dufour 31 sailboat data

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Dufour 31, your thoughts

• Thread starter fred1diver
• Start date Jan 24, 2022
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Hey everyone, it’s me again asking what you think about boats I’m looking to buy. The Pearson 30 I was looking at had some repairs to do but not too bad but has a gaz engine, would prefer diesel. 8000$ The cherubini I went to look at is a MAJOR renovation project and is located 4 hours away. 6000$ the Dufour 3800, 31 feet, I’m looking at is more expensive but is in pristine condition, it is about two hours away but it’s in the states on lake Champlain, so I would need to get it transported back here, no biggie. 24 900$ but I don’t know much about Dufour, I know they are French made boats, my uncle had one since 1975, now his sons have it since my uncle passed, I’ve been told it’s a fast boat, but don’t know anything else  

Based on these options I would purchase the pristine Defour 3800 SailboatData.com - DUFOUR 3800 Sailboat based on your uncle and sons experience and avoid a gasser and major repairs. After a marine and diesel engine surveys then you will know if it is the right sailboat.  

Dufour for sure. Just do it.  

Just took a look at the SailboatData.com info. German Frers is a well known yacht designer. He designs fast boats that are fun to sail.  

Dlochner just not sure I’ll pass under all the bridges lol The boat is with a broker  

dlochner said: Just took a look at the SailboatData.com info. German Frers is a well known yacht designer. He designs fast boats that are fun to sail. Click to expand

fred1diver said: Dlochner just not sure I’ll pass under all the bridges lol The boat is with a broker Click to expand

Sounds like a no-brainer if it will pass inspection. $24.9k is a LOT for an old boat, however. $ 10-15k might do it.  

Stu Jackson

@fred1diver I looked at boats in the Lake Champlain area a few years ago when I was in the market. That was when Mr. Trump killed free trade so the duty added I think it was 9.5%. Since this is a French made boat, you won't be able to take advantage of free trade and you will need to factor in the duty. That's a big premium to pay and there are a lot of nice boats in that price range within Canada. Dufour's are nice boats but I'm not sure I'd pay the duty premium for that one. For instance, there is a nice looking Aloha 34 in Midland for around the same price 1979 Aloha 34 Sloop for sale - YachtWorld There are even a couple of Dofour 31s in Ontario for similar pricing (including duty) 1982 Dufour 31 Cruiser for sale - YachtWorld  

Careful- though they're both 31 feet long, the Dufour 31 is not the same boat as the Dufour 3800 that the OP is considering.  

The Canadian taxes have been paid already  

garymalmgren

Two hours drive will help you make up your mind. Love at first sight is the way I go. And it hasn't really let me down. Ya got any photos for us to drool over? gary  

I'd rather have the Atomic 4 than the Volvo diesel. Frers is a good designer. The numbers for the 3800 do not indicate a rocket ship. SA/D of 17.11 would be underpowered. Disp./length of 231.56 is a bit chunky. A 10.66 foot beam on a 25.26 water line is a little fat. On the view of the cabin layout I believe the ends are pinched in IOR style. That is a dated design. Combined with a masthead rig it may be a bit to handle. Note that in the picture of the boat sailing there are 2 people on the rail and the sails indicate a reach. Comfort ratio of 20.55. Draft 5.58 would be too much in my old sailing ground. For me, I wouldn't pay 24.9 k for a 40 year old dated design and I would take a pass. The Pearson numbers are remarkably similar. It is an even more dated design. But Bill Shaw boats were known for their easy going ride. Nothing extreme. Maybe a bit boring. But they would take care of you. As SBD.com says over a 1,000 were built and Bill Shaw owned one for 10 years. Comfort ratio of 24.25. But I would try to get the price down. 8K for a 50 year old boat seems a bit much. It would have to survey perfectly.  

Attachments

Go with the pristine boat, always. The Dufour looks like a good boat but I would measure it against the "standard" in that size range (imho), the Catalina 30. More than 6,000 were produced, bigger interior, great support available, sails well, easier to sell at the end. For 25k you should be able to find a C30 in excellent shape.  

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

Dufour's are a boat that gives a pleasing ship line to the eye. Sleek deck, sharp bow, slender lines a boat that will bring a smile as you see her in the marina. There build from 1980 to 84. I found this one for sale in Maryland 1983 Dufour 3800 Racer/Cruiser for sale - YachtWorld A boat that is 40 years old is difficult to describe as pristine.  

