Dufour 44: Yacht Review After Premiere in Cannes

The Dufour 44 has been a very promising model since its announcement. So far Dufour 41 continued the ideas laid down in the shipyard's previous models, the Dufour 44 was already different from the other yachts in the line at the stage of renderings and early shows. And now, almost 10 months after the announcement and world premiere in Cannes, it has finally become possible to talk about the new product in detail within the framework of a large text review.

Spoiler: the new 44 is a great and versatile boat for cruising in any conditions. At the same time, it keeps up with the times and is much better suited to the current era of yachting than its predecessors. But first things first!

New design and new vision

Yachts from the Dufour shipyard are traditionally associated with cruises and family trips. The shipyard's architects and designers have always managed to find a competent balance between performance characteristics and interior volumes. For this, Dufour has become a favorite among yachtsmen, especially those who like to cruise in a large company.

In the case of the Dufour 44, the shipyard seems to have decided not to follow the beaten path. After the very successful 41st model, it would be really sad to just release a larger version and stick the “New Boat” label on it. The shipyard’s designers and marketers sat down, thought about it, and decided – changes are needed!

In the case of the performance and the deck layout, everything is basically clear: it works, and it is better not to change what works properly. And if you change it, then do it selectively and carefully. That was the decision. The situation with the interior turned out to be completely opposite. Alas, we do not have the transcripts of the shipyard's marketers' conversations, but judging by the fact that the interior was done by Ardizio Design, Dufour Yachts really wanted changes. 

Dufour 44 was the first joint project between Dufour Yachts and the design studio Ardizio Design. In real life, the interior looks unusual – but only for the first ten minutes. Luca Ardizio’s design is indeed different from previous Dufour interiors, but there is something catchy about this idea…

Driving performance of Dufour 44

The Dufour 44 hull was designed under the direction of Umberto Felci. Following all modern yacht building trends, Dufour Yachts made the hull of the 44 model wide enough for greater stability. At the same time, the deck turned out to be relatively compact. As a result, the hull has a small width along the waterline, which improves performance in light winds.

The Dufour 44 has a single rudder (i.e. a rudder with one blade). According to Felchi's research, such a rudder is quite sufficient for a 13-meter boat with a full sail and winds over 25 knots. The use of a double rudder in this case was considered excessive. 

Due to the width of the hull, the yacht is well felt both in strong and in light wind. Dufour 44 has high responsiveness of control despite the impressive displacement of 10 tons. Even with a strong heel and wind, the boat remains controllable, it does not drift and there are no problems with the rudder or sails.

Deck structure of Dufour 44

Let's start from the stern. The Dufour 44 has two steering posts, which are located almost at the water's edge. This arrangement is extremely convenient - the skipper has a wide field of view with a minimum of "blind spots". The yacht can be steered standing or sitting on folding benches. Behind these benches there is a full-fledged transom bathing platform. 

With the transom platform lowered, the central seat between the helm stations transforms into a small but fully functional galley with a flick of the wrist. Just below, in a recess at foot level, there is space for life-saving equipment.

Behind the helm, closer to the midship, there is a spacious cockpit. In the center of the cockpit there is a folding table and two long benches with cushions on the left and right sides. The cockpit has enough space for gatherings with the whole crew and other social activities on board the yacht.

Different versions of the Dufour 44 boat

As before, the Dufour Yachts shipyard offers several versions of its yachts in addition to interior layouts. The yacht versions differ in their equipment, primarily in sailing and running equipment.

There are three versions of Dufour 44:

• Easy – a simplified version for cruising with minimal effort.
• Ocean – standard version with six winches, possibility to install an asymmetric spinnaker.
• Performance – sports version with classic sail rig, longer boom. 

More precise characteristics of different versions will be known in time. However, it can already be said that the vast majority of Dufour 44 in the Easy version will go to charter companies, and Ocean will be mainly bought by cruisers. Two keel options are also available: standard and shallow-water.

Interior of Dufour 44

Finally, we get to the highlight of this boat and the “something catchy” in the interior design. So, the interior, as usual at Dufour, is full of natural light due to large skylights. This is especially noticeable in the saloon, where there are both skylights on the roof of the wheelhouse and windows on the sides. The central element that attracts the eye and all the attention is the large hexagonal table on the port side, surrounded by a sofa and small ottomans.

