Xquisite X5 Catamaran. Review after sailing it 4,000 miles from a full-time liveaboard cruiser

Ep201. In this episode of Cruising Off Duty, we continue our Transatlantic sailing voyage on the 50' (Xquisite X5) Catamaran. We have sailed 4,000 miles from Cape Town South Africa to the Brazilian Island of Fernando De Noronha. We will be losing Steve, our most experienced Catamaran sailor, but before he goes I get his impressions of the Xquisite X5 that we have been sailing and living on. Steve and his wife lived full-time on a Catamaran for 7 years, sailing around the South Pacific, so he has a lot of insight into what you would want in a liveaboard Catamaran.
If you find this episode entertaining or informative, show the channel some love by giving the video a like and sharing the link with any friends or family you think would enjoy it.
Thanks for Watching,
Craig
If you want to follow along with what Cruising Off Duty is doing in real-time, you can download the free Cruising Off Duty app for iOS or Android or go to www.CruisingOffDuty.com.

[@johnkeegan6646]

Honestly, this video is the best “unpaid advertisement” for the X5 that any manufacturer could hope for. This was enormously informative, and I too was very, very impressed with the yacht. The engineering thoughtfulness in the systems install and forethought of maintenance features is almost too awesome to believe. I worked for a large company that builds complex aircraft. Our engineers and management could learn a great deal from this amazing X5 build. Great episode - so informative and funny at times. Well done, Gentlemen 🥇😁

[@2fast2nick]

Seriously. Give this man a boat!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ha Ha. Thanks Nick. Now, if only you were in charge of Phoenix and/or Xquisite, I could quit my job early and start sailing today on a new X5. But, that is pie in the sky dreaming, but a fun dream nonetheless.

[@andys4971]

Why didn’t they do the 4000 on the majesty 530

[@mariajohnson1744]

This boat is nothing short of an engineering benchmark. Awesome.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I agree. Top notch.

[@simonjones7785]

this is the best review I have heard from a man that has actually done it on more than one craft. ace big ups to this video

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Simon

[@PaulTaylorHypno]

Truly amazing. You believe this guy, his opinion carries so much weight.

[@dougtratch8260]

Steve, you were a wealth of information and unbiased opinion. It’s not biased if it’s true right? Exceptional Xquisite interview gentlemen. Job and sales well done for Phoenix Marine. You should be very proud of your accomplishments.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Doug.

[@Starmania_FR]

Craig, I can only say a word for this excllente interiew: CONGRATULATIONS ! I visited and tried at sea the X5 and I can say that it is almost perfect.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Jacques.

[@Glenn.Cooper]

The discussion about the advantages of a heavier boat is invaluable. I've had my eyes on performance cruising cats, but the thoughts about what that means during a blow at 2 in the morning when the only other crew member is down below sleeping is priceless. It has probably changed my focus on cats. Thanks!!

[@GypzyJack]

I agree, Glenn. I have been wrestling with the tradeoff between comfort/weight & performance, but after watching this series and this interview with Steve, I have settled that disquiet and sticking with my initial git feel that this boat was special; a world-class, ideal long distance cruiser.

[@Mordalo]

I will be single handing my Cat 95% of the time. Weight and comfort are a must. 7-10 knots is plenty. I always calculate everything at 6kn or less average. Looking at used Lagoon 450s and 500s. Going to rig them like a cutter with boom furling as well.

[@oliviaduggan5416]

Great review. I learned a ton of info. Thanks.

[@dougmarder]

Best episode ever! This is the kind of detailed walk-through we armchair sailors and wannabees want to see. Having spent a few hours on an X5, I found myself nodding along with all of Mr. May's comments. This was not an ad; the boat the company, and its people really are that good. As little time as I have spent with Tamas and Rudolph, I am 100% sure they already have solutions to the main sail head issue (we talked about that in Miami), the location of the Glomax, and even the TV mount. I would bet they are already in the build for the next hull in the molds. The only criticism I have -- and it is very minor -- is that taller persons may find some of the spaces a little short on headroom, such as forward in the salon, and coming under the archway on either side of the cockpit. If you have $250K ready to put down on a $1.3MM (USD) boat (which will justifiably increase as demand will surely rise after this video gets thousands of views), then the X5 definitely deserves your consideration.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Doug. All good points. I am 6' tall. I never had an issue with the Arch as I knew it was there and knew to duck when walking under it from the side steps but I guess if you were new on the boat you could knock your head. Neil, on the crew, was taller than me (Im guessing 6'3") and he never seemed to complain about the head room. At the front of the salon there is only the couch and the Nav station, so you are always sitting up there anyway , so headroom was not an issue. If you are really tall, Say 6'5" + then headroom is probably going to be an issue on almost all Cats. You just have to learn where you need to duck. :-)

