S
trictly speaking it’s not a
convertible; a term which
would imply the vessel is
primarily a soft-top, only
opened-up occasionally
when conditions encourage. It does
close-up easily with a system of
clears and a fold-back sun-canopy
but really this is open boat built to
make the most of every glorious
blue-sky opportunity.
I came to this conclusion while
flipping the Leader 8 through a
series spray-throwing turns on
a yet another perfect Sydney
Harbour afternoon. With one hand
feathering the growling Volvo Penta
D4 while the other rested lightly
on the sporty wheel, it was easy
to picture myself returning from a
day of waterborne fun and frivolity
squeezing in a few final thrills
to the delight of my sun-and-salt
soaked guests. Best of all I knew
the shutdown at the dock would be
a straightforward affair involving
not much more than a hose-down
and five minutes to zip the covers
and clears back in place — too easy.
Effectively the smallest
sportscruiser-styled boat in the
incredibly extensive Jeanneau
range (there are at least 24 current
models by my count) the Leader 8
is seen as something of an entrylevel boat in this class. Personally
I don’t like the term entry-level as
it implies that this is a learner’s
boat, somewhere to start your
boating life but also a place you will
quickly move on from once a few
boat Test
JEANNEAU
LEADER 8
AZURE LIMITED EDITION
Easy
Convert
STORY JEFF STRANG PHOTOS JACK MURPHY
White topsides, a navy blue hull and snappy
decals announce the arrival of the Azure
Limited Edition Leader 8. JEFF STRANG
reports the smallest sportscruiser produced
by French giant Jeanneau is greater than
its footprint
72 t r a d e a b o a t . c o m . a u
The boat you want is now easier to find
tradeboats.com.au
73
B OAT T e s t
Clockwise from left: Functional
kitchenette; private double cabin;
spacious U-shape couch with infill for
extra berthing.
sea-miles have slipped under your
hull. Perhaps in Europe this is more
appropriate but given many Aussies
are well versed boating wise by
the time they let go of mum’s apron
strings it doesn’t really seem to fit
Down Under.
So while the Leader 8 is a
perfectly good learner’s boat it
is also a good match for a wide
variety of experienced boat owners,
depending on their individual tastes
and requirements. In case of point
our test boat for the day, the first
Leader 8 to grace Australian shores,
was brochure-purchased by an
individual with 18 years of boatownership experience.
For this owner the new Leader
8 represents an upsize from his
previous vessel, a Sea Ray 220
Sundeck bowrider. It’s a familiar
configuration offering overnighting
space and room for the grandkids.
Like the Sea Ray it also features
sparky on-the-water performance
in a hardwearing, low-maintenance
package at the right price. For this
customer a shiny new Leader 8
was a no-brainer, so he went ahead
and ordered it — straight off the
brochure.
TOUR TIME
The Jeanneau Leader 8 is the
smallest of three models in the
Leader range, which includes the
Leader 10 (tested in Trade-a-Boat
Issue 432) and the Leader 9. The
larger boats both feature hardtops
and sunroofs rather than the 8’s
74 t r a d e a b o a t . c o m . a u
a home for a radar transmitter/
receiver should one be desired.
Most importantly this arch acts
as a fixing point for the Sunbrella
sun-awning and cockpit cover,
which can be deployed in a number
of configurations to provide the
optimal amount of shelter for the
conditions.
Add in the sunbed on the
bow and Jeanneau have done a
nice job of eking the maximum
potential out of a relatively compact
configuration. As a dayboat
the Leader 8 would be a very
comfortable proposition for a party
of five, maybe six at a stretch.
MORE THAN A
DAYBOAT
open-air approach.
Today’s boat was presented with
white topsides and a navy blue
hull — a look termed the Azure
Limited Edition. Leader 8 is boldly
emblazoned on the aft quarter and
adds to the its sporty appearance.
With the red pinstripe this colour
combination is my preferred option,
as to my eye it breaks-up the high
sheerline of the hull better than the
all-white alternative.
