Design and Construction
The 40 E measures 40 feet 6 inches on the waterline length of 35 feet 3 inches, with a beam of 12 feet 9 inches and a standard draft of 6 feet 10 inches, dropping to 5 feet 9 inches with the optional shoal keel. Displacement is 17,257 pounds, of which 5,260 pounds is ballast. Built by Dufour Yachts in La Rochelle, France, the hull follows the builder's sub-50-foot practice of solid fiberglass, with a solid fiberglass deck and an inward-facing flange hull-to-deck joint formed in a two-part mold. A one-piece structural grid is chemically fused to the hull and tabbed with fiberglass around high-load areas, the sort of construction detail that underpins the boat's composure under sail.
Rig and Handling
On the water the 40 E is a responsive, light-helming boat. Test sailors found her light on the helm and responsive even rail-down in vicious gusts, and she nudged double digits on a beam reach in close to 30 knots of wind while still making a good 7.5 knots to windward through short, sharp chop. Canadian Boating's tester described her as sensitive, a term that captured the way she listens to trim. The anodized aluminum performance mast has double swept-back spreaders and is stepped on the keel, with discontinuous standing rigging of single-strand stainless cable and Dyform and chrome-plated bronze turnbuckles. A recessed furler drum and factory-standard spinnaker controls sit alongside a 7-foot genoa track that gives a wide range of adjustment through easily moved cars. The German mainsheet leads to a full-width traveler just ahead of the twin wheels, with primary and mainsheet winches within reach of the helmsman.
Cockpit and Deck
The T-shaped cockpit is well proportioned, with twin steering stations carrying 36-inch wheels and a traveller adjustment just forward of them. Harken 46 outboard winches let the helmsman steer and trim without leaving the seat, while two Harken 40 winches on the cabin top handle halyards and control lines that run aft on each side of the hatch. A removable foot brace gives access to the cockpit table sockets, and the engine controls for the 40 hp Volvo sit to starboard clear of the wheel. Forward, 19-inch side decks and 25-inch double lifelines with solid wooden handrails make movement safe, and extra pad eyes await foredeck crew when the kite is flying. Aft, a fold-down swim platform with a 2:1 purchase lifting system and a hidden telescoping ladder is a neat touch.
Accommodations
Below, horizontal grained woodwork and white side panels give a warm but bright feel, with integrated handrails placed where you actually need them. The L-shaped galley to port opposite the companionway steps has Corian countertops, a glass splash guard, counter-level sliding doors, three large drawers, a two-burner gimballed stove, a single sink with Corian cover, and both a dual-opening and a front-opening icebox. A fold-down seat in front of the galley and a drop-in bottle cabinet forward of the port settee show the kind of small-space thinking cruisers appreciate. The starboard settee is 5 by 20 inches and folds up for storage; the port settee runs 6 feet 4 inches. The dinette table is 28 by 44 inches with a low fiddle and crumb hole, its legs removable to form a berth, and an optional version folds over to the starboard settee. In the port-side aft cabin there is standing headroom of 6 feet 5 inches and a berth 6 feet 8 inches long; the starboard aft cabin berth is a foot longer and a bit wider. The forward cabin is bright and wide with shelves on each hull wall, and buyers could opt for a forward head. Three layouts were offered with two or three staterooms and one or two head/shower compartments.
The Verdict
The Dufour 40 E is a genuine performance cruiser: quick, light on the helm, and thoughtfully laid out for both racing crew and family living, with a deck that stays clean and a belowdecks plan that makes good use of the volume a 40-footer provides.
Pros
- Slim, low-profile hull with more ballast than her cruising sister for a bigger sailplan
- Light, responsive helm and strong windward and beam-reach performance
- Well-set-up cockpit with twin wheels, within-reach winches, and a full-width traveller
- Flexible three-layout interior with practical galley and fold-away seating
Cons
- Bench seats set a trifle far apart for easy bracing
- Smallish portlights below, though offset by deck hatches and hull ports
