Can XO’s all-new aluminum flagship really succeed in TCM? Alex Smith puts the XO EXPLR 44 to the test and finds out
Things weren’t originally meant to be this way. When XO embarked on the project to build a new flagship, it began as the EXPLR 12. It was extended by 1 meter during the design phase to become EXPLR 13, but XO added that it ditched the metric approach rather than incurring negative numerical associations. We decided to go a few feet further and launch the XO EXPLR 44 instead.
So what do you get from all that extra length, width, and volume?
When it comes to the concept, the luxury and flexibility of the XO EXPLR 44 is designed to make a splash in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, beyond the Nordic countries and Northern Europe. When it comes to the basic design principles behind its ethos, it’s also pretty simple.
As you might expect, it has a walkaround design with a central cockpit and open front and rear decks. But by raising the aft deck and bow and setting the center cockpit section relatively deep, the idea is to maintain the profile (and windage) while producing a pair of private cabins at each end of the boat. ) is well checked.
Reactivity and agility are much sharper than expected for this kind of size
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As for the aesthetics, it certainly works. With its vertical bow, muscular haunches, hidden anchor, and vertical rows of sailboat-style windows, this boat looks very cool. Its purposeful appearance is also effectively enhanced by the granite gray color scheme, tinted windows and aluminum construction. But what we really want to do is get on board and see how this unusual arrangement affects the cabin itself…
A tale of two huts
The forward cabin follows much the same approach as the award-winning DFNDR 9. There is a double bed in the bow V with easy access to the sundeck via a right-angled swing-up hatch built into the foredeck island sunbed.
Traveling around this boat is safe and easy
There are several lined storage spaces under the bed that can be used as carry-on luggage without compromising the bow thruster or batteries. Aft of the bed, there’s a storage cabinet on the port side, a changing sheet on the starboard side, and a wetroom-style head compartment with a clever shower door that splits the space in two.
But, of course, it’s the rear cabin that feels particularly fresh. Accessed via a hinged seat on the port side of the cockpit dinette, descending into the atrium provides unfettered access to the aft lounge and sleeping area. There is also a door leading to a separate head compartment from forward and a huge integrated window overlooking the aft deck.
This is where the 44 gains the most from its increased length, so the space feels very strong, and the fact that the cockpit furniture is so low down also works well, and when the backrests are folded flat, the ship You can see the stern from above the outboard engine. .
Virtually becomes an open boat when you want it
The rear cabin itself occupies a large footprint. Our test boat had large front and rear benches, one on each side, with useful storage space behind the backrests. There is enough space to sit and use as a lounge, but the space provided can also be divided by transverse or fore/aft bulkheads to create two single cabins or an aft crew cabin and a separate space. Masu. Further forward.
But as it stands, the cabin is kept bright and comfortable thanks to a series of skylights and a hatch leading to the raised aft deck, as well as panoramic letter-slot windows that look out over the Mercury’s exterior. The effect of all this, of course, is that various engineering units such as diesel heaters, AC units, heat generators, and generators need to be relocated to different locations on the boat. But while most of it is under the cockpit floor, the Seakeeper retains its natural place in the aft cabinet between the two benches.
The new flagship features a nearly identical bow cabin design to the award-winning DFNDR 9, but with added length.
The cockpit is essentially divided into two sections, with a neat division between the front and rear cabins. The starboard dinette can occasionally be converted into a double bed, and the other is a transverse pantry unit that accommodates two helm seats on the leading edge.
These are surrounded by large sliding doors on both sides, and the idea is that even when the captain is in his seat, the crew can enter and exit from the starboard side by simply sliding the pantry forward. In reality, the opening on the captain’s side feels like it’s too shaded, but it’s manageable. It’s also less traumatic to exit through the port door instead if you wish. Despite its low profile, headroom is also excellent, and the roof is a great place to put your solar panels, bikes, kayaks, and SUP boards, while the fact that there are also plenty of skylights and openable hatches means that the interior means ventilation. A single burner in the pantry is also available.
Access to the bow cabin
That said, there is a very useful wet bar in the aft cockpit, so it might be worth opting for extra seating here instead of in the pantry. Built into the aft end of the cockpit structure, it features a spacious worktop, electric barbecue and sink with tap. Yet, thanks to some painstaking work by XO engineers, this ultra-thin unit is actually no thicker than your fist. This means you can straddle the rear windows of the atrium without blocking your view. And it does so with such perfect anonymity that you never know it’s there until you open the lid.
enjoy the silence
With two Mercury 600s in the transom, this boat is amazingly quiet. At displacement speeds it’s only 45-50dB, which is similar to the noise of a refrigerator, and at cruise speed it only increases beyond the mid-60s to about 73dB at a top speed of 46 knots. Fuel readings will also be interesting.