The flooring throughout is timber
laid (this is probably optional)
and the vessel’s notes tell me the
wood is called ayous (Triplochiton
scleroxylon), which is considered a
more sustainable option than teak
as it is cultivated on farms rather
than being the product of continued
rainforest devastation.
A reassuringly large swimplatform
provides the ideal place to negotiate
The Leader 8 has a functional and stylish
dayboat layout (top). The helm station
(left) features a three-tier layout of for
logical instrument separation. The single
Raymarine system (inset baove) could
make way for two if desired.
[HIGHS]
›P
lenty of boat for your
buck
›S
olid three-piece
construction with
concealed joins
›S
urprisingly
large interior and
accommodation spaces
›N
ovice-friendly handling
›S
olid performance
[LOWS]
›A
bit tight in the saloon
area
›N
ot highly spec’d or
trimmed
dockside hazards and step aboard
like a seasoned sailor. As usual
we turned up with way too much
gear. Although I was initially
concerned we might face a few
logistical issues — the camera
equipment cluttering opportunities
to photograph the interior — I was
pleasantly surprised with the way
anything vanished below decks into
a seemingly Tardis-like chasm.
It would be fair to say that
above decks every ounce of space
has been maximised. Deep and
inviting cushions cover the five-seat
U-shaped aft lounger surrounding
the compact dining table. These
cushions, which incidentally are
covered in a hardwearing and
UV-resistant fabric called Silvertex
in white and blue sapphire, extend
to a rear-facing three-quarter
length recliner to port and the twin
bench seat at the helm. Any space
beneath these seats that could be
The boat you want is now easier to find
converted to storage has been, and
sensibly if that space has been
recessed or welled, drains have
been added to ensure it doesn’t hold
water.
READY TO PLAY
Back out on that substantial rear
swimplatform Jeanneau has gone
to a reasonable effort to ensure the
Leader 8 has all the fundamentals
required for a decent and fulfilling
day on the water. This boat boasts a
tender mounting frame, a stainless
steel barbecue, a freshwater
shower nozzle, a tow point for
wakeboarding and waterskiing
enthusiasts, and a nice little manual
boarding ladder recessed under the
platform’s teak-covered top.
A swept-back and quite high targa
arch adds to both the boat’s sporty
lines and to its general presence. As
usual it’s adorned with an antennae
array and could happily provide
If as a reader you got distracted
and didn’t read past this point
in the story, (I’m writing this
on Valentine’s Day, so there is a
chance you got a better offer), you
might think the Leader 8 is a bit of
a one-trick pony. A smart-looking,
good-value sportscruiser up for
most things in the company of
friends but keen to be back in the
pen come twilight. Well I suggest
you think again.
Heading below is a bit of a head
spin. As I mentioned earlier there
is an almost Tardis-like quality
to the internal spaces. It’s quite
disconcerting really as looking at
the boat from the outside you really
don’t expect there to be so much
space in the interior.
It’s a trick achieved by ensuring
the engine is pushed all the way
aft freeing-up space under the
cockpit sole. Much like in a larger
pod-driven vessel the space where
the engines used to be has been
converted into a private double
cabin complete with a small
tradeboats.com.au
75
B OAT T e s t
Effectively the smallest sportscruiser -styled boat in
the incredibly extensive Jeanneau range (there are at
least 24 current models by my count) the Leader 8 is
seen as something of an entr y-level boat in this class
The Leader 8 (above) is as much fun to
drive as she looks, so-much-so you won’t
want to stop and anchor anywhere.
Sequence left: A good-sized boarding
platform has all the basics in place for
a day on the water, including a nicely
hidden, manually-operated boarding
ladder.
washdown sink. Add in the fact
that the saloon lounger and table
upstairs also converts to a sunbed
and you have sleeping room for five.
In reality five is probably too many
to overnight on the Leader 8, but
two adults and two children would
be nice company.
The essential barby (above) ready for
action. There is room on the targa arch
(left) for more add-ons if needed.
wardrobe and a low couch. You
just don’t expect to see this sort of
thing in a boat with a hull length
less than eight metres.
