Boats

2020 Jeanneau Leader 7.5 CC

The Leader 7.5 CC is flexible enough to handle a variety of boating styles.

By Chris Caswell

Updated: January 28, 2020

The Leader 7.5 CC is capable of hitting your favorite fishing grounds while also keeping the family comfortable when out cruising. Courtesy Jeanneau America

Overview

“Convertibility” is a word that pops up often when Nick Harvey, president of Jeanneau America, talks about the new Jeanneau Leader 7.5 CC center-console. Born and bred in France and now living in Maryland, Harvey might be melding French and English, but it perfectly describes this 25-footer, which can be what you want it to be and then convert back easily.

The bow features a table with seating that wraps around on four sides. Courtesy Jeanneau America

Center-consoles tend toward fishing, so the 7.5 CC has all the usual amenities. These include a 52-inch fish box, rod racks in the coaming, and so forth. But Jeanneau positions the Leader 7.5 CC as a “cruising center-console” for family fun, and here’s where it shines the brightest.

Interior and Accessories

First of all, the entire center console is a private head (with either a built-in or portable toilet), since privacy and lots of storage equals happy families. Showers are located not just at the stern but also forward, and 32-inch-high gunwales keep kids secure.

The skipper and a companion get two comfy pedestal chairs behind a tidy dash with a 12-inch Garmin display. Courtesy Jeanneau America

The cockpit almost requires a manual. It can be wide-open, it has fold-down seats on three sides and a central table, and it can become a sun pad. The skipper and a companion get two comfy pedestal chairs behind a tidy dash with a 12-inch Garmin display, Lenco trim tabs and stylish wraparound windscreen. Our test boat boasted the optional (but no-brainer) hardtop with power-coated frame and canvas sunshade.

The cockpit can be wide-open, it has fold-down seats on three sides and a central table, and it can become a sun pad. Courtesy Jeanneau America

Forward, get the manual again. We started with a table with seating that wraps around on four sides—perfect for afternoons at the sandbar. Pull out a support framework and voila-—the entire bow is a sun pad.

Engine

We tested with the Yamaha 300 outboard and, while a 250 is available, go for the 300. It has yank power for wakeboarding or skiing. We topped out at 50-plus mph, and you’ll want to warn your crew before you put the hammer down—it’s hang-on time!

Jeanneau understands service access; the battery box is right there in a transom locker, the gas tank is under a cockpit hatch, and the neat, color-coded wiring is easy to trace for troubleshooting.

This delightful French import is as welcome as a chocolate croissant.

How We Tested

Engine: 300 hp Yamaha F300
Drive/Prop: Yamaha 17″ x 15.5″ Saltwater Series II 3-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 75 gal. Crew Weight: 400 lb.

High Points

Michael Peters’ 20-degree transom deadrise hull performs well in choppy seas.
Cockpit seating is ingenious and highly flexible.
Great storage around the helm, with chargers and USB plugs.

Low Points

Bow roller and anchor are quite a spear over the bow.
Grab handles would be appreciated by bow riders.
We’d like to see more fuel capacity in a boat rated for 300 hp.

Toughest Competitor

The Release 24 R ($85,810 powered like our test boat) offers loads of seating and a generous head, but no mini galley or berth in the console.

Pricing and Specs

Price:	$81,800
LOA:	24’4″
Beam:	8’4″
Draft (max):	1’10”
Displacement (approx.):	3,064 lb.
Transom Deadrise:	20 degrees
Bridge Clearance:	5’8″ (with hardtop)
Fuel Capacity:	75 gal.
Max Horsepower:	300
Available Power:	250 to 300