From its debut, the boat looked different. A soaring cockpit arch, sweeping cabin-top curves, and an array of windows gave it a distinctive profile. The Boat of the Year panel named it Most Innovative.
Design and Construction
The X5’s structure reflects its serious offshore brief. The hulls are solid glass below the waterline and cored above. The deck, cabin top, and all furniture are also cored, and vinylester resin is used throughout the build. The 24mm Lloyd’s-certified marine plywood bulkheads are hand-laminated directly to the hull and deck, in keeping with the builder’s composite methods.
At just under 40,000 pounds displacement, the X5 has a 26-foot-3-inch beam and a 4-foot-11-inch draft. Its capsize ratio is 3.08, with a comfort ratio near 15.8—figures consistent with a voyaging catamaran rather than a coastal weekender.
Test sailors noted the impressive number of seagoing details built into the boat, including accessible through-hulls and mission-critical equipment arranged for servicing at sea.
Rig, Sail Plan, and Handling
The sail plan combines a square-top mainsail with a working self-tacking jib on an inner forestay and furler. A large genoa sets farther forward on a second Harken furler. The arrangement is intended to let one person handle the boat while the other half of the crew sleeps below.
The raised helm station is to port. All control lines lead to a central bank of electric winches operated by foot pedals rather than buttons. The builder chose aluminum instead of carbon fiber for the rig because aluminum is more forgiving in electrical storms.
With North sails set in 8 to 10 knots of breeze, the X5 made 7 knots closehauled. On a reach, the speedometer jumped to 7.9. The test crew simply called her a beautiful sailer.
Cockpit and Accommodations
Above the fixed-glass windscreen, a clever battened bimini can slide open for a view of the sails or close with a sweep.
The test boat had an owner’s cabin with an en suite head and shower occupying the starboard hull. To port were double cabins, each with an en suite head and shower. A four-cabin charter layout is also available.
The cabin top’s sweeping curves and broad array of windows give the interior a bright, unconventional character that matches the boat’s distinctive exterior.
Systems and Equipment
The X5’s Mastervolt CZone electrical system is integrated with a full suite of Garmin electronics. It is an impressive installation and one of the best applications of digital technology seen on a yacht, with triple redundancy described as aircraft-grade.
An iPad supplied with the boat stores maintenance schedules, owners’ manuals, and the serial numbers of all equipment. It also gives the owner complete control of every onboard system.
The X5’s voyaging inventory includes a watermaker, a genset, and a well-provisioned galley.
Maintenance and Ownership
Access to the through-hull fittings, shaft seals, and other mission-critical equipment is excellent, which benefits owners who perform their own maintenance.
The cored construction above the waterline and the digital-control architecture mean that owner intervention is straightforward when a system needs attention. The documentation supplied on the iPad also reduces the work involved in tracking serial numbers and service intervals.
Verdict
The Xquisite X5 is a purpose-built ocean voyager with an unconventional silhouette and a genuinely thoughtful systems layout. Its rig and sail plan suit short-handed passagemaking, while its construction details show that the builder understood the demands of offshore service.
With only fourteen examples built, an original X5 is a relatively rare find. Even so, the boat’s documentation and generous access to essential equipment argue for manageable ownership.
Pros
- Designed, built, and equipped for long-distance voyaging from the first hull
- Sail plan can be handled by one person while the other crew member rests
- Foot-pedal-controlled electric winches at the helm
- Excellent access to through-hulls, shaft seals, and critical equipment
- Aircraft-grade, triple-redundant digital control through the iPad and CZone system
Cons
- Only fourteen original-generation boats were built, limiting their market presence
- Aluminum rig was chosen for storm tolerance rather than maximum weight savings
