Design and Construction
X-Yachts built the X-402 in Haderslev with a solid fibreglass hull and lead fin keel. Several keel alternatives were offered, drawing roughly 7.2 to 7.7 feet depending on load.
The boat measures 39 feet 7 inches overall, with a beam of 12 feet 9 inches. Its length-to-beam ratio is 3.04, making it beamier than 76 percent of comparable designs. Wetted surface is about 516 square feet.
Displacement is near 13,450 pounds, including 6,615 pounds of ballast. The stated ballast ratio is 33 percent, exceeding only 18 percent of similar sailboats. That’s light by cruising standards but consistent with the X-402’s racing pedigree.
Its capsize screening value is 2.13, which would bar the boat from sanctioned ocean races. It’s a reminder that Jeppesen tuned the design for inshore and coastal speed rather than heavy-weather survival margins.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The X-402 was available with either a fractional or masthead rig. The fractional version has three spreaders, runners, and rod standing rigging. It was rigged and equipped for racing, with deck gear that works well under load.
The boat is significantly overrigged, carrying more sail than 88 percent of similar sailboats. Its 915 square feet of sail area produces a Relative Speed Performance of 88, placing it ahead of 88 percent of designs of its size. That combination of a powerful rig and light hull lies at the heart of the X-402.
The running rigging is substantial. Mainsail and headsail halyards are each 119 feet long and half an inch in diameter, while the mainsheet is nearly 99 feet of 0.55-inch line. The spinnaker gear is sized accordingly, pointing to a rig equipped to handle both asymmetric and symmetric kites without fuss.
Accommodation and Practical Details
Below, the X-402 is fitted out as a comfortable but fast cruiser, with four cabins and ten berths. Twin, mirror-image aft cabins each provide a double berth, small locker, and seating area. Forward are the heads and a forepeak, with the forepeak devoted to sail and gear stowage.
The Volvo diesel sits beneath a stowage and worktop box beside the galley. Once the box hinges up to the deckhead, engine access is genuinely good—a practical detail cruisers will appreciate during routine servicing.
Two small windows in the hull bottom allow the owner to inspect the folding prop for weed without hauling out. It’s a neat, racing-derived feature.
Condition and Known Issues
How hard an X-402 was raced—and what that life did to the finish and hull—is a major factor in its condition. The competition history that makes the design quick also means tired examples may show cosmetic and structural wear.
Sail inventories vary widely, from very new and expensive sets to thoroughly worn sails.
Verdict
The X-402 is a focused boat: a light, overrigged Jeppesen design that turns one-design race speed into a practical cruiser with twin aft cabins. It suits an owner who values performance and clever maintenance access over bluewater certification—and who can assess a race-worn hull honestly.
Pros
- Choice of fractional or masthead rig
- Rod standing rigging and racing-grade deck gear
- Light displacement, with speed ahead of 88 percent of similar designs
- Twin aft double cabins, ten berths, and good engine access
- Hull-bottom windows for inspecting the folding prop
Cons
- Its capsize screening value bars it from sanctioned ocean racing
- A hard racing history may leave finish and hull damage on used examples
- Low ballast ratio by cruising standards
