X-Yachts X-55 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The X-55 was offered with several interior configurations, and the three-cabin layout is the more commonly encountered option on the brokerage market. That arrangement typically places the owner's stateroom forward with either a centerline double or V-berths, and two guest cabins aft, each with a dedicated head. Three heads is the norm across configurations, with the starboard aft head commonly fitted with a separate shower stall. A four-cabin variant was also produced — one that routes passage through a stacked-berth area to reach the forward stateroom — and while it surfaces occasionally, the three-cabin versions account for the majority of what is listed. Saloon layouts vary between a straight settee to starboard and a chairs-and-table arrangement; both configurations are available. Buyers who need the additional berth count should search specifically for the four-cabin version and be clear-eyed that the forward passage arrangement is a compromise in privacy.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Used X-55s tend to be well-equipped by the time they reach the market, reflecting both the original build specification and active ownership over the years. Teak decks are commonly fitted — a hallmark of the model that contributes significantly to its appearance but demands attention at survey. Autopilot, chartplotter, radar, and AIS are effectively standard equipment on brokerage examples, as are inverter, hot water systems, and bow thrusters. Electric winches are a frequent factory or early owner fitment on this model, making single-handed or short-handed sail handling considerably more manageable at this displacement. Biminis are almost universally present.

Among the gear that appears on many but not all boats, a watermaker is a frequently seen addition — understandable given where these yachts tend to cruise. Asymmetric spinnakers and symmetric spinnakers are both common, reflecting the X-55's performance DNA and the expectation that owners will push the sail plan. Life rafts and cockpit showers are often present, and heating systems are regularly fitted on boats that have spent time in northern European waters. Air conditioning, a gennaker, a dedicated freezer, and an EPIRB represent the tier of upgrades that appear on a meaningful subset of listings but should not be assumed; verify each specifically during your search.

What to Inspect

The X-55's teak deck covering deserves early and close attention at survey. On older examples in this range, teak deck delamination and the condition of the fastening bungs can mask underlying deck core problems; probe the core in way of any soft or spongy areas. The recessed deck hardware — folding cleats, flush hatches, the recessed dodger housing — are elegant features that require careful inspection of their seals and drainage channels, as water management at those penetrations is critical over a decade or more of use.

The triple-spreader swept rig is a performance-oriented configuration that concentrates loads in specific locations. The standing rigging chainplates, rod or wire condition, and the integrity of the spreader roots should be inspected by a rigger familiar with high-performance fractional setups. At this age, boats that have not had a rigging refit deserve particular scrutiny. The boom-mounted mainsheet system with no traveler relies heavily on vang tension for leech control; inspect the vang hardware and attachment points for fatigue.

The Yanmar engine installation is generally well-regarded, but at this age ask for a full service history. Engine alignment, cutlass bearing wear, and the condition of the saildrive or shaft seal are standard survey items that carry particular weight given the displacement involved. Inspect the bilge and the structural floors around the keel bolts carefully; this is a fin-keel design and the keel-to-hull joint deserves attention on any used example of this age.

The cockpit layout, with twin wheels set well outboard and an open transom, is both a strength and an area to inspect carefully. Check the wheel pedestal bearings, the binnacle instruments, and the condition of the composite transom structure. Lazarette hatches aft of the wheels should seal reliably; confirm the drainage arrangements are clear and unobstructed.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The X-55 circulates predominantly in Mediterranean brokerage markets, with Italy, Greece, and Spain accounting for a substantial share of what is listed at any given time. A meaningful number also appear in Northern European markets, particularly the Netherlands, reflecting the model's origins and the preferences of X-Yachts' core ownership base. Australian listings appear with some regularity as well, making this a genuinely international model to search. North American inventory is thinner but not absent.

For a buyer, the X-55 represents a specific proposition: a Danish-built performance cruiser with a racing pedigree, serious offshore capability, and a level of interior finish that holds up well over time. The model rewards buyers who engage a surveyor experienced with high-performance Scandinavian construction and who specifically address the teak deck, the rig, and the keel attachment in the survey scope.

Pre-purchase checklist:

• Confirm layout variant (three-cabin vs. four-cabin) and head count before viewing
• Survey teak deck condition and core integrity at all recessed hardware
• Rigger inspection of the triple-spreader rig, chainplates, and rod/wire rigging
• Vang and mainsheet system hardware for fatigue at attachment points
• Keel bolt and keel-to-hull joint inspection by an experienced surveyor
• Engine service history and condition of cutlass bearing and shaft seal
• Wheel pedestal bearings and cockpit structural integrity at transom
• Verify watermaker, electric winches, bow thruster, and heating systems are operational
• Confirm presence and certification of life raft and EPIRB if listed as equipment
• Review sail inventory condition, particularly spinnaker and asymmetric gear