[@bmjforbes]

Wow Craig, just excellent! This is a great overview. Very informative. Exactly what I was hoping for. Every boat is not a vacation, it is an expedition - with constant maintenance (watermaker, generator, parasail). Hearing from an experienced catamaran owner/sailer like Steve about the thought that went into the design to accommodate operation and upkeep confirms the quality commitment in the videos that went before, especially in the factory. No boat is perfect, but knowing that the design anticipates that - and the service level supports reinforces the build quality for the target owner - makes the Xquisite perhaps the best investment in its class.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Brian. And, your words mirror how I feel about the boat.

[@GreatUncleBuck]

Great review. I live 50km from Phoenix Marine and I am super proud of how the guys thought through the design and build of this boat. I am sure the few items pointed out that could be improved will be sorted the day I step onto my own!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Yes. They seem to make improvements all the time as new hulls get finished. Great team there at Phoenix.

[@lupusimona1999]

Thanks Steve! I really appreciate your expertise and you confirmed my thoughts about this nice catamaran. Good job Graig!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Lupu.

[@Memo_Sagun]

Was a great interview about a great boat and about the fabric-team!! Thank you all...

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Mehmet.

[@andreassturkenboom2807]

very nice review. It's a heavy catamaran but very solid build. With the luxury and high standard finishing plus the smart lay-out it looks like the Bentley of the catamarans. Pity it is out of my price range. Maybe in the future as second hand.

[@Fragilisticexpiali]

First:) And brilliant interview. Now can we get another with the Oyster owner so we can put the cat vs mono debate to bed...

[@Bowmans-Woods]

👍😁

[@ahsut3554]

When I retire this is the only boat for me! Thank you for the great info!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

You are very welcome. Glad to help

[@johnsalter7891]

A first class interview and a great insight to a first class catamaran, many thanks.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks John. Always nice to hear.

[@omega19uk]

Absolutely outstanding Episode...10/10

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks David. Really nice to get top marks from you.

[@cherylsibson8457]

Yes, good interview and review of Xquistite X5 Catamaran, Tomas knows his catamarans that's true.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks and yes he did a great job on this Cat.

[@nieskensj]

great review from Steve looking forward to seeing this boat next weekend

[@Bowmans-Woods]

We will be at the show so say hi if you see us. 😁

[@winstonsmith6416]

Hi Craig & Janice That was a great interview, shared experiences is a lot better than going out there and finding out for your self, maybe it can save time money and even a life

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Winston. It means a lot to me that you got lots of value out of it.

[@1sheinz]

Great video!! I believe this vid will sell so many of these boats, your commision will by one for YOU.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I think it will get them a lot of positive interest. No commission for me. Just good karma.

[@mikedescroizilles8863]

Absolutely awesome boat and team behind this X5 boat. This is truly better than first world service! Cannot afford the price tag but aspire to owning a boat of this calibre, not just the boat but systems, ease of maintenance and first world technologies. I would love to see how "Oceanvolt saildrives" instead of the Yanmars would complememt a boat like this and then see real world performance of the electrical systems? Congrats to Thomas and his team. May you enjoy every success that you have worked for and ultimately deserve.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Yes. Lots to like. But, like you I doubt I could ever afford to get one new.

[@richardcremer]

Wauw Craig this episode did blow my mind👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🤩great interview with lot's of facts and info 🎉👍🎉🌎⛵️

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Richard. Glad you liked it and found it informative.

[@RichardGetzPhotography]

EXCELLENT interview! Thank you!!!!!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Richard

[@2fast2nick]

Great review of the X5. Seems like an awesome cat all around.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Nick. It really is. I still feel that if you have the $1.3m. This is the best Cat on the market for build quality and after-sales service. Hands down. Sadly our budget is about 1/2 that so we will have to settle for something less. It going to be a hard pill to swallow when we eventually have to buy something else. :-(

[@AlessandroCardano]

Yes, I want one. -A

[@marceld6061]

I have always found that it is probably best not to look at anything too far out of your budget because the quality of details and comfort, etc spoil you for what you CAN afford. Those beer budgets can be depressing after tasting fine wines. It doesn't hurt to dream though. Excellent episode, thanks Craig.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Marcel. I agree with you. Spending 8 weeks sailing this boat and seeing how well it was built at the factory and at sea, has sort of spoiled me. It's like someone letting you drive a their Aston Martin for a while and then going back to your regular Nissan. Nothing wrong with the Nissan but it just doesn't compare in fit and finish so it feels cheap in comparison. You have to remind yourself that the big win in life is being able to sail the world on your own boat that and that can be done on a much lower budget and I guess you don't NEED the best. Better to go with what you can afford rather than not going at all. :-)

[@marceld6061]

@@Bowmans-Woods Well said.