The aft cabin has a head compartment and central atrium, offering expansive views across the cockpit’s low-level furniture.
Increasing from 3,000rpm to 3,500rpm doubles the speed from 11.5 knots to 23 knots, but the actual fuel flow drops from 6.7L/Nm to 6.1. If that’s what you’d expect when these 600’s go into higher gear, what’s even more surprising is that when you add another 10 knots, this boat is actually slightly better at 33 knots than 23 knots. The fact is that it is efficient. We went off the cliff a bit at over 40 knots, but the refinement remains great…
The stance is flat, the tracking is straight, the handling is clean, visibility is excellent, the ride is soft, and the lack of noise makes it stand out. Access to the side deck is also excellent, and ergonomics are good too, despite our test boat’s joystick being oddly placed to the left of the right helm station.
You can replace the wheelhouse pantry with additional seating and cook in the cockpit wet bar instead
The wheels are adjustable, the sliding seat is equipped with shock absorbers, and above the high windshield, a fiberglass plateau is lined with traditional offshore pilothouse-style displays.
In terms of power, the new EXPLR 44 also offers some exciting options. Apparently you could put two 350s in this boat, but XO considers it the equivalent of putting a 1-liter Fiesta engine in a Porsche, and after driving their test boat they see a point. I have to admit that there is.
The wet bar is so shallow that you don’t even realize it’s there.
Start by respecting the power and long keel, controlling and careful high-speed turns. But at the end of the day, with all the hooligan vigor you reserved for flat-bottomed jet boats when no one was looking, you’ll be embarking on a foamy three-boat-length 180s. It will be.
Even better, throw it into a hard, fast turn and the shallow outside prop celebrates the occasion by sending a 10-foot rooster tail into the air without losing any grip or pace. It doesn’t have the snap or fizzle of a boat like the ridiculous DFNDR 8, but it’s close enough given its scale and weight.
We offer something very unique in the world of multi-purpose adventure boats.
XO EXPLR 44 specifications
LOA: 44 feet 0 inches (13.40 meters)
Beam: 12 feet 2 inches (3.70m)
Draft: 3 feet 6 inches (1.05 meters)
Displacement: 8,268kg (light)
Fuel capacity: 1,800 liters
Engine: Twin 600 / Triple 450
RCD: B12/C14
Contact: MCC Marine +44 (0)2380 456116 www.xo-boats.com
XO EXPLR 44 cost and options
From 853,390 euros excluding VAT. The test boat includes the following options:
Twin Mercury V12 600s with joystick control
Seakeeper 4 Stabilizer €95,000
Generator €39,700
Air conditioner €51,900
Side gate €7,000
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Price at time of review:
£711,509.00 Base price (Example) Bat
verdict
It is clear that the EXPLR 44 is a very attractive boat, but what is less clear is how it will fare in relation to its competitors, or whether there are in fact any direct competitors. is. For example, it costs about the same as the new Targa 41, but the Targa has a larger cabin and more comfortable cockpit, a more versatile outdoor entertainment zone, a compact flybridge, and an offshore history as deep as the brand. . Prestige. What’s more, despite the fact that these two boats share a similar story in terms of layout and purpose, they may appeal to very different types of boaters. After all, the sleeker, more aggressive XO has a beam width a foot narrower, is 10 knots faster than its slightly more statesmanlike competitor, and is visually much more dynamic. Despite being several tons lighter, it also has a larger fuel tank to compensate for its thirst for a very punchy yet refined petrol outboard. You could also argue that XO applies more directly to boats like the Axopar 45 Cross Cabin, which actually looks a little lighter on its feet and more fuel efficient thanks to its stepped hull and beautiful fiberglass construction. Masu. But either way, it combines the recreational sophistication of a boat like the Axopar with the purposeful offshore attitude of a boat like the Targa, all with the rugged aluminum construction that makes the XO so well suited. Combined with the agility of a go-kart, the new EXPLR 44, as it is known, offers something quite unique in the world of multi-purpose, all-weather adventure boats.
