Fjord 41 XL Review and Buyer's Guide

Why the Fjord 41 XL started a new chapter

The Fjord 41 XL was the first boat in a new Fjord line, with a fresh hull, a striking window band, a redesigned hardtop and what Motor Boat and Yachting called a bewildering array of deck layouts. Fjord, the Norwegian name now owned by Germany's HanseYachts, presented the world premiere at Hamble Point Marina in Southampton in September 2020, the week the Southampton Boat Show itself was canceled.

It made an immediate impression. The 41 XL was nominated for European Powerboat of the Year in the category for boats up to 14 meters and won it for 2021, and it was a finalist for the 2021 Motor Boat Awards among sportscruisers over 40 feet. Designers Patrick Banfield and Franck Darnet raised the freeboard compared with earlier open Fjords to gain headroom below, then pierced the topsides with what Fjord claims are the largest hull windows in the class.

The XL is also the first Fjord pitched for longer stays aboard. It is still a dayboat at heart, but the lower deck is a real weekend cabin rather than a changing room.

Sterndrives instead of pods, and why that matters at the wheel

Earlier Fjord opens such as the 40 Open used Volvo IPS pods. The 41 XL went back to Volvo Penta DPI Duoprop sterndrives on D6 diesels, offered at 340, 380 and 440 hp per side. YachtBuyer lists the maximum speeds as about 30, 33 and 38 knots respectively.

Alan Harper tested hull one for Power and Motoryacht off the Hamble on the D6-440s and saw a top speed of over 37 knots, even though that prototype had an exhaust back-pressure issue the yard said was costing a couple of knots. He could not find the handling limits: the more lock he wound on, the more the boat heeled and the tighter it turned, with very little speed lost. His advice was to skip the standard 340s and take the 440s.

Nick Burnham's Aquaholic review of a D6-440 boat put the top end at close to 40 knots and estimated about 250 nautical miles of range at a 30-knot cruise from the 238-gallon tank.

A configurator boat, from party platform to chase-boat deck

Fjord built the 41 XL around customization. The builder lists four upper-deck layouts and six lower-deck layouts, and YachtBuyer's deck plans show options for aft sunbeds, four helm seats, one or two aft tables, floating chairs, armchairs aft or amidships and twin galley blocks. For superyacht tender duty the cockpit can be left almost clear to carry water toys.

The T-top is the signature. Fjord calls it the largest in its class and says, with its integrated bimini, it can shade an area up to 3.9 meters wide and 5.81 meters long. Under it sits a glass-bridge helm with a centerline driver, deep bolstered seats and the largest single-piece windscreen in the class, available in half or full height. The full screen meets the top for more protection on cool days.

Practical touches stand out once you look closer: tall bulwarks with recessed handrails instead of guardrails, hidden pop-up cleats, a concealed spring-loaded anchor that leaves the bow clean, and a hydraulic swim platform with stairs that extend as it lowers. Every gelcoat surface can be painted any color, from hull to hardtop.

Down below, one cabin or two

The fixed elements are a forward double berth and a head with separate shower to starboard. Headroom in the central area is 6 feet 4 inches, according to Power and Motoryacht. To port, owners chose between storage, a galley with a two-burner hob, fridge and sink, a sofa or a vanity unit. Amidships under the cockpit there is either a large storage void or a second cabin with a full queen berth; it has under 2 feet 6 inches of clearance but plenty of light from three opening ports.

A soundproof sliding door can close off the master, and blackout panels darken the large hull windows. A second toilet was optional, though reviewers questioned whether it is needed next to the main head.

• Forward double cabin with sliding soundproof door option
• Optional amidships guest cabin or storage room
• Galley, vanity or sofa module to port
• Up to five fridges between deck and cabin on well-specified boats

41 XL, 41 XP and the 39 XL that followed

Fjord later added the 41 XP, the same walkaround idea built for twin Mercury 600 hp V12 Verado outboards, which Fjord says push it past 40 knots. The XP has fewer layout choices on deck, a folding platform section that protects the cowlings when the engines are tilted, and a full machinery space with generator and gyro under the aft sunpad. Do not confuse the two on listings: the XL has inboard diesels and the hydraulic platform, the XP has outboards.

In 2024 Fjord launched the smaller 39 XL and 39 XP at the Palma Boat Show, and today its listed motorboats are the 39 XL and the 490 Open, with the 41 XL moved to its legacy models page.

Owning a Fjord 41 XL in the US

Running costs are moderate for a 42-foot twin diesel: budget roughly $30,000 to $60,000 a year for slip, insurance, Volvo service, bottom paint and canvas. Sterndrive bellows, gimbal bearings and the Duoprop leg service are the items most US owners of IPS boats will be less familiar with, and in warm saltwater they need regular attention.

Fjord's dealer network in North America is thinner than that of Jeanneau or Axopar, which affects both parts support and resale speed. On the plus side, the 41 XL is CE category B and, as YachtBuyer's reviewer noted, the tall bulwarks make it feel safe moving around the deck in a seaway.

Reading a used 41 XL listing

Because almost every 41 XL is different, read the build sheet before the price. Engines first (the 440s are the ones to want), then lower-deck layout, windscreen height, platform, electronics and paint. A boat built as a superyacht tender may have a stripped deck and high hours; a private boat from the Med may have low hours but heavy VAT-paid pricing. Expect most boats to sit between about $520,000 and $900,000.