There have always been yachts that claim to offer the best of all worlds. They lure you in with the promise of being able to luxuriate in spacious opulence after a day of exhilarating sailing. The message is that there’s no need to compromise. Of course we know that’s not really the case. Any boat is a compromise. It’s just a matter of which elements are compromised more than others. So what sort of compromises have been taken with the Dufour 41?

Time was when we had the cruiser-racers: race with the lads, cruise with the family (no doubt considered a politically-incorrect message these days). By and large, race boats are now race boats that make no pretence at being anything else.

Cruisers, on the other hand, have become more performance-conscious in recent years, reflecting the reality that more speed allows you to sail further in less time. In many cases, today’s new cruising yachts are also faster by virtue of being longer than their predecessors.

Over the years, the elements of compromise in mainstream production cruisers have meant that buyers have, at different times, missed out on something significant. When hulls became beamy and the keels and rudders were shallow, handling and performance were – well, let’s just say, a little below par sometimes. Then when sterns became seriously broad and entries stayed narrow, boats were unbalanced when heeled and the rudders lost grip. Enter twin rudders to help overcome that one.

Too much heel. The Dufour sails best if kept relatively flat. Photo: David Harding

Now we have full bow sections to offset the broad sterns. This is still a relatively new development, and one that has been mentioned in the context of most new cruising yachts you will have read about in YM for some time. It’s definitely the ‘new normal’.

As a previously introduced ‘new normal’ it doesn’t need to be re-introduced here, save that these boats tend to stay more balanced when heeled, even with single rudders. What it also means in the context of a 40-footer with a high volume hull is that it makes for an even higher volume 40-footer.

Unlike the Dufour 37 that I tested earlier this year, the Dufour 41 is more or less the length her name suggests. Her hull is 39ft (11.9m) long and her ‘box’ length, including the moulded bowsprit, is just over 41ft (12.75m). The 37, on the other hand, has a hull 32ft 9in (9.98m) long, but she’s so cavernous below decks that Dufour thought it wouldn’t do her justice to call her a 33.

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Onwards and upwards

Being more than 6ft (nearly 2m) longer than the 37, the Dufour 41 does feel vast – not that the 37 is exactly small. Big sister is high, wide – at both ends as well as in the middle – and handsome, if you like the styling. Dufour claims that she’s the only boat of her size to offer the option of a four-cabin layout (two in the stern, two in the bow) with full-size forward cabins. That’s only achievable because of the full bow.

To climb aboard and experience the extraordinary space both below decks and above, it’s easiest to use the hinge-down platform at the stern. From here, steps lead up to the relatively high cockpit and there’s plenty of space to move forward between the twin wheels. Scaling the topsides would be more of a challenge, given that freeboard is nearly 5ft (actually 1.42m) by the boarding gates.

If you want all this volume, it has to come from somewhere.

A clear view forward from the helm, thanks to the wide stern and relatively high cockpit with its lazarette and two sole-depth lockers. Photo: David Harding

My questions with the modern style of broad-at-both-ends cruisers haven’t been so much about how the space is used. I have wanted to know how they behave upwind in a seaway. As I found with the 37, a full bow to balance the wide stern really does seem to make the boat more inclined to sail in a straight line when the breeze picks up.

On my test, that was very much in evidence when she was pressed on a reach in a way that you would expect to induce a broach on many boats, or at least to make them seriously hard-nosed. Downwind too, those buoyant forward sections should be an asset.

The 37 impressed me with the way she made into moderately fresh conditions and a modest wind-over-tide Solent chop. This time, on the Dufour 41, we had more wind (from the opposite direction) and more tide too (against the wind). With the breeze gusting into the high ‘teens and nudging over 20 knots, we tucked a slab in the fully-battened main, which was a laminate upgrade from the standard Dacron.

Forward of the mast, instead of the self-tacker, our test boat was fitted with the optional 108% headsail. This calls for the ‘Ocean Pack’ of extra hardware that includes the tracks and the self-tailing Lewmar 45s on the coamings. It also adds nice-to-haves such as the German mainsheet system.