[@marktcoleman]

Great episode - thanks for sharing ! I'm starting to save for an X5 :)

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Mark

[@dougtratch8260]

OHH GREAT! Now I want one even more! Craig, please stop selling these beautiful yachts like you are! When I can finally afford one it’ll be a 5 year waiting list. Keep up the great videos , bud. I hope to see you and the Xquisite next week in Annapolis, cheers Doug in Vancouver

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ha Ha. I hear what you are saying. I keep helping to get the word out on what was a relatively unknown builder an few years ago and the price keeps going up. Which makes it even more of a pipe dream for us to ever own one. Oh, well, it is a great boat for those that can afford it.

[@davidhughes586]

Having followed the delivery of this Cat, and subsequent reviews I am convinced I am joining this club, BZ, FN!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Well congrats to you when you do

[@bertmacdonald337]

Good on you Steve! Value your informed opinion. BZ!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Hopefully Steve reads this. :-)

[@richardcarr6493]

well definitely covers alotta concerns with this type of boat usage .l really like love the tech support and maintenance issues resolves along with an ipad to help with that .AND care in detail of wiring stated by the owner himself !! ALL THIS GOOD TO KNOW !!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Richard for your comment.

[@steenkigerrider5340]

Good informative stuff like all the other episodes about this boat I've seen thus far.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Steen.

[@paulolson7179]

Excellent Video - Wish there were more like this!! Well done...

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Paul

[@tomwilliams8675]

I'm sold, when can I pick mine up? If you ever sail across Ontario down to Oswego NY, dinner's on me. This has been a great series, it's too bad it's almost over. Great job! Fair winds from your friend from Syracuse New York. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Hey thanks Tom. We sailed to Oswego last year (or the year before? There is an episode on it anyway). We liked using our folding bikes to bike around the town. I am sure we will be back again at some point. :-)

[@tomwilliams8675]

@@Bowmans-Woods It would be great to meet someday. When it's WARM

[@rickydee5863]

Do more of this your in your zone and there's endless content to work with

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Ricky

[@ostranderfamily6371]

Craig another great vid very informative nice ti get the opinion from another cat sailor ..not a surprise about his thoughts on the boat. keep it up

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks again to the Family O.

[@finalgeneration66]

great info. thanks.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks SXL

[@simonjones7785]

as a master diesel tech and a qualified electrician to go im to an engine room or electrical panel that is well laid out saves hours of time in the diagnostic of a problem

[@rickreid8149]

Craig thank you again what an amazing company if only I had the money required

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Warwick.

[@northernpolarbear3135]

Craig ... chuckle ... You doing what almost every cop does ... interrupt a speaker ( adding a comment , interpreting his meaning without letting him finish, injecting YOUR story instead of his story). Let him tell his story. Cops do this with more frequency than most would feel comfortable with. Not saying don't add but after your speaker finishes.

[@simonjones7785]

as a disabled sailor this sail plan would mean I could single hand it big ups !!

[@roycox3701]

This is a great ( I was going to say counter review but that would be unfair, hopefully, people know what I mean) and different perspective of the review done by Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose. Fantastic job.

[@davidendsley2391]

Awesome review! And still very impressed with this cat, but I would really like to see a open water review of the Majestic 530 as thats my favorite cat for the money plus I'm a scuba diver and the included compressor made the deal for me.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

OK. You write to Royal Cape Catamaran and ask if they want to me to come sail their boat next. ha ha. One condition is a must this time. Janice has to be included in the voyage. 8 weeks was too long without her. :-)

[@18twilliams]

fyi the sony OLED tv can be seen at any angle! It is nice to hear there is a company thats run the proper way! They should and will go a far way to get market share. The capitalistic way it should be! Thanx!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Tom. Yes the screen can be seen at wide angles but it would be nice if the TV pivoted so that it faced the center of the seating area. I think there were afraid that if turned and someone hit the button to recess it, it could snap the TV off the mount. I am sure a work around can be done.

[@richwealth262]

Wow. Great interview

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Richard.

