The La Rochelle yard has merged its Performance and Grand Large ranges to create this striking new Dufour 530 – a modern, beamy yacht offered in multiple guises, layouts and prices. Toby takes you around the first boat, presented at Dusseldorf Boat ShowThe first Dufour since the company\u2019s merger with Fountaine-Pajot was launched alongside re-branding to focus the range at a younger and more active audience. This also repositions the Dufour range in a more premium part of the market in which quality finishes and good performance are important.
\nFirst impressions are of a big and well-appointed boat with excellent accommodation at an attractive price. The interior is accessed via a wide and easy companionway with a minimal bridgedeck, so it doesn\u2019t feel as cut off from the outside as on many monohulls with a space-efficient interior layout.
\nThis model is offered with up to six cabins (plus optional skipper\u2019s quarters forward) for the charter market. However, the show boat had a more typical and commendably spacious three-cabin\/three-head owner\u2019s layout. This includes a large full-width galley at the forward end of the saloon.
\nThe Felci-designed hull has a long, soft chine aft and conventionally shaped bow sections, rather than the wide flare above the waterline forward seen in some recent French designs. On deck there are three distinct versions, including a very pared down Easy model and high spec Performance package with cockpit mainsheet traveller and optional carbon rig.
\nThe boat on display at the D\u00fcsseldorf show was the Ocean version, intended to appeal to the bulk of private owners, with a coachroof traveller, sheets led aft to the helm stations and halyards handled at the companionway.
\nThe intention is to build some 60-70 boats in the first 12 months, with the Dufour 530 followed by two further new models in the next 18 months. The first of these will be a 61-footer, scheduled for launch at this year\u2019s Paris boat show.
\nSpecification
\nLOA: 53ft 7in (16.35m)LWL:\u00a050ft 10in (15.5m)Beam: 16ft 4in (4.99m)Draught: 6ft 5in, 7ft 6in or 9ft 2in (1.95m, 2.30m or 2.80m)Displacement: 17,774kg (39,200lb)Base price: \u20ac300,700 (ex. VAT)
\nThe post Dufour 530 yacht tour: This new model boasts volume and versatility in spades appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The La Rochelle yard has merged its Performance and Grand Large ranges to create this striking new Dufour 530 – a modern, beamy yacht offered in multiple guises, layouts and prices. Toby takes you around the first boat, presented at … <\/p>\n