X Yachts

History

X-Yachts was founded by brothers Niels and Lars Jeppesen with Birger Hansen, in Haderslev, Denmark. Since then it has produced around 5,000 yachts. Their first model was the 7.9-metre (26 ft) X-79, which was launched in May 1979. An X-79 won what was then the biggest yacht race in the world, the Sjælland Rundt, with almost 2,100 yachts competing. The X-79 went on to become a one-design class with almost 500 boats built throughout the 190s.

In 1981 the X-102 was designed to race under the Three-Quarter-tonner Rule. X-102s won the Three-Quarter Ton Cup in Finland in 1981 (Soldier Blue) and in 1982, in Spain (Lille Du). A ‘Sport’ version of the X-102 was called the X-3/4 Ton and won the Three Quarter Ton Cup in 1985 (Sweden), 1987 (Holland), Italy (1988) and Greece (1989).

Throughout the 1980s X-Yachts built many designs to Ton and IOR Rules, also winning the One Ton Cup in 1986 in Spain (Andelsbanken), and in Sweden (Okyalos, 1990).

In 1985 the X-99 was launched, which became an ISAF-recognized one-design, with 605 boats built.

Seven of the top ten finishers of the 1987 Sjælland Rundt were X-Yachts.

In 1990 X-Yachts launched a Performance Cruiser range, beginning with the X-412 and X-382.

In the 1990s the IMS handicap rule became increasingly popular for racing. The IMX 38 was developed and launched in 1993, followed by the IMX 40 and IMX 45 in the early 2000s. IMX designs competed around the world under both IMS and IRC ratings, including winning SORC in the USA in 1995 and 1997, IMS European Championships in 1995, and the Rolex Commodores’ Cup in Great Britain in 2002 and 2004.

X-Yachts launched their first one-design racing yacht, the X-35, in 2005, followed by the X-41 one-design in 2007. Both became ISAF-recognized one-design classes.

The IMX 70 was launched in 2005 as a ‘one-off’, built by Green Marine in the UK and fitted out in Denmark.

In 2007 X-Yachts won a European Yacht of the Year Award with the X-55, a performance cruising design.

In 2009 the first dedicated cruising X-Yacht was launched, the Xc 45, winning its category at the European Yacht of the Year. This was followed by three other Xcruising designs, with the Xc 38 also winning at the European Yacht of the Year awards in 2010.

X-Yachts today

X-Yachts currently has three main production lines: Xracing one-designs (X-35 and X-41), four Xcruising models (Xc 38, Xc 42, Xc 45, Xc 50), and Xperformance, their most recent range of cruiser-racer yachts (Xp 33, Xp 38, Xp 44, Xp 50, Xp 55, X-65).

X-Yachts has offices in Haderslev, Denmark, and Hamble-le-Rice, in Hampshire, England. There are dealerships in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

In 2012 Danish businessman Ib Kunoe became the majority stakeholder of X-Yachts, with Consolidated Holdings A/S acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the company, which reported a turnover of DKK 250 million (US$42million) and employs 250 people in total. Ib Kunoe became chairman of the Supervisory Board of X-Yachts, Hans Viggard joined the company as CEO. Niels and Lars Jeppesen remain shareholders and directors responsible for design and production, Birger Hansen is a shareholder.