Continuing the renewal of its range, Dufour presents the 44. Still the work of Felci Yacht Design, this monohull pushes even further the widening of the bow volumes, with a strongly marked chine throughout the hull. In terms of styling, the large, angular hull portholes point forward.
A very voluminous bow
Presented at the Boot in Düsseldorf without its keel, this yacht features a 2.20 m draft with a bulbous keel. On the scales, this nearly 14-m sailing yacht weighs in at 10.2 tons. While the bow is vertical, topped by a delphinière to keep the anchor out of the way, the surprising volume of the bow is a sign of the times and favors the living space inside the boat.
A cockpit with intelligent circulation
You climb aboard via a large tilting platform, offering a lovely bathing area. In the center of the transom sits the now-familiar plancha with its small sink, a Dufour trademark. Access to the cockpit is gained by lifting the helm seat and climbing 2 steps. The cockpit is vast on this boat, with its 4.45 m beam. It's easy to move around thanks to the 2 helm stations on each side. A fixed table in the center of the cockpit is a welcome addition when heeling over. This table also features a fridge compartment.
Access to the flybridge is just in front of the steering wheels. It's a smart move, as it doesn't interfere with the helmsman's access to the foredeck. These steps also serve as a rope locker for all the manoeuvres that come back in front of the helms, notably the mainsail and jib sheets. Once at anchor, a cushion can be fitted over this box, enlarging the saloon's seating area.
Overlapping or self-steering jib
As for the sail plan, Dufour announces a hundred square meters upwind, with a 53 m2 mainsail and 46 m2 genoa. As an option, a self-tacking jib can also be fitted, with its track on the deck forward of the mast. The mainsheet is of the German type, coming back on each edge, but the mainsheet traveler has disappeared in favor of a simpler, non-adjustable and undoubtedly much less expensive pantoire.
This Dufour 44 is equipped with a large sail locker at the bow. This is where you'll reach the anchor locker. Not very practical if the chain gets stuck...
WCs separate from shower rooms
In terms of layout, this Dufour 44 is available with 3 or 4 cabins. In the latter case, the large owner's cabin is divided into 2 double cabins, each with its own toilet. A special feature of this yacht is a shower cabin on the port side, separated from the toilet on the starboard side. It's a smart move, and provides ample space for both. The saloon features a large hexagonal table. You'll be able to find a seat on the bench alongside the planking, or on one of the three available footstools.
A kitchen cut in two
But the special feature of this layout is also the galley. You can choose a longitudinal galley along the starboard side, or the one presented to us for model number 1. In this case, the galley is smaller and, above all, divided in two: to port is the cleaning area with sink, while opposite is the cooking area with hob and oven. At least 4 m separate these two spaces. You can imagine how difficult it would be to drain your pasta if you had to cross from one side to the other with your pot of boiling water to reach the sink. Let's just say that everything's fine when you're in port, but it's going to be more perilous upwind at heel if the sea joins in...
Electric motor available
The base price of the Dufour 44 is ?297,000 excluding VAT. But with a long list of options, the model we visited was priced at ?450,155 ex VAT. It has to be said that the boat was extensively optioned, with a splendid teak deck, electric winches everywhere and numerous other options.
These include a 60 hp engine, 50 hp as standard. An electric solution is also available, with a 27 kW motor and a 27 kWh or 32 kWh lithium battery pack, complemented by an 11 kW generator. A hydrogeneration solution is even proposed. Unfortunately, there is no indication of range to complete this inventory. We'll know a little more when we test this new model.
