X-Yachts designed and engineered the boat in-house, with a Southampton-based design team supporting the Danish operation. Initial layup takes place in northern Poland, while finishing and quality control are carried out in Haderslev.
Design and Construction
The X4/4³ is slightly heavier than the Xp, but it carries the same T-shaped keel, spade rudder, and ballast. That configuration trades a little outright lightness for cruising capacity without abandoning the performance silhouette.
A vacuum-infused epoxy hull and X-Yachts’ long-proven integrated steel grid form the structural backbone. The deck is deliberately clean, with flush, frameless hatches.
Early boats left the factory with mirrored windows, but these were replaced by tinted versions. The aft pushpit was also revised to include a third lifeline after the open-transom test boat showed only two aft guardrail wires.
For better weight placement, the tanks sit beneath the berths. The engine space is reported to offer good all-round access.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
Upwind, the X4/4³ has a rewarding sweet spot that Yachting World’s test sailors found genuinely satisfying. Sail her well and she’ll carve to windward all day at 7.4 knots.
The test boat carried 3Di black Kevlar/Spectra sails, stiff enough for bullets of wind. Its Maxi-style mainsheet ran from the boom end to a recessed traveller, then to winches nestled in the coamings. Headsail sheets emerged from beneath the coachroof. Rod rigging met covered stainless chainplates, keeping the toerail line clean, while an optional carbon bowsprit kept the anchor clear of the vertical stem.
Offwind, the boat averaged 9.5 knots and began to plane at more than 10.5 knots. That’s lively performance for an 8,850kg (19,511lb) lightship cruiser with a sail-area-displacement ratio of 23.2.
There’s space ahead of the twin wheels for a short-handed trimmer or helmsman, reinforcing the boat’s dual-purpose intent.
Cockpit, Deck, and Equipment
With the beam carried well aft, the X4/4³ has practical cockpit lockers. A locker between the quarter berths holds two gas bottles, while a deep forward sail locker provides room for a gennaker and fenders.
The standard boat doesn’t include a cockpit table. An optional swim platform uses a simple rope purchase for raising and lowering.
Interior and Accommodation
The standard interior has three cabins and two heads, finished in teak. Oak Alpi veneer is optional.
Doorways on the tested boat provided only 5ft 7in of headroom, although X-Yachts later widened the frame detailing. The forward island berth measures 6ft 4in and lifts on gas struts to reveal generous stowage. The aft cabins are conventional long doubles.
The heads convert into a wet room with a standing shower and mixer tap. In the saloon, there are four raised lockers on each side, a flip-top table with wine stowage for six, Oceanair blinds, optional indirect floor lighting, and illuminated LED switches.
The galley is practical, with a fiddled Corian worktop, double sink, top-opening 90-liter fridge, sliding double bin, and an optional second fridge with a front-opening door.
The three-cabin layout provides only a minimum chart table adjoining the starboard sofa, and the tested boat had no dedicated navstation. A two-cabin version with a forward-facing navstation was scheduled for 2017.
Verdict
The X4/4³ is a thoughtfully executed modern cruiser that retains X-Yachts’ performance character while adding the volume and payload expected by a cruising couple or family. Its straightforward structure, clean deck, and lively upwind performance are genuine strengths. The early compromises in doorway headroom and navigation space were largely addressed through later changes or optional layouts.
Pros
- Vacuum-infused epoxy hull with X-Yachts’ steel grid for stiffness
- Sharp upwind performance and a clear, rewarding sweet spot
- Ability to plane offwind despite its cruising displacement
- Practical tank placement and good reported engine access
- Clean deck with flush hatches and a revised three-lifeline pushpit
Cons
- Early doorways provided only 5ft 7in of headroom before the frame detailing was widened
- Three-cabin layout lacks a proper navstation
- Standard boat doesn’t include a cockpit table
