X 4.0: Lively understatement at 12 metres in the test (2024)

Bright red and polished to a shine, construction number 1 stands jacked up in front of the shipyard building, awaiting delivery - no, not quite, the pretty little ship is a whopping 40 years old and the first X ever built, an X-79. Tracked down in England and completely overhauled, it almost steals the show from the actual novelty; it lies behind the building on the dock and is no less shiny, in white with light grey decorative stripes, but much more discreet.

The understatement matches the claim of the X 4.0. As the smallest model in the current Pure-X line, it is designed to combine the living comfort and ease of use of the XC-38 with the sailing performance of the XP-38, while at the same time appearing sporty and luxurious. Visually, the X 4.0 is closer to the Performance series: the stern shape, bow nose and side line of the superstructure are very reminiscent of the XP-38, but the freeboard, hull and waterline width and therefore the volume of the hull have increased significantly. In terms of overall length and waterline length, however, the designs are only separated by a few centimetres, which means that the new X 4.0 is actually a 38-foot yacht that is only just over twelve metres thanks to the fixed bow nose.

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The competition in comparison

In terms of construction, the 40 takes an intermediate route. The hull is laminated with epoxy resin in a vacuum infusion process and tempered, as is now standard practice at X. In contrast to the Performance series, however, no carbon fibre floor assembly is used. Instead, there is the tried and tested hot-dip galvanised steel frame with a stop point for a hot-drop. Together with the larger and therefore heavier fuselage and the interior fittings, this puts pressure on the displacement. At 8.1 tonnes, the 40 weighs around 1.4 tonnes more than the XP-38.

X-Yachts 4.0: simply efficient

Little of this is noticeable on the water. The view from the wheel over the spacious co*ckpit, the wide running decks and the striking superstructure leaves no doubt that you are on a massive ship, but the physical feedback is completely different.

As soon as the sails are set, the X feels agile, it accelerates spiritedly and sits extremely well on the rudder. X-Yachts not only develops the hull lines and keels in its in-house design department, but also customises the rudder blades. What seems to be particularly successful in the case of the 4.0: the boat reacts very directly to steering inputs, but does not appear nervous. Above all, however, the blade provides very detailed feedback on the current conditions. This makes it easy to steer the X optimally on the wind edge. An impending sun shot is also signalled at an early stage. If you overdo it under gennaker, the rudder pressure increases until the steering becomes noticeably soft. However, this is not followed by a sudden stall. Instead, there is still enough rudder effect to fall away or release the sheet.

Quite apart from the associated sailing fun, a rudder blade with such sensitive and good-natured tuning is a blessing, especially with a small crew. Which fits perfectly with the concept of the X 4.0: It should be just as easy to manoeuvre single-handed, with the family or as a couple, as it is with a larger crew, for example at club regattas. The basic equipment includes a self-tacking jib, which means that sail handling is basically limited to the mainsheet and traveller. Both can be easily trimmed in single or double-handed mode by the helmsman, who can sit either in front of or behind the wheel.

Ideal conditions on the test day

The sheet runs directly over the traveller to two winches embedded in the ends of the co*ckpit coaming. The system runs smoothly thanks to large deflection blocks. The sheet of the self-tacking jib, on the other hand, ends at the halyard winches on the companionway and is out of reach. The test boat was equipped with the optional 106 per cent genoa. In this configuration and with the half metre higher carbon mast, the X achieves a sail load factor of 4.7. The standard boat is only 4.4, so a code zero should be helpful in light winds.

On the test day, the wind was blowing at 14 to 17 knots, which are ideal conditions for the available sail area. The X feels particularly at home on the cross; 6.8 knots with a wind angle of around 41 degrees is impressive. She also copes well with gusts without the need for complex trim corrections. With the 125 square metre gennaker, the log oscillated between 8.6 and 9.3 knots.

If necessary, the sail trim can be quickly adjusted to the wind conditions using the hydraulic backstay tensioner, outhaul, traveller and cunningham. Only the operation of the lower deck furling system, which is steered via the superstructure, has too much friction. You will look in vain for double upwind trim devices on the 4.0, a concession to the sheer deck layout. The target group is unlikely to miss this.

The interior of the X 4.0

But warm up all the more to the cosy interior. The interior is finished in either light oak or teak. Laminate is only used for the floorboards; the other components are made of veneered marine plywood, are solid or moulded and are all immaculately lacquered. This ensures a long service life and a high-quality look for the interior. At launch, the X is only available as a two-cabin version with a large starboard locker, a washroom with shower and a fully-fledged navigation station. A three-cabin version will follow next spring. The forecastle will then be removed; the washroom will shrink and move forwards. The navigation corner will also become a folding table.

The L-shaped galley and the foredeck remain unchanged. Overall, the interior looks fresh and light, and is clearly reminiscent of the XC line if the optional wall units are selected. However, the hull windows are lower, allowing the lockers to pass through and visually stretching the saloon.

The practical details are also right: There are solid handrails and four opening side windows; the hull windows and a deck hatch in the saloon allow plenty of natural light into the boat. The space under the comfortable seat recesses is almost completely taken up by tanks and batteries. However, there is plenty of storage space in the folding table and lockers.

The inconspicuous coaming integrated into the pantry worktop is worth mentioning. The small elevation prevents splash water from running into the refrigerator when washing up. It's also nice that the cooling compressor is seawater-cooled even in the standard version, which protects the battery and doesn't heat up the kitchen unit.

Sleep better on the X 4.0

The amount of space and impression of space in the saloon are good, but not much different from what you are used to on a boat of this size. The foredeck, on the other hand, is a stunner. As there is no additional wet room, it is very spacious.

You sleep on an island bed that is two metres long and only 1.00 to 1.30 metres wide. The additional skylight above the headboard is a nice touch. It provides light during the day and allows a direct view of the starry sky at night. The hull windows, the deck hatch and the forward-facing window strip in the superstructure allow even more light into the owner's cabin. Clothing can be stored in two wardrobes and the surrounding lockers. Larger items can be conveniently stowed under the bunk, and the cushions and cushion support fold upwards with a flick of the wrist, assisted by gas pressure.

The aft area is not quite as princely. However, the sleeping area and, above all, the height above the berth are comfortable and well suited for two adults. Thanks to the skylight, hull window and window to the co*ckpit, there is plenty of light and air.

The X 4.0 is positioned very precisely between the existing performance and cruising lines of the Wert. Compared to the XP, the living comfort in particular has increased significantly. The extra pounds are hardly noticeable on the water. It provides the sailing pleasure to be expected from an X on all courses and can be sailed efficiently even by small crews thanks to its simple handling. Compared to the competition, however, you have to pay the typical X surcharge.

The measured values for the X 4.0 test

3 Images

The X 4.0 in detail

Technical data of the X 4.0

Hull and deck construction

Hull: Foam sandwich, vacuum infusion with epoxy resin, tempered. Deck: Sandwich, hand lay-up method

Price

Shipyard

Distribution

Dealer network

X 4.0: YACHT rating

The X is optimised for easy handling and is very stiff. At the same time, it feels extremely lively and agile. The sailing potential is very easy to access. The layout is equally suitable for small and large crews

Design and concept

Sailing performance and trim

Living and finishing quality

Equipment and technology

This article first appeared in YACHT 18/2019 and has been updated for this online version.

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