On the starboard side there is a galley and another sofa that transforms into a berth. In the bow there is a large master cabin. Handrails and supports are an important aspect of safety on board a yacht, but each yachtsman has his own vision of the ideal interior - so Dufour Yachts left the installation of handrails inside the boat to the discretion of the owner and dealers. If you need additional handrails, supports or supports, the Interparus team is ready to help you choose and install them.

A noticeable improvement over the shipyard's previous models was the increase in the volume of lockers and cabinets. It cannot be said that there was little storage space before, but any yachtsman knows that there is no such thing as an extra locker, cabinet or niche on board a yacht. In the case of the Dufour 44, the ergonomics of the storage spaces and the organization of the interior space were rather brought to mind.

In general, the interior is different from what we have seen on other models of the shipyard. The spirit of Dufour is preserved and is clearly visible in every detail, but the design idea of Luca Ardizio has brought changes to the overall style. The ubiquitous soft lines of furniture and lockers have been replaced by slightly pointed elements - the same table, angular galley, doors to the master cabin. The changes are minimal, but enough to confidently say: "And the interior has changed!"

The aft cabins are two aft cabins. In any of the four layouts, the two double cabins aft remain unchanged. But what do the other layouts have to offer?

Layouts and galley on Dufour 44

In total, the owner is offered four layout options to choose from. Globally, there are two layouts, but the changes to the galley are structurally serious enough to be considered separate versions. So, the following layouts are available:

• 3 cabins + 2 bathrooms + short galley – one forward cabin, two aft cabins, separate bathroom in the master cabin.
• 4 cabins + 3 bathrooms + short galley – two forward cabins, two aft.
• 3 cabins + 2 bathrooms + long galley – one forward cabin, two aft cabins, separate bathroom in the master cabin.
• 4 cabins + 3 bathrooms + long galley – two forward cabins, two aft.

Short galley

What are these mysterious galley versions? The Dufour 44 has two galley versions: longitudinal, along the entire starboard side, and short or "bow". If you choose the short galley, there is space for a sofa on the starboard side, and part of the work surface is moved to the port side. Otherwise, there will only be a galley on the starboard side.

Features of Dufour 44

Many reviewers from various publications were puzzled by the absence of a skipper's table - there was simply no room for it. Yes, you can sit down with maps and a radio on that very hexagonal table, but what to do with a hungry crew that does not want to plot a route, but wants to eat warm soup? This, frankly, miscalculation of the designer was noticed and noted by many yachtsmen. 

View from the left side. Opposite is the very same sofa

To be fair, we should note that in the version with a short galley, there is a small folding table in front of the sofa on the port side, but it is difficult to call it a full-fledged chart table. At best, it is just a stand for drinks, a phone or a small laptop with a diagonal of 13ʼʼ.

Another interesting issue is the functionality of the short galley. The longitudinal galley is really good, it offers a lot of space not only for work but also for storage. The short galley is too short. The sofa available in this version is functional and comfortable. 

The interior design itself has really changed. It is worth noting that for the better, because due to the well-thought-out lighting, abundance of natural light, pleasant warm shades and stylish furniture, the interior has been transformed and has become even more reminiscent of a cozy apartment or house. The doors leading to the master cabin even refer to some futuristic motifs. However, the functionality of the short galley remains questionable.

conclusions

Dufour 44 has coped with its main task – it has brought changes to the model range. It differs from its predecessors and for this alone you want to study it closer. If the deck still remains without any special changes, then the interior was able to surprise. Yes, the question of the chart table and short galley remains open, but there is something to add here too. 

As Rupert Holmes of Yachting World rightly noted in his review of this yacht, “Times have changed.” Cruising today is not what it was 50 years ago, and it’s not just the internet. Yachts are much faster, and cruises themselves are shorter. A longitudinal galley really is preferable if you’re at sea all the time. 

But in today's reality, this will most likely only be done by owners of Performance versions who will set off to conquer the Atlantic. The vast majority of cruisers will go on Easy or Ocean versions with regular calls at ports or marinas. At calm anchorages, pitching is not a problem, so you can cook in a smaller area. The lack of a navigation table in the conditions of short cruises also does not seem like a big problem.

Dufour 44 was able to bring novelty to the model range. How exactly will this affect the shipyard's future yachts? We will see with time. In the meantime, I would like to note the running characteristics, which have become even better in Dufour 44, the volume of the interior spaces, the ergonomics and functionality of the storage spaces in the saloon, convenient steering posts, reliable winches and the presence of a full-fledged galley at the stern.

Characteristics of Dufour 44

You can find out more about the Dufour 44 sailing yacht at this link.

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10.10.2024