Leopard continues to evolve in partnership with South African builders Robertson & Caine and naval architects Simonis & Voogd, producing both sail and power catamarans that reflect decades of refinement and customer feedback. Models such as the Leopard 46 Sail, Leopard 46 Powercat, and the newly launched Leopard 52 demonstrate the brand’s constant drive toward smarter design, greater comfort, and enhanced performance. Sustainability, too, is now at the forefront, with the integration of solar capability, lithium technology, and hybrid propulsion systems becoming defining features of the new generation of yachts.
In Australia and New Zealand, Leopard’s growing reputation has been amplified through the commitment and enthusiasm of local dealer David Flynn, whose energy and understanding of the region’s boating culture have played a pivotal role in the brand’s success. His ability to connect Australian buyers with the essence of the Leopard experience, whether in sail or power, mirrors the global vision that Bauguil and his team have cultivated across markets worldwide.
Together, they represent the best of both worlds: global design excellence guided by local insight.
In this edition of In Conversation…, Marine Business News speaks with Franck Bauguil, a man whose influence reaches from the design studios of Cape Town to marinas across the Pacific, to explore the passion, innovation, and philosophy behind one of the world’s most admired catamaran brands.
Franck, your career began far from the water, in international finance. What drew you away from that world and into sailing, and how did those early experiences shape your approach to business and product development?
While in college in France, I experienced the magic alliance of business and sailing through participation in the newly established inter-university regattas (EDHEC), which involved renting a race boat and securing sponsors. But it all started in my teenage years sailing in South Brittany with friends. After the US episode in finance, it is the combination of coincidence, luck, opportunity and the desire to combine something I was passionate about and business that drew me into this industry. That said, the introduction of cruising catamarans in the US market in the early 90’s was not an easy task, only something you can do as an early man, with lots of energy to spend and the ability to survive with very little revenues! That said, in the 80s in France, catamarans were large ocean-crossing racing machines and seeing the first cruising catamarans equipped with cabins and galleys seemed extremely interesting to me. Turned out, this became a total transformation of the world of cruising. I found myself in a growing segment of the boat industry, and I am thankful for having contributed to it.
You’ve been pivotal in the evolution of Leopard Catamarans and the integration of The Moorings and Sunsail brands under Travelopia. What do you think has been the key to sustaining innovation and consistency across such a large and diverse portfolio?
It would be easy to say that it was inspiration and genius. However, a lot comes from experience, respect for previous work, operating a B2C business and being in the front line, in daily contact with the customers and the reality of operating a fleet of 700+ yachts, a lot of discipline in the product development process and good execution. More importantly, to be surrounded by a great team. The success of Moorings/Sunsail/Leopard Catamarans is the result of the teamwork between Travelopia, Robertson and Caine and Simonis-Voogd.
The Leopard 52 was described as “the most versatile catamaran in its class.” When you begin a new design brief, what defines success for you, performance, comfort, sustainability, or the emotional connection owners have with their boats?
The price of boats has gone up by 30-40% between 2021 and 2024. We have to offer more for the same amount of money. The 52 has more volume and better performance than the 50, for about the same price, aside from the upgraded equipment. Also, with the same “platform” we had to satisfy more programs, from the ultimate live-aboard version for Leopard, with one XL owner’s cabin with its own private companionway, huge cabin with access from inside and from the transom, a large VIP cabin, plus a full size utility room, to the 6 cabin, 6 ensuite head/shower version that also includes a skipper cabin in the peak that is unparallel in this size range for the charter industry. But also improved a lot of different aspects of the boat, from the quality of the joinery to better performance with a taller rig and a seamless transition from the aft cockpit to the main saloon, with multiple possibilities to use the 2 tables and settees. Certainly, we want to make sure the Leopard owners are excited enough to upgrade from their 45s or 50s to this new innovative 52.
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You’ve worked closely with naval architects Simonis & Voogd and builders Robertson & Caine for decades. What do you think makes that partnership so enduring and effective?
It has been a relationship that started with Lex Raas. John Robertson and Alex Simonis in the late 90s, with a high level of trust and expertise. I became fully involved later and refined the work that had already been done. My role was also to take the Leopard brand worldwide, and not only in the US. It is a small group, almost intimate, but the level of expertise is high, so decisions can be made quickly without any hidden agenda. I look at Robertson and Caine as a partner, not just a supplier of Travelopia. I believe we always try to find a middle ground that satisfies both companies. Also, all these years of working together make things easier even though the management and the shareholders of both companies have changed over the years. Finally, at the end, we all must perform, R&C to deliver the product and Travelopia to continue to purchase the entire production. There are also many other factors that would be too long to explain, but at the end of it is a partnership between people and teams of people.
Australia and New Zealand have strong sailing cultures and discerning buyers. From your perspective, how do these markets compare with others globally in terms of customer expectations and product trends?