Outside this cabin is the usual
U-shaped couch and table which
converts to another double bed,
a functional kitchenette, fully
moulded toilet compartment and
76 t r a d e a b o a t . c o m . a u
The boat you want is now easier to find
POWER TO IMPRESS
I always like to ask the people
we test boats with what their
favourite feature is on a product.
Matt Willett’s answer came without
hesitation.
“It’s the ease of driving,” he said.
“With responsive steering and
a bowthruster it’s a boat a total
novice will feel comfortable parking
with only an hour or so of practice.”
After a few minutes behind the
wheel I had to agree. The Leader
8 is probably the most carlike boat
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77
B OAT T e s t
Fa ct s & fig ur es
JEANNEAU
LEADER 8
AZURE LIMITED
EDITION
PRICE AS TESTED
$224, 384
PRICED FROM
$199, 000
GENERAL
[
MATERIAL Fibreglass
TYPE Planing
LENGTH 8.95m (overall); 7.94m (hull)
BEAM 2.99m
DRAFT 0.55m
WEIGHT 2939kg (light ship)
SAYS… ]
What really impressed me was just how much boat you get
for your money. The space below is probably class-leading
and while it doesn’t come with all the bells, whistles and extra
touches of trim we often expect to see these days, it’s an open
boat designed to be used regularly and exposed to plenty of sun
and salt. Anything fancier would just hike the purchase price and
the ongoing maintenance costs.
I have driven to date. The helm
position feels completely familiar
and the sporty wheel is finger-touch
light. I particularly liked the level of
visibility available over the console;
something that should also put
novices to the randomness of boat
traffic more at ease.
The console presentation is
uncluttered with single Raymarine
e-Series HybridTouch unit central,
(there’s probably room for two if
needed), a range of engine displays
across the top, and the accessories
spaced appropriately at the bottom.
From memory the wheel was heightadjustable and the spec sheet tells
me the helm seat has an integrated
bolster.
Power delivery comes in two
options, either a single 260hp Volvo
Penta D4 diesel or single 320hp
Volvo Penta 5.7lt petrol inboard,
both pushed through a sterndrive
unit. My discussions with Matt
clearly indicated he favours the
diesel option. While acknowledging
the higher capital cost of the Volvo
diesel ($23K) he points out that
the fuel economy, reliability and
longevity of the diesel far outweighs
the petrol. The petrol engine does
give a slightly higher top-end speed
— around 1.5kts — over the D4
Volvo, but the latter with its highperformance duo-prop can still pull
almost 32kts, which is getting along
78 t r a d e a b o a t . c o m . a u
at a fair clip in anyone’s book.
For my 10 cents worth the Volvo
D4 is a hell of a good engine
and one I have had quite a bit of
experience with. I know a couple of
builders who actually talk customers
out of the slightly bigger-capacity D6
engine in favour of the D4 because
the space it frees-up is gold relative
to the small drop in performance.
In the case of the Leader 8 the D4
is putty in your hand by virtue of
Volvo’s superb fly-by-wire controller
and delivers a precise and smileinducing ride that is bound to have
you travelling further than intended
— just for the fun of it.
CAPACITIES
FUEL 300lt
WATER 100lt
ENGINE
MAKE/MODEL Volvo Penta D4; 320hp
Volvo Penta 5.7 GI DP petrol (optional)
TYPE Four-cylinder turbo-diesel
RATED HP 260
DISPLACEMENT 3.7lt
SUPPLIED BY
Matthew Willett Marine,
d’Albora Marinas, The Spit,
Mosman, NSW, 2088
Phone: (02) 9930 0000: 0488 821 112
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mwmarine.com.au
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit www.JeanneauAustralia.com
LAYOUT
THE VERDICT
In the Leader 8 the massive
Jeanneau boatbuilding company
has presented a boat offering few
barriers to ownership. It is well
put together, easily maintained
and easy to handle, but the price is
probably its most attractive feature.
If you are wondering how they
do it, log on to Google and start
researching the company and its
incredible economy of scale. Of
course the strong Aussie dollar
plays a significant part in that
picture as well.
The Leader 8 is a good boat and
would suit newcomers, downsizers
and time-poor water lovers equally
well.
Test day
weather
information
supplied by