Performance yacht specialists X-Yachts have acquired Swedish boat builder HOC Yachts in what marks a strategic move for the Denmark-based firm into the powerboat market.

“We have seen there is a need for a powerboat that could contribute to honouring the X-Yachts vision of superior sailing pleasure to fulfil our customer’s dreams — like in our X-Yachts mission statement: ‘Our promise is to challenge the market through strength in design, innovation, technology and craftmanship,’” said X-Yachts chairman Ib Kunøe of the announcement.

“As we see it, there were two options; either to develop an X-Power brand from the bottom or to buy us into the market with a product that could fulfil our vision and mission.

“It has been a long and well-considered process, and with the acquisition of HOC Yachts, we believe to have come very close to our core area of focus. It is our clear conviction that the integration of HOC into the X-Yachts development and design lines will be a manageable process and within reach.

“Although I am a sailor of heart, I must admit, that a combination of HOC and X-Yachts also gets me on the powerboat wave.”

The first two models in line will be the Explorer and the Cruiser, both of which are marked by their contemporary design and sailing performance, safety and ease of use, impressive fuel economy — and an innovative high-tech navigation and control system.

“We are thrilled with the news and X-Yachts’ visionary approach to the market. We firmly believe that our experience in powerboat design will be a great contribution to the X-Yachts forward-thinking plans in the powerboats segment,” said Vilhelm Djurberg, co-founder of HOC Yachts.

“As soon as we have an overview of all practical matters involved in this new and exciting process, we will start moving the production from Visby, Gotland to X-Yachts’ facilities.

“We will give the boats a touch of X-Yachts based on our 40 years of learnings developing sailboats. At the Boot in Düsseldorf 2021, we will show our powerboats for the first time.”