Twin backstays are replaced by a single adjustable backstay on the Performance version. Photo: David Harding

Thoroughly competent

Thus rigged, we set out to enjoy a bright and brisk sail. The Dufour quickly got into a comfortable stride and proved that, like her smaller sister, she’s a thoroughly competent performer. Upwind speeds approaching 7 knots appeared in the flatter patches of water, quickly climbing to over 8 when we bore away and cracked the sheets a few inches. An overlapping headsail retains so much more drive than a self-tacker on a fetch or a reach.

Again, like the 37, the bigger Dufour was crisp and responsive to sail, with a direct feel from the single rudder linked via the Jefa steering system to the twin composite wheels. Basic sail control was easy, with main and headsail sheets led to coaming winches within reach of the wheels.

A FlatDeck furler keeps the headsail’s tack low down. Note the windlass but no on-deck anchor locker. Photo: David Harding

A feature on modern Dufours is the mainsheet bridle. A traveller would be best from a sail trim perspective, but is rarely found on modern production cruisers. In this instance, neither a traveller nor strong-points on deck would work anyway, because the longer (more spacious) cockpits and longer (more easily negotiated) companionways on new models have pushed the mainsheet forward.

It would lose purchase if moved too far along the boom, so the bridle was introduced because it spans the forward end of the companionway without affecting the sprayhood. I suspect most buyers would willingly sacrifice the extra sail control for the space gained by this arrangement.

The mainsheet bridle is a practical solution given the length of the companionway. Photo: David Harding

Looking trim

It’s no criticism of the boat – given what she’s designed for – to say that fine degrees of sail trim aren’t possible. To reduce the excessive twist in the main we cranked down the kicker, and then eased the boom further off the centreline to help keep the boat on her feet.

The Dufour 41 definitely prefers to be sailed fairly flat. This de-twisting is less effective than vang-sheeting in a dinghy or using the traveller in a keelboat, but it helped. We needed to do this both for efficiency and because, in the gusts, the boat would round up if we intentionally refrained from de-powering. When provoked, she would respond with a proper ‘French broach’, passing through the wind and sitting with the headsail aback.

It’s always good to see how a boat behaves when hove to anyway. In this case she sat happily, crabbing at perhaps 1.5 knots, and could readily be gybed round to carry on sailing without needing the mainsheet eased first. It was all very controlled.

There is no shortage of light or ventilation in the saloon, and good use has been made of the space for sensible stowage. Photo: David Harding

We were pushing the boat harder than most owners would choose to. That’s what the second reef is for. It’s just that some of us are used to choosing our sailplan to ensure we’re not under-powered in the lulls. We de-power in the gusts instead.

On a test it’s useful to find where the limits lie, as well as to spend a little time sailing more gently to experience the other perspective.

One other thing we did experience – unrelated to how hard we were pushing at the time – was the occasional thud when we fell off one of the Solent’s famously short, steep waves. That’s by no means unusual. Every boat, no matter what its shape, will like some sea states more than others.

A long hatch and a gentle gradient to the companionway steps allow straightforward access to and from the cockpit. Photo: David Harding

What is beyond question is that the shape of the bow made for a notably dry ride. While filming and photographing from the RIB – which, I was told, was airborne much of the time with only the prop remaining in the water – I saw the spray from the bow being thrown straight out at us rather than back over the deck. Only one dollop of water landed in the cockpit during our sail, and as I was helming at the time I have to accept responsibility for that.

As a rule, boats with the most comfortable motion are those that go through the waves rather than over them, so there’s less bouncing and banging but you get wet instead. You pays your money…

The occasional dollop of water notwithstanding, the cockpit is a comfortable place to be. Sitting outboard at the helm, you have more room than on the 37. Forward of the wheels is a big central table, which provides a leg bracing point and, importantly, a good amount of readily accessible stowage for small items.

