Dufour 27

[IDreamOfFiji]

ok i am gonna be purchasing a 27 ft Dufour for my first live aboard sail boat...It has a vovle engine not working but can be fixed...Can anyone tell me if about Dufour if they are good in the water and for far distances......

[barnakiel]

Nearly anything 27' is a small house (read too small).

In one place you ask about a live aboard at another about far distances, PLS say which of the two is your planned use.

b.

[IDreamOfFiji]

i will be living aboard this sailboat and traveling great distances i plan on stay on this boat for a few years until i fins something bigger in my travels. Thanks for the reply..

[callmecrazy]

You will do fine on your dufour 27. I can't comment on their sailing abilities butI'm sure it will suit your needs. It's not a sporty boat, but it should point fairly well and be able to get out of its own way... Nothing wrong with living on or sailing long distances in a 27 footer, don't listen to 'them'. Those dufours were built to be coastal cruisers but they have a good reputation for build quality and ruggedness... You'll still need to go over everything and figure out what needs beefed up and what needs backed up...

good luck.

[barnakiel]

OK, now I see.

Anything 27' is a small house (too small a house). It will be tight, probably too tight in the long (beyond 6 months) run. Unless you are like me and you will go camping in a tent for like 8 years.

If long voyages are your target, then I would suggest that prior to choosing the boat for the job you have a good look at some boats of the same length that have more classic hull design (deeper hull, longer keel, more substantial steering arrangements).

I think a Dufour of this size would be limiting in a couple of ways: - you will not be able to carry substantial supplies, you will not be able to carry sufficient amount of water, nor sufficient amt of personal belongings (unlike food and water, the belongings tend to accumulate over time).

Also, all other things equal, a classic hull may be easier to manage in heavy weather (heavy weather in such a small boat starts relatively early).

In the 27' range I would have a look at boats like:
- Vancouver,
- Southern Cross,
- Contessa,
- Laurin,
- etc..

Not to say that a Dufour is a bad boat. If this is what your heart desires, that's probably what you will get anyway in the end. But it makes sense to consider alternatives, if only to make sure they are not what you want ;-)

Our own boat is 26, so if you are dead serious about your dream we are always willing to share our own bad experiences.

b.

[NorthPacific]

I have a Dufour 35. 1984 They classed this as a fast blue water passage maker. Fast when wind blows and very good in a seaway. Build is strong and many are still cruising around the globe. Considered small now, but then it was the going size.

The 30ft Dufour is also often used as an off shore boat. Their is a Brit Dufours associatoon that has plenty of members and free advice.

Good luck