Still searcing dufour 39 cc

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penstable

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Dufours then, apparently the compomise betwen a Moody, HR type and AWB

Seen a couple of 39CC and really like the layout, storage and coupled with a big saloon sems to be the type of thing I'm after.

Seems I'm liking the CC thing? Thoughts/comment?

PS - the birds still worried about the whole cat deal!
 
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OK

Dufours then, apparently the compomise betwen a Moody, HR type and AWB

Seen a couple of 39CC and really like the layout, storage and coupled with a big saloon sems to be the type of thing I'm after.

Seems I'm liking the CC thing? Thoughts/comment?

PS - the birds still worried about the whole cat deal!

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Cats can be done, but I have seen a very distraught sailor who lost hers in Gibraltar. (It turned up three weeks later)

I have had two aft cockpits and two centre cockpits. Both CC's were chosen for long term and long distance cruising.

We like the extra privacy in a marina, we LOVE the full standing headroom in the aft cabin and centre-line bed and we prefered to be further forward whilst in large following seas when crossing the Atlantic.

I also prefer the mainsheet set up, ie. the traveller out of the cockpit and easily reached from the helm. The extra deck space at the back is useful for storing the dingy on passage, for sunbathing on or for settting up a couple of chairs and toasting the sunset.

You often hear comments that it feels unsafe as it's higher up, I have never ever understood that one. We always felt very safe compared to our aft cockpit boats, especially in heavy weather.

Storage on the Dufour 39 cc is very good indeed and the headroom and size of the aft cabin make for a very comfortable liveaboard. Not as heavy as an older Moody for a similar budget but you do get that new boat feel and the Joinery is extremely good. Re-sale values are strong and they are quite difficult to find.

I have one just listed that is not advertised, pm me your email address and I will email the details.

The 38 classic is a very similar boat, but an aft cockpit version. You don't get the large aft cabin, but the boat is very spacious below for liveaboard, with a linear galley (good for space but at sea it's preferable to make sure the extra grab bars and a bum strap have been fitted). Performance is good and again the joinery is of a higher standard than most modern production boats of a similar design.

There is a review of the 38 classic here
and short design review of the 39cc here

Both good boats that have made Atlantic crossings and been used for extended liveaboard, each one was on my shortlist.
 
Hi Penst,

Don`t assume that a dufour is the compromise.
Jonic is obviously a good salesperson /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
A good friend of mine used to own a dufour 40 which suffered structural problems from bad manufacturing. After 2 courtcases the dealership had to take the boat back. This lasted 3 years!
I guess every brand has its share of monday-morning boats.

Good luck with your search.

Bart
 
We seriously considered a Dufour - I think they are indeed - 'Above Average White Boats' - ie a good middle ground between the Bav, Jen, Ben and the upper end of the market. We were very tempted by the 36 or 38 Classic (both great boats IMHO).

Granted, they're not a HR etc, but then do you really need this?

To use a common analogy that most will be able to relate to:

You can spend £50k on a new 5 door Merc
You can spend £25k on a new 5 door VW
You can spend £12k on a new 5 door Daewoo

All of the above will be (say) a 2 litre manual with electric windows and air con - and they are all capable of cruising up and down the motorway for years on end - so why do some people buy the Daewoo, some the VW and some the Merc??
Merc clearly has reliability and status, VW has the reliability but perhaps not quite the same status as the Merc, and Daewoo will do the job but will not be built as well and may not last as long (but in the interim will be ok).

Now I don't want to start a debate over the cars, but my point is you can liken the Dufour to (IMHO) a VW - good, quality build, and reliable - but maybe not the same status as a HR. It will take you across oceans happily but people may not drop their jaw in jealousy when you moor up in Monaco (although many of us would prefer it this way). You could spend twice as much on a HR - but you need to decide if you personally can justify this (just as a Mondeo driver needs to justify double the price tag for a Merc). Alternatively you can go budget Bavaria etc (Daewoo) - will look nice and perform well but not built to the same standards as the VW/Merc.

In short - go for it - if you like the layout and the 'feel' of the boat then that's the main thing! Just meet your own preferences and criteria.

Jonny
 
Just a few off the top of my head thoughts. I would ensure the cockpit and saloon are of a good size (and maybe on the dufour they are, I’ve not been onboard). It is in these places you will spend most of your time (onboard, awake) and you will appreciate the space. Other considerations are; storage make sure the design allows for room to stow stuff both in the cockpit and below. If your sailing south consider how you will erect some shade. Lee cloths, are they fitted to the centre line berth, are there other good sea berths? Water, fuel and spares carrying capacity is it sufficient? Maybe you should expect a new design to have holding tanks fitted? Are there storm sails and how easy is it to hoist them – where do you stow them? How much chain does she carry, is there a windless, the kedge anchor how is it to be deployed, where is it stowed…(i have not looked at the details of the boat and you may already have answers to all this - sorry if this is the case).

i think the criticism of aft cockpits here is overdone but if you like centre then go for it subject to the above.

