Dufour 44 Performance Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common. The original design permitted three or four sleeping cabins, the latter adding a passageway cabin with stacked bunks forward of the saloon, while the more common version pairs port and starboard aft doubles with a forward V-berth. Practical Sailor sailed the three-cabin aft-berth version and noted the main saloon’s 6 ft 4 in headroom, L-shaped dinette, and U-shaped galley with a three-burner stove. Four deck hatches and six opening ports vent the interior, though the aft doubles are noted as stuffy in the tropics.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, boats commonly carry a bimini, chartplotter, autopilot, heating, electric winches, solar, inverter, teak decks, and cockpit shower. Often-seen additions include a spinnaker, hot water, air conditioning, and a furling main; a bow thruster, swim platform, radar, life raft, watermaker, asymmetric spinnaker, and AIS are less commonly seen, usually as owner upgrades. The standard 9/10 fractional rig with a 130-percent genoa and swept-back spreaders was sometimes supplemented by the performance package’s tapered three-spreader mast and Dyform rigging when new.

What to Inspect

Documented known issues focus on a few specific fittings. A disconcerting amount of saltwater backed up through the anchor locker drain while the boat we tested was under sail, leaving the chain and rode sloshing in at least an inch of water. The batteries stacked in the port aft berth in a dedicated compartment lacked covers over the terminals, and the lid to the propane locker aft was not gasketed. The through-hull valves are the in-line type and appeared to have components made of various alloys, not the more rugged bronze flange type intended for that service, and testers disliked the way six through-hulls were closely aligned to accommodate head hoses. Under engine load the port quarter berth yielded 90 decibels against 83 in the saloon, indicating a need for better sound-proofing.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats typically appear in Croatia, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Greece, and France. When viewing, check the anchor locker drain for backflow, confirm battery terminal covers and propane locker gasket, examine through-hull alloy composition and clustering, and assess aft-cabin sound-proofing. Favor examples with U.S.-designated fittings and adequate system access, and verify the rig and sail inventory match your cruising or racing intent.

• Inspect anchor locker drainage under sail
• Verify battery and propane locker sealing
• Check through-hull material and head-hose layout
• Listen for aft-berth engine noise