X-Yachts XP 33 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

X-Yachts built the XP 33 as a vacuum-infused vinyl ester hull fully cored with a GRP floor system and carbon fiber reinforcement, the yard touting the light and strong structures that result from those methods. The beamy waterline — the boat carries a 3.21m beam to a dead-vertical transom for maximum sailing length and aft deck space — pairs with a T-bulb keel in two draft configurations, the standard 1.9m and an optional 6 feet 10 inches, carrying a 1.7-ton lead bulb that the design team led by Jeppesen used to counterbalance 64 square metres of full upwind canvas. An elevated forefoot knuckle above the designed waterline and a low freeboard keep the profile purposeful rather than voluminous. The deck is notably clean: a recessed companionway hatch and a flush forward hatch eliminate protruding spray hoods, while the builder promoted the scarcity of hatches and absence of opening ports as a deliberate weight-saving measure, offering partly openable windows as the ventilation compromise.

Rig and Handling

The XP 33 carries a tall fractional rig with swept spreaders on an X-Yachts–designed aluminum section, and it was the first X-Yachts model to adopt a retractable carbon fibre bowsprit that pulls the gennaker tack roughly two metres forward of the forestay. Test sailors found enormous stability immediately apparent — the boat barely heels with two people on the side deck, and in 15–17 knots it heels only about 25 degrees without full crew weight on the rail. The helm transmits each pressure change directly from the rudder blade, and two fingers on the perfectly balanced tiller extension suffice to hold her on the breeze; loss of control from detached rudder flow is, in period testing, an alien concept. A shorter keel-fin chord means she wants to be kept moving through manoeuvres, yet the keel never loses attached flow in bumpy seas. The theoretical 38-degree tacking angle matched onboard observations, and the builder's VPP promised 6.7 to 6.8 knots closehauled. Downwind, the 109-square-metre gennaker drove her to eight knots and nine to 9.5 in gusts, with water detaching smoothly at the stern and a near stoic follow-the-rudder manner.

Accommodations

Inside, the XP 33 is dominated by white fiberglass liner surfaces with Fineline teak veneer in matte varnish where wood appears. The standard model omits a bow berth; forward of the main bulkhead sits only the toilet, a sink, and an open sail locker, while a folding double berth there was a paid option. Mirror-image quarterberths run under the long cockpit, and a compact galley aft to port sits beside a small nav station, with a lavish navigation desk and dedicated seat to starboard of the companionway. The head spans the full beam forward of the settees with no door to the V-berth area, and only one very small hanging locker is provided. Maximum standing headroom is a modest 179cm right next to the companionway. Stowage is scarce because batteries and the water tank occupy nearly all space under the settees, and the pantry lacks efficient ventilation so cooking fumes escape only through the open companionway hatch.

Known Issues

The rushed hull-number-one test boat showed sloppy bonding of the vinyl coverings on the inside of the hull, a finish defect tied to that early build. More structurally neutral but ownership-relevant are the scarce stowage and the pantry ventilation limitation noted above. The standard jib winches are not self-tailing — period reviews considered them better replaced for cruising, with self-tailing units a paid upgrade — and the optional composite Hall Spars mast lacks the dampening of the heavier aluminum spar. Occasionally the boat bucks in a way testers attributed to weight concentration amidships and the carbon rig, though they judged it uncomfortable rather than slow.

Refits and Ownership

Owners shopping the model should note the engine — a Yanmar diesel of 14.5/20 hp — sits very accessibly under the companionway ladder, and a single-point lifting eye eases transport. Cruising-oriented buyers often specify the folding bow berth, removable cabinets and cubbies, self-tailing winches, and the optional fridge that occupies the shelf under the chart table. The retractable bowsprit and asymmetric sail plan make downwind handling easier than a traditional spinnaker, though a racecourse spinnaker setup remained available.

The Verdict

The XP 33 is a focused cruiser-racer that trades interior volume and refinement for a stiff, intuitive helm and a thoroughly modern deck. It rewards small crews who accept sparse stowage and minimal ventilation in exchange for race-bred stability and downwind ease.

Pros