March 31, 2026
The Sanlorenzo SX88: The Boat That Started the Crossover
Sanlorenzo calls the SX88 the original crossover, and the main deck is why: one loft-like run from stern to bow, with triple Volvo IPS pods …
Read the articleSanlorenzo SX88
Expert Review, Technical Specifications & Market Analysis
The Essentials
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Overall Length | 87' 7" (26.7 m) |
| Beam | 23' 8" (7.21 m) |
| Engines | 3 × Volvo Penta IPS3 1050 (D13B), 800 HP each |
| Fuel Capacity | 2,457 US gallons (9,300 L) |
| Water Capacity | 528 US gallons (2,000 L) |
| Cabins / Heads | 8 guests / 3 crew |
| Max Speed | 23 knots |
Source: Spec & Photos courtesy of Sanlorenzo. Specs verified by Tony Smith, USCG 100 Ton Master, on August 11, 2026.
Part of the Sanlorenzo SX series — see how owners step up through the lineup.
Quick Verdict
- Sanlorenzo's own description is "the original crossover" — a loft-inspired main deck that runs stern to bow without the usual bulkheads
- Three Volvo Penta IPS3 1050 pods, 800 HP each, for joystick handling and pod redundancy on a 87'7" hull
- Published at 23 knots with 9,300 litres aboard, 8 guests and 3 crew; the yard shows four configurations that differ in layout only, not in figures
Our Take
The SX88 is the boat that created a category, and six years of imitators have not really improved on it. Sanlorenzo's own words for it are "the original crossover", and the reason it works is the main deck: one continuous run from the stern to the bow, loft-inspired, without the bulkheads and thresholds that chop up a conventional 88-footer. You feel it the moment you step aboard, and you keep feeling it a week later.
Three Volvo Penta IPS3 1050 pods at 800 horsepower apiece is the other half of the idea. Pods let the engine room sit where the designer wants it rather than where a shaft line dictates, and that is what freed the aft end. They also make an 87-footer genuinely manageable on a joystick, which matters if you intend to run it yourself for short hops and bring crew for the long ones. Sanlorenzo publishes 23 knots. That is the number to plan around.
What Sanlorenzo does not publish, on this boat or any other in its fleet, is a cruise speed, a draft, a displacement or a range. I would not accept an estimate for any of them from anyone. Ask the dealer for the sea trial sheet on the hull you are looking at — observed speed and observed fuel burn at the rpm you will actually run — and ask for the draft from the build specification. Three pods are three sets of running gear to service, so ask what the last owner spent on them. This is a boat worth buying. Buy it on documents, not on a brochure figure nobody will stand behind.
Watch Our Sanlorenzo SX88 Reviews
Official Sanlorenzo Premiere: Inside the Sanlorenzo SX88
Video courtesy of Sanlorenzo.
Sanlorenzo SX88 Photo Gallery
Photos courtesy of Sanlorenzo.
Sanlorenzo SX88 Articles & Guides
Compare With
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people does the Sanlorenzo SX88 accommodate?
Sanlorenzo lists eight guests and three crew for the SX88. Note that the yard publishes guest and crew numbers rather than cabin counts, so the number of cabins depends on which of the four configurations a particular hull was built to. All four configurations carry identical dimensions, tankage, engines and speed — they differ only in how the interior is arranged, so read the general arrangement drawing for the specific boat.
How fast is the Sanlorenzo SX88?
Sanlorenzo publishes a maximum speed of 23 knots for the SX88, driven by three Volvo Penta IPS3 1050 pod drives rated at 800 horsepower each. The yard publishes no cruise speed for this model or any other, so the figures quoted elsewhere for cruising pace are estimates. For what the boat actually does at the speeds you will use, ask for the sea trial report, which records observed speed and fuel burn at each rpm step.
What makes the SX88 the original crossover?
Sanlorenzo's own description for the SX88 is the original crossover, and the reason is the main deck. Rather than dividing the boat into a cockpit, a salon and a foredeck, the SX88 runs a single loft-inspired space from stern to bow with the bulkheads and thresholds removed. Triple pod propulsion made it possible by moving the machinery aft and low. It was the first model in the SX line and the design that other builders have been following since.