Design and Construction
The 460 Grand Large shows a blunt bow and snub transom in profile, with a plumb bow, low-profile coach roof, and three horizontal windows cut into the hull for light. Her construction is a hand-laid, solid-fiberglass hull paired with a one-piece injection-molded deck, while the layup itself is hand-laminated with an injected PVC foam core. A hard chine contributes to the impressive beam — carried well aft — and to the tall freeboard that makes the yacht seem larger than its 46 feet of overall length. Below the waterline there is a choice between two keels to accommodate deep and skinny water cruising, and the single semi-elliptical rudder is filled with closed-cell foam. The coachroof is low and the side decks are wide, with flush hatches to save toes, and the pulpit opens onto a composite bowsprit — a metal structure overlaid with fiberglass that blends into the hull and keeps the anchor tucked neatly beneath so no lines catch on it.
Rig and Handling
The 460 carries a 9/10 fractional rig with a tapered, deck-stepped Z-Spar mast and twin aft-swept spreaders; the compression post for the spar sits in the forward owner's cabin so it does not hinder the open saloon. A continuous German-style mainsheet leads back to two Lewmar primary winches reachable from the twin wheels, while halyard and reefing winches sit on the cabin top at the companionway, with lines handled through 11 Spinlock rope clutches. The standard 95-percent self-tacking jib runs on its own track forward of the mast, and a Facnor furler was fitted to the test boat's Elvstrøm cross-cut Dacron sails. The roller-furling unit is mounted in the center of the bowsprit, which carries a robust pad eye forward for tacking asymmetric kites or a Code Zero-type reaching sail. In light airs of only 3 to 4 knots on Chesapeake Bay, Cruising World's test sailors found her sailing as fast as the wind on a closehauled course, making 3.5 knots in the lulls and 4.5 knots with slightly more pressure anchor.
Accommodations and Social Layout
Dufour positioned the saloon farther aft where the beam is at its maximum, making the dinette feel open, with an L-shaped settee and inboard twin bench seat that can seat six for a meal; the port side sofa lifts and pulls inboard to gain a few inches of width. The layout heightens the social side of sailing, beginning with a beam-width galley installed as part of the athwartships bulkhead that delineates the saloon from the forward master stateroom. That forward cabin has a queen berth with side entries and a split head with a large dedicated shower stall to port and the toilet to starboard. A convertible navigation station on a sliding track aft of the outboard settee can be configured forward- or aft-facing, and writing in Blue Water Sailing, the tester noted the desk tilts to create a level surface regardless of heel anchor. A second head is to port and a pair of double cabins finish off the aft section, with one or two heads specifiable. A four-cabin, four-head version substitutes a straight-line galley along the starboard side. A wine rack remains tucked under the floorboards at the companionway as a Dufour trademark.
Cockpit and Shoreside Entertaining
The cockpit is slightly A-shaped, with a drop-leaf centerline table carrying an optional integrated refrigerator and a 12-inch Raymarine HybridTouch MFD mounted on its aft end, visible from both helms — though the screen does not swivel. Engine controls are at the starboard helm only, mounted inboard on the binnacle. The transom raises and lowers electrically, adding three feet to overall length when deployed at anchor or in a slip, and the 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. The split galley forward, however, gives the cook almost nowhere to steady oneself while working at an angle, and walking from galley to cockpit with hot food is a long journey when the boat is on its ear.
Power and Propulsion
The standard 54-hp Volvo Penta diesel with sail drive powered the test boat, while a 75-hp Volvo upgrade is available. On flat bay water at wide-open throttle (2,800 rpm) she reached 8.7 knots under power, with an economical cruising speed around eight knots at 2,200 rpm. Maneuvering in tight marina spots was easy with the Holland Marine jet bow thruster fitted to the test boat; this unit has replaced the traditional drop-down propeller version and has no prop to snag lines or debris. Fuel capacity is 66 gallons and water is 140 gallons.
The Verdict
The Dufour 460 Grand Large is a thoughtfully engineered 46-footer that blends lively light-air performance with a genuinely social layout, from the aft cockpit galley to the beam-width forward galley and tilting nav desk. She is aimed at experienced sailors who cruise coastal waters yet want the strength for the occasional passage. The hard chine and carried-aft beam give her volume and form stability, but the lateral galley's lack of bracing and the long heeled trip with hot food are real tradeoffs.
Pros
- Light-air performance: sailed at wind speed in 3–4 knots closehauled
- Innovative dual galley setup with electric drop-down transom and grill
- Tilting convertible navigation station for level work when heeled
- Choice of keels for deep or shoal draft cruising
Cons
- Lateral forward galley offers little to brace against when heeled
- Long carry from galley to cockpit with hot food under heel
- Cockpit MFD does not swivel
- Engine controls only at starboard helm
