The side decks are not wide but are perfectly grippy, thanks to the soft-touch rubberised decking. There are no dedicated grab handles on the rooftop, but there are plenty of easy mouldings to grab onto as you make your way along to the foredeck.
Speaking of the foredeck, its an impressive space and can easily acco*modate six people, with backrests around the periphery of the cushioned area. The space beneath the deck is raised, with a big hatch for further storage.
Other features of note include the good-sized anchor locker, netting spaces for gear, cup holders, and an outlet for the black water tank with its own moulded recess to keep any mess out of harm’s way.
Overall, the XO DFNDR 8 is a smaller, more manoeuvrable boat than its predecessor, the DFNDR 9. However, it maintains many of the DFNDR 9’s features and offers its users the same high levels of performance and functionality.