Danish shipyard X-Yachts has been building well-respected racing/cruiser sailing yachts for over 40 years but 2021 will be a milestone year for the brand as it launches its first ever powerboat.
As with many other established sailing brands who have recently taken a first foray into motorboat production, the motivation spawned from existing sailing boat customers who liked the idea of a powerboat from a marque that they know and trust.
X-Yachts did things slightly differently, however, and sought a successful blueprint on which to base its X-Power 33C. That blueprint is the HOC Yachts 33, a Swedish performance cruiser that uses the revolutionary Petestep hull form. X-Yachts didn’t just buy the rights to the boat, it took over the company and effectively transported the entire operation from HOC HQ in Sweden to its own base in Denmark on a ship.
The Petestep hull provides the sort of comfortable performance that X-Yachts is renowned for in the sailing world. Outright speed with the single 370hp Yanmar V8 is likely to be just over 40 knots (the yard is yet to complete pre-launch testing) but it’s the efficiency and ride comfort of the Petestep that should make the X-Power 33C such a classy cruiser.
Article continues below…
Solaris Power 48 Open review: The prettiest boat since the Aquariva?
Sail to power converts: Yacht owners explain why they moved to the dark side
The first five units will all be in the striking red of hull number one – dubbed The Red Baron – but there is a selection of eye-catching colours to choose from. X-Yachts expects to build 15 boats this year at its purpose-built Polish facility but this will increase as build capacity expands.
It’s interesting that, as with other sail to power brands, the shipyard has opted for a T-top sportsboat design but with many of its customers wanting the powerboat to live alongside their sailing boats, maybe a sexy open sportsboat for use in sunny climes is just what the doctor ordered.
Nor does this seem like a flash in the pan: an enclosed version of the boat will arrive in September with another new X-Power model in the pipeline for 2023.
Update: The X-Power 33C is scheduled to make its public debut at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival.
X-Power 33C specification
LOA: 33ft 6in (10.2m)
Beam: 10ft 2in (3.1m)
Engines: Single 320/350/370hp Yanmar diesel
Top speed: 40 knots +
Starting price: €260,000 (ex. VAT)
Innovative Petestep hull gives a soft ride
Clean lines make for a striking design but lack of guardrails my prove an issue for some
Masses of sociable seating in the simple cockpit layout
