The number of bedrooms is usually the first line of enquiry for people looking to buy a house. It helps to categorise and price a property. So it stands to reason it can be no different for many when buying a yacht.
Yet surely we know what to expect from a 40ft production monohull these days. It’ll either have a two- or three-cabin layout with one or two heads, depending on how social you feel, right? Not any longer, not with the arrival of this Dufour.
Ever since the Beneteau Group shook things up when it brought out its new generation of Sun Odyssey and Oceanis hulls back in 2017, which use the full bow shapes employed by offshore racing designs to create extra volume, we have seen internal volume continue to swell. Bavaria and other mainstream yards have followed suit, using the trickery of naval architecture to minimise wetted surface while maximising space below decks.
None has managed to do so enough, however, to alter layouts and cabin numbers significantly for this mainstay 40ft size... until now. The new Dufour 41 is the only boat in this class to offer four cabins, including two forward cabins with proper double beds. It’s also offered as a three-cabin boat with up to three heads, so you can start to imagine just how much volume it has in its forward ends.
It’s always interesting how yards choose to promote their yachts. ‘Pushes the limits for ever more space’ are the first words of the brochure. After all, space is the prime reason why the multihull market and Dufour’s sister company Fountaine Pajot has burgeoned in recent years. It’s clear from the outset that this is a yacht that’s all about volume, deck space and natural light below.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Yachting World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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NIKKI HENDERSON
WHERE DO YOU FIND HANDY BILLY WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
MATTHEW SHEAHAN
IS OLYMPIC SAILING ACTUALLY HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS A SHOWCASE OF THE SPORT FOR BOTH COMPETITORS AND SPECTATORS?
Building fleet for Baltic Sea Race
The second edition of the Roschier Baltic Sea Race, a 635-mile race out of Helsinki, Norway, saw varied conditions and a new benchmark course time set.
New cruising charter 'Odyssey'
Charter company Dream Yacht has launched a new round the world supported cruising programme for yacht owners which draws on the company's extensive network of charter bases.
Mixed fortunes at Marseille
The Paris 2024 sailing regatta saw mixed fortunes for many favourites - some confirming their dominance, others crashing out as variable winds played havoc.
The yacht Bayesian
Bayesian is one of Italian yard Perini Navi's 56m series, originally named Salute.
Seven dead in superyacht sinking
Seven people are dead following the sinking of the superyacht Bayesian, a 56m/184ft British-flagged Perini Navi, off the coast of Sicily.
5 EXPERT TIPS HELENA DARVELID ON MULTIHULL CONTROL
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SWAN 88 DREAMCATCHER
GLOBAL LEADERS AT THE SEMI-CUSTOM END OF THE PRODUCTION SCENE, NAUTOR SWAN INVITED US FOR THE FIRST SEA TRIALS OF ITS BIG NEW 88