Design and Construction
The hull for the Excess 11 is all-new, with twin chines leading aft that create more interior volume and a slightly different exterior aesthetic than the Excess 12 and 15, and the boat also carries a lower and sleeker profile than those siblings The hull for the XCS 11 is all-new. Construction is done in three vacuum-infused sections with balsa coring in the deck and the hull above the waterline, and a hard Bimini edge that hasn’t been rounded off in the interest of saving weight. A marked flare above the waterline maximises space without adding drag, and the resulting chines keep spray down. The keels are moulded as part of the hull, filled with foam and capped with laminate, then vacuum-infused with resin; they carry extra GRP reinforced “shoes” for vertical load bearing so the boat can sit on them, and there are no keel bolts to worry about. They are also designed so that a large side impact fails the keel without damaging the hull’s watertight integrity.
Rig and Handling
All models in the Excess line use twin helm stations aft and no flybridge, and on the 11 those helms sit on the main deck level, aft and outboard of the superstructure. Steering uses Dyneema cables rather than hydraulics, with a short cable run to minimise play and maximise feel, and the helm proved light and responsive with enough sensitivity to feel the fore-and-aft balance of the sailplan. The 29hp Yanmar diesels are set wide apart and can be commanded from either wheel via electronic throttles. At a 70-degree apparent wind angle in 15 knots of breeze, testers sailed at 8 knots and carried speed well through tacks; unfurling the Code 0 added another knot, and in a Force 4 the boat did over 7 knots upwind with a compass tacking angle of 115–120º. She’ll even walk directly sideways when necessary, and at wide-open throttle motored at 6.8 knots while a cruising 2,500 rpm gave 5.9 knots.
Accommodations
The Excess 11 is available with three or four cabins, both versions keeping two heads, and most owners opt for the three-cabin layout: to port, double cabins sit fore and aft with a heads and separate shower between, while the starboard hull gives an owner’s suite occupying almost the whole length, shut off by a sliding door across the stairs, with a huge double berth aft and a big bathroom forward. The master bed has cutaway corners so sheets fit easily and occupants get in and out without acrobatics. The saloon and galley are compact but want for nothing, with plenty of refrigeration, countertop and seating, an L-shaped settee against the forward bulkhead, a nav station at starboard, and an L-shaped galley with fixed oven, two-burner hob, and front-opening fridge. The interior is light on drawer pulls and cabinetry hardware, and each cabin enjoys a large hull window with opening port and deckhead hatch.
Known Issues
Testers noted that the optional soft accordion sunroof, while useful, can make it difficult to tuck reefing lines into the bag once the mainsail is dropped because you can’t step on it. Topside, the non-skid finish on the hardtop needs extending toward the edges since those edges can get slippery when wet, and single long handrails to either side of the cabintrunk would be preferable to the two small rails fitted. The anchor weight sits well up toward the bows, which isn’t ideal, though the front-crossbeam launch arrangement means the chain won’t cut into the hulls when swinging. More structurally, the Dyneema steering cables run immediately above the engine, and while the rope’s maximum operating temperature is 70ºC, some engines run hotter; in an engine fire you could lose one cable yet keep steerage from the opposite wheel via tie bar or emergency tiller. The engines are mounted with sail drives aft, leaving alternator, impeller and water strainer tucked forward and hard to access head-on.
The Verdict
The Excess 11 is a thoughtfully engineered small cat that punches above its length, pairing VPLP performance DNA with a genuinely livable three-cabin layout and a real owner’s suite. Its weight-saving construction and clean deck details suit shorthanded cruising, though several ergonomic and access issues are worth weighing.
Pros
- All-new VPLP hull with twin chines and sleek low profile unique in the line
- Twin aft helms with direct, cable-steered feel and dual-side engine command
- Three-cabin layout with full-length starboard owner’s suite and separate showers
- Shallow keels with no bolts and crash-friendly watertight hull interface
Cons
- Hardtop edges slick when wet; short handrails; sunroof hinders reef line stowage
- Anchor weight too far forward; engine ancillaries hard to reach head-on
- Steering cables above engine present a thermal-risk single-point failure mode