Equally importantly, the table is strong enough to stand on when you’re stowing the mainsail. Combined with a gooseneck that’s low enough to let you reach the head of the sail when standing at the mast, it makes for much easier sail stowage than on some boats of this size.

A comfortable island berth dominates the massive forward cabin, which has large hullside ports and discreet lighting just above bunk level. Photo: David Harding

I have noted before that hoisting, reefing and handling a conventional mainsail under way isn’t necessarily a challenge; it’s having to stow it afterwards. If owning a boat with a sail that’s relatively easy to stow saves you having to contemplate the cost, complexity and compromise of in-mast reefing, it’s a big plus.

When you need to use alternative means of propulsion, you have a choice of a 50hp (standard) or 60hp (optional) Volvo diesel. They drive a two-bladed fixed prop unless you prefer to save drag and have a folding one. Our test boat had the 60hp upgrade and the fixed prop, giving us a comfortable 6-plus knots at 1,800rpm and 7.5 knots at 2,200rpm.

Alternatively you can choose Dufour’s Smart Electric drive, with a 16kW generator driving a 25kW electric motor. Whether or not you add the bank of lithium-ion batteries, the generator-electric system is said to be more efficient than a conventional diesel and your range isn’t determined by battery capacity alone.

Twin double aft cabins are symmetrical, with enough space beneath the cockpit to sit up in the bunks and read or enjoy the view of the outside world. Photo: David Harding

Moving forwards

When you leave the cockpit and head towards that broad bow, you find yourself on comfortably wide side decks with a moulded upstand along the gunwale providing a foot brace if you’re on the leeward side.

Everything looks functional on deck. Features include a fixed deck light running across the coachroof abaft the mast. Windows in the forward end of the coachroof add to the already plentiful light in the forecabin (with a view out, if you’re tall enough). Working on the foredeck is easy because it’s so big. It’s more likely to be used as a sunpad.

Space and comfort is also the theme below decks. Those of us familiar with older designs will one day stop remarking on the extraordinary volume of today’s cruisers. Until then we will no doubt keep mentioning it. It’s light and airy down below, with a combination of pale woodwork and light panelling. The finish is generally tidy for a production boat and it’s more woody than some.

The linear galley features a large peninsular fridge with front and top access, and lots of natural light from long hullside ports. Photo: David Harding

Access to the systems seems good. You even have removable headlining panels. Twin double cabins in the stern are part of every layout. You have a range of options further forward according to how many heads, showers and cabins you want. A linear galley runs along the starboard side. The compartment to port, opposite the heads, is a dedicated shower as standard or can be used for stowage, an extra heads or more galley space.

Of particular note is the ability to walk from one end of the accommodation to the other on a level sole. And headroom throughout is such that, unless you’re well over 6ft tall, you don’t need to duck even through doorways. Because of the long companionway and gentle gradient to the steps, you can simply walk up and down them. Moving around is exceptionally easy.

Broad bow sections and full-length chines help throw spray aside, so relatively little finds its way aft along the deck. Photo: David Harding

Dufour 41 specifications

LOA: 12.75m (41ft 8in)
LWL: 11.17m (36ft 6in)
Beam: 4.30m (14ft 1in)
Draught Standard fin: 1.90m (6ft 3in)
Draught Shallow fin: 1.75m (5ft 9in)
Draught Deep fin: 2.10m (6ft 11in)
Light displacement: 9,700kg (21,384lb)
Ballast: 2,600kg (5,732lb)
Ballast ratio: 26.8%
Displacement / Length: 196.3
Sail area (main & self tacker): 73.5m2 (791sq ft)
SA/D ratio: 17.06
Diesel: 250L (55 gal)
Water: 250L (55 gal) + 180L (40 gal) optional
Engine: Volvo 50hp
Transmission: Saildrive
RCD category: A
Designer: Umberto Felci
Interior: Arizio Design
Builder: Dufour Yachts

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