[@marxtr6]

Great interview

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Marx

[@simonjones7785]

not only that it makes excellent storage for the crockery

[@petertorrey236]

Craig...you love this boat so much, it makes ME blush. Don't kid yourself and FIND a way to own one. I am sure Xquisite would..or actually should work with you to make it happen. KZbin has afforded a spectacular platform to the sailing community for owners, manufacturers and most of all perspective owners and dreamers alike. One needs to not look far to see how " marketing" has worked for Outremer and Amel, as two examples. The demand..on KZbin..for more info and reviews of Xquisite is off the charts. Imo..this is because of your vlog. I hope they work with you and help make your " dream" boat affordable in the long run. It would be great marketing and fun for all involved. Just my dopey opinion!!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Peter. Maybe if enough people express that view, a huge blessing could come our way and we could be sailing the world in an X5 in the future, documenting it all to be shared on KZbin. It does seem like a good marketing opportunity, but, like you said, they have received a lot of exposure already from my channel and now I think they are getting more interest than they can produce boats. So, maybe they don't need me to help market their fabulous boat. I think I have done such a good job that I may have killed my chances. ha ha. But, It doesn't cost anything to dream, right? :-)

[@petertorrey236]

@@Bowmans-Woods You and I are about the same age so we know that things usually work out as they should. Diligence, passion and will all work in our favor. I have no doubt your efforts will come to a fortuitous conclusion. I enjoy the work and info that both of you put into your vlog!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks again Peter

[@richwealth262]

I agree. I wish your dream comes true!

[@sailingavocet]

nice video crew! Cheers from the channel islands!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Avocet. Always nice to hear from you. Safe Cruising!!!

[@sailingavocet]

@@Bowmans-Woods Ditto, friends

[@RGF56]

Late to the party ! I have watched this video a few times as I am interested in the two types . While not wanting to plug another channel I watched a video on The Sailing Family channel who had a Outremer 51 at the time and the video highlights exactly what Steve pointed out. The Vid is titled Fiji to Oz and it is a direct comparison between the Outremer 51 and a Privilege 585 , Zatara. During the passage while motoring for days there was no real difference except fuel consumption and 1/2 knot of speed . Once they got some wind on the beam they both sailed at roughly the same pace less about 1 kt and the Outremer owner openly stated how good the 585 was going for its size, surprised him. However once they went more downwind the Outremer took off and put quite a few miles between them. Seth the owner of the Outremer said it gets uncomfortable over 10 knots and his wife and kids start getting sick, and you see this happening in the video. He echoed Steve's words in your video , The boat can do it but can you . Cheers for the content , very informative .

[@Bowmans-Woods]

A performance Cat does have a lot of great benefits. Being able to sail in light winds is the biggest benefit in my opinion. I do love comfort inside but not so much that I can't sail in light winds.

[@MickeyFourZeroFour]

Absolute fantastic review.. Love it.. I do however think that while talking you could be showing 'a bit' more Pictures from the Specially things you mention..

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Noted!

[@Bitcoinistheshit]

Stop interrupting ur guest let him talk he is the specialist

[@jimanderson2518]

Great interview Craig and very well articulated Steve. 5star Two years ago I was on this model as an electrical mechanical technician Eng, the quality was over the top then.... I know they have made even more improvements sinces then . Solar being one of the Biggies For years people have always mentioned that the Antares was the cruisers Cadillac boat. Well Antares step aside we've got a new BOY on the block. Great info ....just wished I won that 66 million this weekend eh Craig???😏 Now back to the Lagoons 😁 Dam sometimes I hate waching these dam videos 🤔🤔😂😂 Fairwinds from the @captains.chair

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ha Ha. Yes Jim, I hear what you are saying. How do you think I feel falling in love with a boat I'm on and knowing I can't afford it and will have to settle (most likely) for a used mass production boat, one day. It is going to be hard to be super excited to get a used Leopard or Lagoon knowing what I know now. But, you can't wait until you have enough money for the "Cadillac" of Cruising Sailboats or you may never go. Best of luck in the future for you and the Lottery winning X5. :-)

[@jimanderson2518]

@@Bowmans-Woods I will call you if I win 🙏👍 For a ride in X boat 😁

[@richwealth262]

Invest 30k into bitcoin and your dream may just come true!!!