If we look at the total population of Australia in particular, and check the number of catamarans, sail and power, new and used, and that we sell there, the percentage is staggering. We have a leadership position in Australia that has been developed over the year with YachtDomain, our exclusive agent, with David Flynn and his partner, Peter, and they have done a great job representing the company in Australia and New Zealand. Also, both South Africa and Australia are in the southern hemisphere, both have tough waters and long distances between ports, both demand tough blue water boats, so it is the perfect match between these two countries and what Leopards are all about. A bit of history, Robertson and Caine became known for building race boats, with Alex Simonis, that won the Sydney to Hobart race in the late 80’s! Not sure this is the reason, but the spirit is there.
Local dealer David Flynn has become a passionate voice for Leopard in this region. How important are local partners like David to the brand’s success, and how do you collaborate to ensure the global vision aligns with local market realities?
David Flynn and YachtDomain have been at the center of the success of Leopard in Australia and New Zealand. YachtDomain also represent Moorings and Sunsail Yacht Sales and is very active in the brokerage market, with Moorings Brokerage and Leopard Brokerage. The team has expanded over time, and they also assist with service and warranty, and we consider YachtDomain to be part of our “family.”
Leopard has achieved remarkable balance between private ownership and charter operations through The Moorings and Sunsail. What are the biggest advantages and challenges in managing both market segments simultaneously?
The relationship with Robertson and Caine started with The Moorings in 1997, it expanded with the introduction of Leopard private sales in 2001 in the US, then in the rest of the world, and Sunsail came on board in 2006. The relationship is exclusive, so it allows us to partner with R&C to produce a production schedule that will match the needs of Travelopia and the demand of the market. This exercise is called “fleet planning” it is the mix between private Leopards and Moorings and Sunsail boats, by models, layouts, destinations and by source market. All boats are sold to private individuals, either the Leopard brand or in the Moorings/Sunsail Yacht Ownership program, so a long-time partnership allows us to adapt the production to the state of the market. For example, during Covid, our charter bases were closed, we had no need for more charter boats, so the production shifted to private Leopard, which worked well since the demand for new catamarans to go cruising exploded. Equally, with a difficult private market and tariffs in the US that are impacting private owners, we are shifting the production from Private Leopards to more charter boats. Paradoxically, being mainly a charter company, we have the largest proportion of private owners.
Sustainability and electric propulsion are becoming defining features of modern yacht design. How is Leopard Catamarans preparing for this next era of environmentally conscious cruising?
Well, we have partnered with JOOOL in France, previously named “Alternative Energie” and to offer an electric drive system as an option on our sailing catamarans. This allows to power under electric only, to have a very large lithium battery bank with the ability to recharge with solar, regeneration via the propellers under sail and a backup generator. Of course, the battery bank can also be recharged at the dock via the shore power system of the boats. This is commonly called a series hybrid system.
After more than three decades in the multihull sector, what continues to excite and motivate you personally? What keeps you passionate about developing the next generation of yachts?
First, it has been an exciting ride with so many innovations and changes from the first generation of catamarans in the late eighties, early nineties. Secondly, it has been a growing part of the marine industry, and it is always more exciting to grow the business and to stagnate. Lately, the massive evolution of the power catamarans and the gain of market share in this segment is very exciting. New ideas and new technology keep us working hard and constantly thinking about the next project. In fact, our passion and motivation have not decreased, but our experience and our close collaboration with Robertson and Caine and Simonis-Voogd since the late 90s is making the journey even more enjoyable.
Looking ahead, where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth, geographically, technologically, or conceptually, for Leopard Catamarans and the wider Travelopia yacht division?
The recent changes in the US and the imposition of very tariffs have made us look at new markets and certainly has put more importance on our operations in Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. We are growing in these areas. However, overall, the current environment is not conducive to growth. As we say in our sailor jargon, it is time “to take a reef” (or two!). The markets are generally difficult, especially in the sailing segment. Luckily, our charter business is still doing very well. I believe we are going to see a period of austerity and probably consolidation before we see growth in our industry. But as always, we need to continue to offer our customers the best possible catamarans at the best possible price.
As the conversation with Franck Bauguil reveals, the enduring success of Leopard Catamarans is not only built on engineering precision and innovation but also on a genuine understanding of how people experience life on the water. His vision continues to bridge continents, from the shipyards of South Africa to the marinas of Sydney and Auckland, uniting sailors and powerboaters under a shared pursuit of adventure and reliability. Supported by passionate advocates like David Flynn in Australia, Leopard’s story remains one of evolution, excellence, and an unwavering commitment to the world’s cruising community.
For more information, visit their website HERE https://www.leopardcatamarans.com/
Contact David Flynn on 1300 783 010 or via email at