Design and Construction
The hull is hand-laid solid fiberglass, a straightforward, time-tested construction method. Dufour pairs it with NPG gelcoat and resin for osmosis protection. Inside, a separate structural grid is laminated to the hull. Stout, Twaron-reinforced longitudinal stringers intersect with strong frames that transfer rig loads down to the keel.
The deck uses a balsa core encased in injection-molded polyester, making it light but very rigid. The construction record also describes the deck as an infused polyester sandwich with a balsa core. The cast-iron keel carries most of its ballast in a large bulb and is bolted to a stainless-steel backing plate. A semi-elliptical rudder, made from closed-cell foam and epoxy, hangs from a solid stainless-steel post.
Above the waterline, Dufour used iroko hardwood generously across the deck, cockpit, toerails, handrails, and swim platform. It provides a warm finish without relying on teak.
Rig and Sail Handling
The 405 carries a tall, double-spreader fractional rig with 9/10ths proportions. The spreaders are raked aft at 15 degrees, and continuous cap, intermediate, and lower shrouds terminate at deck-mounted chainplates. A split backstay supports the rig aft, and an optional inner forestay was available.
The standard mainsail has conventional battens and two single-line reefing points. Popular alternatives include in-mast furling or a full-battened mainsail with lazyjacks. All lines, including the single-line reefing controls, run aft through nine rope clutches to self-tailing winches on the coachroof. The traveler sits well forward, in front of the companionway hatch.
Twin wheels connect by cable directly to the quadrant above the deep spade rudder. Reviewers also noted the unusually high boom, a visual quirk that may make the mainsail harder to reach.
Sailing Performance
Test sailors found the 405 lively. To windward, she settled into a comfortable groove at an apparent wind angle of 38 to 40 degrees, with the knotmeter reading around 8.6 knots. On a beam reach, the log climbed to just over 9 knots. She tacked through less than 80 degrees with little loss of momentum and pointed to within 33 degrees of apparent wind before the mainsail stalled, while still making a steady 7 knots. A prolonged 30-knot gust under full sail eventually rounded her up. Under power, she turned within her own length and backed down easily.
The standard engine is a 40-horsepower Volvo with saildrive and a fixed two-bladed propeller, and it’s easy to service. The test boat carried the optional 55-horsepower engine with a folding propeller. That installation produced a quiet cruising speed of 7.5 knots at 2,400 rpm and reached 8.5 knots flat out.
Interior and Accommodation Plans
Below, the 405 was offered with three accommodation plans, all centered on a traditional wood interior finished mainly in maobi with complementary hardwoods.
Every version has a large forward owner’s cabin with an attached head, a U-shaped saloon settee with washable leatherette cushions, a two-person bench, and a second head aft of the saloon. Headroom is generous at 6 feet 5 inches, dropping to 6 feet 2 inches forward.
The one-aft-cabin version places an L-shaped galley aft, with the chart table between the saloon seats. Choosing two aft cabins brings a straight-line galley and a dedicated, forward-facing chart table with its own seat.
A third inspected layout had the galley aft to starboard, behind a navigation station flanked by twin chairs. It also included a second double cabin aft to port and a large storage cabin accessed through the cockpit locker. The aft cabins are roomy, with 6-foot-7-by-4-foot-6 berths and three opening hatches apiece.
The galley includes Corian counters, a large refrigerator that opens from the top or front, and a dedicated wine cellar. Saloon ventilation is less generous, however: only one small port and two hatches serve the space, despite seven deck hatches and four opening portlights elsewhere.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
The cockpit is practical rather than vast. Its securely mounted drop-leaf table has a sturdy grab handle that makes moving around easier, although the central table can get in the way when crew need to move quickly from side to side during sail handling.
Three cockpit lockers—two shallow and one deep—provide stowage, while a separate liferaft locker sits beneath the cockpit sole. On the one-aft-cabin version, the vast cockpit locker could serve as a small workshop.
The foredeck is uncluttered, with a recessed electric windlass, a cavernous chain locker, and a solid twin bow roller. Buyers could add a short alloy bowsprit for an asymmetric sail.
A Raymarine chartplotter is set into the aft end of the cockpit table. ST-70 repeaters, engine displays, and autopilot controls are all within reach of the helm.
Machinery, Systems, and Ownership
Water and fuel tanks are installed beneath the berths. A panel above one berth provides access to the batteries, charger, and optional 2.5kW generator.
The standard 40hp Volvo is the baseline installation. For owners who value quiet, economical motoring, the optional 55hp engine and folding propeller fitted to the test boat represent a meaningful upgrade.
Factory deck hardware includes Harken winches and Lewmar adjustable sheet leads, both first-class touches. The hand-laminated hull and osmosis-resistant resin also suggest straightforward long-term care, provided a survey finds the boat in sound condition.
Verdict
The Dufour 405 Grand Large is a well-resolved Felci-Roséo cruiser that combines stiff, quick performance with a genuinely livable interior and a thoughtfully engineered deck structure. Its hand-laid solid hull, Twaron-reinforced grid, and rigid balsa-cored deck provide a robust structure that suits its behavior under sail.
Three accommodation plans give buyers a choice between extra guest berths and workshop or storage space without giving up the large forward owner’s suite. The compromises are relatively focused: limited saloon ventilation, an unusually high boom, and a cockpit table that can impede movement during active sail handling.
Pros
- Lively performance, including 8-plus knots downwind, around 8.6 knots to windward, just over 9 knots on a beam reach, tacking through less than 80 degrees, and a steady 7 knots even when the mainsail stalled
- Strong, lightweight construction, with a hand-laid hull and Twaron-reinforced stringers transferring rig loads to the keel
- Three flexible interior plans, roomy aft cabins, and a large forward owner’s suite
- Control lines led aft, plus twin wheels for short-handed handling
Cons
- Saloon ventilation is limited to one small port and two hatches, despite ample light and more openings elsewhere
- The unusually high boom looks disproportionate and may make mainsail access more difficult
- The central cockpit table can obstruct movement during active sail handling
