X-Yachts XC 35 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

What sets the Xc 35 apart structurally is the massive load-bearing hull grid that anchors both the L-shaped ballast keel and the keel-stepped mast, a galvanized steel assembly screwed rather than laminated to the hull to avoid tension cracks. Three cross-members in that grid serve as floor timbers, and the grid also carries a hoist point so the boat can be launched and retrieved with the rig upright. Around it, X-Yachts wraps a vacuum-infused Divinicell foam-cored hull laminate of biaxial E-glass in vinylester resin, with solid laminate interposed around every through-hull and across the high-load keel root. The deck is a foam-cored biaxial laminate in vinylester with aluminum or marine plywood inserts under deck fittings, and the interior bulkheads are 16–20 mm marine plywood securely bonded to the hull. The result is a hull carrying 4,740 lb of iron ballast — a 33 percent ballast ratio — on a 203 displacement-to-length figure that signals a solid offshore cruiser rather than a lightweight weekender.

Rig and Handling

The spars are aluminum John Mast sections with discontinuous stainless steel rod rigging, and the shrouds are well inboard near the coachroof — a choice that demands more hull reinforcement but lets the boat carry a 135-percent genoa on longer jib tracks, while the more common 106-percent blade sheets inside the shrouds. A double-ended German mainsheet runs its tails aft below the sidedecks to the helm winches, and halyards and control lines lead aft to two coachroof winches. Test sailors found the Jefa steering direct and precise, easily controlled in gusts with no griping, though one review noted the boat forgives few steering mistakes and wants a sensitive hand. Under sail in 15 to 22 knots true, she made 6.6 knots under main alone, 7.8 with the 106-percent and a reefed main, and 8.2 under full sail at a 60-degree apparent wind angle; pinching to 30 degrees she still topped 7 knots, and in 2–3 foot seas she sailed better than 7 knots at 35 degrees apparent. The 30 hp Yanmar with a two-blade Flexofold folder on a saildrive pushed 6.7 knots at 2,400 rpm and 7.3 pegged at 3,000, with the engine space tight but accessible on three sides and well insulated against sound.

Accommodations

Below, the Xc 35 is offered in a single two-cabin, one-head layout dictated by a narrow stern that rules out twin aft berths. The saloon has two long straight settees flanking a fixed centerline table — both make credible sea berths — and the galley sits aft to port with a two-burner Eno and oven, top-loading Isotherm fridge, and large centerline twin sinks. The forward V-berth sleeps two in comfort with room at the foot; the aft cabin reaches past the centerline but is pinched by the engine cover and tight for two. The head is aft to starboard behind a full-size nav station, generous with a pull-out shower and no partition, though the Jabsco is fore-and-aft oriented and the test commode drew criticism as too small. A hanging wet locker and a vast storage space abaft the head — reachable from the cockpit — round out the practical cruising provisions.

Known Issues

Period reviews flagged the deck trim more than the structure. The mainsheet led to the top of the companionway with the boom attached forward of midpoint made trimming awkward, and the test boat’s simple bridle arrangement was judged unsatisfactory; the builder said a traveler option would come to aid leach control. The head commode on the test example was ridiculously small, with larger units promised, and a pass-through from the head to the cockpit seat locker was missing on that boat.

Refits and Ownership

X-Yachts indicated a future traveler option for better leach control, and the standard self-tailing Harken Performa winches can be swapped for stainless Andersen units; an optional GRP furling boom is offered where in-mast furling is not. The fixed aluminum-framed cockpit windshield is an option worth noting for helm comfort, and adjustable jib leads with barber inhaulers can be had for crews who tune sails actively.

The Verdict

The Xc 35 is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser whose steel grid and foam-cored laminate speak to serious offshore intent, and whose sailing numbers — near hull speed upwind and powered in modest seas — justify the SAIL award. The beam-aft hull and single rudder keep her from feeling like a barge, yet the accommodations are tight aft and the early deck-trim details need owner attention.

Pros