Design and Construction
The hull emerges from a series mould, but almost everything aft of that is open to discussion, from interior finish to below-decks configuration anchor. Stiffness is assured by X-Yachts' trademark steel frame in the bilges, which doubles as a very secure keel attachment point, and the same galvanised steel grid under the saloon floorboards imparts immediate peace of mind. Tanks and batteries are all centrally positioned for optimum weight management, while hoses and wire looms are housed in metal cradles to keep them neatly together and out of the bilges. The plywood soles are notably thick. Twin semi-balanced rudders make for good handling, an unusual choice for X-Yachts, and the two-metre-high topsides give her an imposing profile. A raised coachroof allows plenty of light to permeate below, complemented by generous hull windows and large hull portlights.
Rig and Handling
Her carbon rig is supremely tunable, with hydraulic backstay and forestay tensioners and a cutter-style versatility that lets the inner forestay and gennaker both be detached and lowered directly into the sail locker. The main rides a custom FurlerBoom with automatic boom levelling and horizontal battens, while the mainsheet is fastened out of the way on a carbon arch over the cockpit. Sail controls are handled via four electric Harken winches by the steering pedestals, and the below-deck furlers are electrically controlled for true push-button sailing. A 130-square-metre spinnaker can be flown when the breeze calls for it. Test sailors found her an effortless 7 knots under just reefed main beating into 16 knots in the western Solent, jumping to 8.5 knots with the inner jib and touching 11 knots on a reach in gusts off Calshot Spit. Even when it gusted past 30 knots, the cockpit stayed dry as a bone beating into short Solent chop. Writing in Yachting World, the tester noted she will almost match wind speed to windward in just 5–7 knots of breeze, and when the wind piped up to 14 knots she sliced upwind at 8.5 knots, pointing 30–35º and topping nine if footed off five degrees, with inhaulers adding five degrees of pointing anchor. The twin-rudder grip encourages pushing offwind, though excessive drag off the leeward rudder and wash off the windward one were noted in reaching mode.
Accommodations
Below decks the boat can be fitted for a couple with occasional guests or for a crew. Hull No 1 carried a large owner's cabin forward, a double aft to starboard and two twin bunk cabins, while hull No 4 was planned with a full-width owner's suite aft across the stern. A modular three-part accommodation plan lets X-Yachts offer a variety of options, including a four-cabin format with Pullmans. The owner's cabin forward enjoys over 7ft of headroom and plentiful natural light. Standing in the saloon puts you at the perfect height for near-panoramic views forward over the flush foredeck, and the interior sparkles with natural light. The galley is wonderfully light and large, with phenomenal locker and cold-storage space and room for extras like a trash compactor, coffee machine, dishwasher and microwave. Finishes run from walnut underfoot with pale nubuck leather to light oak Alpi brushed for a tactile feel; Jeppesen says that 95 per cent of clients opt for oak or teak joinery, and fabrics can come from Designers Guild, Loro Piana or Gucci. Unostentatious handholds sit exactly where needed to move about when heeled.
Equipment and Customisation
Endless options define the spec. A tender garage, hardtop bimini and concealed roller awnings are available, and the first boat's carbon hardtop was built to owner spec with bespoke tooling, studded with a dozen 110-watt solar panels supplying 95 per cent of hotel loads. Bow and stern thrusters let her walk sideways onto a pontoon, and carbon fibre wheel pedestals cantilever off the cockpit coaming above a laminated wooden wheel with carbon spokes. A sprayhood can fold invisibly beneath the coachroof teak, or a fixed Scandinavian-style windscreen chosen instead. Custom cupboard interiors are fitted to the owner's crockery, and a North 3Di main drives the rig.
The Verdict
The X6/6⁵ is a formidable passage-maker that translates X-Yachts' performance heritage into a semi-custom 66-foot cruiser where the interior can genuinely shine. She is quick, dry and tunable, yet the increased size, load and power level can lead to a certain loss of feel at the helm, and the reaching-mode rudder drag is a real trade against the twin-rudder grip.
Pros
- Largest X-Yachts model to date with semi-custom freedom below decks
- Secure steel bilge frame and centralised tankage for stiffness and weight control
- Effortless light-air performance with 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 helm feedback
- Customised pricing places her firmly in superyacht territory
