Axopar 38 Cross Cabin (2026-)

Overview

This walkthrough was conducted at the US premiere of the Axopar 38 Cross Cabin at the Palm Beach Boat Show, with commentary provided directly by Axopar co-founder Jan-Erik. Jan-Erik's opening characterization of the boat: "This is probably the most modular boat ever built."

Modularity Philosophy

Jan-Erik framed the design approach broadly: "It's all about modularity so that you can make the best boat suiting for your own purposes and/or your use."

Aft Cabin / Storage

The aft cabin doubles as large storage space. Jan-Erik: "Whatever bags you have with you, just drop it in, close the lid, and ready to go."

Activity Platforms / Loungers

New for this model. The platform still functions as a full fender box underneath. With balconies deployed downward and the fender box in place, Jan-Erik described the use case: "You can really lounge and sit on the sea."

Design rationale (raised platform): "The one thing that we really wanted to do with the activity platform was to raise it out of the water so that any standup paddleboard, anything you have, it's easy to launch, it's easy to step on board. And also, in a way, it actually becomes more of a second seating area... It's not really like feeling like you're sitting on a floor."

Balcony deployment mechanism: A pulley system using standard sail rope and bungee cords, rather than powered actuators. Jan-Erik's stated rationale: "No actuators, nothing electronic that can break."

Openable Rear Window

New feature. Jan-Erik: "This really opens up the boat entirely." Combined with the U-sofa configuration in the wheelhouse, he described this as producing "one of the biggest wheelhouses you have on this size of a boat," alongside a spacious forward cabin and aft cabin.

Wheelhouse Lounger (Weather-Convertible Seating)

Jan-Erik demonstrated a lounger area he described as: "The most comfortable lounger you can have in an all-weather boat, that is in 10 seconds, fully enclosable if you get that Florida shower." Conversion involves lowering an electric table and inserting a filler cushion.

With the roof open, wide sliding doors open, and rear window open, Jan-Erik and Captain Tripp agreed on the resulting feel: "We're really comfortable inside here... This is a really cool area to just lounge and relax."

Driving Position and Convertible Seating

Jan-Erik noted Axopar's broader design priority: "Axopars are all about drivability. It's all about having the boats comfortable and having everybody on board comfortable."

Backrest mechanism: A section converts to a backrest — Jan-Erik: "We've incorporated a lot of small magic in here."

Optional sofa (38-specific): The backrest flips forward, with flip-up bolsters allowing the operator to drive standing or seated. Jan-Erik demonstrated multiple reconfigurations of this sofa, creating a seating position by the U-sofa, then repositioning to use the sofa itself as a backrest. Captain Tripp's characterization: "Wow. Swiss Army knife."

Galley (Forward)

Jan-Erik noted this area represents "the real change between the 37 and the 38." Standard equipment includes a kitchen dinette in the forward cupboard, drawers, a drawer fridge, a full-length sink, and an electric induction cooktop or gas option, plus space for a microwave — all standard.

Toilet / Privacy Door

Described by Jan-Erik as "reinvented." The toilet door serves two functions: standard access to the toilet, and, with a curtain, privacy separation enclosing the front cabin from the aft cabin.

Gullwing Door / Step Access Redesign

Jan-Erik explained the change from the prior design: "We also changed the idea of the gullwing doors, or the access for the steps, so that today it's all integrated and hidden." One panel pulls down while another lifts up to reveal a step in/out.

Secondary desk function: Jan-Erik noted this same feature doubles as a small desk: "I can have my laptop in here, I can have all the beverages, everything in here."

Lounger/berth conversion: Primarily used with the gullwing doors open as a breeze-in lounger; flipping down the backrest converts it into what Jan-Erik described as "a very spacious bed area."

Design philosophy stated directly by Jan-Erik: "It's all about fast, simple movements that adapts and makes your day at sea a more merrier one." And further: "I want to do things in one movement. If it needs two movements, then we need to rethink."

Captain Tripp's assessment of the conversion speed, based on his own experience with similar boats: "Usually when I'm converting a boat into different orientations, it takes a little longer than this has taken... So this is pretty impressive."

Modularity Scope

Jan-Erik's summary: "The Axopar 38, the Cross Cabin, is the most modular boat in the world. We can do it because we've been doing it now for 12 years, so we've learned something in there. But it's super complex. You can mix in between different options up to 9,000 different configurations."

Captain Tripp's response: "That's variability."

Bow Configuration

Standard features: forward-facing sofa and a standard transversal locker.

Add-on option: Two U-sofa cushions and two U-sofa lockers, which Jan-Erik stated "completely transforms the bow into a very comfortable, cozy dinette."

Table: High-low design; shorter legs can be inserted to convert the area into a sunbed/sun lounger configuration. Jan-Erik: "Table in place, lower the table, and that's more or less how you create this area into a sunbed. Or a sun lounger."

Hull Design / Drivability

Jan-Erik reiterated the boat's core positioning: "This is one of the absolute best drivers boat out there. So that's the core. And after building the best hull to our own capabilities and knowledge, and it's been really in-depth understood, and we try to understand all there is about hydrodynamics and hydrostatics... to make the best handling hulls out there."

He identified the central engineering challenge and his own excitement about it: "Now to fit all this space without compromising the drivability, that's what really gets me excited."

Captain's Closing Assessment

Captain Tripp's summary: "With 9,000 different variations, that's a lot. A lot of times I can look in a boat and I can say, 'Okay, this converts to this, this converts to this.' A lot of times it's obvious, but on this boat it is not." He noted intent to follow up with an on-water test: "I hope we get to take this boat out on the water and see more of the configurations and see how it handles."