Dufour 34's of 2005-odd vintage

Neil said:
How can you tell if a Dufour 34 has the taller rig?
Click to expand...

This is the best I've been able to find regarding details of the rig. It's the 34e of 2008, but presumable the numbers are similar for the performance version of the 34 of circa 2005.

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?CLASS_ID=6170

P is the measurement of the mainsail hoist.

Then just attach a tape measure to the halyard and haul away. Of course it's a good idea to tie another line on too so you can get the halyard back down if the measuring tape snaps.
 
So how do the Classics fit in to the Dufour line up? They seem to be the previous vintage and layouts look different but are these just an internal design tweak or are they completely different boats?
 
lpdsn said:
This is the best I've been able to find regarding details of the rig. It's the 34e of 2008, but presumable the numbers are similar for the performance version of the 34 of circa 2005.

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?CLASS_ID=6170

P is the measurement of the mainsail hoist.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is automatically a good assumption that the Dufour 34e has the same rig as the Dufour 34. The 34e replaced the 34 in 2008(ish). The two boats are by the same designer (and I think they may have reused the hull), but that is where the resemblance stops. (Edit: I think Plevier's link to the Dufour 34 brochure suggests the 34 and the 34e rig height are the same, but I wouldn't automatically assume that).

For example, the stats (eg I J P E) for the Dufour 40 and the Dufour 40E are different.

Also, take what that website says with a bit of a pinch of salt. It says that the Dufour 40e was available from 2002. It wasn't. That was the Dufour 40 (which is the boat I have). I think I have the old brochure for the Dufour 34 at home when I was looking to buy my boat. For a while I was thinking about getting one, before I decided to go for the 40. And I think I have brochures for both.
 
Last edited:
jac said:
So how do the Classics fit in to the Dufour line up? They seem to be the previous vintage and layouts look different but are these just an internal design tweak or are they completely different boats?
Click to expand...

The Classics were the previous line up. The different models in the classic "range" had different designers. Whereas all the 2002- Performance and Grand Large ranges had the same designers (Umberto Felci/Patrick Roseo). To my knowledge, the first boat they designed for Dufour was the 34.
 
Angele said:
I don't think it is automatically a good assumption that the Dufour 34e has the same rig as the Dufour 34. The 34e replaced the 34 in 2008(ish).
Click to expand...

According to the two brochures Plevier linked it seems they are. In any event, I was only suggesting the figures as a starting point for any measurements the OP might make.
 
lpdsn said:
I was only suggesting the figures as a starting point for any measurements the OP might make.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, and a good suggestion it was too.

Interestingly, I have been comparing my Dufour 40 to the 40E and the stats are much more alike than I was expecting. The biggest difference seems to be that they have made the boom a bit longer....
 
And of course the Dufour website is completely useless - some manufacturers have a section on discontinued boats, or a users section that might be a source of information.
 
Neil said:
And of course the Dufour website is completely useless - some manufacturers have a section on discontinued boats, or a users section that might be a source of information.
Click to expand...

They used to have details of at least the previous generation of models on the website under "community". This appears to have been removed, however.

Try the Dufour Owners' Association or their French counterparts, the Cercle des Voiliers Dufour. Although both have websites and Facebook pages, if you have specific questions give them a buzz or send them an email.

The French association is building up a database of all Dufour models on their website. Unfortunately the Dufour 34 isn't on it yet. http://www.cercle-voiliers-dufour.org/pages/Les_fiches_voiliers-8490710.html
 
Last edited:
I own a Dufour 34 performance 2004, tall rig and deep lead keel. Happy to answer any Questions I can.
Have experienced f7 on the nose of Devon and some pretty unfavourable weather which she handled really well.
 
The Dr said:
I own a Dufour 34 performance 2004, tall rig and deep lead keel. Happy to answer any Questions I can.
Have experienced f7 on the nose of Devon and some pretty unfavourable weather which she handled really well.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm still not in a position to move, but if and when, I'll get back to you
 
Neil said:
I see a few of these either described as Dufour 34 or Dufour 34 performance, of similar years. What's the difference between the two? Anyone any opinions on these boats?
Click to expand...

The Dufour 34 was part of the Dufour Performance series so in effect all 34s were performance models. However, they came with the option of a deep lead keel or a shoal draft steel keel and a taller rig with a so called performance sail plan. In fact the tall mast was only about half a metre taller than the standard so you didn’t get much extra sail area. What you did get was dyform rigging a tapered top section and dyneema running rigging. There was also a performance plus version. That came about because the design weight of the boat was 4700kg but in production the dry weight came out at about 5600kg. An extra ton of boat is a lot to lug around so Dufour sold a version where they paid more attention to weight control and also gave you a lot of kit but didn’t fit it. Things like holding tanks, second water tanks, calorifiers etc. I don’t think many of those were ever sold as you were in effect paying more for less.

