FIRST TEST DUFOUR 48

Can a boat this big and muscular be fun and even nimble to sail as well as comfortable to live aboard? Theo Stocker went to find out

- WORDS: Theo Stocker PICTURES: Joe McCarthy

Dufour seems to introduce new models at a blisteringly fast pace.

The truth is, each mould they build will last for about 300 hulls built, after which it’s worn out and they have to make a new one. When they do that, they may as well make it a new shape that’s bang up to date. This suggests Dufour yachts are selling like hotcakes, and whatever they're doing is working. Indeed, Dufour’s UK dealers Universal Yachting were one of the few companies feeling genuinely sunny after what was, for them, a highly successful Southampton Boat Show 2025, where the new 48 was given its world premier.

At the grand old age of five the Dufour 470 was due to be replaced; enter the 48. Beamier, longer, more sail area, more muscular chines positively rippling under the gelcoat and flashy windows adorning every curve. Umberto Felci’s concept is the same, just on steroids - 30cm longer, 11cm wider, and 10m² more canvas. The bow is even fuller, though the chines keep the waterline narrower and a deeper, more rounded forefoot aims to make her more forgiving at sea. The topsides are higher, the cockpit more spacious, and the interior more voluminous with more headroom, more windows, more light and more ventilation. The changes may be subtle, but the concept is being pushed to extremes.

Far from being an extreme machine, however, the Dufour 48 is all about fun, engaging and rewarding sailing without being demanding to handle, while comfort on deck and down below, both at sea and in harbour, remains paramount. This isn’t a stripped-out racer, or even a performance cruiser, but she is intended to sail in the high single figures without really trying. Nor is she made for hardcore offshore work, high latitudes or other crazy adventures, though the hull is perfectly capable of taking you across the Atlantic if that’s what you wanted to do.