Yachting Art Magazine

1985-2020 – Jeanneau celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Leader line!

The Leader incarnates the sporty family powerboat by Jeanneau. Built with a unique savoir-faire for serving demanding owners and leaders in their fields, the Leader has become a sure value by Jeanneau.

1985-2020 – Jeanneau celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Leader line!
1985-2020 – Jeanneau celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Leader line!
1985-2020 – Jeanneau celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Leader line!
1985-2020 – Jeanneau celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Leader line!

In 1985, the Leader 850 was already an exceptional boat, giving birth to a strategic market segment for Jeanneau: the Express motor yacht. Her hull and interior layout sparked a revolution in the market. Today, nearly 10,000 Leader powerboats cruise on waters around the world.

The Leader has offered, with recent models, even more liveability, with greater comfort and quality of fit and finish.

The Leader line is celebrating its 35th anniversary with the launch of Limited-Edition Series with its own exclusive hull decoration, gifts, and a prize competition!

A successful design

The Leader line was born 35 years ago to meet customer demand for boats offering high performance and a distinctive look, while also adapted for family cruising.

Jeanneau launched a new line with a streamlined, timeless design, both sporty and elegant. Its contemporary style invites relaxation and attracts all those who love the sea and aspire to moments of real pleasure and family fun on the water.

The V-shaped hull by Michael Peters ensures the speed and excellent seaworthy qualities that customers have come to know and expect from a Jeanneau. These express models combine comfortable exterior living spaces with refined, bright and innovative interior layouts. From this perfect balance emanates real harmony on board. These numerous qualities have made this line an incredible success throughout its existence.

Merry de La Poëze, Director of Jeanneau Powerboat Product Development and Marketing: 

The Leader line, it’s a real saga... Her Jeanneau DNA and timeless design have enabled her to traverse time periods, to endure and to conquer international markets. Constant adaptation to changing trends explains the success of each new generation of the Leader”. 

Leader 850

The Leader line was born in Les Herbiers, France in 1985 with the launch of the first model, the Leader 850, successor to the Skanes models. The Jeanneau shipyard wished to take on new international markets, and a change was necessary.

The Leader line was born from a distinctive heritage. A timeless concept, a sporty look, and a design for family cruising were the strong points of this new generation of powerboats.

The Leader 850’s generous equipment on board has won it much praise: a large sundeck, a teak cockpit table, a wrap-around panoramic windscreen, integrated handrails, pivoting seats, an opening deck hatch.... It was an immediate success, met with great demand in the Mediterranean!

Leader 650 Performance

First produced in 1989, the Leader 650 Performance was the first European boat to be built in Les Herbiers, France in large quantities, with an innovative new industrial process and a dynamic production line that built 3 boats a day, a surprising number for this time period!

The Leader 650 Performance is introduced as a sporty, “young” powerboat, offering superb, innovative equipment and all the fun and enjoyment of water sports while remaining affordable. The Leader 650 Performance thus led the market in its time!

Its undeniable international success, with over 1,500 boats sold, was not just a passing trend. This thirty-year-old model with a timeless design remains highly sought after, today.

Leader 805

In 1999, Jeanneau decided to strengthen its presence in the cabin-cruiser market segment of powerboats under 10 metres in length. The Leader 805 perfectly illustrates this new direction: an original model with a distinctive personality that would mark its time.

Produced for 10 years, until 2009, and with more than 1300 boats sold, the Leader 805 was positioned as a real small yacht with all the heritage of a sporty, family powerboat with a touch of Italian design.

With this model, the shipyard displayed its particular talent for distribution of space. The cockpit, designed for outdoor living, is designed for full comfort: a simple movement and the cockpit saloon transforms into a solarium. Meanwhile, the spacious cabin features meticulous attention to detail, fit and finish.

The Leader 805, offered with a wide selection of sterndrive, single- or twin-engine power, is renowned for its remarkable cruising performance.

Leader 10

Launched in 2009, the Leader 10, a symbol of total freedom on the water, dazzled cruising enthusiasts with its distinctive, dynamic design by Garroni Design.

It was then the largest and most innovative sport top model in the LEADER line, with a bold concept combining a revolutionary design, high performance with excellent handling at sea, comfort on board and bright natural lighting. Jeanneau adopted increasingly strict building standards, enabling the Leader 10 to offer an unequalled level of fit and finish.

The Leader 10 features ultramodern, sporty lines and beautifully balanced proportions. Under way, she can display a lively temperament yet ensure complete safety for beautiful family cruises.

With a soft or hard top and large, streamlined windows in the hull, a bright interior and a comfortable cockpit: these are key elements of this new generation of distinctive sport tops.

Leader 40

Produced from 2014 to today, the Leader 40, designed by very talented naval architects, Michael Peters Yacht Design & Garroni Design, is a key player in the current market of cabin cruisers with a resolutely contemporary design.

With a streamlined design that opens onto the exterior, the sporty silhouette of the Leader 40 conceals large living areas dedicated to enjoying the sun and the sea.

Cleverly arranged, copious storage amenities facilitate life on board and stowing equipment for water sports and activities.

While at anchor, the generously sized aft platform is the perfect base for a swim and for communing with the marine environment.

On the interior, the decoration is refined and contemporary. An ingenious layout contributes to the enjoyment of life on board in a warm and particularly comfortable atmosphere.

A true day boat, as well as a cabin cruiser for outings with family and friends, the hull and interior design of the Leader has remained in constant evolution to remain current and to anticipate trends, notably for day boating.

The newest models of the Leader line, very spacious and open to the sea, are increasingly turned toward the exterior and in touch with the natural elements.

This 35th anniversary is marked by notable evolutions in interior decoration. The Leader 36 is offered with a new wood, “White Oak,” and a new fabric selection for upholstery and cushions.

A new Cockpit Lounge version of the Leader 36 is also available, offering a very comfortable, generously enlarged cockpit, with the ability to easily transform the aft bench seating into a magnificent sundeck.

For this special anniversary, Jeanneau and its partners are launching a promotion:

“35 years – Let’s celebrate Leaders!”

This promotional offer is valid right now and through January 31st of 2021! Jeanneau has created a Limited-Edition Series to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Leader with an all-new hull decoration.

Jeanneau and its partners are offering an “Anniversary Pack” with the purchase of any current model in the Leader line. This gift package is composed of an electronic nautical chart chip by Raymarine + a 1-year extension on the Volvo Penta engine warranty.

In partnership with Seabob, a prize contest will be launched on the Jeanneau Facebook page, starting on November 16th, 2020, for the chance to win a Jeanneau Edition of the Seabob F5S Cam electric underwater craft.

1985-2020 – Jeanneau celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Leader line!

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