Design and Construction
Where the previous Pure-range hull carried its beam relatively far forward, the X4³-2's hull shape was redesigned to carry maximum beam further aft, producing a wider transom and cockpit and a beamier aft section with a soft radius chine. The chines running aft finish much higher than they did previously, a change that should increase stability when the boat is heeled yet keep the wetted surface down in lighter winds. Structurally, the vacuum-infused, post-cured epoxy hull is foam cored, with fully bonded structural bulkheads and a collision bulkhead forward. The ballast bulb is lead, bolted and glued to a cast iron fin, and the entire keel is coated in glass and epoxy; rig and keel loads are carried by a galvanized steel grid incorporated into the hull. A standard-draft, 7-foot-3-inch torpedo-bulb keel is offered, with both deeper and shallower alternatives available. At 43 feet 5 inches overall (41 feet 7 inches on the hull), 13 feet 1 inch beam, 20,723 pounds displacement, and 8,157 pounds of ballast, the boat sits firmly in the performance-cruiser weight class without sacrificing volume.
Rig and Handling
Up front, a longer integral bowsprit allows for larger offwind sails, and the standard aluminum mast stands 66 feet 6 inches — with an optional carbon mast that is even taller for those chasing extra light-air reach. The rig is slightly taller than the previous generation, a move that helps improve light-air performance. A backstay on centerline with hydraulic tensioning keeps the rig tune precise, while a battery of six properly sized Harken Performa winches — one electrified for the main halyard — manages the 1,076 square feet of sail. In the cockpit, twin wheels sit behind a full-width main traveler carrying a German sheet system controllable from either helm. Test sailors found the boat pinched well inside an apparent wind angle of 30 degrees, making better than 7 knots in an 18-knot apparent breeze, and at just 32 degrees she was fully powered up at over 8 knots. Bearing away to a close reach in decreasing apparent wind she pushed up toward 9 knots, and off on a broad reach under working sails alone she easily made 6 knots in just 8 knots of apparent wind. The folks at X-Yachts took some trouble shaping the rudder, and it shows: the helm felt very smooth with excellent tactile feedback smooth helm with excellent feedback.
Accommodations and Cockpit
The larger cockpit has a higher sole to boost vertical clearance over the aft berths, with high coamings rounding the seats for weather protection. A very solid table, removable for racing, anchors the social space without compromising the boat's dual personality. Below, the layout remains relatively unchanged from its predecessor, preserving a proven interior arrangement while the deck and hull were reworked. The transom is open, with a narrow fold-down swim platform beneath it, extending the usable space aft for swimming or dinghy access.
Equipment and Power
A Yanmar 45-horsepower engine with saildrive provides auxiliary power, paired with a 53-gallon diesel tank and 90-gallon water capacity for coastal and bluewater range. The open transom with its fold-down platform, full-width traveler, and removable table reflect a deck plan that serves both short-handed racing and relaxed cruising. The six-winches-and-centerline-backstay setup is serious sailing hardware, not cruiser-light compromise.
The Verdict
The X4³-2 is a genuinely new boat, not a rebadged predecessor, and it reads as a confident second-generation Pure-range design. The higher aft chines, taller rig, and longer bowsprit are purposeful upgrades that broaden the boat's performance envelope without unsettling the below-deck layout that owners already admired. Construction is thorough, from the post-cured epoxy foam-cored hull to the fully bonded bulkheads and glass-epoxy keel coating.
Pros
- Entirely new tooling and hull design with beam carried further aft for volume and stability redesigned hull shape
- Taller rig and longer bowsprit extend light-air and offwind sail capability
- Foam-cored vacuum-infused epoxy hull with collision bulkhead and bonded structure
- Strong upwind and reaching performance under test conditions better than 7 knots pinching
Cons
- Standard aluminum mast may feel modest next to the optional taller carbon rig
- Wider, beamier aft sections and higher sole alter the older boat's profile for traditionalists