Hello Below

fred1diver said: the Dufour 3800, 31 feet, I’m looking at is more expensive but is in pristine condition, it is about two hours away but it’s in the states on lake Champlain, so I would need to get it transported back here, no biggie. 24 900$ Click to expand

jssailem said: . 1983 Dufour 3800 Racer/Cruiser for sale - YachtWorl d. Click to expand

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Hi, I own a 1979 Dufour 31 and am intending to install side cokpit seats on the corner of each side of pushpit railing. Does anyone have a photograph with these done. I would also like to move my electronic displays from starboard side (next to cabin entrance) to centre above cabin sliding cover and would prefer if anyone could provide clos up photographs. regards Petar  

I have a 77 Dufour 31 and have recently joined a Dufour Owners Assoc in the UK (the only one I could locate) Their web is www.dufour.org.uk They have a wealth of info, US membership is $30 which includes newsletters and all contributions from years of owners input. Charles Marchant ([email protected]) owns a 81 Dufour 31 and said there was an article in DIY marine maintenance magazine regarding one of the associations owners installing pushpit railing seating. I have not followed up on this yet but if you are not familar with DIY, their web is www.diy-boat.com. There is also a picture of the seats on the inside cover of my Spring 2005 newsletter I would be happy to copy & send to you if you provide your address. My electronics are above the companionway. I will also forward this picture along with the pushpits. Denise  

Denise, Thank you kindly on information provided. I am aware of Dufour Owners Association and have joined them in April this year. I have even received an article about these pushpit railing seats, however was looking for more info in order to make good decision. A close up photograph and some info about fitting electronics above companionway would realy be good. My e-mail address is: [email protected] or [email protected] Best regards Petar  

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Boat Reviews: The Dufour 470 and Dufour 61

• By Mark Pillsbury
• March 2, 2022

In a year disrupted by pandemic-­related workforce distractions, supply-chain woes and an overhaul of its woodshop, Dufour Yachts, one of France’s most prolific sailboat builders, still ­managed to launch more than 350 vessels, including two new models introduced to North America during the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, this past October.

Making their debuts were the ­performance-cruiser Dufour 470 and a new company flagship, the Dufour 61. Like all Dufours built over the past two decades, the latest in the range come from the drawing board of Umberto Felci, working alongside the in-house design team. The latter now includes input from catamaran builder Fountaine Pajot, whose ownership group bought Dufour three years ago. 

Over time, the result of such close collaboration has been a brand with a strong visual identity and features that tend to be introduced in one model and then incorporated into the rest of the range. At present, the Dufour lineup includes nine models, ranging in size from the yet-to-be-seen (here in the US, at least) Yacht Dufour 32 to the 61.

Some of the features introduced in recent years include a galley-­forward layout, which leaves the beamiest part of the boat open for living and entertaining; self-tacking headsails as an option in place of overlapping genoas; and an outdoor galley on the transom. Several of these elements are now available on models throughout the range, and based on the other new sailboats we saw this past fall in Annapolis, they are ideas that are gaining traction with other builders as well.

But while Felci and Dufour have adopted other trendy design elements, such as chined hulls and twin wheels, they’ve steered clear of twin rudders, opting instead for a single deep foil that provides ample control while backing and sailing, thanks in part to hull forms that favor diminished angles of heel.

Discussing the brand in general terms, Boat of the Year judge Tim Murphy spoke for his colleagues, saying that during sea trials, they’ve come to expect lively sailing performance from Dufour yachts, thanks in part to sails, gear, and deck layouts that reward sailors keen on tweaking lines to control sail shape and trim.

Let’s start with the 470, which was the first boat I visited alongside the BOTY judges.

It was an easy step aboard from the dock, thanks to the wide fold-down transom that doubles as a spacious swim platform. Beneath the cockpit sole to starboard, we found an ample-size life-raft locker; to port, two steps take you past the fold-up helm seat and into the cockpit itself.

One reason for the proliferation of twin wheels these days is the wide beam that’s carried aft on many boats. Usually the space between helms is left open, but on the 470, it’s put to good use with a large padded lounge ­area, which I must admit looked like an inviting place to spend time off watch. It was designed so there’s still good access to the cockpit proper. And while sailing, I didn’t find it in the way when stepping between wheels that are mounted on pedestals well outboard to free up space around the drop-leaf table that sits between the cockpit settees.

