Design and Construction
Dufour builds the 37 at its Périgny headquarters near La Rochelle. Both the hull and deck are formed by vacuum infusion. The hull incorporates a foam core above the waterline, while the deck is injected with closed-cell foam. A moulded upstand forms part of the hull-to-deck joint and creates flat-topped bulwarks.
The builder’s forward-widened hull provides exceptional volume for a yacht of this size, particularly in the owner’s cabin. The 12-foot-6-inch beam produces a 3-to-1 length-beam ratio. A full-length chine just above the waterline, a plumb bow, and an integrated bowsprit give the boat the purposeful profile of a current-generation cruiser.
The keel carries a substantial ballast bulb for stiffness and stability. The reported ballast ratio is 27.6 percent against a displacement of 14,874 pounds.
Rig, Deck Layout, and Sailing Performance
The standard rig is a fractional sloop with a traditional full-battened mainsail rather than a furling main. A bridle replaces a mainsheet traveler. The standard headsail is a self-tacking jib, although a 108 percent headsail is available as an upgrade. Instead of cars and tracks, it sheets through low-friction rings on barber-haulers.
Lines from the mast run aft beneath deck mouldings. Standard hardware is limited to two Lewmar 40 winches on the coachroof. Dufour offers three performance packages—Easy, with the self-tacking jib; Ocean; and Performance—with upgraded winches and hardware as the tiers rise. The Performance package also adds a deeper fin and adjustable backstays.
Twin wheels control a single rudder. In 12 to 14 knots on Chesapeake Bay, test sailors writing for a sailing magazine found the Dufour 37 quick and easy to steer upwind. During a separate Solent trial in 16 to 20 knots, another publication noted negligible weather helm on a reach. It also reported that the hull punched through steeper waves while throwing little spray back at the crew.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The cockpit is spacious and fluid, with an exterior galley and aft “plancha” grill extending shared moments facing the sea.
Below, natural light, pale wood finishes, and durable materials shape the interior. The forward cabin has a true central island bed, while a coachroof window provides a forward view when standing. In the saloon, long, straight settees can serve as berths. Hullside ports admit additional light, and a substantial table conceals a sliding box seat. The galley is finished with an all-Corian worktop and trim.
Two layouts are available. The two-stateroom version has one owner’s cabin and one large aft cabin, which share a single head. That head is significantly larger than the one in the three-stateroom boat. The three-cabin arrangement can sleep eight. A three-cabin test boat reviewed by a magazine had an enormous forecabin with an island bed.
Engine and Systems
The standard engine is an 18.8 hp Volvo Penta with saildrive. An optional 30 hp diesel also uses saildrive.
During the Annapolis introduction, Boat of the Year judge Ed Sherman noted that the test boat was among the quietest while motoring in its group, rivaling competitors that cost significantly more.
Tankage comprises 160 liters of diesel and 180 liters of water, in keeping with the boat’s coastal-cruising brief.
Verdict
The Dufour 37 is a well-resolved modern coastal cruiser that trades absolute length for volume and livability. Its Felci-designed hull proved genuinely quick and well-mannered in reviewers’ testing across a range of wind speeds.
The infusion-built structure, bulb-keel stability, and thoughtful deck layout make it an accessible family boat. However, the modest standard winch count and emphasis on a self-tacking jib are likely to steer serious sailors toward the upper equipment packages.
Pros
- Forward-widened hull provides exceptional owner’s-cabin volume for the boat’s size
- Quick, easy steering and negligible weather helm in launch-season reviews
- Vacuum-infused hull and deck, with foam-core construction above the waterline
- Spacious cockpit with an exterior galley and aft grill for social cruising
- Boat of the Year judges found the test boat notably quiet under power compared with more expensive rivals
Cons
- Standard rig hardware is minimal, with two winches and a self-tacking jib by default
- The three-cabin version sacrifices head size and sleeps eight at a cost to comfort
- A hull under 33 feet, despite the boat’s 37-foot model name and just-over-35-foot overall length, may surprise buyers
