The CLX96 is a 100-tonne, $10 million flagship that's brimming with fascinating design detail, and we had the chance to tour it at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2022. With the main deck free to carry its living space right forward, the lower deck cabins are full of surprises – especially the VIP, with its virtual stargazing port above the berth.
Read on to see what sets the CLX96 apart and what do you gain (or lose) by shifting the owner’s suite off the main deck?
Review Video
CL Yachts calls this the CLX96, but within their line-up it’s a bit of a rebel. On one side you’ve got the CLA range, more compact and sporty, and the CLB range, which leans on traditional family-friendly cruising. This one sits apart as their first Sea Activity Vessel (or SAV), a crossover that’s meant to feel as capable as a workboat and as welcoming as a home.
The naval architecture is by Earl Alfaro, structural engineering by Albert Horsmon, and the look of the thing is the first yacht design from industrial designer Jozeph Forakis. And that’s why it feels different. Forakis came at it from an outsider’s angle, and wasn't weighed down by usual yachting convention. The result is the workboat chic profile with that plumb bow and the double-reverse-angle deckhouse. It looks dramatic, but the function is every bit as important as the style: vertical glazing means cooler interiors and more usable volume, and the reverse sheer sheds water at sea.
CL’s parent company, Cheoy Lee, has decades of building commercial ships, and you see that tradition on the CLX96 - the oversized stainless steel, the chunkiness of the deck gear and especially in the engine room where the access and finish wouldn’t look out of place on something working for a living. But here it’s been finessed with the kind of detailing and natural flow you’d expect on a yacht of this calibre.
It doesn’t try too hard to be glitzy in the he design, it's more about thoughtful, flexible spaces, like terraces that reconfigure, skylights both real and virtual, glazing that opens up to the decks. The whole structure is E-glass and carbon composite, optimised through FEA analysis to be strong and light and RINA classified for extra peace of mind. You can feel that in the way it performs too, because those Caterpillar C32s will push it past 25 knots at full load, but back it off and you’ve got long-range legs for serious passage making.
So yes, the CLX96 is very different to the rest of the CL fleet. It’s part expedition yacht, part performance cruiser, and part floating loft. And that makes sense, because from the very beginning this project was about breaking away from the norm and putting CL Yachts on a new track.
Saloon & Galley
Step through the Star Trek doors and into the saloon and it feels incredibly open. Because the helm is up top, this whole deck can be given over to living space, and though it’s open plan it’s still nicely broken into zones. At the aft end you’ve got a lounging area that spills straight out to the cockpit. Amidships is the dining space, and then the character shifts again as you move forward into what feels like a modern country kitchen.
There’s a proper island with twin sinks, induction cooking, a full-sized oven, Sub-Zero chilling, wine fridges, even a dedicated rack for glasses. Loads of storage too. The floor is a pale bleached-teak effect, which lifts the whole room, and with those vast windows and the option of opening doors either side you’ve got views and natural light flooding in.
Champagne Lounge
Forward you get to a Champagne Lounge, and it really is a particularly nice spot. There’s a built-in champagne cooler in the coffee table. You’re elevated, with almost wraparound windscreens ahead, so the view out is superb. From here you can really appreciate that inward rake of the glass – the commercial style of the wheelhouse looks dramatic from the outside, but sitting here it's lovely.
It’s semi-custom too. Some owners might opt to put a cabin up here, like you see on the Princess X95, but once you’ve seen the cabins below you’d probably wonder why you’d need to. As it stands, this space feels light, sociable, and a little bit special.
Owner's Cabin
The owner's suite isn't on the main deck like some rivals, but it’s still a spectacular space. We’re right forward on the lower deck, and the star feature is this almost full-width skylight above the bed. It’s got electronic blinds, so you can lie there, peel them back, and have an uninterrupted view of the sky. Day or night, that’s going to feel pretty special.
The cabin is flooded with light thanks to those big hull windows on either side, and it’s enormous too because this is the widest part of the boat and the beam carries so far forward. It makes the whole room feel very bright and inviting.
You can see that industrial design influence in here as well. A lot of the surfaces are moulded Corian that flows around in one piece - very clean looking. The quality is lovely.
There’s a neat trick as well: a 65-inch TV is linked to a forward-facing camera on the bow, so you can actually lie in bed and watch the view ahead. And instead of splitting storage and bathroom either side, all the wardrobe space is built into a single unit, leaving room for a full-beam ensuite. That means separate toilets at either end, twin sinks in the middle, and a huge shower right across the beam. It’s a really luxurious setup and a very good use of space.
VIP Cabin
Just aft of the owner's cabin you come into the VIP, and this really is a clever bit of design. It’s full beam, right amidships, so you get maximum width and the bed sits on a totally flat floor with great headroom all around.