[@donjohnston3776]

A washer/dryer and a dishwasher are musts in terms of health, hygiene & reducing workload/stress. Technology has advanced significantly while costs are lowered.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I agree, if you can afford those additions they will be well worth getting.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

I just don't want a performance cat because they are dangerous to my low key family. It was a great interview Craig, and the X5 is quite a nice boat. I may be getting to go to Annapolis, I just don't know yet. I have to solve the accommodation problem first. Hotels are hard to find, thus I am looking at hotels a little South of Annapolis.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Hey Allyn. We are staying in the Comfort Inn in Bowie. Its a 1/2 hour drive to Annapolis but much cheaper out there. If we dont see you at this year's show, maybe we see you next year at the show. That is probably where we will stay again next year. :-)

[@allynonderdonk7577]

@@Bowmans-Woods The Comfort Inn is sold out unfortunately. It looks like a nice place though.

[@emmanuelsamaras8974]

I lived aboard for over 12 years greatest was aboard a COLUMBIA34. Sailed the Canadian BC COAST and raced it single handed like a dingy

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ah that is the life. Living aboard and still able to be in Canada. Best of both worlds. :-)

[@emmanuelsamaras8974]

Cruising Off Duty thank you😎

[@petervanderhallen4833]

I hate it when the interviewer talks more than the person he’s interviewing. But…what a superb boat!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

We sailed it together. It wasn't an interview

[@christinaprinz3612]

Good guy i belief him

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Yes. He is a good guy.

[@simonjones7785]

I have been out on a performance cat Irish sea crossing I would not choose a afast cat again most of my expieriance has been in monohullsgetting to a stage where I just look to cruise

[@FlesHBoX]

I feel like there is a lot of room for a middleground between a 6 and a half ton cat and a 25 ton cat. In the same length range you can get a super light HH or Balance (16 ton max loaded), or you can go for something a bit heavier like a Seawind 1600 (still pretty light at 13 tons unloaded) or FP at almost 16 tons unloaded and still get a good quality interior with the modcons, but not sacrificing the ability to go faster. It seems like it would be much easier to make a lighter, fast cat slower and more comfortable than to make a heavy weight perform better if you want to get in some of those exciting sailing moments.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I hear what you are saying. Only caveat to your thought of making a fast cat more comfortable by adding things to it is that a fast cat with slim hulls is very weight sensitive, so if you try and load down a fast cat it becomes a slow and unstable cat (and maybe unsafe) very quickly. A wider hulled slower and more stable/comfortable cat is not very weight dependant at all. You can load it down with scuba tanks and tons of extra personal items and barely notice any performance degradation. It all depends on your sailing style and what you want your Cat to do for you. If you want to rocket from anchorage to anchorage then get a fast cat but live with a minimal amount of extra gear. I get why some people would want that. To each their own.

[@FlesHBoX]

​@@Bowmans-Woods Oh yeah, definitely with you on that. I just meant like depowering the sails :)

[@spencergellert8847]

Great video of two sailors talking about their boat! Next time can you tell us about the use of the Ipad?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Watch the full walk-through tour that Tamas did with me while we were sailing to Namibia (Ep 193?). He goes into great detail to explain every bell and whistle on this boat. This video was long enough as it was. We were not going to go over all of its features again here. It was more of a "Do you like this boat as a liveaboard option" video.

[@spencergellert8847]

@@Bowmans-Woods Yes I watched that video. I was wondering how it was for the 4 of you onboard during the 8 week passage using the Ipad. I really enjoy all of your videos.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

The iPad is used as an information hub. You can turn things on and off from it. Very convenient. It also has all the user manuals stored in it for everything on the boat.

[@robweiss748]

This is a great interview. I’ve decided my dry weight cutoff, in general, is about 13t. I can go less but the boat must be compelling. In an airplane analogy it’s like flying a Mooney which is fast but you have to stay ahead of, compared to a Piper or Cessna which are more forgiving, but slower.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks Robert. Yes. There are trade-off in every decision. Lighter and faster rarely equals more comfortable. :-)

[@norarivkis2513]

Getting this video late, but it's incredibly helpful, and I am super impressed. At the same time, I'm looking at all the stuff you saying about the company sending a guy out to St. Helena to help you with your watermaker, and wondering 1) did any of this have to do with your running a KZbin channel? and 2) assuming it does not and they really would do it for everybody who owns one of their boats, will it be possible for them to keep it up when they have sold a lot more boats?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

They seemed very concerned about quality even at the factory level so I believe they would put in a really good effort even if I wasn't there but can I say for sure that they would fly the lead engineer out to a remote island for every buyer? Maybe not. But they do have some sort of extended warranty that covers a lot so most fixes are covered for a while. It may be they send you the parts and you have to find a local boat mechanic to install it and they reimburse you for the labour? Something a buyer would have to ask them.

