Design and Construction
Where earlier X-Yachts performance cruisers carried a galvanized steel frame to distribute rig and keel loads, the XP 38 replaces that trademark structure with a laminated carbon-fiber grid that carries those loads into the keel. Hull and deck are built from E-glass and epoxy in a sandwich laminate with foam core, and for the hull X-Yachts uses resin infusion; the hull itself is an epoxy-infused sandwich of fiberglass cored with Divinycell, with solid glass at the keel and around through-hulls, and is post-production cured for added strength. The deck is hand laid, foam cored, and bonded to the inward-turning hull flange with adhesives. Below deck, composite elements frequently replace traditional wood. The standard keel is a six-foot-10-inch iron keel with a lead bulb, while a foot-deeper foil keel is offered for racers.
Rig and Handling
The sail plan is demanding and rewards a competent helm and main trimmer. The standard aluminum mast is stayed with rod rigging and a profiled forestay on a Furlex roller furler tucked under the deck, and shrouds attach on the outside of the hull — a layout that eliminates the possibility of setting a larger genoa. A German-style split mainsheet runs from a traveler just forward of the twin helms, forward to the mast, then aft through blocks via channels under the teak deck to Harken winches reachable from either wheel; the mainsheet winch sits close enough for the helmsman to reach. Jib leads adjust under load, and a barberhauler for the jib plus a mainsail outhaul are fitted. The boat carries a high-aspect full-batten main and slightly overlapping jib.
On the water the XP 38 behaves like a dinghy, steerable in response to wind pressure. In mid-teen breeze she stands up in puffs and takes off like a shot, the plumb bow slicing through chop. With a 130-square-meter gennaker up, boat speed holds in the double digits and touches 12 knots in puffs; sailing close to the breeze she reaches just above seven knots at 35 degrees true wind angle. At 20 knots of breeze, a first reef becomes prudent.
Accommodations
The three-cabin layout is standard with no other options offered; a two-cabin version with larger lazarette or a bigger heads with separate shower is not available. Below, the interior is welcoming and bright, with teak woodwork and white laminate paneling that is attractive and low maintenance. The saloon is symmetrical, with a full-length settee to port of a centerline drop-leaf table and a sliding nav station to starboard that converts between a seat-back and a front-facing desk. The forward cabin is cozy but comfortable, with a berth for two and two side closets; the V-berth forward also has plenty of elbow room and storage. Twin aft cabins each hold double bunks and good-size hanging lockers, though space is a bit tight for a couple and the berth shoulder width is only 1.4 meters with closet doors that are difficult to open. The head has a stall shower that doubles as a wet locker. Unlike the XP 44, the 38 lacks a second forward lavatory.
Cockpit and Equipment
The cockpit was laid out for active sailing with crew, with workstations positioned for efficient operation and plenty of room for a competitive crew to trim around the buoys. Benches are shorter than on an all-out cruiser but give comfortable off-watch shade under a retractable dodger. Hardware is top-quality with generously-sized winches. A race package with a carbon stick from Southern Spars costs extra, and a good set of sails adds further cost; a Southern Spars carbon mast and boom is also an option. The boat is powered by a 29-horsepower Yanmar with saildrive.
The Verdict
The XP 38 is a focused performance cruiser-racer: light on her feet, quick in modest air, and built around a carbon-grid hull that sheds the old steel frame for stiffness without weight. The cockpit and rig are unapologetically race-minded, and the interior, while compact aft, is a clean three-cabin cruising layout. She is not a broad-beamed condo cruiser, and the saildrive Yanmar drew comment from Cruising World's Boat of the Year judges as possibly light for the hull.
Pros
- Carbon-fiber floor structure replacing steel grid for rig and keel loads
- Epoxy-infused foam-core hull with solid glass at keel and through-hulls, post-cured
- Double-digit speeds under gennaker; dinghy-like steering response
- German-style split mainsheet with helmsman-reachable winch
- Standard three-cabin layout with bright, low-maintenance interior
Cons
- Demanding sail plan needs competent trimmer and helm
- Aft cabins tight for couples; berth only 1.4 m shoulder width
- No alternative layouts or second forward head
- 29 hp Yanmar judged possibly underpowered by Cruising World testers
- Outside shrouds preclude larger genoa
