Design and Construction
Dufour built the 365 Grand Large around a solid-fiberglass hull created by resin infusion, where the resin is drawn into dry fibers under negative pressure, while the deck was injection-molded with resin pressed and sucked into the glass. Foam serves as the sandwich core, and the hull and deck are joined by gluing and screwing; the bulkheads are laminated directly onto the structure. The builder used iso-resins throughout for the injection and infusion work. This is consistent with the marque’s practice at the time of building sub-50-foot hulls in solid fiberglass, though the 365’s specific infusion-and-injection foam-sandwich approach is what the period test recorded. The result is a 5.7-tonne cruiser with a 1.5-tonne ballast at 26% that YACHT placed among the well-built in its class anchor, and its beam is five centimetres wider than a same-era Bavaria 36 anchor.
Rig and Handling
The 365 carries a fractional sloop rig with shrouds set inboard of the deck edges, which keeps the side decks clear and allows tighter sheeting angles. A 2005 sea trial off La Rochelle certified the new yacht with very good speed and decent height, and at around 4 Beaufort she cruised at 7 knots with turning angles near 90 degrees. The 29-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel was judged completely sufficient for a boat of this weight. A sail-carrying capacity figure of 4.4 rounded out the picture of a yacht that balanced cruising comfort with a lively turn of speed on the wind.
Accommodations
Below, the Dufour favors a longitudinal pantry to port, a layout more often seen on larger yachts, and a forward berth offset to starboard rather than centered. That forward berth is only 1.35 metres wide, a dimension the test noted plainly. Aft, the single-cabin version gives a spacious double at 1.95 by 1.60 metres; specify two aft cabins and the berth width shrinks to 1.40 metres. The offset forward arrangement and the linear galley reflect the Grand Large brief of a comfortable cruising interior rather than a charter-pack layout, though the narrower forward bunk is the trade for the dressing space alongside it.
Known Issues
One factory limitation stands out: the 365 could not be ordered with a rubbing strake, not even as extra-cost equipment. A buyer or owner should therefore expect the hull topsides to lack that defensive strip unless one has been retrofitted by a prior owner, and inspect the gelcoat accordingly.
Refits and Ownership
The infusion and injection construction with iso-resins and laminated bulkheads means a stiff, moisture-resistant structure that has aged well across the over-400-unit series. The absence of a rubbing strake from the original spec is the main item an owner will want to address cosmetically or through careful dock handling. The 29-horsepower Volvo Penta remains a straightforward diesel to service, and the inboard shrouds mean side-deck hardware stays minimal.
The Verdict
The Dufour 365 Grand Large is a Felci-styled cruiser with a genuinely elegant hull and a practical, beamy interior that trades a narrow forward berth for a usable pantry and clear side decks. Its infusion-built hull and glued-and-screwed deck joint reflect a serious construction standard, and the 2005 trial confirmed real performance. The missing rubbing strake is the one factory oversight a careful owner must plan around.
Pros
- Elegant Felci lines with a 3.65-metre beam anchor
- Infusion hull and injection deck with foam sandwich and laminated bulkheads anchor
- Inboard shrouds for clear side decks and tight sheeting anchor
- Certified very good speed and decent height in the 2005 trial anchor
- Spacious aft berth in the single-cabin version at 1.95 by 1.60 metres anchor
Cons
- Forward berth only 1.35 metres wide anchor
- No rubbing strake available even as extra equipment anchor
- Two aft cabins reduce berth width to 1.40 metres anchor
