Dufour T7 - Any Good?

[Lazy_Bones]

My mum and dad want to buy a Dufour T7 (so that me and my brothers will be as far away as possible in the aft cabin).

Please can anybody let me know anything about these boats?

eg

How well do they sail?
How many people can they safely carry for day sailing?
Any good in windy weather?


Also,as they're quite rare, are there any similar boats that would be good for trailer sailing i.e light weight and very shallow draft.

Tris

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[Peppermint]

They sail pretty well. They were designed for Mini Transat sailing in the 80's.

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[kimhollamby]

Hey, great

I wondered when one of these would surface on the forums.

My mum and dad bought one while I was still at home -- it was a positive racehorse after the Mayland Minstrel that we were sailing before.

It is as slippery as an eel, a bit of an overgrown performance sailing dinghy more than capable of embarrassing bigger yachts in lighter airs but you'll find yourself reefing earlier rather than later, otherwise you'll be viewing fish through the side perspex windows and not getting very far for your bravado. Despite most of ballast being in sole never felt unsafe out on water -- slightly dodgier on land when rigging mast which is tall and only has a claw arrangement at the foot, not a tabernacle type of fitting.

Accommodation idea fantastic for its size and outboard well in centre cockpit useful place to keep the motor, albeit a black hole for loose items.

Overall great fun and worth a look in my book, although wouldn't surprise me if it was looking a bit tired. The only one I have seen since we owned one way back (circa 1980s?) was in France, ashore and a sad stripped out shell.



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[mark_turner]

Dufour T7

Kim

From your comments and others we have received the T7 sounds like the boat we are looking for - IF we can find one we'll be really pleased.

When did you see the one in France? and where? Do you think it may be a viable restoration project?

Thanks

Jane and Mark Turner

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[kimhollamby]

Re: Dufour T7

Cherbourg, many moons ago (as in so long ago forget it, something must have happened to it by now).

There's not such a great deal to a T7 so you could probably wind up with a shell and do something with it, as long as the basic structure sound.

Quick nosey around suggests they are as rare as hens' teeth.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://ybw.yachtworld.com/core/uk/listing/cache/pl_search_results.jsp?sm=3&cit=true&ybw=true&slim=quick&is=&type=&man=T7>Click here</A> and then select the 'notify me' link to get email alerts in case any T7s turn up on our ybw-boats.com database.

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[goupil]

If it's your family dream boat have a look at www.annoncesbateau.com.
French site but there's an English version (click on Flag).
2 for sale from private owners, asking price from 8 400 €. The other one 8 500 € with an opportunity to bargain (a bit).
Unfortunately they are in France! Luckily both are in the same area,Charente Maritime (La Rochelle) on the Atlantic coast. Could be worth to have a look as they are certainly few of them in England.
Drive down there with a good trailer and bring one back home!
PM if you're really interested but in big trouble with French, I'll try to help.

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[ruthhobson]

Hi

If I remember rightly there was one at Preston Marina brokerage last year - very tired, looked like various DIY jobs had been bodged, lots of holes drilled for apparently no good reason and a very strange tiled mosiac/crazing paving thing going on in the galley area!!

After we looked at it we were asked for feedback - which we gave, then were asked if the price was dropped would we be interested, for us the answer was no, we felt it was too big a project for us.

I would be very surprised if it sold, especially at the price the owner wanted - it's not on their list now but it might be worth a call to Preston especially as they seem to be rare.

Ruth

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[mark_turner]

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. We have e-mailed each of the sellers in France and hopefully will get a reply - in any case we will be in France in August so will take a look then.

The one at Preston Marine has long since sold.



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[gfmullin]

Dufour T7

Hi, i am new to the group and living in the Middle East, I am currently looking at T7 which is located over here, just wondering if anybody has any advice on what to look for, ie areas of weakness ,,

 

[liaison]

I just acquired a T7 that made it across the pond to the U.S. I have been told that mine is the ONLY one in the U.S. Can that be true? If anyone knows, please advise. Thanks, Tom

 

[peterhull]

Hello Tom
This thread is a little old now but I would think yours is the only one. They are quite rare in Europe.

I have T6 trailer sailer. This model is slightly shorter 20 ft without the aft cabin. They a re well made boats with double skin but watch out for balsa core rot. If deck fitting leak it will send the balsa core rotten!!

Lovely boats to sail. I believe a T7 came 3rd in the mini transat some time ago sailed by a frenchman.

Regards

Peter

 

[doug748]

I saw one in Fowey when they were new.

Last month I think I spotted one again in Fowey, up the river in Wiseman's Reach. Could have been the same boat, maybe.

Not sure why I posted this but there it is.

 

[peterhull]

Ok , I went to see one for sale in Falmouth about 2 yrs ago, could have been the same one maybe.
Peter