The 34e came about after Dufour wrote to all existing owners and asked what changes they would like to see. The hull and rig remained exactly the same. The deck molding was different providing a racier cockpit with the main winches moved forward and an open stern. Unfortunately, the shallow second cockpit locker was lost in order to provide better access to the stern berth. They also changed to a lighter all steel keel instead of the lead keel which by that time had become a 12K option.

The boat was always sold as a performance cruiser – not a cruiser racer. None really made a mark on the UK racing scene as the boat was always somewhat over weight and under canvassed compared to the most competitive 34s of the era. Nevertheless, it was always a fast design and some continental owners managed to get good results. Probably the most notable was a factory sponsored boat that won its class at Spi Ouest and was awarded first prize overall out of over 1000 boats.

Apart from the weight, various factors were against her racing successfully. For example, she had large water tanks fore and aft rather than amidships. The winches in early models were positioned aft for easy access by the helmsman, the gooseneck was positioned very high giving good head clearance but reducing sail area and she had a large overlapping headsail rather than a blade jib and large main.

Having said all that if you want a performance cruiser rather than a round the cans racer the D34 is absolutely excellent. She handles heavy weather very well and her all round handling is impeccable. I have had one from new in 2008 and of all the boats from that era would still make the same choice. She is much faster and handles better than any of the 34s from earlier years. Compared to the contemporary options at the time she was arguably marginally slower than the X332 but a much better cruising boat. She was marginally faster than the Elan 333 with more space but a very similar specification.

Newer 34s followed the trend to taller rigs with big mains a blade jibs to maximise their potential under IRC. I think that also made them better cruisers as you can leave a blade jib unfurled to high wind speeds and just reef the main. Even when you do roll a blade jib a few times it retains its shape much better than a furled overlapper. With that in mind I tend to use the D34 with just a blade jib. That leaves her a little underpowered in light winds but she is still faster than most boats I come across and once slightly off the wind I use a cruising Code zero or whatever you choose to call them.

When I took her round the UK our average passage speed under sail was 6.7 knots through the water. We were caught out in the Irish Sea in 45Knots of wind during which time we averaged 11.5 knots for about 3 hours with typical surfing speeds of 14.5 to 16 .5 knots. No handling problems – no damage.
 
Hello,

We're group of french dufour 34 owners (the last version 2003 to 2011 only) and we have made a Facebook group about our favoit boat.
We have some owners from France, Belgium, Norway and UK.

If you have a Dufour 34, you can join us in our closed group :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Dufour34.FanClub/

our goal is to federate arround this boat, convey a benevolent image and to share our technicals solutions.
image: http://www.ybw.com/forums/images/ybw/misc/progress.gif


Read more at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?507313-Dufour-owners#qqUc1T6CC0dDWq0j.99
 
Jjerome78 said:
hi Angele,

For this reason, we are a group of 20 owners of Dufour 34, majority french but not only, we made a Facegroup group.
our goal is to federate arround this boat, convey a benevolent image and to share our technicals solutions.

You can follow us on :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Dufour34.FanClub
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dufour_34
Click to expand...

Hello Jjerome. Welcome to the forum.

In addition to the Dufour Owners Association and the Cercle des Voiliers Dufour, I was going to mention that there is also forum for all of the Dufour Performance and Grand Large ranges (https://www.boefamily.dk/dufour/). However, I see from your posts there that you have already found it.

I'm not entirely persuaded as to the need for even more Facebook groups where there are already other groups or websites that are essentially doing the same, especially since you have narrowed the target audience to a single model (that is no longer produced) within the Dufour range, despite the similarities between it and other Dufours of the same era. Notwithstanding that, I wish you all the best with your Facebook group.
 
Angele said:
Hello Jjerome. Welcome to the forum.

In addition to the Dufour Owners Association and the Cercle des Voiliers Dufour, I was going to mention that there is also forum for all of the Dufour Performance and Grand Large ranges (https://www.boefamily.dk/dufour/). However, I see from your posts there that you have already found it.

I'm not entirely persuaded as to the need for even more Facebook groups where there are already other groups or websites that are essentially doing the same, especially since you have narrowed the target audience to a single model (that is no longer produced) within the Dufour range, despite the similarities between it and other Dufours of the same era. Notwithstanding that, I wish you all the best with your Facebook group.
Click to expand...

Thank you Angele for your encouragement.
Initially, our idea was to gather a group of friends around this bestseller sailboat.
We wanted to go further than classic forums. In France, we have a lot of "negative criticism" and little help. We wanted to make an enthusiastic group around this sailboat in particular in order to promote it.
We are surprised by the origins of the members of this group. In 1 month, we collected almost 50 boats specialy dufour 34. France for half. Other countries are USA, UK, Norway, Denemark, Japan Belgium, Italy, Turkey.
Our wish now is to contact the Dufour shipyards to obtain technical data and make us known and recognized as a group of owners. French, we have the advantage of proximity. Regarding the other models we can help when we will have succeeded ourselves ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

M
net worth of yacht brokers
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
Tranona
T
P
Suggest a Yacht please
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
2K
Greenheart
Greenheart

Share this page

Top