Dufour 365 Grand Large

Description

The Dufour 365 Grand Large is a French sailboat designed by Umberto Felci as a performance-oriented coastal cruiser, suitable for family weekend sailing, club racing, and short offshore passages on lakes or protected waters. It features a fiberglass monohull with a fin keel (bulb optional) and spade rudder for responsive upwind handling, a wide beam for stability, and a fractional sloop rig for dynamic sail trim and excellent light-air performance. The design emphasizes lightweight construction for agility, a moderate displacement/length ratio for quick acceleration, and a high ballast ratio for stiffness in gusts, with a comfort ratio classifying it as a capable coastal cruiser. Introduced in 2004 by Dufour Yachts in La Rochelle, France, the Dufour 365 Grand Large was an early entry in the builder's Grand Large series, marking a shift toward modern, Felci-designed hulls with Italian-inspired aesthetics during the mid-2000s cruiser-racer resurgence. Conceived as a compact 35-footer blending speed with practicality, it evolved from Dufour's collaboration with Felci on models like the 36, targeting shorthanded couples or small families. Production ran until 2008, with approximately 150 units built, before being succeeded by the Dufour 385. Contemporary reviews, such as those in Yacht magazine, praised its "unconventional large-series build" with CE Category A ocean rating, noting its lively yet forgiving nature ("a solid performer with innovative deck solutions").