Dufour 365

[Erre]

Could anyone with experience of the Dufour 365 please share your views on this boat as a single-handed cruising yacht?
I would also welcome the experience of any single-handers of c.35 to 45' boats as to which boat suits them. I appreciate that the boat is the start and that teh sailor and the fitting out make the difference!
Thanks y'all

 

[Sailfree]

People will ned more info before they can advise better. Cruising Area. Marina hoping, Your experience?

I will start by not recommending it for single handed cruising in the Southern Ocean.

 

[Erre]

Dear Sailfree, thanks for your reply.

Previous experience-Many wee boats, lots of traditional vessels around Europe – last vessel was an 87' gaff ketch usually sailed single-handed in UK waters; sometimes with casual crew.
As a keen single-hander I believe in good ground tackle and a good dinghy - very rarely use marinas, as they tend not to exist where I go and in my experience one has most problems single handed the closer one gets to terra firma!
Sailing area - British Isles least populated areas. Occasional Scandinavian trips
I firmly believe in listening to the wisdom of others so please do contribute to the original question which I purposefully left open for a wider response.
What is your experience Sailfree?
Regards
Erre

 

[Duffer]

I prefer the Dufour 34 which has better performance at the cost of slightly reduced accommodation. It also has a classic offshore layout below and the mainsheet track on the cockpit floor where it is to hand. Both are about the same LOA (the 365 is about 6" longer and wider).

I singlehand mine at sea with the benefit of a built-in autohelm (ST 6000) which works very well and also a cockpit (bulkhead) mounted chartplotter (C-screen with radar overlay). Getting in and out of marinas does really need crew except in ideal conditions (i.e. no wind or tide).

The new Dufour yachts are attractive inside and out and sail well, particularly the performance range. We regularly do 9 knots with white sails and a fixed prop, which is better than I expected. Build quality is good with only very minor problems, e.g. several light switches for recessed halogen lights have needed to be replaced.

 

[Sailfree]

Have owned a new Dufour 36 classic and a Dufour 38 classic each for 3 years. Reasonable dealer service but had trouble with Volvo parts on both. Current owner of the 38 gave up and re-engined with a Yanmar! If I needed 2 boats I would now happily buy it back!

I seriously looked at the Dufour 44 but decided the shaving off of the kgs left the Jeaneau 43 a slightly superior boat out of the similarly priced AWB's ( i would also put the newer designed Jeanneau 45 in the same catagorie as the dufour 44 - so its not just a question of make) and also for the charter market where wear and tear is higher therefore need more robust hinges, locks etc.

If I looked for a new boat today I think I would want to seriously consider the Arcona and Finngulf. I have yet to see a Delphina? spelling? Seeing your comment about Scandanavian trips I think the Finngulf more relevant as they are built to withstand hitting rocks with minimal damage and ease of repair - no inbedded steel bits in the GRP that break out on impact etc. Finngulf will appear to consider customers as they fit Volvos but was informed they would consider a Yanmar.

Everyones experience is different but if you have been seriously burnt before you are cautious about fire. At present I would not buy any boat with Volvo bits on. I would reconsider this if they had a product and confidence to offer say a 3yr no quibble warantee. The Dufour agent was seriously considering offering this for me but for a shorter period when discussing the 44.

If I buy another new boat I would seriously considering only buying the basic boat (say Jeanneau from the Cherbourg dealer) and sail it back and pay quality recommended UK contractors to fit the bits I want. After 3 boats I am fed up with installations at the cheapest price from a "Fred" that lives round the corner from the UK distributor. I am aware of others that have done this and made considerable savings in addition to having control over the quality of the fit out work. Ask a Uk distributor to agree up front to withold say £5000 until all the minor teething troubles are ironed out and see who is confident of their product!

I would add that if intending visiting marinas and singlehanded I would add a bowthruster unless you regularly want to swap insurance details. Modern AWB's can go very fast sideways if going slow in a crosswind!

Hope this helps. Good luck and keep us posted of your experiences.

 

[Sailfree]

I also sailed the Dufour 38 back from spain single handed as wife had to suddenly fly home as daughter in hospital.

With autohelm, chartplotter and radar its not too bad just wished the fishermen would not fish at night causing the radar alarm to go off when i got too near!

You can berth in a marina singlehanded by either dropping a loop over a pontoon cleat by your stern with the rope taken to the boat midcleat. An alternative is a mat fender over the bow and gently touch the end of a berth, wheel hard over to bring side in close, leave in slow ahead, step off boat and take stern and bow breast lines ashore.

When people see that you arealone they normal step forward to help though, you just have to think ahead and have everything ready well in advance.