The ensuite is tucked off to the side with sliding pocket doors in smoked glass, so you can pull them across for privacy. Inside there are twin sinks in the middle, a toilet one side and a big shower on the other – all with a phenomenal view out through those windows, pretty much at water level. Blinds are fitted too of course, but when they’re open it’s quite something.
The proportions in here are seriously impressive. Enormous bed, masses of space either side, and again that bright, contemporary finish. A very lucky VIP guest.
Guest Accommodation
Either side of the companionway you’ve got the guest cabins. They’re set up as twins, but each has electronic sliding berths so you can just slide them together and make a double in an instant. Step inside and you get a real sense of the scale - the headroom throughout is superb, and the satin walnut oak finish with subtle backlighting and stainless detailing gives it a very contemporary feel.
Each cabin has its own ensuite with a separate shower cubicle, so guests get proper privacy and comfort. It’s neatly done, really tasteful, and the flexibility of those sliding berths makes them easy to adapt depending on who’s on board.
Crew Cabins
Down in the crew space and, for this size of boat, it’s impressive. You can see straight away how much room there is. And it’s not just cabins – there’s actually a mess area down here with a massive table. The build quality feels just as solid as the rest of the interior. You’ve still got the walnut and the matched grain.
There’s a sink, a decent-sized fridge, an oven, a bit of storage - so it’s very usable. On one side you’ve got bunks, on the other a skipper’s cabin, and of course a separate shower room. It’s exactly what you want if you’re trying to attract good crew.
This is a very businesslike hem, very commercial. You’ve got these big upright screens, a no-nonsense dashboard, and a pair of Stidd chairs that are fully adjustable. Everything falls right under your hands, and it feels properly professional, like something you’d expect on a working yacht.
At the same time, it’s incredibly bright because of the amount of glass around you. And the flexibility is clever too – the big panes either side drop right down, and so does the aft window, so you can switch from air-con to natural breeze whenever it suits.
Just aft of the helm you’ve got another seating area that makes this space more like a sky lounge, somewhere guests can sit with a drink and still be part of the action while you’re underway. There's also a big TV that rises up and angles out from behind the helm. Because the big windows drop down on both sides and at the back, it’s bright, breezy and very connected to the outside.
Instead of a conventional bathing platform you’ve got a transformer platform that lifts, extends and builds out its own steps. Drop it down and it becomes a bathing platform and sea access. Tip it up and it doubles as apasserelle for boarding from a quay. With an 800kg lift capacity it will happily handle up to a 4.3m tender, and there’s a matching crane tucked away with the same muscle. So you can set it up for toys, tenders, or just clear it and put a couple of sunbeds down here. It’s not quite a full beach club, but there’s plenty of flexible space to make it your own.
Come up either side and you hit the cockpit. Again, not a traditional fixed dinette but a more laid-back lounging area. The modules here pull out into chaise longues (one, two or all three if you want). It’s shaded, served by a small bar, and because the galley is right forward it’s good to have a few amenities close at hand. It feels relaxed, adaptable, and properly social.
And as you move forward you start to notice the shipyard’s commercial streak showing through. Looking at the boarding gate, it’s the size and weight of something you’d expect on a working boat, but here it’s polished up in stainless steel. That’s CL’s commercial heritage, no question, but softened with a bit of style.
The cockpit now and it’s quite a cool arrangement. You could just drop a dining table in here if you wanted, but there are already plenty of dinettes elsewhere on the boat, so this feels more like a shady lounging zone. The seating modules are clever – you can pull them out into chaise longues, have one set up, two, or all three. It means you can configure it however you like, which is exactly the point of this area.
It’s served by a neat little bar tucked to one side, which makes sense given that the galley is all the way forward. It means whoever’s sitting out here isn’t left short of a drink or a quick snack. The overall vibe is laid-back, flexible, and sociable – it doesn’t dictate how you use it, which is always a nice touch.
Side Decks & Foredeck
Carry on forward and you’re right above the master cabin. Because this hull carries its beam so far forward, the foredeck has a full living area. They call it the sun terrace, and it’s a clever bit of design. The circular seating has pop-up backrests, so you can flip them up and use it for dining, or drop them down and turn it into a big lounging pad. It’s a really inviting space in its own right, with pop-up lights tucked in for the evenings, but still practical with direct access to the ground tackle up front.
Portuguese Terrace
Head up onto the foredeck at wheelhouse level and normally you’d call this a Portuguese bridge, but here they’ve called it the Portuguese terrace. It’s wide, flat, and more like another outdoor lounge than a working walkway. All the furniture is freestanding, so you can move it about, set up sunbeds or chairs as you like. There are little storage units and even pop-up lights built in, so at night it becomes another social zone rather than just a functional deck.