Best wishes with your plans
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Penst,

Don`t assume that a dufour is the compromise.
Jonic is obviously a good salesperson /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
A good friend of mine used to own a dufour 40 which suffered structural problems from bad manufacturing. After 2 courtcases the dealership had to take the boat back. This lasted 3 years!
I guess every brand has its share of monday-morning boats.

Good luck with your search.

Bart

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Hello Bart

Welcome to the forum! Thanks for the good salesman comment /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Sorry your friend had a problem, the Dufours have a 5yr Hull warranty, was it a UK dealer?

You are quite right that all builders have "Monday" boats.

When I crossed the Atlantic we had a brand new Malo 40 that had to be re-engined by Gibraltar and because the Generator packed up and was built into the boat, had to have it's cockpit cut open. We had a brand new HR43 who suffered a forestay failure and a leaking transom, a brand new Najid 50 that suffered a split main bulkhead by the time it arrived in the Caribbean, a Legend 42 that lost her rudder mid-Atlantic and the list goes on....... ALL boats can have one off problems. The further you sail and the more experience you have (long term) of different models the more you come to realise this. The key is to see how often they have the SAME problem.

My all time fav cruising boat is an HR but I can't afford one, so a Moody was a good alternative for me. But, they don't build them anymore. (under 44ft).They stopped because your boat, a Bavaria, was pushing the price down too much. So for those looking for a bit more than a charter/family boat the choice has narrowed. I think you really do get what you pay for, actually, having worked on the inside for a while now, I know you get what you pay for. The Ben, Bav Jen boats fill an important need and with the pricing have opened up a boat size to those who a decade or so ago would not be at that level. None of them are "Bad" boats. I sell all of them and have owned a Legend and a Beneteau. It's about looking at the expectations, budget and proposed use. The Dufour is a very good mix of performance, build quality and price. As the awards and reviews will tell it is also an above averge AWB. But, lots of other good boats out there too. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Jonic - too have been looking at various centre cockpit offerings (38-40ft). I like the Dufour but what concerns me is the structural integrity of the keel - ie the lenght of attachement to the hull. The shorter the ratio of attachement to depth the greater the stresses - especially on grounding. The Dufour has a considerably higher aspect ration than say the Bene 42 CC for instance.

Am I over worrying about this?
 
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Jonic - too have been looking at various centre cockpit offerings (38-40ft). I like the Dufour but what concerns me is the structural integrity of the keel - ie the lenght of attachement to the hull. The shorter the ratio of attachement to depth the greater the stresses - especially on grounding. The Dufour has a considerably higher aspect ration than say the Bene 42 CC for instance.

Am I over worrying about this?

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Yes.

These Dufours and the current production are laid up by hand, the keel areas are then given extra reinforcement, keel bolts are all stainless steel. On the 39 cc it is the same keel and construction methods as used on the 36 and 38 classics. Good tough boats designed to cross oceans. There have been no known issues with keel problems and several of each model have completed Atlantic circuits.

Below are some construction notes from an earlier review of the 36 classic.

Construction is similar to other series-built sailboats, with a couple of notable differences: First, the grid-type interior pan is not only bonded to the hull, but reinforced with secondary laminations. Second, the hull above the water- line is cored with high-density PVC foam, applied under vacuum to achieve a void-free bond. The deck moldings are also cored (with balsa) resulting in a stiff, lightweight structure with good insulating properties.

There is a review of the 39cc here and Sailing Magazine said of the 38'

"This is a seaman's boat with an understated flair and a nice stride that will cover long distances without fuss. It will also take care of you when the Gulf Stream kicks up or a 40-knot blow is on the nose. She is easily sailed singlehanded or by a couple. It would be a good boat for those with Caribbean, Pacific, or trans-Atlantic plans, especially if you plan to ship out with a small crew."
 
Being a recent convert (moody) to Dufours I had a look at a Dufour 39CC in South of France last year & it really is a super yacht, very well finished, with some excellent internal fitting details & if I can afford it my next Dufour.
My slightly older 35 does go like a train & around the South of France with the Mistral you need a boat you can rely on. The center cockpit would be an advantage in harbours as it would give you some privacy, as well as keeping you dry in larger seas.

Nice 39 CC in Netherlands on the YBW boats for sale well equiped as well. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Is it you intention to Live aboard? What will be your cruising area?

Good Luck & let us know how you get on
poter
 
I've viewed the 39CC in netherlands. It's VERY disappointing. Maybe not used much but certainly hasn't been looked after either. Considerable surface damage below on saloon woodwork. Difficult to imagine how some of it was done! looks like someone went berserk with a hammer IMHO. Very damp inside. Teak deck not too good either.
 
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