Another cockpit element that I thought worked quite well are the steps up to the side deck, located just forward of each wheel. One per side, these provide a simple, neat solution to the dilemma of how to clamor over coamings to go forward, plus they ­double as line-storage bins for the adjacent winches.

The 470, like other Dufour models, is available in three levels of gear and deck layout, depending on how an owner plans to use the boat. Easy, intended for the casual sailor or charterer, gets you a self-tending jib and in-mast furling main, both with halyards and sheets running to a pair of winches on the cabin top. The boat we toured and sailed was set up as an Ocean version, with a pair of Lewmar winches at each helm for main and jib sheets, as well as two more winches on the cabin top for halyards and sail-control lines. Our boat was fit out with a traditional main that’s stored in a boom pouch and a self-tacking jib. But fairlead tracks on the side decks also allow for a genoa; on the bow, there’s a sprit for flying off-wind sails that also incorporates an anchor roller. A beefy traveler sits just forward of the dodger, providing more control over the main. 

The Performance version of the 470 includes additional sailhandling gear, plus end-boom sheeting for the main, with an anchor point in the cockpit sole just forward of the wheels. The latter two versions can also be set up with a double-ended German-style mainsheet, meaning the skipper has control of the sail at either wheel.

Down below, the 470 is ­available in four layouts, all with the galley forward, ­adjacent to the main bulkhead. Included in the design is a feature I’ve really liked on other Dufours: large overhead hatches that span the cabin top just aft of the mast and let tons of light into the interior. Accommodations span from three cabins and two heads, which we found on the boat we sailed, to four cabins and four heads, or four cabins plus a Pullman berth and three heads. As I said, there are options.

Dufour uses foam core above the waterline and solid fiberglass below in its infused composite hulls. Decks are also infused, and a composite grid is bonded to the hull before furniture and systems are installed to carry loads from the keel, engine and rig.

The 470 we sailed is available at a sail-away price right around $600,000. This includes Raymarine electronics, a bow thruster (a stern thruster is an option), and a 60 hp Volvo engine and saildrive; an 80 hp powerplant is also available.

We had a decent breeze—about 12 knots—to start with on the afternoon we went for a sail. Closehauled, the speedo hovered just under 6 knots. Off the wind on a beam reach and in less breeze, maybe 8 knots, the speed dropped to the mid-4-knot range. If I were buying the boat, I’d definitely spring for a code zero or other reaching sail to keep things lively. From either helm, sightlines forward, past the Bimini and dodger, were OK, and their frames doubled as excellent handholds when stepping onto the side decks to go forward. 

Unfortunately, we sailed the 61 earlier in the day, when in a week of nearly perfect conditions, we were skunked for breeze. But powering along with the boat’s 175 Volvo with shaft drive, we scooted right along at 8.7 at the suggested cruising rpm and added another knot when we opened the throttle wide in get-home-quick mode. This hinted at what we might have seen under sail, but in less than 3 knots of breeze, we were in for nothing but drifting on a glassy bay. 

Compared with the 470 and other boats in the Dufour range, the 61 has quite a different look, especially on deck; while down below, she feels big for her size.

Rather than a Bimini and dodger, the 61’s topsides are wide open, save for a carbon-­fiber arch over the companionway, on top of which the double-ended mainsheet is anchored with two blocks. This keeps the deck and coachroof free of lines when sailing. 

The low-profile cabin top, wide side decks, and expansive open foredeck definitely give the 61 a big-boat feel. Aft, with the swim platform down, there’s a large dinghy garage. One concern cited by the judges is that when loaded, the dinghy appears to cover the socket for the emergency tiller. Forward, there’s a large, deep sail locker, with access to the anchor chain, and with a few contortions, the motor for the below-deck electric headsail furler. The jib is self-tacking, and there are no genoa tracks or a molded place to mount them on the teak decks. As the company brochure reads, the boat was developed to provide “simple, instinctive sailing.”

Underway, all the actual work of tending canvas takes place at the twin wheels, where four electric winches give the helmsman fingertip control of all the required lines. Guests can be left to enjoy the spacious cockpit and its wide, drop-leaf centerline table with a fridge underneath. 

As with the 470, an owner has options below for family, guests and crew. The boat we visited had twin aft cabins; a Pullman berth with bunks to starboard, opposite the forward galley; and a unique owner’s cabin far forward that caught my eye, with a queen berth offset to port, and a head and shower compartment forward. Locating the galley aft, to port of the companionway, is also possible, as are a couple more ­sleeping-cabin layouts, ­providing berths for up to eight crew, plus a captain’s berth in the forepeak.

