X-Yachts Imx-45 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The IMX 45’s hull is a vinylester-resin sandwich, with biaxial and unidirectional E-glass around a Divinycell foam core. The core is vacuum-bagged to the outer skin, creating a conservative, well-proven structure.

At its heart is X-Yachts’ signature hot-dipped galvanized steel load-bearing structure. This massive longitudinal and transverse H-frame is glassed into the hull, tying the keel, hull, and mast together. It also incorporates the chainplate attachments, mast step, and keel-bearing flange. The backbone is strong enough to provide a single lifting point: the entire 20,000-pound yacht can be hoisted by a polyester strap led through a cabintop hatch.

The laminate changes to solid glass around the H-frame and rudder stock. Both keel and rudder are faired to their original templates as race foils. The keel’s upper section is cast iron fully encapsulated in fiberglass, while the lead bottom is sealed. The recessed keel-to-hull joint is glassed and faired. A solid aluminum rudder stock carries three tabs laminated into one half of the two-piece fiberglass-and-Divinycell blade.

The deck hardware is mounted from above into steel plates with tapped screw holes, eliminating the need to reach nuts below. The deck has molded-in nonskid, while three trademark stripes run along the topsides. The overhead is a solid fiberglass sheet. Glued-down teak decks were optional; the first two U.S. imports had laid teak only on the cockpit sole and seats.

A recessed foredeck well can house a windlass and cruising ground tackle. A large cockpit-sole locker, fitted with a gasketed watertight lid, will hold a liferaft. Toe rails appear only on the foredeck. That arrangement gives a hard-hiking crew a comfortable rail to sit on, but anything dropped aft of the mast is free to roll.

At 20,062 pounds, with a waterline length of more than 39 feet, the IMX 45 is light for its size but isn’t an ultralight. Its standard 9-foot draft also makes it better suited to open water than gunkholing.

Rig, Performance, and Handling

The IMX 45 carries a 15/16ths triple-spreader carbon mast from Nordic Mast. Its extremely narrow, slightly swept spreaders eliminate the need for running backstays or checkstays. A removable hydraulic mast jack provides pre-load. The vang and backstay are mechanical, with the backstay wound by a large belowdecks carbon drum. Some boats instead have a Frederiksen Power Ratio Magic Wheel, which gives the trimmer up to 100:1 purchase.

Discontinuous rod shrouds, Spectra running rigging, and partially stripped halyards help keep weight down. Six Harken winches line the cockpit, and control lines lead over the coachroof to the pit.

On the water, the boat is fairly tender, like most IMS racers. That trait stems partly from the narrow beam waterline, which also reduces wetted surface and makes effective light-air roll-tacking possible—unusual in a 45-footer.

Upwind in 12 knots true, the target is 7 knots at a true wind angle of 40 degrees. Downwind, the target is about 7.6 knots. In stronger breezes, the boat can sustain off-wind planing well beyond displacement speed.

Test sailors found the steering at speed very light and responsive through the large carbon wheel. However, the keel and rudder have short chords, so they generate little lift until speed builds, and the fine-entry bow can be pushed around. Getting the best from the boat requires a skilled mainsail trimmer who works the traveler, mainsheet, and backstay continuously.

For cruising, the sail plan can be depowered with a smaller mainsail and a self-tacking roller headsail on a removable track. Under its 55-horse Volvo Saildrive, the boat makes just under 7 knots. A folding prop reduces drag under sail.

Accommodations

Below, the IMX 45 has teak-faced plywood bulkheads and teak-faced joiner work, although its durable plastic cabin sole only mimics teak and holly.

The standard layout includes two matching quarter cabins aft and a tapered V-berth in the forepeak, with a head to starboard. As an option, the port aft cabin can be replaced by a head and a huge cockpit locker. In the three-cabin version, each aft cabin has a double berth and a pipe berth. The first U.S. boat also had removable pipe berths above the saloon settees for offshore racing.

The saloon has long settees and a drop-leaf table. To port, the navigation station sits far enough from the companionway to remain dry and includes a drop-down laptop panel. A J-shaped galley occupies the starboard side.

The galley contains two round sinks, a gimbaled two-burner propane stove with an oven, and a seven-cubic-foot Isotherm refrigerator. The refrigerator has no shelving or internal divisions, which is a real drawback when provisioning. A single 10-pound propane bottle sits in a dedicated starboard cockpit locker.

Machinery and Practical Drawbacks

Routine engine service requires lifting the companionway stairs. On the two-cabin version, it also requires opening access panels in the aft cabins. A molded pan catches fluid leaks, and the compartment is well insulated behind perforated aluminum, but servicing the engine remains a chore.

The engine-control panel on the pedestal has only a tachometer and relies on alarms. It provides no instruments for monitoring normal readings.

The refrigerator’s lack of shelving or internal divisions is the most notable flaw in the accommodations.

The Verdict

The IMX 45 is a focused IMS racer that can double as a capable performance cruiser once its bolt-on comforts are installed. Its integrated steel backbone and carefully faired race foils reflect its serious competition pedigree, while the narrow waterline and responsive helm reward skilled sailing.

Owners give up some everyday practicality—particularly refrigerator organization, easy engine access, and a fully instrumented engine panel—in return for a boat that can plane and point with the best of its era.

Pros

Integrated galvanized steel H-frame unifies keel, mast, and hull loads and enables single-point lifting
Narrow beam waterline reduces wetted surface and allows light-air roll-tacking
Carbon rig with swept spreaders requires no running backstays
Powerful belowdecks backstay control
Removable options and a self-tacking headsail setup let the boat convert from pure racer to performance cruiser

Cons