Though no longer in production, the X-35 has left a durable mark. Its design and construction suit one-design competition as well as racing under IRC, PHRF, IMS, and ORR.
Design and Construction
The X-35 measures 34ft 10in overall, with a 29ft 11in waterline and 10ft 9in beam. X-Yachts molds the hull with fiberglass skins sandwiching a Divinycell foam core to keep it light, stiff, and strong. The outer skin uses vinylester resin for blister resistance, while the remainder is polyester.
A molded interior grid and galvanized-steel keel frame stiffen the shell. The cast-iron fin is bolted through the hull and frame, transferring the lead ballast bulb’s loads cleanly into the structure. Shroud loads pass directly into the hull and main bulkhead at the rail, eliminating the need for chainplate tie rods. The turnbuckles sit in clean stainless sockets, with no clevis or cotter pins to snag rigging or hands.
The boat carries 3,748lb of ballast against a lightship displacement of 9,840lb, giving a ballast ratio near 38 percent. Its 7ft 1in draft bulb keel keeps the wetted surface manageable, while the displacement-to-LWL ratio is 158.
Rig, Sailplan, and Handling
The X-35 carries a 90-percent fractional rig with swept spreaders and no running backstays. Both topmast bend and forestay tension are managed through the topmast backstay control just forward of the traveler. Rod rigging is standard, and the D2 shrouds are discontinuous at the spreader tips to reduce stretch differential, though adjusting them requires a trip aloft. The IRC-friendly rig uses a tapered aluminum mast and tapered aluminum spreaders.
Jibs trim to tracks outboard of the cabin and run through inhaulers for tight light-air sheeting. A full-length upper batten gives the jib positive roach, broadening its wind range as the leech twists off.
Test sailors found that the X-35 accelerated quickly in light air, with crisp, frictionless steering. In just 5 knots of wind, it slipped upwind at 5.7 knots on the GPS. Writing in Sailing World, the testers also noted the well-placed winches and excellent visibility from the helm, which allowed the driver to concentrate on sail trim and the water ahead.
Off the wind, the boat moved well under a light spinnaker and mainsail. The grand-prix mainsheet arrangement incorporates Ronstan’s Magic Wheel, giving the trimmer fingertip backstay control, while the German mainsheet system leads to twin winches with a 2:1 purchase.
A Yachting World reviewer described the steering as finger-light and sensitive, with more upwind gears than a newcomer could exploit. The same reviewer found the boat quite tender when pressed. Compared with the Beneteau, Yachting World also noted the X-35’s higher sail-area-to-displacement ratio. In 10 knots of wind on flat water, the boat felt fully powered while making 6.8 knots upwind.
Racing Equipment and Deck Details
For one-design racing, class rules permit a mainsail, two full-size jibs, a heavy-weather jib, two symmetric spinnakers, and storm sails. The boat can also race under IRC, with an initial rating of 1.055, as well as PHRF, with a rating of 59–63, IMS, or ORR.
The symmetric spinnaker drew “a little retro” comment from the Sailing World testers, but the boat still sailed fast and deep. A shockcord retrieval system pulls the spinnaker guy toward the foredeck, while rings in the guardwires route the traveler lines.
The open cockpit is simple, with a large wheel and a pair of seats flanked by shallow coamings. However, the boat has neither an anchor locker nor any cockpit lockers—a notable omission for cruising stowage.
Accommodations
Belowdecks, the X-35 offers clean, roomy weekending accommodations with liberal use of teak. The galley is to port, with the navigation station to starboard. A pair of settee berths flank the fixed saloon table, and there’s a double cabin forward. Eight berths are quoted in total.
First impressions in Yachting World, however, were of a small interior. The reviewer also found the navigation station fairly cramped and the galley small and awkward to use, in contrast with the otherwise open and versatile layout.
The Verdict
The X-35 is a genuinely dual-purpose design: a one-design and handicap racer with a clean, teak-lined interior suitable for weekends aboard. Jeppesen’s hull and rig reward sensitivity in light air and precise sail trim, but the tender feel and lack of cockpit stowage are reminders that this is a performance hull first.
Pros
- Immediate one-design and IRC/PHRF racing credibility, backed by a strong European fleet history
- Light, stiff foam-core hull with a galvanized keel frame and clean rigging terminations
- Quick acceleration in light air and a crisp, finger-light helm
- Roomy, teak-trimmed accommodation plan with a forward double and eight quoted berths
Cons
- Tender when pressed, with a learning curve to its many upwind trim options
- No anchor locker or cockpit lockers
- Cramped navigation station and a small, awkward galley
- Symmetric spinnaker feels dated beside modern asymmetrics