The 61 comes with a flagshiplike price tag of right around $1.3 million for a boat loaded up and ready to go. But thanks to the span of the Dufour range, an owner who appreciates the brand can start smaller and work themselves up to the 61, a few feet at a time.

Specifications

Dufour Yachts 240-278-8200 dufouryachts.com

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Our verdict on the Dufour 310

• Graham Snook
• June 22, 2015

With many sub-32ft boats on the market, Graham Snook visits Plymouth to see if the Dufour 310 stands out from the crowd, here's his verdict on her.

© Graham Snook Photography Moral Rights Asserted

What’s she like to sail? The Dufour 310 stands out by having twin wheels, but I’m not convinced that they’re necessary, or even desirable, on a 31ft boat. Like many other systems with two heavy, stainless steel wheels, when you move your wheel there’s an echo of movement from the rotational inertia of the wheel opposite.

Would she suit you and your crew? Masochistic mechanics aside, she’ll make a great boat for a couple with or without children, or those moving up from smaller or older boats. She’s easy to sail and can be handled short-handed. The cockpit coaming is a winch-free area, leaving it safe for little (or big) hands to roam unimpeded. She’s available in three versions: Day Sail, Liberty and Adventure. At 1.90m her draught is quite deep for cruising some parts of the UK, but it does add to her performance – a ballasted centreboard is an option. The Dufour 310’s cockpit makes a good entertaining area when the weather allows, and the saloon could sit six around the large table. She’s nimble enough to be fun to sail and would be a great boat in which to introduce your friends and family to sailing. There’s enough deck stowage for dinghy, fenders, warps and so on. If it wasn’t for the dreadful access to the engine’s service points she’d make a enjoyable port-hopping coastal cruiser.

Price (as tested) £111,174 inc VAT LOA 9.67m (31ft 9in) LWL 8.70m (28ft 7in) Beam 3.31m (10ft 10in) Draught 1.90m (6ft 3in) Displacement 4940kg (10,890 lb) Ballast 1300kg  (2,866 lb) Ballast ratio 26.3% Sail area 50.3m2 (541sq ft) SA/D ratio 17.6 Diesel 90lit (20 gal) Water 160lit (35 gal) Engine 20hp diesel saildrive RCD category B Designer Felci Yachts Builder Dufour Yachts UK Agent Network Yacht Brokers Southwest Ltd Tel 01752 605 377

LE GRAND PAVOIS LA ROCHELLE BOAT SHOW 2024

From October 1st to 6th, 2024, Dufour will be present at this event along with four of our models.

The International Boat Show Grand Pavois in La Rochelle is an unmissable event to which Dufour is deeply attached. Every year, hundreds of passionate enthusiasts and loyal Dufour customers travel to La Rochelle to meet our dealers and visit our sailboats.

Receive my invitation

Four Dufour models on display

Dufour invites you to come admire, visit, or test four of the newest models in the range.

After its world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the brand-new Dufour 44 sailboat will be the star of the La Rochelle pontoons. An embodiment of elegance and performance, this sailboat will delight you to the highest degree!

Come and discover other models from the brand. The Dufour 37 , a 10-meter monohull with remarkable living space; the Dufour 41 , with its spacious volumes and roomy interior; and finally, the Dufour 470 , a 47-foot sailboat that combines speed and performance. These sailboats will be displayed alongside the Dufour 44 to help you choose the model that suits you best.

A chance to celebrate 60 years of the shipyard

The Grand Pavois 2024 will also be an opportunity to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Dufour shipyard.

For the occasion, the Dufour teams will conduct a unique operation. Packs will be offered to new buyers who, for the price of a standard sailboat, will be entitled to a Dufour equipped with an attractive range of options.

Useful Information

The Grand Pavois features over 800 exhibitors of all kinds, stretching over three kilometers of pontoons. The show is ideally located at the port of Les Minimes in La Rochelle. On average, about 700 boats are exhibited during the show, with 300 afloat.

In addition to the boats, a complete exhibition of nautical equipment is offered. You will find accessories, engines, sails, and most of what sea lovers may need for their sailing experience.

We look forward to seeing you at this major event. Our dealers are at your disposal for a visit or any other request

See you soon!

10 June 2024 Discover the film of the new sailboat Dufour 44

10 Sep 2024 - 15 Sep 2024 CANNES YACHTING FESTIVAL 2024

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