Design and Construction
The hull comes from a series mould, but almost everything aft of that is open to discussion, from the interior finish to the below-decks configuration.
X-Yachts’ trademark steel frame in the bilges provides stiffness and a very secure keel attachment point. The same galvanised steel grid beneath the saloon floorboards imparts immediate peace of mind. Tanks and batteries are centrally positioned for optimum weight management, while hoses and wiring looms run in metal cradles that keep them neatly together and out of the bilges. The plywood soles are notably thick.
Twin semi-balanced rudders—an unusual choice for X-Yachts—provide good handling. Two-metre-high topsides give the boat an imposing profile, while the raised coachroof, generous hull windows and large hull portlights allow plenty of light below.
Rig, Sail Handling and Performance
The carbon rig is highly tunable, with hydraulic backstay and forestay tensioners. Its cutter-style versatility allows both the inner forestay and the gennaker to be detached and lowered directly into the sail locker. The main rides on a custom FurlerBoom with automatic boom levelling and horizontal battens, while a North 3Di main drives the rig. The mainsheet is secured out of the way on a carbon arch over the cockpit.
Four electric Harken winches beside the steering pedestals handle the sail controls, while the below-deck furlers are electrically operated for push-button sailing. When conditions suit, the boat can also fly a 130-square-metre spinnaker.
Test sailors recorded an effortless 7 knots under reefed main alone while beating into 16 knots in the western Solent. Adding the inner jib increased speed to 8.5 knots, and the boat touched 11 knots on a reach in gusts off Calshot Spit. Even with gusts above 30 knots, the cockpit remained dry as a bone while beating into short Solent chop.
Writing in Yachting World, the tester reported that the X6/6⁵ will almost match wind speed to windward in only 5–7 knots of breeze. When the wind rose to 14 knots, she sailed upwind at 8.5 knots, pointing 30–35º and exceeding nine knots when footed off by five degrees, with the inhaulers adding five degrees of pointing.
The twin rudders provide enough grip to encourage pushing the boat offwind. In reaching mode, however, testers noted excessive drag from the leeward rudder and wash from the windward one.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
Bow and stern thrusters allow the X6/6⁵ to walk sideways onto a pontoon. Carbon-fibre wheel pedestals cantilever from the cockpit coaming, each carrying a laminated wooden wheel with carbon spokes.
A sprayhood can fold invisibly beneath the coachroof teak, or the owner can choose a fixed Scandinavian-style windscreen. Other options include a tender garage, hardtop bimini and concealed roller awnings.
The first boat’s carbon hardtop was built to the owner’s specification using bespoke tooling. It carried a dozen 110-watt solar panels that supplied 95 per cent of the hotel loads.
Accommodation
The X6/6⁵ can be arranged for a couple who occasionally host guests or for a crewed operation. A modular, three-part accommodation plan gives X-Yachts considerable flexibility, including a four-cabin arrangement with Pullmans.
Hull No 1 had a large owner’s cabin forward, a double cabin aft to starboard and two twin-bunk cabins. Hull No 4, by contrast, was planned with a full-width owner’s suite aft across the stern.
The forward owner’s cabin offers more than 7ft of headroom and plentiful natural light. In the saloon, the standing sightline gives near-panoramic views forward over the flush foredeck, and the interior is filled with natural light. Unostentatious handholds are positioned where they’re needed when moving around under heel.
The galley is particularly light and spacious, with phenomenal locker capacity and cold-storage space. There is also room for extras such as a trash compactor, coffee machine, dishwasher and microwave.
Interior finishes range from walnut underfoot with pale nubuck leather to light oak Alpi, brushed for a tactile surface. Jeppesen says 95 per cent of clients choose oak or teak joinery. Fabrics can be sourced from Designers Guild, Loro Piana or Gucci, while cupboard interiors can be made to fit the owner’s crockery.
Customisation
The specification offers an extensive range of options. Beyond the different accommodation plans, owners can choose deck features, shelter arrangements, interior materials, appliances and detailed storage solutions. This degree of choice is central to the X6/6⁵: although the hull comes from a series mould, much of the yacht can be tailored to suit its owner.
The Verdict
The X6/6⁵ is a formidable passage-maker that translates X-Yachts’ performance heritage into a semi-custom 66-foot cruiser with an interior that can genuinely shine. She is quick, dry and highly tunable. However, the added size, load and power can cause some loss of feel at the helm, while the rudder drag noted in reaching mode is a genuine trade-off for the grip provided by the twin-rudder arrangement.
Pros
- Largest X-Yachts model to date, with extensive semi-custom freedom below decks
- Secure steel bilge frame and centralised tankage for stiffness and weight control
- Effortless light-air performance, a tunable carbon rig and push-button furling
- Bright, modular interior with superyacht-grade customisation options
Cons
- Twin-rudder drag and wash noted when reaching
- Size and power can dull tactile feedback at the helm
- Customised pricing places the boat firmly in superyacht territory
