Her figures describe a moderately loaded displacement hull. A displacement/length ratio of 215 and a sail area/displacement ratio of 18.92 place her firmly in the steady cruising band rather than the lively performance end. At 12 feet 7 inches, her beam isn’t especially broad for her length. That gives her a lean profile and a canoe body that looks clean and fast.
Design and Construction
The hull follows a conventional monohull arrangement, with a bulb keel and a spade rudder mounted well aft. The transom forms a distinct plane, separate from the hull sides and deck surface. A shallow but broad swim platform spans the stern for easy water access.
The deck layout is disciplined. Narrow side decks flank a reasonably sized center cockpit, while a curved windshield gives the house its distinctive appearance. The areas leading aft to the cockpit are sculpted into the end of the house rather than treated as flat transitional surfaces—a thoughtful piece of ergonomic molding.
Rig and Handling
The 39 CC carries a masthead sloop rig with double spreaders that show some aft sweep, and the mast appears to be deck-stepped. The halyards run aft beneath a cover and emerge beside the companionway. This keeps the working lines close to the helm and out of foot traffic.
Mounting the rudder far aft gives it a mechanical advantage in steering authority. The clean canoe-body profile also suggests a hull that tracks well and responds to helm input without excessive drag. However, the narrow side decks require care when the crew moves forward.
Accommodations
Dufour offered the 39 CC with two interior layouts, differing only in the aft owner’s stateroom. One has a centerline double berth flanked by two small settees. The other places the double berth to one side with a settee opposite.
The single head is to starboard of the center cockpit, with access from both the saloon and the aft cabin. It’s a practical shared arrangement for daytime and overnight use, without duplicated plumbing.
The center-cockpit configuration shortens the aft cabin, but it also allows the boat’s broad beam to be used for a proper stateroom and keeps the helm protected.
Verdict
The Dufour 39 CC is a considered cruiser’s boat: neither beamy nor over-canvased, but well resolved in its deck sculpting and shared accommodation arrangements. It suits sailors who value a clean hull form and a practical choice of aft-cabin layouts over outright volume or speed.
Pros
- Center cockpit with a protected helm and broad swim platform aft
- Head accessible from both the saloon and aft cabin
- Two aft-stateroom layouts without compromising the rest of the plan
- Halyards led aft under cover for short-handed cockpit work
Cons
- Narrow side decks limit safe movement to the foredeck
- Sail area/displacement ratio of 18.92 indicates modest light-air acceleration potential
