Dufour 31 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Dufour 31 means looking at a 1973-onwards cruiser-racer of which more than 900 were built, with a solid fiberglass hull and deck, iron ballast, and a Volvo Penta diesel. She is a 30ft 10in boat with a clipper bow and an amidships heads, and her clean defect profile suits a vintage 30-footer. The guidance below focuses on what a buyer can verify at the viewing rather than market noise.
Layouts on the Used Market
Charter four-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available; ex-charter examples are common. The standard boat carries a spacious six-berth interior with a quarterberth and dinette double, a good-size galley and chart table, and 6ft 3in headroom. Ex-charter four-cabin versions trade some saloon openness for additional private sleeping spaces, so a buyer should decide between the original cruiser layout and the higher-density charter plan before viewing.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
An autopilot is commonly fitted, reflecting her role as a short-handed cruiser. Often-seen additions include a watermaker, heating, solar panels, a spinnaker, a freezer, teak decks, a chartplotter, and an EPIRB. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are power and energy — solar and autopilot reduce at-anchor generator dependence — and safety and navigation — chartplotter, EPIRB, and spinnaker gear extend her range. Teak decks and a freezer are comfort upgrades that signal a well-equipped cruising example rather than a bare boat.
What to Inspect
The Dufour 31 is a sound structural platform with no chronic faults, so a buyer's inspection is confirmation rather than fault-hunting. Verify the solid fiberglass hull and deck are free of impact damage, confirm the iron ballast remains bonded and untrapped, and check the Volvo Penta MD7A/MD2B for normal wear. Age varies widely across the long build run, so date the specific hull by its documentation.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across France, the United States, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom. For a viewing, keep a short list:
- Confirm hull and deck are solid fiberglass with no impact damage.
- Check iron ballast bonding and keel joint for corrosion or movement.
- Inspect the Volvo Penta diesel for wear and service history.
- Verify the layout matches your plan — original cruiser or ex-charter four-cabin.
- Test autopilot, solar, and chartplotter if fitted as expected equipment.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Dufour 31. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 9 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $20,393 | — |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $21,267 | +4.3% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $11,958 | -43.8% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $29,017 | +142.7% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $23,307 | -19.7% |
| Jan 26 | 7 | $31,000 | +33.0% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $17,364 | -44.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $16,996 | -2.1% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $15,000 | -11.7% |
Where they're listed
Dufour 31 listings appear across 10 countries. France has the most listings with 5 (26.3%), followed by United States and Germany.
Country view
19 listings · 10 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | $23,295 | 5 | 0 | 26.3% |
| United States | $31,000 | 3 | 1 | 15.8% |
| Germany | $28,259 | 2 | 0 | 10.5% |
| United Kingdom | $14,477 | 2 | 0 | 10.5% |
| Netherlands | $17,926 | 2 | 0 | 10.5% |
| Belgium | $11,653 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
| Switzerland | $31,040 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
| Spain | $20,393 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
| Lithuania | $17,364 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
| Portugal | $22,141 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody 31 Mk I | 30.75' | $ 27,181 | 28 | 3 |
| Dufour 35 | 35.25' | $ 30,000 | 26 | 1 |
| Dufour 31You are here | — | $ 21,868 | 19 | 1 |
| CAL 31 | 31.5' | $ 10,500 | 16 | 4 |
| Jeanneau Sun Sun Odyssey 31 | 30.51' | $ 32,045 | 16 | 6 |
| Elan Boats 31 | 30.84' | $ 48,870 | 15 | 5 |