From here you really take in the profile of the wheelhouse. The rake of that windscreen is severe when you stand beneath it and the glass band running around the perimeter gives a strip of extra light inside. It’s a dramatic, distinctive piece of design, but you can see how it works practically as well.
Upper Aft Deck
This really is the sunbather’s paradise. You’ve got a wet bar with a sink and cooling space, and being aimed squarely at the American market there’s a proper grill tucked right at the back. You can do a bit of cooking out here, and because it’s aft the smoke and smells just drift straight away. Works really nicely.
The dining table is absolutely gorgeous, it has a high-gloss finish, fixed in place - but there’s plenty of room around it to slot in extra chairs if you want to dine out here with a bigger group. Above is a sunroof so you can cover this space when you want shade or slide it back and let the sun pour through.
Access is straight through the crew area, and once you’re in here you can feel every inch of CL’s commercial shipbuilding heritage. It is absolutely immaculate - beautifully lit, superb ventilation, and everything is easy to get to.
Power comes from a pair of 1,900hp Caterpillar C32s. Flat out it’ll do around 25 knots, but throttle back to about 10.5 knots and you’ve got over 2,000nm of range.
The scale of the installation is very good. Twin Kohler generators sit either side, and the fuel system is a neat touch too. The filters are mounted with a simple switch-over system, so if one blocks you don’t have to stop – they can be flicked across and keep running. They’ve even got clear bowls, so you can check the quality of the fuel with your eye.
Our Verdict
In what is a very crowded marketplace, filled with boats from some of the best in the business, this really does feel like something different. Quite refreshing, actually. It takes that commercial heritage, mixes in some newcomer thinking from an industrial designer, and wraps it all up as a crossover yacht.
The CLX96 stands apart, no question.
Reasons to Buy
- Saloon feels bright, open and homely
- Owner's skylight for day and night
- Professional helm & camera feeds
Things to Consider
- Aft platform not a true beach club
- Semi-custom options still fairly limited
Looking to own a CL Yachts CLX96? Use YachtBuyer’s Market Watch to compare all new and used CL Yachts CLX96 Yachts for sale worldwide. You can also order a new CL Yachts CLX96, customized to your exact specifications, with options for engine choice and layout configuration. Alternatively, explore our global listings of new and used yachts for sale and find your perfect yacht today!
Rivals to Consider
The Numarine 30XP comes off feeling like a rugged explorer with quiet ambition. It’s an ocean-going yacht with five cabins for ten guests, including a main-deck owner’s stateroom with panoramic windows and an optional balcony, hard to argue with that. Its hybrid or diesel-electric propulsion delivers whisper-quiet cruising and an extraordinary 3,500nm range at 8 knots - definitely built for serious long-legs. But it topples only around 13 knots at full chat, and its style is minimalist Scandinavian, more practical than striking. Compared to the CLX96, it offers superior silence and range, but doesn’t have the same fashion-forward ‘workboat chic’ or punch-and-flexibility vibe.
The wallywhy200 is a statement in space and stealth. It squeezes the volume of an 80-footer into just under 89 feet, with that insane 25-foot beam giving you a 60m² salon, a full-beam main saloon, and a beach club that folds out three ways like something from another galaxy. Four cabins, eight guests, and an owner’s suite on the main deck with 270º views. It cruises around 17 knots, tops at 21-23 depending on power, and rides ultra-smooth thanks to its semi-displacement, wide-body hull. The CLX96 holds its commercial grit better, with tougher engineering, more modular spaces, and those clever camera feeds - but the why200 is the volumetric giant with sleek lines and futuristic flair.
The Sirena 88 is pure SUV yacht territory, built by Sirena Yachts with a full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck, four guest cabins below, and up to 12 guests sleeping in five staterooms. It’s fast too - 25 knots top speed and a cruising range of around 2,000nm (even more with extra tanks). You get a foredeck jacuzzi, optional master-deck plunge pool, hydraulic swim platform, huge flybridge and dining decks - real superyacht feel in an 88-footer. The CLX96 feels more purposeful, less indulgent: lean navy-rugged meets bespoke practicality.
Considering a new yacht? Explore CL Yachts' entire current range to find the model that best suits your needs, and compare it with alternatives from competitors to ensure you make the perfect choice.
Specifications
- Builder CL Yachts
- Range X Series
- Model CLX96
- Length Overall 29.26m
- Beam 7.32m
- Draft 1.62m
- Hull Composite
- Cabins 4
- Berths 6
- Crew 3
- Cruising Speed
- Max Speed
- Engine Model 2x Caterpillar C32 ACERT E03 - U.S. EPA Tier 3 and IMO Tier II/III
- Engine HP 1925
- Engine max range (speed type) 2000 (nm)
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