X-Yachts produced 432 hulls between 1994 and 2005. The design proved itself on both sides of the Atlantic, winning races in the United States, taking the Italian IMS championship, and claiming the Channel Handicap System division in the French Spi Quest. Of all the boats Jeppesen designed, he chose to own and race a 332 himself—a quiet endorsement from the man who shaped its hull.
Design and Construction
The X-332 has a solid-fiberglass hull and displaces roughly 9,600 pounds. Its lead-and-iron ballast totals 3,968 pounds, giving it a ballast-displacement ratio near 41 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 177.
The bulb keel has large fillets along its leading and trailing edges. X-Yachts’ long-standing hot-galvanized steel frame ties the structure together, using a method the builder had employed successfully for two decades by this time. An eye in the frame provides a central lifting point.
Above the waterline, the high cabin house extends prominently toward the bow. Test sailors noted that this gives the boat useful interior volume and a full six feet of standing headroom in the forward cabin, but leaves very little foredeck area. Multiple bootstripes help disguise the generous freeboard.
At the aft end of the cabin house, the companionway uses the builder’s standard step-down form and is slightly recessed into the cabintrunk. A shallow swim step is notched into the transom. The near-vertical rudder stock carries a small skeglet ahead of the spade rudder.
Rig, Deck, and Sailing Performance
The X-332 is a fractional sloop with double swept-back spreaders and a headstay set about ten inches aft of the stem. A 16-to-1 backstay adjuster helps tune the rig. The jib tracks have adjustable cars and sit on angled rises between the cabin house and deck, leaving the side decks clear and the walkway unobstructed.
The long cockpit is divided by a mainsheet traveler spanning the boat at thwart level, ahead of the optional wheel. This arrangement suits the short tiller fitted as standard, although the wheel on the test boat was mounted well aft.
In a cold 12-knot breeze, with six crew on the rail, the boat heeled only about 15 degrees. It tracked with one hand on the wheel, held close to 6 knots upwind, and pushed 7 knots downwind under spinnaker. Its PHRF rating of 120 seconds per mile, roughly 9,600-pound displacement, and quick acceleration out of tacks mark it as a lively performer that points well.
Accommodations
Below, the X-332 has a complete teak interior with rich veneers, solid trim, and curved components throughout. The layout includes separate forward and aft cabins—an unexpected degree of privacy in a 33-footer.
The aft cabin has a large double berth, although testers found it awkward to access. Forward, the cabin offers a full six feet of standing headroom.
The saloon has double settees and seating for six around a table. The galley includes a three-burner stove with an oven, but it remains the interior’s weak point: the icebox is small, there’s very little counter space for preparing food, and the two sinks are barely large enough to hold a full-size plate.
By contrast, the generous navigation station occupies as much space as the entire galley. Its round stool also serves as a comfortable built-in helm seat. The head is tight, though it does include a small wet locker.
Known Handling Issue
The main handling caveat noted during sea trials concerns the high-aspect rudder. Writing in Sailing World, test sailors found that it helped the boat sail well to weather but stalled in average conditions during testing. That point is worth weighing for anyone sailing in shifty coastal breezes.
Equipment and Used-Boat Considerations
The optional Prestige Package added Anderson 40ST winches, North sails, Raytheon electronics, a Fancor roller furler, and interior improvements. It represented the most complete race-ready specification offered when the boat was new.
Anyone shopping for a used example will want to confirm which of those upgrades remain. The X-332 was praised as a well-built, well-equipped cruiser-racer, with two private cabins suited to comfortable cruising.
The Verdict
The X-332 is a thoughtfully engineered Jeppesen design that balances credible one-design racing with genuine cruising privacy below. Its stiff, quick hull and clean deck plan suit a racing-minded crew, while the separate cabins and generous navigation station make life on passage more comfortable despite the cramped galley. The rudder stall observed during testing is the one noted handling quirk.
Pros
- Stiff and quick: about 15 degrees of heel in 12 knots, speeds of 6–7 knots, and a PHRF rating of 120
- Two private cabins, with six feet of standing headroom forward
- Long-established galvanized steel frame with a central lifting eye
- Complete teak interior with a large navigation station and a stool that doubles as a helm seat
Cons
- High-aspect rudder stalled in average test conditions
- Cramped galley with a small icebox, minimal counter space, and tiny sinks
- Large aft double berth is awkward to access
- Cabin house extends well forward, leaving limited foredeck area
