BUILT TO MOVE On the 45 XC Cross Cabin, Axopar leans into flexible deck use without losing protection. The enclosed helm stays usable in poor weather, then opens wide with dual sliding doors and roof panels. Side balconies extend the footprint at rest. In testing, she topped 50 mph and stayed composed through tight maneuvers.

COCKPIT OPENS WIDE Step aboard and the footprint feels larger than 44 feet suggests. Twin fold-down balconies open the cockpit outward, turning a standard seating area into something closer to a terrace. The helm keeps everything in reach with joystick and skyhook, while triple 400s deliver 49.4 mph when it’s time to move.

TANKS AS STRUCTURE A clear centerline bilge runs the length of this 41 CC, keeping pumps, hoses, and wiring accessible without obstruction. Fuel tanks are glassed into the hull structure, reducing movement over time. Hatches drain below deck to keep water off the surface. She’s in Fort Pierce, FL, with quad Mercury Verado V10 power.

PAY FOR TIME USED SBF offers access to 27' to 31' boats across Bradenton/Cortez, St. Pete, and Palm Beach without fixed costs. No initiation fees or monthly payments. Boaters select the number of days they want on the water and use them as needed throughout the season.

PLAN YOUR SEASON FOR LESS Waterway Guide's Ship Store has 25% off through May 10. That covers printed cruising guides, digital subscriptions, Skipper Bob, Explorer Charts, American Sailing manuals... Pretty much everything worth having aboard as the season gets going. Use code SPRING2026 at checkout.

142 BOATS LATER More than 140 units of the 53PC were delivered before Leopard moved to update the design. The revised model keeps the proven platform but changes how space is used onboard, with a sealed engine room to cut noise, a clearer flybridge helm, and a transom platform that shifts between tender duty and swim use.

SPARE PART SAVES What happens when an engine drops out miles from anywhere useful. The Boomershines push on at reduced speed, thread a crowded marina approach, and track down a fix after a long string of dead ends. It comes down to one small part and a bit of foresight.