Design and Construction
The hull beneath the X-562 is unmistakably derived from race-boat proportions. The ends are short, the beam is pulled aft, and the rocker is moderate, giving the boat a low, wedge-shaped cabintrunk that reviewers found genuinely good-looking. Amidships the sections go flat, a shape that favors form stability and downwind power, while the deep bulbed fin keel draws 9 feet 4 inches and carries extended leading and trailing edge root fillets with a curved leading edge to manage flow at speed. A shoal keel was offered as an alternative for thinner water. With a displacement-length ratio of 163 and a length-beam ratio of 3.5, the X-562 is neither a slender racer nor a bloated barge; she sits in a performance-cruiser sweet spot, and a capsize ratio of 1.81 underscores the stability built into that beam-aft, flat-amidships hull.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the X-562 carries a masthead rig with triple spreaders that are only very slightly swept, supplemented by running backstays and a babystay to control mast bend under the fractional-style loads a masthead boat can still generate. The backstay chainplate lands on centerline at the end of the swim-step area, keeping the cockpit clear of obtrusive hardware aft. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 21.91, the boat is set up to move in modest air, and Sailing Magazine credited her with good performance alongside the handsome looks. The deck itself tells a cruising story: wheels port and starboard release the transom swim step, and a big wraparound coaming forward of the companionway stows the dodger when retracted. A fixed cockpit table sits forward of the traveler, which you must step over on the way aft — a small but real reminder that this is a sailing boat first.
Accommodations
Below, the X-562 was offered in three layouts — A2, B1, and A3 — and all three carry three heads and a fo'c'sle large enough for pipe berths. The A2 and B1 plans differ only in the forward owner's stateroom: one places a double berth to starboard with fixed Streisand chairs to port, the other a centerline symmetrical berth flanked by small settees. The A3 adds a fourth stateroom forward with upper-and-lower berths. In the saloon, buyers could choose Streisand chairs to port with a small table or a more practical settee berth, and the beamy hull easily takes extra chairs around the dining table. Ventilation is strong thanks to enough opening ports, and the cabintrunk extends into the cockpit to give the quarter cabins proper headroom — at the cost of some seat space forward of the traveler.
Systems and Power
The X-562 is powered by a 100-horsepower Yanmar diesel, backed by 227 gallons of fuel and 272 gallons of water split between two tanks. Electrical capacity is substantial: 864 amp hours of battery sit entirely under the cabin sole, a tidy location that keeps weight low and the living spaces uncluttered. Those tank and power figures position the boat for extended independent cruising without constant resupply.
The Verdict
The X-562 is a limited-production Danish cruiser that translates racing hull logic into a beamy, stable offshore home. Jeppesen's short-ended, flat-amidships shape with a bulbed fin keel gives real performance, while the three layout choices and generous tankage make her a genuine ultimate cruiser for those who sail rather than motor. The swept-spreader masthead rig with running backstays demands attentive handling, and the cockpit geometry trades a little seating for headroom and a traveler you must step over.
Pros
- Race-derived hull with flat amidships sections and bulbed fin keel for stability and speed
- Three interior layouts, all with three heads and a pipe-berth fo'c'sle
- 100-hp Yanmar with 227 gal fuel, 272 gal water, and 864 Ah batteries under the sole
- Strong ventilation and a clean transom swim-step arrangement
Cons
- Traveler must be stepped over en route aft
- Cabintrunk intrusion reduces cockpit seating forward of the traveler
- Only 21 built, so finding a specific layout takes patience
