XC 47
THE XC 47 IS MARKETED AS THE ‘BEST BLUEWATER CRUISER EVER BUILT’ – A VERY BOLD CLAIM – BUT DOES THIS POWERFUL YACHT ACTUALLY MATCH THE HYPE?
We’re close-hauled in 7-10 knots of true wind, making 6-6.5 knots of boat speed, with the helm beautifully balanced and only a degree or two of weather helm. Agentle ease of the hydraulic backstay in the lulls gives more depth to the sail shape, while a few pumps depowers the rig in the puffs.
It’s a scenario that’s instantly familiar to many thousands of X-Yacht owners over the years. But this isn’t the first beat of a short round the cans race. Instead, we’re on a comfortable serious bluewater cruiser that weighs almost 15 tonnes and has impressive stowage and payload.
The Xc47 is a pivotal model for the Danish yard in a slimmed-down range of long distance cruisers. It’s also the first all-new boat without input from co-founder and lead designer Niels Jeppesen, with markedly different styling.
Reducing the number of models in the Xc line allowed effort to be focussed on a yacht that embodies many small but important improvements that came out of extensive consultation with clients who have completed circumnavigations on older Xc models.
The concept of the hull shape is very similar in the forward sections and distinct stern overhang to previous Xc designs, with the aim of keeping the same easy motion in a seaway. However, in other respects the stern sections have been updated, with a wide transom and soft chines well above the waterline. The latter markedly increase form stability when heeled, giving more performance when reaching and enabling full sail to be carried for longer in a rising wind. At the same time, the deep canoe body with plenty of rocker that helps create a voluminous hull, with a large payload, is retained.
This is also the first design from X-Yachts with a semi decksaloon layout. Yet when you’re sailing it doesn’t feel like a decksaloon yacht, partly because of a slightly higher cockpit floor that also helps increase volume in the aft cabins, without making it feel as though you’re perched up high when on deck.
On bearing away and hoisting the top-down furling gennaker the wind increased to 12-13 knots as a shower moved overhead. With a true wind angle of around 140°, and the apparent more or less on the beam, boat speed climbed to 8.6 knots. While there are many ways in which this feels lik
