The last Grand Pavois boat show, that took place in La Rochelle, at the beginning of october, was the opportunity to meet Calle Nyman, sales and marketing manager of the finnish shipyard XO Boats, that was presenting 2 units, including its new flagship, the XO Boats 360, with its French importer, Snip Yachting...

Launch at the beginning of the year at the Boot Düsseldorf, the XO 360, a unique combination of aluminium hull and GRP topsides, provides unrivalled strength and eye-catching design, offers a comfortable twin cabin accommodation, and supreme sea-going ability.

Calle Nyman, could you present us the concept of the XO 360 ?

Calle Nyman - With the XO 360, our goal was to turn down the concept of the XO 270 front cabin, on a bigger model, including 2 twin cabins, without any compromise on the design and on the sea-going ability. 

How would you describe the XO 360 ? Is this model a commuter boat ?

Calle Nyman -  It is in the first hand a commuter boat, that is what we initially thought. But then, we found out it is an interesting model for a couple for example. You can spend a week aboard the boat, and if you have friends or kids, temporarily, then you can accommodate them !

So, a small cruise boat ?

Calle Nyman - Yes, the XO 360 is a small cruise boat, but with a definitive XO Boats style.

Precisely, what is the DNA of XO Boats ?

Calle Nyman -  Our brand DNA ? That is a tricky question ! If you express XO - which is coming from extraordinary by the way - we are going with a design first, and from the design you can see, you have of course the look of the boat, it is modern. When we made our first boat, in 2009, it was maybe too special, because it was the first motorboat on the market, to have this vertical bow. And nowadays it is more common, you see them in many boats. So, the design first, and then, stronghold, driving experience. Then comes the panoramic view in the boat, I would say.

The XO 360 has an asymetric exterior deck layout. For what reason ?

Calle Nyman - For exterior indeed, you have two different ways to go around the boat: on the right, it's a deep way, and on the left it's an upper way, because you have a lateral door on the right. The XO 360 has an asymetric cabin, because it would take too much space from the inside, to have a deep left way, like the right one ! Just a question of inner space.

How is organised the interior layout of the XO 360 ?

Calle Nyman -  From the front to the back of the boat; first of all, we have the front cabin, which is quite a big cabin, you can close it with a very special door, an “in-house” design thinking, and we have a toilet compartment, very well received by clients : it's big and it's high; if you are 1,90 tall, you can still have the shower on the top of your head !

What about the stirring position ?

Calle Nyman - It's the most important place with very good ergonomics. We can have two persons sitting comfortably on the suspension seats. All informations are displayed in front of you, on very large digital screen. This model is the first boat of ours which has a side deck, where you can walk on; so you have a sliding door, to step out, and especially to stand on the side, using the joystick stirring, which is standard.

Facing the stirring position, the galley...

Calle Nyman - The specificity of this galley, is its very clean luxurious design; we don't have too many things, its very functional; we just have the tap, with cold and warm water,  induction stoves. We have an electric kitchen, with 220 volts; and that is possible when you have a good inverter, charger system, in case people are staying for several days without shore power, then the battery capacity needs support from a generator, so we can also put a generator in the boat, there is space on the board-side of the engines.

Another specificity of the boat are the 6 seats, facing forward...

Calle Nyman - It's a unique proposition on the market ! The six seats facing forward, are almost in the middle of the boat, so it keeps the boat floating in the right position, and gives great comfort to passengers. At the rear, under theses seats, you have a 2 persons mid-cabin.

The XO 360 was launched at Boat Düsseldorf. How many boats have you already sold ?

Calle Nyman - 9 XO 360 have already been constructed, and 7 been sold. We are satisfied of these commercial results, that demonstrate the market was waiting for such a big model. 

Calle Nyman, when we look at the XO boats range, which type of boats would miss ?

Calle Nyman - We will have something very exciting to present, at the coming Boot Düsseldorf, between the 27 and the 36 models.

An open boat or a closed one ? 

Calle Nyman -  It would be practical to have something... open, around 30 feet !