Boating USA — February 2018

PHOTO: COURTESY JEANNEAU AMERICA

European powerboat designers often show above-the-water flair that North American

boaters associate with exotic locales like the French Riviera, but they also pack compact

but comfortable living spaces into their creations. They like speed, but in a land where fuel

can cost twice as much as in North America, they relish efficiency. And they believe that

we will like that combination too. That’s why Jeanneau intends to become a major power-

boat player on this side of the pond (the French company already has two manufacturing

plants in the U.S.). A couple of test runs aboard its Leader 10.5 showed us why.

For speed and efficiency, the Leader 10.5 boasts a sophisticated version of Michael

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JEANNEAU

LEADER 10.5

#3051

It’s hard to say whether this boat’s accommodation plan or its

hull design exhibits the most innovation.

C

CERTIFIED

TEST

60 | BOATINGMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2018