Dufour 28 (2800)
Description
The Dufour 28 (also named the Dufour 2800) is a French sailboat designed by Michel Dufour as an early fiberglass coastal cruiser-racer, emphasizing simplicity, seaworthiness, and value for day sailing, weekend overnights, and club racing on lakes or protected waters. It features a monohull with a long keel and spade rudder for stable handling and upwind pointing, a narrow beam for agility, and a masthead sloop rig for straightforward sail management in moderate winds. The design prioritizes a heavy displacement/length ratio for a comfortable, forgiving ride, with a moderate ballast ratio for stiffness in gusts. Introduced in 1966 by Dufour Yachts in La Rochelle, France, the Dufour 28 was one of the builder's first mass-produced fiberglass models, marking Michel Dufour's pioneering shift from wood to GRP during the 1960s fiberglass revolution. Production ran until 1972, with approximately 150 units built, establishing Dufour's reputation for affordable, high-quality cruisers inspired by offshore racing trends. It was succeeded by the larger Dufour 30, but the 28 remains a vintage favorite for its robust build and classic lines.
Construction Details
| Designer | Michel Dufour |
|---|---|
| Builder | Dufour Yachts |
| Length | 28.000 ft |
| LOA | 28.000 ft |
| LWL | 21.670 ft |
| Beam | 8.500 ft |
| Displacement | 6173 lb |
| Ballast | 2535 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.920 ft |
| Year Built | 1966 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 37.42 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 11.50 ft |
| p | 31.50 ft |
| e | 10 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.42 ft | 11.50 ft | 31.50 ft | 10 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Dufour 28 (2800) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 31.5 ft - (9601 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.51 ft - (9909 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 32.71 ft - (9970 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 162.57 ft² |
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Dufour 28 (2800) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 31.32 ft - (9546 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.13 ft - (4612 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.37 ft - (8342 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.96 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.22 ft - (4029 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 207.05 ft² |
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Dufour 28 (2800) - GENOA
| Luff | * 37.19 ft - (11336 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 18.49 ft - (5636 mm) |
| Leech | * 35.07 ft - (10689 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.25 ft - (5258 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 320.77 ft² |
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Dufour 28 (2800) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 37.19 ft - (11336 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 18.97 ft - (5782 mm) |
| Leech | * 34.21 ft - (10427 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 529 ft² |
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Dufour 28 (2800) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 37.19 ft - (11336 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 20.7 ft - (6309 mm) |
| Foot | * 20.7 ft - (6309 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 654 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.