Design and Construction
Michel Dufour's 35-footer is a solid-fiberglass hull with a balsa-cored deck, a combination the original review describes as among the first fiberglass composites built with particularly generous laminate thicknesses by modern standards anchor. The balsa sandwich in the superstructure lightens the topsides while keeping weight low, which the same source credits with improving righting torque. Below, a fin encapsulated keel carries roughly 2.6 tons of ballast against a total displacement near 6,300 kg, and the rudder hangs from a skeg with a long, deep blade of small surface area. With a beam stretching past 11 feet, the hull form reads as a stable, voluminous cruiser rather than a lithe racer.
Rig and Handling
The Dufour 35 is masthead sloop rigged, carrying a 25-square-meter mainsail and a medium genoa of 49 square meters, with a heavy-air genoa at 43 and a storm jib of 7.5 square meters for reduced conditions. A second forestay at the bow allows yanks, foresails, and storm jibs to be rigged forward, giving the boat practical options when the weather builds. The original review calls her an affectionate upwind boat and notes she excels in medium and sustained winds, fully revealing her qualities once true wind speed passes 12 to 15 knots. Past 20 knots, properly reefed and with the correct headsail, she glides powerfully while staying soft at the helm, and the source sums her up as a safe, extremely seaworthy craft able to offer comfort in demanding seas.
Accommodations
Inside, the Dufour 35 is listed with a single cabin and one head, yet the same authority states she can accommodate up to eight or nine people and provides around 1.9 meters of headroom. The review characterizes her as a particularly marine boat with surprisingly abundant and comfortable volumes, a description that fits a design trading private cabin count for open, sociable interior space. Her original fresh water capacity of 300 liters and 130 liters of fuel support extended cruising for a crew of that size.
Equipment and Propulsion
The original motorization is a Volvo Penta MD2B of 25 horsepower, a modest figure against 6,300 kg of displacement but consistent with a boat whose sailing performance, not engine speed, was the design priority. The 130-liter fuel tank and 300-liter water tank round out the self-sufficient cruising envelope implied by the accommodation and seaworthiness claims.
The Verdict
The Dufour 35 is a product of its time: heavily built, beamy, and quietly capable offshore, with a rig that rewards experienced sail handling in strong winds. She is not a light-air performer by modern standards, but her volumes, seaworthiness, and encapsulated keel make her a credible long-distance cruiser for those who value substance over sparkle.
Pros
- Generous hull laminate thickness and balsa-cored deck for stiffness and righting torque
- Encapsulated fin keel with ~2.6 tons ballast on a 6,300 kg displacement
- Seaworthy, soft-helming behavior in sustained and strong winds
- Abundant interior volume with ~1.9 m headroom and berths for up to 9
Cons
- Modest 25 hp Volvo MD2B against heavy displacement
- Single-cabin layout despite high berth count
- Realizes her sailing qualities only above 12–15 knots TWS