[@norarivkis2513]

@@Bowmans-Woods Thanks, that makes sense! I'm always unsure how seriously to take examples of great service given to folks with large, well-targeted public relations platforms. 🤣 I'm glad for you that they treated you that well, but it doesn't necessarily translate for somebody else. It's good to know that they care about getting it right in the first place, though. I'm happy with any catamaran builder who will do the initial construction really well in the first place, and customize the inside the way I'd like, to the extent reasonably possible. 🙂

[@simonjones7785]

I want something that I can take across the atlantic/ pacific wit no major problem

[@AwangYudiAryadi]

Ulasan terbaik.

[@simonjones7785]

I am an engine diagnostic specialist that has ben in business for 30 yearsI am also known as the van whisperer in southwales I love this boat I just want to be set loose onit

[@barneyrubble1754]

I would like to know how the X5 compares to the leopard 50P

[@Bowmans-Woods]

In terms of sailing characteristics? It would be tough to say unless I open Ocean sailed a Leopard 50'. Unless I get invited by Leopard or someone that owns a 50' invites me out for a sail, it will be really hard for me to say. :-) . I think the build quality in not even a close comparison. So that is what I can say for sure.

[@roderikvanl]

Great chat - too bad of the X5 looks.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks. You don't like how it looks? Hmmmm. I like it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

[@roderikvanl]

@@Bowmans-Woods so true. Good thing though, the water would look dull if we all kind the same boats :-)

[@datAero]

How about those dashew ketches from the 80s/90s averaging 300 a day, now that's fast, plus they were designed for liveaboard. I guess marina fees are the reason the long and thin design didn't stick in the industry.

[@simonjones7785]

Soif you punt along at around 6 knots it gives a real steady sail in water that can be described as unsettled or having a swell ?

[@brentfriedland]

It's always the impeller

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ha ha. Ya. No water coming out the exhaust? Almost always the impeller. But if it wasn't we didn't have a spare generator.

[@infovet2679]

will be more fair if you compare the X5 with modern perfomance cats, not with the 10 or more years old cat ) compare to Outremer 51 or Seawind 1600. and of course if you want to take the hole appartment to the sea so X5 is the best ) and motoring in light winds

[@aponoypi]

Just wondering if a front cockpit like the leopard's is really useful

[@aponoypi]

Very informative

[@Bowmans-Woods]

There were times we sat in bean bag chairs at the front. So if there was a proper cockpit seating area, I’m sure we would have used it. That is a nice feature that the X5 doesn’t have, but I’m sure that adds weight and may take away from some interior space. All about trade offs.

[@aponoypi]

@@Bowmans-Woods i agree same with speed and comfort. Speed needs wind. But comfort will always be benefit specially in long passages

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Yes and comfort is still a benefit when you are at anchor. Speed doesn't matter at all then. I assume as we slowly sail around the world we will spend 85-90% of our time at achor. So comfort and a quality build is the biggest selling features in our minds.

[@tteariki330]

Thanks guys for your honesty and info.... Lastly, can you tell me how much this boat is? I'm trying to find the right boat with the right price to circumnavigate comfortably around the world.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

This model of the ex five is about $1.3 million. They are coming out with a newer model that is longer and it’s going to be around $1.6 million. So it’s pretty expensive but you’re getting a quality boat so you have to decide if you can afford to pay that kind of price

[@simonjones7785]

is this boat running sail drives? or prop and rudders( skeged)

[@tangomechanic]

Great review. How does this boat compare in your opinion to Priviledge 510? Thanks.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I like the Xquisite the best due to my experience with the quality build and post sales focus on service

[@tangomechanic]

@@Bowmans-Woods thank you C.O.D. My interest has moved away from non performance boats towards Seawind and Balance. Those could be my choices today, provided the manufacturers would allow the installation of the Cinderella incinerator toilets. A necessary accoutrement for me of a dream boat.😁 Ahoy!

[@ronparcke-wms2146]

What would be the ideal sailing Catamaran with motors that's in-between cruise and performance in the 35 ft to 49 ft range, where also daggeeboards might not be necessary?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Hard to say. Do you want minimal interior storage and comforts or totally decked out inside. There is no one perfect cat.

