Design and Construction
The 385 Grand Large is a wide boat with a high displacement-to-length ratio, though moderate in beam and overall dimensions when set against other newly released European production cruisers of its era. Its hull is solid layered polyester, and the builder claimed vacuum bagging of fiberglass and PVC foam ensured absolute rigidity and strength, with vacuum injection or resin transfer moulding used for the decks. All Dufour yachts of this generation carry a stringer system reinforced with Twaron in the keel area, laminated to the outer hull. The keel is iron with a bulb profile, and the structural approach reflects the marque's use of a one-piece solid fiberglass grid fused to the hull. With roughly 15,400 pounds of displacement and 4,300 pounds of iron ballast, the 385 sits at a ballast ratio near 28 percent, a figure that supports its stated stability.
Rig and Handling
The 385 stands out with its fractional sloop rigging, arranged as a two-spreader setup with continuous diagonals so rig tension can be adjusted at deck level. Sail area totals about 624 square feet, and the lowish sail-area-to-displacement ratio reveals its cruising character rather than out-and-out race pedigree, though the 385 GL performs well in cruising races thanks to generous sail area and well-sized rigging. Test sailors found her responsive to the helm and to gusts in 5–8 knots, with a firm but high-geared twin-wheel steering system that gave immediate response; the large spade rudder ensures good responsiveness even in rough seas. She tracks pretty straight, allowing the headsail to be worked from the wheel, and her hull permits tight sailing angles with good upwind performance. Under the 40hp Volvo option she reaches hull speed quickly and manoeuvres well both forward and in reverse.
Accommodations
The most common version of the 385 Grand Large offers three cabins and two heads, with a two-cabin configuration also available. The accommodation is modern classic: a bow cabin and two stern cabins, with the galley amidships on the port side and a big dinette opposite providing centreline seating the cook can brace against on port tack. Interior trim is timber up to the deckline, with moulded overhead lining and fabric inserts, and the internal mouldings in the stern cabins are of high quality, soft to the touch. The interiors are spacious and bright, the result of redesigned arrangements meant for cruising comfort. A drop-side teak cockpit table with a stainless grab rail sits on the centreline, and Dufour's unique transom seat folds its central panel down into a boarding step.
The Verdict
The Dufour 385 Grand Large is a habitable cruising sailboat suited to offshore and coastal passages with small crews. Its Felci-Roséo hull combines speed and comfort, and the wide, bright three-cabin interior remains practical for extended cruising. The fractional rig and twin-wheel helm make her manageable short-handed, while the Grand Large lineage delivers the at-anchor comfort that defines the range.
Pros
- Stable, maneuverable, and high-performing across a wide range of conditions
- Spacious three-cabin, two-head layout with bright redesigned interior
- Twin-wheel helm with immediate response and easy headsail-winch access
- Strong cruising-race showing from generous sail area and well-sized rigging
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air acceleration
- High freeboard and cabin profile compared with Performance Cruisers
