Writing in Blue Water Sailing in March 2017, the editors described the 460 Grand Large as a thoroughly modern coastal cruiser with the tankage and strength for an occasional offshore passage.
Design and Construction
In profile, the 460 Grand Large has a blunt, plumb bow, a snub transom, and a low-profile coachroof. Three horizontal hull windows bring light below. The newly designed hull carries its beam well aft, while a hard chine helps keep the boat more upright in a seaway. The chine, beam carried well aft, and tall freeboard also make her seem larger than her 46-foot overall length.
Construction combines a hand-laid, solid-fiberglass hull with a one-piece, injection-molded deck. The layup itself is hand-laminated with an injected PVC foam core. A choice of two keels accommodates deep- and skinny-water cruising, and the single semi-elliptical rudder is filled with closed-cell foam.
Wide side decks and flush hatches make movement on deck easier on the toes. At the bow, the pulpit opens onto a composite bowsprit—a metal structure overlaid with fiberglass that blends into the hull. The anchor tucks neatly beneath it, where lines won’t catch on it.
Rig, Sail Handling, and Performance
The 460 carries a 9/10 fractional rig with a tapered, deck-stepped Z-Spar mast and twin aft-swept spreaders. Its compression post stands in the forward owner’s cabin, leaving the saloon open.
A continuous German-style mainsheet leads to two Lewmar primary winches within reach of the twin wheels. Halyard and reefing winches sit on the cabin top by the companionway, and 11 Spinlock rope clutches handle the lines.
The standard 95-percent self-tacking jib runs on its own track forward of the mast. The test boat’s Elvstrøm cross-cut Dacron sails used a Facnor furler. The roller-furling unit is mounted in the center of the bowsprit, which also has a robust forward pad eye for tacking an asymmetric kite or Code Zero-type reaching sail.
In just 3 to 4 knots of wind on Chesapeake Bay, Cruising World’s test sailors found the boat could sail as fast as the wind on a closehauled course. She made 3.5 knots in the lulls and 4.5 knots with slightly more pressure in the light-air test.
Accommodations and Interior Layout
Dufour placed the saloon farther aft, where the hull reaches its maximum beam. That makes the dinette feel open. An L-shaped settee and an inboard twin bench can seat six for a meal, while the port-side sofa lifts and pulls inboard to add a few inches of width.
A beam-width galley forms part of the athwartships bulkhead separating the saloon from the forward master stateroom. This arrangement emphasizes the boat’s social layout, but it also has practical drawbacks underway: the cook has almost nowhere to brace while working at an angle, and carrying hot food from the galley to the cockpit is a long trip when the boat is on its ear.
The forward cabin has a queen berth with access from both sides. Its split head places a large, dedicated shower stall to port and the toilet to starboard.
A convertible navigation station runs on a sliding track aft of the outboard settee and can face either forward or aft. Writing in Blue Water Sailing, the tester noted that the desk tilts to provide a level surface regardless of heel.
A second head lies to port, and two double cabins complete the aft accommodation. Buyers can specify one or two heads. A four-cabin, four-head version replaces the beam-width galley with a straight-line galley along the starboard side. At the companionway, a wine rack remains tucked beneath the floorboards as a Dufour trademark.
Cockpit and Entertaining
The cockpit is slightly A-shaped, with a drop-leaf table on the centerline. An optional refrigerator can be integrated into the table, and a 12-inch Raymarine HybridTouch MFD is mounted on its aft end. The display is visible from both helms, although it doesn’t swivel. Engine controls are fitted only at the starboard helm, inboard on the binnacle.
The transom raises and lowers electrically. When deployed at anchor or in a slip, it adds three feet to the boat’s overall length, and its teak bench provides extra room. Two sections of the transom seat hinge open to reveal a barbecue, sink, and cutting board, while the swim platform houses an Eno Plancha grill. This outdoor-galley concept first appeared on the GL 500.
Power and Tankage
The test boat carried the standard 54-hp Volvo Penta diesel with sail drive; a 75-hp Volvo upgrade is also available. On flat bay water, she reached 8.7 knots at wide-open throttle and 2,800 rpm. Economical cruising speed was around eight knots at 2,200 rpm.
A Holland Marine jet bow thruster made maneuvering in tight marina spaces easy on the test boat. This system replaced the traditional drop-down propeller version and has no propeller to snag lines or debris.
Fuel capacity is 66 gallons, and water capacity is 140 gallons.
Verdict
The Dufour 460 Grand Large is a thoughtfully engineered 46-footer that combines lively light-air performance with a genuinely social layout. Its notable features range from the aft cockpit galley to the beam-width forward galley and tilting navigation desk.
The boat is aimed at experienced sailors who mainly cruise coastal waters but want the strength for an occasional passage. Its hard chine and carried-aft beam provide volume and form stability. The tradeoffs are equally clear: the athwartships galley offers little bracing, and carrying hot food to the cockpit can be awkward when the boat is heeled.
Pros
- Sailed at wind speed while closehauled in 3–4 knots
- Innovative two-galley arrangement, with an electric drop-down transom and grill
- Convertible, tilting navigation station provides a level work surface when heeled
- Choice of keels for deep- or shoal-draft cruising
Cons
- Athwartships forward galley offers little to brace against when heeled
- Long carry from the galley to the cockpit with hot food under heel
- Cockpit MFD doesn’t swivel
- Engine controls are fitted only at the starboard helm
