Design and Construction
The 360 has a hull length of just over 32 feet and an overall length of 35 feet 2 inches. Her 11 foot 7 inch beam and 12,732 pound displacement help create the generous volume below. She carries 3,417 pounds of iron ballast, for a ballast ratio of 26.8 percent, and has a displacement-length ratio near 218.
Felci Yacht Design shaped the 360 with a plumb transom that maximizes cockpit and stern seating without extending the hull. Dufour and the designer used this solution to make the most of the boat’s modest LOA.
As with all Dufour hulls under 50 feet, the hull is solid fiberglass. A one-piece structural grid is chemically fused and tabbed into high-load zones. The two-part mold creates an inward-facing hull-to-deck flange for a secure joint.
The boat has a bulb keel, a spade rudder, and a 29 foot 8 inch waterline. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 19—enough to keep her lively in a breeze without requiring a racing crew.
Rig and Handling
The rig is a fractional sloop without a backstay, made possible by swept-back twin spreaders and stays anchored to the sheer. A double-ended mainsheet runs to the primary winches just forward of the twin wheels. Halyards, vang, and reef lines lead aft under the coachroof, allowing the helm to manage sail changes without leaving the cockpit.
Headsail choices include a self-tacking jib or a 107-percent overlapping genoa. Lines led aft adjust the fairleads, and an optional sprit carries off-wind sails.
Testers found the 360 delightfully easy to sail. The lack of a mainsheet track simplifies the routine, even if a purist may miss it. Under power, the deep single rudder catches plenty of propwash, making the boat easier to handle in tight spaces. She also backed beautifully in both directions.
Performance Under Sail and Power
In about 4 knots of true wind, the test crew recorded just over 2 knots closehauled and roughly 2.5 knots on a reach. That’s modest but respectable performance for a light-air coastal hull.
The standard engine is an 18 horsepower diesel, although the evaluated boat carried an upgraded 29 horsepower Volvo. In calm conditions, she made 6 knots at cruising rpm and 6.8 knots wide open. That power margin, combined with the saildrive transmission, gives a comfortable buffer for docking and adverse currents.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
The cockpit is large, with a long seat spanning the stern. Twin wheels give the helmsman several seating options.
At the dock, the starboard side of the stern seat folds up and out of the way. The port side opens to reveal a sink, propane locker, stainless grill, and life-raft locker. It’s a wet-bar arrangement well suited to a summer cruiser making short hops between ports.
The two-cabin version also has a large cockpit locker for deck stowage. A swim platform with built-in amenities extends the living space aft.
Accommodations
Reviewers strongly praised the two-cabin interior for its use of space and light. Forward, the V-berth feels roomy and has double doors that open wide, an overhead opening hatch, and a forward-facing portlight where the cabin top meets the foredeck.
The second cabin is aft to port. It offers considerable headroom, a large hanging locker, and a bunk sized for two adults or several small children. Opposite is a large head and shower. Storage behind it is accessible from the cockpit above, a practical feature for passage provisioning.
In the saloon, a large centerline drop-leaf table sits between two settees long enough to serve as sea berths. A full-size navigation station is to starboard, with an L-shaped galley opposite, leaving both working areas generous.
A three-cabin version is also available, but it reduces the navigation station and cuts into the starboard settee. Reviewers noted that the starboard aft cabin in this layout lacks enough legroom for adults.
Known Issues and Ownership Notes
On the evaluated boat, access to the primary fuel filter was difficult. Testers noted, however, that it could be relocated without major surgery.
The three-cabin version’s starboard aft cabin remains the main complaint about the accommodations for adult use. Otherwise, the 360 was received as an improvement over the Dufour 350, particularly around the helm, and as a straightforward boat to own and operate.
The Verdict
The Dufour 360 Grand Large is a thoughtfully packaged coastal cruiser that trades outright speed for space, simplicity, and a bright, sociable interior. Her compact hull contains remarkable volume, while the deck arrangement is genuinely tailored to warm-weather anchoring and short hops.
Pros
- Plumb transom and 11 foot 7 inch beam provide unusually generous cabin and cockpit volume for a 35-foot boat
- Twin-wheel cockpit with folding and opening stern seats and an integrated wet bar
- Two-cabin layout praised for its light, headroom, and practical cockpit-accessed storage
- Easy-handling rig with all lines led aft and no mainsheet track to manage
- Strong handling under power, with a deep rudder and clean reversing manners
Cons
- Modest light-air performance, with just over 2 knots recorded in 4 knots of wind
- Three-cabin version reduces the navigation station and limits legroom in the starboard aft cabin
- Difficult access to the primary fuel filter as delivered