[@c5back9]

This conversation about comfort vs performance and the relative merits of both is interesting... for me, I’ve always preferred a heavier hull because of the obvious improvements in ride quality and overall durability gained with thicker glass (or whatever the hull material is). Heavier hulls also sit better at the dock and anchor than (lighter) “performance” hulls, and are more stable in conditions involving wind and chop. Back in the 1980s (and before) builders used to tout the weight of their hulls as a reflection of their overall strength and quality. These days builders brag about the low weight of their hulls and make claims about their speed and strength. If they are strong, why do their hulls flex so much? Why do they crack like eggshells from even moderate impacts? Many 40ft cats today have considerably more interior volume than 50 ft monohulls from 25 years ago. More volume of course correlates to more living and storage space. But foot for foot today’s hulls have far less displacement even though they’re loaded with gadgets. How much would they weigh if they weren’t loaded up with today’s plethora of toys and electronic conveniences? Hulls from the old days were not just heavier - IMHO they were much stronger. In fairness a speedier hull improves an ability to outrun weather and that is a consideration too. So which is better, a boat offering strength, stability and ride quality or one offering “performance”?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I agree C5. People think they want super light but the reality is a super light cat is very loud and bouncy. Even at anchor. I think I would prefer a well built (heavy) boat that rides smooth and is quite. But you can't convince everyone.

[@c5back9]

Cruising Off Duty: some might be slow to come around, but with enough real world experience, even a dunce eventually understands that if at sea in really tough conditions, a heavy stout hull not only softens the ride, it also reduces chances of catastrophic failure.

[@1corinthians15.1-4kjv]

Another thing is, so many propagandize these days for the performance catamarans, and I really do feel, that is, what they do, but then several of those people live full time onboard those same catamarans with families, lots of toys and supplies for months. One thing is simple to understand, even for a land crab like me: The performance of a performance catamaran quickly degrades, when you overload it and many of those catamarans have very little load bearing capacity. So, in real life a catamaran build to have a load bearing capacity and offer comfort may even be more efficient in those real life conditions.

[@tomasmontero7219]

Honestly it depends which can of sailor you want to be and which kind of boat you want to own. do you want to be very slow in condo comfort or very fast without comfort or fast in loosing a bit of comfort.? Everything is about weight. 1000 lbs of added weight is minus 1 knot speed approximately. As for capsizing I would like to moderate it.. because for that you need very small lightweight boat.. are heavy boat accepting gust of wind better...no way it is a mistake.. a performance boat will translate the increase of wind to velocity and lighten the pressure on rig and spars. By the opposite an heavy boat will accumulate the pressure as he is less capable to translate speed. this could lead to breakages and failures.. in my opinion 50.000 Lbs for 50 feet is very very heavy.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

The boat is actually 38,000 lbs dry. Sean mentioned 56,000 pounds fully loaded. Not sure where he got that number. He told me he heard it from Tamas but I think that number was exaggerated. You can believe what you wish on which boat would break easier. Steve was just saying from his experience a performance cat is not very comfortable in choppy seas vs a heavier cruising cat. He should know.

[@clairecitrin1151]

I like the information, but if you are open to a criticism, when you are interviewing someone, let them speak. If you are saying more words then them, you are doing something wrong...and if you are saying 3X their words, and even answering how they fell, "I know you were Super Impressed when you saw the factory" then what's the point of the interview, you turned them into a prop.

[@medvedwanders9627]

How do you tack with the big headsail when jib is that close to it? Do you have to furl it in and then unfurl on the other side?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

You roll it in with the electric winches and then roll it back out on the other side. Its all electric so no muscle needed. :-)

[@ioandragulescu6063]

jeez, if you're interviewing the guy, let HIM speak !!

[@martelsobieski2429]

I'll take one, actually no, I'll take TWO of those right away.

[@TraneFrancks]

Your comment about your Beneteau's wiring being ... let's say less than ideal was less than enjoyable. I've been looking at inexpensive monos to get started with a live-aboard scenario and crappy wiring layouts is definitely going to be a problem.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Sorry to hear that. Keep in mind my Beneteau was built in 1994 and back then there was not a lot of wiring anyway. Not like today's modern boats. So they really didn't need to be super organized because when you open up compartments, there was not a lot of wires anyway. But if the new Modern Cats with tons of high tech gadgets and wiring was built in the same haphazard way, it would be a nightmare to find which wire goes to what.

[@TraneFrancks]

@@Bowmans-Woods Well, the flip side is the possibility of a not-too-complex project boat and redoing wiring tracts as required for both safety and sanity. I re-read my comment and "less than enjoyable" came off wrong. My bad! What I meant by that is that it gave me pause for thought. Wiring on a production boat wasn't really something I'd considered and I don't know enough about electrical stuff to make an informed decision. So, that will complicate the buying process for me in a big way. The episode was excellent and very informative. I look forward to the next one!👍

[@jdiazr1286]

Craig, you say you don’t “have an iron in the fire” but your startup screen thanks your sponsors and includes their logo....help me understand?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I had sponsors throw in some money to pay for my flight over over and back etc. But at no time did anyone tell me what to say or have any oversight of me. If you have watched my channel you would see that if I don't like a product I will say it. Now I wont be rude about it but I will certainly point out flaws. I didn't have much negative to say on this X5.

