Class CDisplacementCruiser/Racer

X-35

X-Yachts · Niels Jeppesen · 2005

Updated

The X-35 is a 10.60 m displacement racing yacht designed by Niels Jeppesen and built by X-Yachts, first launched in 2005. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 77% of the designs it races against. It is at its best in light air and struggles to hold that once it blows.

X-35 - Niels Jeppesen - X-YachtsP 14.25 mLOA 10.60 m
Race Edge77Proven in racing

Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 77% of the boats it races against.

37th of 159 in its class.

Under 10 kn
87
10–16 kn
27
Over 16 kn
49

This design has been found in real race results — 1,180 starts across 178 events — not only in measurement files.

Length

10.60 m

34′ 9″

Beam

3.25 m

Draft

2.16 m

Displacement

4.5 t

Sail area

75 m²

On the podium

Where a X-35 finishes when she goes racing.

On the podium

23%

of 1,180 starts by 66 boats

Wins

8%

Wins8%94
Seconds8%90
Thirds8%92
Off the podium76%904

Read from 1,180 starts by 66 boats between 2015 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.

Recent regattas

The latest events where a X-35 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.

  • Türkiye66. Yil Donanma Kupasi2026
  • SpainLliga Creuers2026
  • Greece"Πανελληνιο Κυπελο ORCI 2026"2026
  • GreeceAegean Regatta2026
  • LithuaniaKlaipėda ORC European Championship2026

Raced one we are missing?

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Round the buoys, or offshore

A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.

Round the buoys

22%

of these races end on the podium

662 races of 10 NM or less

Offshore & coastal

18%

of these races end on the podium

303 races over 10 NM

Level across both. Plenty of designs fall away once the course gets long — a light hull that thrives round the cans can struggle through a night at sea. This one does not.

Who she races against

The designs a X-35 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.

This design aheadRival ahead
First 34.754%ahead in 747 of 1383 meetings, 302 races
First 36.750%ahead in 594 of 1187 meetings, 297 racestoo close to call
IMX 3857%ahead in 270 of 473 meetings, 229 races
Farr 3047%ahead in 561 of 1193 meetings, 225 racestoo close to call
Italia 9.9824%ahead in 252 of 1052 meetings, 207 races
First 35 (Farr)36%ahead in 248 of 690 meetings, 198 races
First 31.777%ahead in 194 of 252 meetings, 131 races
First 40.756%ahead in 187 of 334 meetings, 121 races
M 3730%ahead in 144 of 480 meetings, 110 races
Italia 11.9813%ahead in 67 of 517 meetings, 105 racesalmost always behind
Grand Soleil 40 (Paperini)69%ahead in 90 of 131 meetings, 100 races
Melges 2466%ahead in 96 of 146 meetings, 95 races
JOD 3582%ahead in 87 of 106 meetings, 86 racesalmost always ahead
Arcona 34030%ahead in 109 of 363 meetings, 86 races
First 4047%ahead in 79 of 169 meetings, 86 racestoo close to call
X-33272%ahead in 133 of 185 meetings, 85 races
Bavaria Match 3559%ahead in 93 of 157 meetings, 81 races
X-36265%ahead in 121 of 186 meetings, 80 races
J/9941%ahead in 92 of 224 meetings, 77 races
Grand Soleil 37 (Carkeek)37%ahead in 92 of 249 meetings, 75 races
Dufour 3458%ahead in 154 of 266 meetings, 74 races
X-3454%ahead in 103 of 190 meetings, 69 races
X-4151%ahead in 54 of 106 meetings, 67 racestoo close to call
X-3744%ahead in 98 of 222 meetings, 64 races
J/10949%ahead in 86 of 175 meetings, 63 racestoo close to call
IMX 4053%ahead in 39 of 74 meetings, 62 racestoo close to call
Bavaria 23098%ahead in 58 of 59 meetings, 59 racesalmost always ahead
M 3464%ahead in 104 of 162 meetings, 57 races
Neo 35037%ahead in 114 of 308 meetings, 55 races
Farr 4033%ahead in 30 of 92 meetings, 52 races
Sun Fast 320055%ahead in 30 of 55 meetings, 52 races
Sun Fast 360057%ahead in 37 of 65 meetings, 50 races
Dufour 4021%ahead in 27 of 127 meetings, 49 races
Sun Fast 3300 (Andrieu)73%ahead in 74 of 102 meetings, 47 races
J/1127%ahead in 11 of 162 meetings, 46 racesalmost always behind
Corsa 91538%ahead in 33 of 87 meetings, 45 races
T 3489%ahead in 72 of 81 meetings, 45 racesalmost always ahead
Swan 4211%ahead in 15 of 132 meetings, 45 racesalmost always behind
Melges 3236%ahead in 67 of 187 meetings, 44 races
Dehler 30 OD61%ahead in 41 of 67 meetings, 44 races

Some of the boats it races against

How the X-35 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.

X-35 vs First 34.7ahead 54% of 1,383 head-to-heads
X-35 vs Farr 30ahead 47% of 1,193 head-to-heads
X-35 vs First 36.7ahead 50% of 1,187 head-to-heads
X-35 vs Italia 9.98ahead 24% of 1,052 head-to-heads
X-35 vs First 35 (Farr)ahead 36% of 690 head-to-heads

Speed at every angle

The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.

36930°60°90°120°150°WIND9.9

Upwind VMG

5.28

38°

Beam reach

8.47

90°

Broad reach

9.87

135°

Downwind VMG

8.18

170°

Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.

Where it wins and where it pays

Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.

There is no obvious weak spot here. It rewards preparation and crew work more than it rewards picking the right day.

Where it gains

Its best ground is cracked off in a strong breeze, where it does more than its size and sail area promise, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage downwind as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.

Where it pays

It falls short on a reach when it blows, giving away time it never gets back. That is a displacement hull working to its designed speed.

Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.

True wind
Upwind+0.22 kn
Beam reach+0.02 kn
Broad reach+0.03 kn
Downwind+0.13 kn

Full width is 0.4 kn either way.

At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the upwind.

How fast is a X-35

Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.

Angle6 kn10 kn14 kn20 kn
Beat VMG3.754.955.205.28
52°5.667.017.267.39
60°5.937.187.477.62
75°6.117.327.778.03
90°6.027.357.958.47
110°5.947.528.198.81
120°5.767.438.349.33
135°5.157.108.089.87
150°4.336.487.629.10
Run VMG3.755.646.928.18

How they are set up

The range each sail spans across the fleet.

Mainsail38 m² – 49 m²
Headsail28 m² – 35 m²
Gennaker72 m² – 124 m²
Spinnaker88 m² – 139 m²

Nearly all carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 640 kg.

Rigging

X-35 rig and sail dimensions

A X-35 carries 14.25 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.90 m boom, a forestay 14.50 m above the deck and a 5.00 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 91 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.

Rig

Mainsail hoistP14.25 m13.26 – 14.44
Boom lengthE4.90 m4.60 – 5.09
Forestay heightIG14.50 m14.16 – 14.62
Fore triangle baseJ4.18 m4.16 – 4.22
Spinnaker hoistISP14.53 m14.44 – 16.20
BowspritTPS5.00 m4.18 – 5.78
Boom above deckBAS1.75 m1.54 – 1.77

Sails

Mainsail42.4 m²37.6 – 49.0
Headsail32.9 m²28.1 – 35.4
Gennaker106.8 m²72.4 – 124.2
Spinnaker92.2 m²87.7 – 138.5

The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 72 to 124 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.