Details
PURPOSE-BUILT FOR THE BAHAMAS
Blue Crest is not simply another Leopard 53 Powercat. She was custom specified by a highly experienced owner with a clear objective: create an exceptional owner-operated power catamaran for cruising the Bahamas while retaining the space, amenities and versatility that also make the Leopard 53 attractive within the established luxury charter markets of the Bahamas and Caribbean.
That purpose is evident throughout her build.
Blue Crest was ordered with approximately $424,000 in factory-selected options, including the desirable three-stateroom owner’s configuration, internal lower helm, bow thruster, 12kW Northern Lights generator, chilled-water air conditioning, upgraded electrical system, tender lifting platform, extensive composite teak decking, washer/dryer, dishwasher, flybridge refrigeration and icemaker, dive-tank storage and numerous cruising-oriented upgrades. Her signed factory option sheet documents a total purchase price after rebate of $1,445,560 before tax.
Following delivery, the owner continued developing the boat rather than simply accepting the standard electronics package. A substantial custom installation added Garmin navigation, 25kW open-array radar, Panoptix forward-looking sonar, AIS, multiple cameras, upgraded Fusion and JL Audio entertainment, Starlink infrastructure and eight Lumitec Typhoon full-spectrum underwater lights. The principal Marine Installations invoice documents $125,965 in equipment and installation before sales tax.
With only approximately 500 engine hours, Blue Crest presents a compelling opportunity to acquire a Leopard 53 whose equipment and configuration reflect the priorities of an experienced owner who understood how the boat would actually be used.
KEY BLUE CREST HIGHLIGHTS
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BUILT AROUND THE OWNER-OPERATOR
The Leopard 53 Powercat lends itself particularly well to owner operation, and Blue Crest was configured to maximize that advantage.
Her factory dual-helm arrangement provides both the elevated visibility of a flybridge helm and the protection of an interior steering station. Add the bow thruster, extensive Garmin navigation package, AIS, powerful open-array radar, forward-looking sonar and multiple cameras, and the operator has an unusually comprehensive suite of tools for passage making, maneuvering and navigating unfamiliar waters.
That matters in the Bahamas.
Shallow-water cruising, reef entrances, changing weather and extended periods away from the dock reward a yacht that combines manageable draft, redundancy, visibility, onboard systems and substantial usable living space.
Blue Crest’s equipment package reflects exactly that style of ownership.
CUSTOM GARMIN NAVIGATION & ELECTRONICS
Blue Crest’s post-delivery electronics installation deserves considerably more attention than a conventional equipment-list entry.
The documented installation includes:
Garmin GPSMAP 8616 multifunction display
Garmin GPSMAP 8612 multifunction display
Garmin multifunction display serving the owner’s stateroom
ENTERTAINMENT & CONNECTIVITY
The customization extended well beyond navigation.
Blue Crest’s documented entertainment and connectivity installation includes:
Fusion MS-RA770 entertainment system
Sirius Radio integration
JL Audio waterproof marine speakers
JL Audio subwoofers
JL Audio amplification
KVH satellite television equipment
Starlink infrastructure
Multiple television systems
DirecTV infrastructure
Salon speaker integration for Sonos
DESIGNED AROUND THE WATER
One of the Leopard 53 Powercat’s defining attributes is the amount of usable living space created by its power-catamaran architecture.
The aft cockpit connects naturally with the salon and galley, while the expansive flybridge provides another major social and entertaining area above. Forward lounging creates separation for guests, while the yacht’s tremendous beam provides the feeling and functionality of a substantially larger conventional motoryacht.
Blue Crest takes advantage of that platform with a tender lifting platform, dive-tank storage, fresh/saltwater deck wash, underwater cameras and extensive underwater lighting.
The lifting platform is particularly useful for Bahamas cruising, serving both as tender storage and as a water-level staging area for swimming, diving, paddleboards and other water activities.
The yacht was not simply configured to reach the islands.
THREE-STATEROOM OWNER’S CONFIGURATION
Blue Crest was ordered in Leopard’s desirable three-stateroom owner’s configuration.
Rather than maximizing berth count, this layout emphasizes private-owner accommodations and extended-stay comfort while retaining generous accommodations for family and guests.
Her factory specification includes upgraded cabin and corridor carpeting, full-length mirrors, salon carpeting, interior blinds and additional owner-oriented interior appointments.
For an owner considering extended Bahamas cruising, seasonal use or substantial time aboard, the three-stateroom configuration should be viewed as one of Blue Crest’s significant advantages.
FLYBRIDGE
The flybridge is one of the Leopard 53 Powercat’s principal gathering spaces and an important part of Blue Crest’s cruising appeal.
In addition to the primary helm station, Blue Crest’s factory specification includes:
Teak flybridge table
Refrigerator
Icemaker
Electric grill
Flybridge stairway hatch
Extensive seating and lounging space
Hardtop
Integrated entertainment
Freshwater washdown
This creates a genuine second outdoor living area rather than simply an elevated helm.
AFT COCKPIT & TENDER PLATFORM
The aft cockpit provides another substantial entertaining area with excellent connection to the salon and water.
Blue Crest’s build includes a large teak cockpit table and the factory lifting platform with folding chocks. Composite teak decking extends through the aft cockpit, forward cockpit, flybridge, flybridge steps, transom steps and lifting platform.
For Bahamas cruising, the platform becomes one of the most useful spaces aboard—tender station underway, swim platform at anchor and staging area for diving and water activities.
PRIVATE YACHT FIRST — CHARTER APPEAL BUILT IN
Blue Crest was conceived first and foremost as an owner’s yacht.
However, many of the characteristics that make her such a compelling private Bahamas cruiser also translate naturally to the substantial power-catamaran charter markets centered around the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands.
Her three private staterooms, tremendous beam, multiple entertaining areas, flybridge, foredeck lounging, water-level platform, sophisticated entertainment systems, dive-oriented equipment and dramatic nighttime presentation create an attractive physical platform for a buyer considering either private ownership or potential charter use.
Any commercial operation, regulatory compliance, charter suitability, insurance requirements and revenue expectations would need to be independently evaluated by a prospective buyer.
The important distinction is that Blue Crest does not need to be marketed as a former or purpose-built “charter boat.”
She is better positioned as:
WHY BLUE CREST?
The strongest way to compare Blue Crest with another Leopard 53 Powercat is not simply model year, engine hours and asking price.
It is