[@RomainLagrange1]

Hi Craig and Steve, I'm in research for electric power consumption / generation onboard. With twice the solar panel, I see on a lot of your videos plans the hydrogenerator set on the back of the boat (while often not in use). Of course this luxurious cat will consume a lot of power, with large fridges, electronics... and the dishwasher... But really, how is power managment ? Did you have to use the hydrogenerator or the diesel generator often ? If yes, finally, are the additionals solar panel worth it ? Thanks !

[@Bowmans-Woods]

More Solar is always better. I was not a huge fan of this model of hydro generator. It was very hard to put down when you were already under way. It made a vibrating sound and part way through our passage the mount broke that attaches it to the boat, so we stopped using it. There are hydro generators that you can tow. That might be a better option, so you have less vibration sounds in the hull. We used solar during the day and at night before bed we turned on the Diesel generator for a about an hour or so to fully top off the batteries and while that was happening, we put a proper load on the generator by turning on the AC in all the bedrooms to take out the stifling heat and humidity humidity, so we could sleep better. The Generator uses minimal Diesel to run.

[@RomainLagrange1]

@@Bowmans-Woods Ok, as I understand, the solar panels were enough to almost recharge the battery after the night drain. Multiple hours of hydrogenerator are worth one hour of diesel generator and produce a comparable noise (?) so in the end both generators are more a backup solution to each other than a completion. Is it a valid conclusion to you ? Thanks again

[@RogerWilco1]

Just before 35:34 he is talking about other boats targeting these same customers as this one, and mentions a Privilege, but also mentions “the discovery”- do you know who that is? It sounds familiar but not aware of a catamaran by that name. Ah, a bit of googling and it looks like maybe they went out of business?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I did a Ocean Passage the year before this on a Discovery 50. Go back and check out my older videos.

[@marcsolomon6118]

how does it compare to lets say a 50 foot lagoon in sailability - and vs a 51 outremar

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Outremer is a daggerboard, "go fast" Cat. So it is in a different class. Not nearly as stable and comfortable as the X5 but clearly faster. The Lagoon 50 would not have the build quality that this boat has and once you add on all the features that this has included I bet the price difference is not that much different. This boat comes fully equipped with everything to live full time on it for $1.3m. I think a 50 Lagoon come fairly bare bones for $1m? Once you add all the extra stuff onto a Lagoon 50 I bet it may be around $1.2m? Just guessing that number but I bet Im not far off. If I could get this X5 at $1.3 or a Lagoon at $1.2, I'd take the X5 hands down. No contest in my opinion. Not just the better build but the much better after sales service you will receive for years and years with the team at Phoenix (the builder) and Xquisite. The only reason Janice and I may eventually go with a gently used Mass Production boat is that we do not have the budget for the X5. There will be a much bigger drop in price on the used Mass Production Cats, so we probably can get a deal on a used one.

[@marcsolomon6118]

@@Bowmans-Woods question could a Cat do the St Lawrence in the thousand islands ?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Yes. You certainly could do the area in a Cat. The St Lawrence goes all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and that path is run by huge freighters. The portsmouth olympic harbour, where we are, houses some very big wooden sailing ships, so a Cat could certainly be there as well.

[@simonjones7785]

I am in the market for a cat that is in the description above I am reasonably experienced sailor my young lady is not so with this boat I can leave her on watch with no real worries

[@simonjones7785]

the proof of the pudding is in the eating exquisiy has proven good to its word

[@TheSCOOTER1943]

You have this experienced cat sailor and you keep adding your comments. I would have rather heard more of him and less of you.

[@VERTICALWisdom]

What performance Cat does he have now?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I believe he is getting a Catana

[@VERTICALWisdom]

@@Bowmans-Woods Thanks -- do you know what performance Cat he sold? Great video series lots of work.

[@glennclifton8655]

you should have asked him if he would hand over his own money for one.

[@simonjones7785]

sit me on the bot across the atlantic I will tell you if there is a problem LOL

[@Andrewtaylor56]

what average speed did you achieve?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I think for the entire voyage we averaged over 8 knots.

[@richwealth262]

That's respectable

[@jonathonstiles1471]

What was your average speed

[@sallutz]

Second lol

[@Bowmans-Woods]

👍

[@iForeverImmature]

everyone wants dishwasher including the ones that say they dont, specially when it's your turn to do the dishes.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ha ha. Very true.